The history of the development of mass spectroscopic methods used to characterize polymers is discussed. The continued improvements in methods and instrumentation will offer new and better ways for the mass spectral characterization of polymers and mass spectroscopy (MS) should be recognized as a complementary polymer characterization method along…

The physical phenomenon of plasmons and the techniques that build upon them are discussed. Plasmon-enhanced applications are well-suited for introduction in physical chemistry and instrumental analysis classes and some methods of fabrication and analysis of plasmon-producing structures are simple for use in labs in general, physical and inorganic…

The effectiveness of the implementation of the Model-Observe-Reflect-Explain (MORE) laboratory module in prompting different populations of general chemistry students to revise their molecular-level ideas regarding chemical compounds dissolved in water is examined. The module is effective for encouraging students to revise their ideas about…

A simple method of casting with a Ti[O[subscript]2]/polyvinylchloride (PVC) composite layer was used to describe the behavior of coated electrodes. The system demonstrated that even with low energy light sources, an enhancement of the oxidation efficiency is possible.

Eight student learning guides are provided for a medical assisting program at the secondary, postsecondary, or adult level. Each learning guide is composed of these component parts: a title page that states the task, purpose, program and task numbers, estimated time, and prerequisites; an optional learning contract that includes terminal…

A programmed instruction course was developed, consisting of fifteen experiments encompassing eleven separate pieces of equipment operational in a solar and energy conservation lab. The programmed instruction manual for the lab was evaluated and revised during a workshop. This evaluation indicated that both the lab and manual are valuable tools…

Four computer programs to aid students in understanding inventory systems, constructing mathematical inventory models, and developing optimal decision rules are presented. The program series allows a user to set input levels, simulates the behavior of major variables in inventory systems, and provides performance measures as output. Inventory…

Information Technology (IT) has spawned the growth of novel and innovative market mechanisms (such as online auctions) and associated businesses (such as eBay and Priceline) that were not feasible without the capabilities and reach of these modern information technologies. Previous studies on designing trading mechanisms for online markets…

Achievement gaps may reflect the cognitive impairment thought to occur in evaluative settings (e.g., classrooms) where a stereotyped identity is salient (i.e., stereotype threat). This study presents an economic model of stereotype threat that reconciles prior evidence on how student effort and performance are influenced by this social-identity…

The current article represents a methodological proposal. It seeks to address the question of how one might recognize a discovery as a discovery without knowing in advance what is available to be discovered. We propose a solution and demonstrate it using data from a study previously reported by J. Roschelle (1992). Roschelle investigated 2…

The Converging Literacies Center (CLiC) is a deeply integrated model for writing programs, bringing together the writing center, first-year writing, basic writing, professional development activities, graduate coursework, and research activities to re-imagine and support twenty-first-century literacies. What is unique about CLiC is not merely the…

The purpose of this study is to explain prospective science and technology teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) about the cell. Lesson preparation, laboratory plan, interview with teacher candidates, and concept mapping were used to collect the data for prospective teacher's PCK. The study was conducted with six prospective science and…

Laboratory-based courses play a significant role in engineering education. Given the role of electronics in engineering and technology, laboratory experiments and circuit simulation IT tools are used in their teaching in several academic institutions. This paper discusses the characteristics and benefits of both methods. The content and structure…

For many students, the conceptual learning of quantum mechanics can be rather painful owing to the counter-intuitive nature of quantum phenomena. In order to enhance students' understanding of the odd behaviour of photons and electrons, we introduce a computational simulation of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, developed by our research group. An…

[beta]-lactamases are hydrolytic enzymes that inactivate the [beta]-lactam ring of antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins. The major diversity of studies carried out until now have mainly focused on the characterization of [beta]-lactamases recovered among clinical isolates of Gram-positive staphylococci and Gram-negative…