A simple diffraction experiment was designed using banana stem as natural grating. Coherent beams of lasers with wavelengths of 632.8 nm and 532 nm that pass through banana stem produce periodic diffraction patterns on a screen. The diffraction experiments were able to measure the distances between the slit of the banana stem, i.e. d = (28.76 ±…

This study aims to determine the effect of the use of learning media Virtual Reality Laboratory (VR-Lab) on the conceptual understanding of Senior high school students on the concept of electrolytes and non-electrolytes. The learning media used were developed using models adapted from the ADDIE model, while the type of research as a whole uses…

A 3-week module incorporating the principles of green chemistry was developed for a large-enrollment, introductory organic chemistry laboratory course. An emphasis was placed on students planning their own experiments with the goal of obtaining a greener reaction (week 1). Students executed their designed experiments in week 2 and were given an…

Heat and temperature concepts are found at all levels in the science curricula and are well-known for creating conceptual difficulties for learners. Students have difficulty understanding concepts related to heat, temperature, and thermal radiation. Inquiry-based pedagogies that can foster the learning of these difficult concepts are needed.…

A hands-on experiment to obtain atomic and ionic radii with lumps of metal and ionic compounds is reported here. The experiment is performed with industrial-grade typical metals (iron, copper, aluminum, and lead) and single-crystal lumps of ionic compounds (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and potassium bromide). Students measure the dimension…

We have developed and employed a set of inquiry-based labs built around engaging "real-world" scenarios for our studio-style introductory Physics II course. In real-world situations, there is more than one path to success and step-by-step instructions are not provided. For this reason, the primary goal for these labs is to provide…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of active learning on student performance in a sophomore-level anatomy and physiology course. Exam grades of students from two consecutive fall semesters were compared. In the first year of the study, students (n=180) used skeletons, plastic muscular manikins, and illustrations to learn the…

This study analyzed representations of practical work in 10th grade chemistry textbooks and associated experimental workbooks from different Chinese communities. In the field of textbook research, science education textbooks research is unbalanced between regions. In the case of chemistry textbooks analysis within the Chinese context, textbook…

Many university and high school introductory physics courses include a laboratory portion where students follow a manual to conduct "cookbook" experiments. Here, we present an authentic research project for introductory physics students that focuses on kinematics that can be done outside a formal laboratory space. This experiment can be…

Asensor of the type BMP180, together with Arduino, is used to easily measure atmospheric pressure and temperature at schools. The open source Arduino microcontroller board presents countless teaching applications in science and engineering projects. It allows students to implant their creativity into a friendly environment and take ownership of…

MathCheck is a relatively new online tool that gives students feedback on their solutions to elementary university mathematics and theoretical computer science exercises. MathCheck was designed with constructivism learning theory in mind and it differs from other online tools as it checks the solutions step by step and shows a counter-example if…

One of the keys to achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education is to introduce novel pedagogical strategies into university curricula in order to promote an enhanced acute sense of sustainability in future professionals, teachers, and decision-makers. This paper aims at analyzing the effectiveness of including…

Science festivals have been reported as an effective way to communicate science between scientists and the public; however, only a few studies have examined systematically and consistently how the festivals effect the public's conceptions of science. Moreover, few studies about science festivals for special education students are conducted. This…

Due to resource limitations at predominantly undergraduate institutions, research opportunities for non-senior students can be limited. To provide opportunities for a variety of students to gain exposure to research, a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) was designed and conducted. Coupled inquiry was used to allow underclassmen…

Pigments, dyes, and transition-metal compounds are made in courses across the undergraduate chemistry curriculum, but student characterization of these compounds' most striking features, their colors, seldom goes beyond verbal descriptions. Affordable, hand-held, fiber-optic reflectance spectrophotometers make it possible to advance students'…