This study examines the effects of teaching Linkage and Problem Translating Skills on students' problem-solving performance and their learning of the five cognitive variables namely, Concept Relatedness, Idea Association, Problem Translating Skill, Non-Specific but Relevant Knowledge and Specific Knowledge. Seventy three Grade 9 (Secondary 3)…

Chemical reactions induced by light have been utilized for synthesizing highly strained, thermodynamically unstable compounds, which are inaccessible through non-photochemical methods. Photochemical cycloaddition reactions, especially those leading to the formation of four-membered rings, constitute a convenient route to compounds that are…

Do students who focus on some content areas in high school chemistry have an advantage over others in college chemistry? Published research on high school preparation for college science dates back as far as the 1920s, but results have been mixed. This manuscript seeks to answer this question through the use of a broad-based survey of 3521…

Scientists often use more than the results of experiment to arrive at a result; they use anticipation and analogy to arrive at the results that fit their theories, and sometimes they correct results in the light of analogy. They also need to be clear about the difference between accuracy and precision. They do all this using not only theories, but…

A project involving the synthesis of several naturally occurring copper double salts using simple aqueous conditions is reported. The ions present in the compound are analyzed using colorimetric, gravimetric, and gas-analysis techniques appropriate for the first-year laboratory and from the percent composition, the empirical formula of each…

A course designed on the theme of Napoleon's Buttons, which states that there is a connection between the chemical structure of a compound and its pivotal moments in history affecting the development of society is explained. Students liked the book choice for the course because the focus was not on straight chemistry, but the intersection of…

The curriculum innovations in chemistry are often designed to address the important goals of improving student understanding and attitude, with assessment to determine the effects of these innovations. These analyses are psychometrically weak for several reasons, one reason being that the ability to look for the changes over time or for…

A survey was conducted among second-year students in organic chemistry (OC) lab and first-year students in English composition (EC) to determine whether an interdisciplinary exchange and review of articles would improve students' understanding of the process of scientific research and of writing within the field of chemistry. The primary…

Two projects, the reaction notebook and the end-of-semester synthesis activity are described which could help students to adopt a discovery-based learning and engage students in practical applications of chemistry. Students have provided positive feedback on this classroom assignment and have felt that it has helped them crystallize their thought…

This study researched the use of writing-to-learn strategies within a high-school (Year 11) chemistry classroom. The writing task itself asked the students to write a business letter to a younger audience of middle-school (Year 7) students. A mixed-method design was used for the study, incorporating pre/post- testing with semi-structured…

A learning object is an interactive web-based tool that supports learning by enhancing, amplifying, and guiding the cognitive processes of a learner. To date, no formal research has been done on the use of learning objects in secondary school science classrooms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of learning objects developed for…

Peer-led team learning (PLTL) is a program of small-group workshops, attached to a course, under the direction of trained peer leaders who have completed the course. Peer leaders ensure that team members engage with the materials and with each other, they help build commitment and confidence, and they encourage discussion. Studies of PLTL have…

This article describes a successful interdisciplinary collaboration among chemistry, humanities and English faculty members, who utilized poetry and artistic illustration to help students learn, appreciate, and enjoy chemistry. Students taking general chemistry classes were introduced to poetry writing and museum-type poster preparation during one…

To enhance the learning outcomes achieved by students, learners undertook a computer-simulated activity based on an acid-base titration prior to a university-level chemistry laboratory activity. Students were categorized with respect to their attitudes toward learning. During the laboratory exercise, questions that students asked their assistant…

This document is a collection of some of the chemistry activities used in the Teaching Science with TOYS professional development program for teachers. The TOYS activities have been compiled into this document as a resource for teachers who want to use toy-based physical science activities in the classroom. The activities do not assume any…