Reforms in K-12 science education are global. New national science curricula were introduced in the United States (NRC, 1996), in Canada (CEMC, 1997), and in Europe (European Commission 2007). In this article, the impact of these reforms on college students in Quebec is studied. Articulation between high school and college sectors is viewed…

An algorithm has been developed for the rapid determination of single-gene inheritance patterns from genetic pedigrees.

Introductory general and physical chemistry courses often deal with colligative properties of solutions and do not discuss nonideal solutions in detail. Yet, a growing body of evidence reveals that even at physiological concentrations electrolyte solutions cannot be treated as ideal when a charged or partially charged solute (such as a protein) is…

In this paper, the authors discuss the effectiveness of MOOCs as part of a pedagogical strategy aimed at supporting Physics' preliminary undergraduate students in large-size lectures. Our study is based on an experimental activity based on a blended course, which integrated a parallel MOOC delivered through the POK (PoliMi Open Knowledge,…

Pearson sought to explore whether the use of Mastering Biology, an online tutorial system used in higher education general introductory courses, is related to students' exam results. This Research Report presents findings from one research study: a correlational study we conducted at a North American state-related, land-grant, doctoral university,…

Intermolecular forces (IMFs), or more broadly, noncovalent interactions either within or between molecules, are central to an understanding of a wide range of chemical and biological phenomena. In this study, we present a multiyear, multi-institutional, longitudinal comparison of how students enrolled in traditional general chemistry courses and…

The purpose of the present article is to describe three simple practical experiments that aim to observe and discuss the anatomic and physiological functions and differences between arteries and veins as well as the alterations observed in skin blood flow in different situations. For this activity, students were divided in small groups. In each…

The study of embryonic development of multiple organisms, including model organisms such as frogs and chicks, is included in many undergraduate biology programs, as well as in a variety of graduate programs. As our knowledge of biological systems increases and the amount of material to be taught expands, the time spent instructing students about…

This paper describes a laboratory exercise that provides students enrolled in introductory nanotechnology courses with an opportunity to synthesize polymer structures with micro- and nanoscale dimensions. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) films deposited on corrugated PDMS stamps using student-built spin coaters were transferred to clean, dry substrates…

A synthetic procedure is outlined where upper-level undergraduate organic chemistry students perform a two-week, semimicroscale "aza"-Baylis-Hillman reaction to generate an allylic sulfonamide product. Students evaluate several green chemistry reaction metrics of industrial importance (process mass intensity (PMI), E factor, and reaction…

In our previous article on CCl[subscript 4] in this "Journal," we presented an investigation of the fine structure of the symmetric stretch of carbon tetrachloride (CCl[subscript 4]) due to isotopic variations of chlorine in C[superscript 35]Cl[subscript x][superscript 37]Cl[subscript 4-x]. In this paper, we present an investigation of…

Separation of variables can be a powerful technique for solving many of the partial differential equations that arise in physics contexts. Upper-division physics students encounter this technique in multiple topical areas including electrostatics and quantum mechanics. To better understand the difficulties students encounter when utilizing the…

Project 3D IMAGINE or 3D Image Arrays to Graphically Implement New Education is a pilot study that researches the effectiveness of incorporating 3D tactile images, which are critical for learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, into entry-level lab courses. The focus of this project is to increase the participation and…

RateMyProfessors.com (RMP) is the most popular commercial website to evaluate instructors, and houses a wealth of student-generated information in the form of ratings and reviews. This study investigated whether general chemistry students who use RMP were different from other students, and their reasons to use and contribute to the site. A pool of…

Topics on the molecular basis underlying cancer are quite popular among students. Also, excellent textbooks abound that provide interesting materials for discussion during lectures and tutorials about major events leading to cancer formation and progression. However, much less is available for students to conduct experiments for the analysis of…