Multidisciplinary lab experiments combining microfluidics, nanoparticle synthesis, and characterization are presented. These experiments rely on the implementation of affordable yet efficient microfluidic setups based on perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) capillary coils and standard HPLC connectors in upper undergraduate chemistry laboratories.…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been shown to increase student retention and learning in the biological sciences. Most CURES cover only one aspect of gene regulation, such as transcriptional control. Here we present a new inquiry-based lab that engages understanding of gene expression from multiple perspectives.…

Examination of photographic processes from the 19th century to the present digital age is an effective means to intellectually engage nonscience majors with science. A laboratory course for nonscience majors exploring these processes is described in this article. Ionic and covalent compounds, oxidation-reduction reactions, precipitation reactions,…

Ubiquitin is essential for eukaryotic life and varies in only 3 amino acid positions between yeast and humans. However, recent deep sequencing studies indicate that ubiquitin is highly tolerant to single mutations. We hypothesized that this tolerance would be reduced by chemically induced physiologic perturbations. To test this hypothesis, a class…

Students difficulty in relating chemistry concepts to everyday life leads to their inability to explore and developed skills needed, especially critical thinking. Therefore, this study aimed to develop students' critical thinking skills by integrating socio-critical and problem-oriented approaches to chemistry learning with environmental issues in…

The Model of the Use of Evolutionary Trees (MUET)-curricular module that systematically and comprehensively introduces the learning of evolutionary trees for the lower-level college students was developed and implemented in an introductory organismal biology laboratory course at a mid-size, doctoral degree-granting institution. A…

Mass spectrometry is frequently introduced to undergraduate students as an instrument for both qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. One of the most common uses of mass spectrometry (MS) is to deduce or confirm a compound's chemical formula, by relying on high-resolution accurate-mass measurements. However, like all forms of instrumental…

In this research, the laboratory perceptions of pre-service science teachers with different goal orientations in analytical chemistry courses in which an inquiry-based laboratory approach had been adopted were examined in a case study. From the pre-interviews conducted with 37 pre-service science teachers, 3 preservice science teachers with…

Teaching and understanding the concepts related to ideal gases and their transformations is relatively uncomplicated. However, for science and engineering students, reaching an understanding of and assimilating the concepts related to real gases and their transformations is a more difficult goal. Backed by their considerable experience teaching…

This mixed method study investigation uses eye tracking and qualitative analysis to investigate the impact of animation variation and visual feedback on the critique of submicroscopic representations of experimental phenomena. Undergraduate general chemistry students first viewed an experimental video of a precipitation or oxidation reduction…

Rovibrational spectroscopy is a fundamental component of most physical chemistry curricula. This article describes an adaption of the rovibrational spectroscopy of carbon dioxide experiment that can be used as a stand-alone experiment or in conjunction with a traditional hydrogen chloride experiment. The case is made that the laboratory…

Contribution: Prior studies indicate that students experimenting with characterization of optical planar waveguides use expensive ready-made prism couplers without clear understanding about construction of the entire optical measurement system. This paper presents a cost-effective modified bright-mode prism coupler that helps students learn…

Introductory laboratory courses are a standard component of undergraduate science programmes and historically taught using direct instruction/confirmatory lab models. Previous studies have shown that inquiry-based labs enhance student engagement in science courses. However, research on how direct instruction introductory lab courses effectively…

A lab activity for teaching physics students the fundamentals of statistical analysis during the first few weeks of instruction is described. This activity involves students timing a pulse of light generated by an Arduino device of fixed duration with individual timers (e.g. stopwatch, iPhone timer). To select the most precise timing methods and…

An escape-room-game activity was introduced to foster team building and collaborative learning in a laboratory-experiment setting. The students were placed in a laboratory with clues and puzzles that required the students to use a sequence of analytical instruments in the laboratory in order to escape. The instruments utilized included a UV-vis…