This work covers a three-week program designed to provide undergraduate students with a background in structural chemistry and materials science. Sessions are based on the programming of regular polyhedra and their geometrical relationships by using an object-oriented language (i.e., POV-Ray). Three lectures introduce the basics of programming…

Nanoparticles are an increasingly important tool in chemistry research, but currently there are few opportunities for chemistry students to work with nanoparticles in undergraduate analytical courses. In this exercise, designed for an analytical or instrumental analysis lab course, students have the opportunity to work with solutions of silver…

3D printing and simple electronics were used to create a polarimeter suitable for a variety of chemistry courses. This device allows instructors to demonstrate optical activity but is also easy to use and low cost enough to be widely available for student use, as well. The instrument uses an LED light source and detector housed in a 3D-printed…

We report a simple means to build a model atomic force microscope (AFM) using 3D printing of thermoplastic materials that are commercially available. The model has many of the key parts of an actual AFM including a z-axis stage, an AFM head with a cantilever assembly, and a laser source that reflects off of the back of the cantilever. Using a…

To empower high school and undergraduate students to become citizen scientists, we describe the design, construction, and operation of a multisensor device based on Arduino microcontroller technology to record atmospheric measurements relevant to secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). The handheld "AIRduino" multisensor device was built and…

NMR spectroscopy is traditionally taught to students during Organic Chemistry as a tool used for the determination of structures after synthesis. However, modern NMR spectroscopy has many important applications beyond structure elucidation, including molecular profiling of complex mixtures as biofluids and food samples. In this experiment,…

Agentic engagement, or attempts to proactively influence instruction, predicts positive classroom climate and students' motivation. As such, it is a potentially effective target for intervention, though causal evidence is limited. This investigation explored whether an agentic orientation could be cultivated through a brief, online intervention…

In this eye-tracking experiment, we compared instructional videos with static signals, dynamic signals and no signaling in a within-subject design. We tracked eye movements from 28 undergraduate chemistry students while they were watching instructional videos about reaction mechanisms in the different signaling conditions. Further, we assessed…

This paper presents an analysis of cognitive skill levels expressed in high school students' performance using laboratory simulations. We address lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS) and higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) situations in a virtual simulation activity, in order to identify and underly further discussions about students' reasoning…

Academic self-concept is understood as a multidimensional, hierarchical construct. Multidimensionality refers to the subject-specific differentiation of academic self-concepts, whereas hierarchy refers to the aggregation of more specific facets of self-concepts into more general ones. Previous research demonstrated that students distinguish…

Educational games have demonstrated that they represent valuable pedagogical instruments, which can contribute to teaching and learning in a gratifying environment. In particular in chemistry courses, an important effort has been made to facilitate complex interrelated concepts in an easy, enjoyable, and sometimes competitive way. "Compounds…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) allow students to apply the scientific method to novel questions, which can serve as a gateway for mentored research. Here, we present a model for using cross-disciplinary CUREs to vertically integrate courses from different disciplines. This approach creates opportunities for students to (1)…

Virtual reality (VR) lab experiences for organic chemistry were developed at NC State University as an accessibility tool for students who are unable to attend in-person laboratories due to disabilities, attendance challenges such as pregnancy or military deployment, or safety concerns. The resulting first-person VR experiences are immersive and…

Nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry is a branch of chemistry that has high experimental risks, has high research costs, and is subject to certain prejudices. However, it has an extremely important influence on the development of human life. It is particularly important to emphasize the general education of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry…

This reflective overview describes the benefits of participation in authentic undergraduate research for students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The department of chemistry and biochemistry at Hampton University has an undergraduate research environment that empowers and fosters a success-oriented research experience for…