The purpose of this research was to study primary science students' conceptual development as it related to their understanding of materials and their properties: in particular, to determine how and why some students changed their concepts while others did not. The participants were thirty-two Grade 5 (10-11 year old) students. An instructional…

This study aimed to develop the small-scale experiments involving electrochemistry and the galvanic cell model kit featuring the sub-microscopic level. The small-scale experiments in conjunction with the model kit were implemented based on the 5E inquiry learning approach to enhance students' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry. The…

The purpose of this study is to research the effects of traditional and web-assisted conceptual change texts for the subject of water chemistry on the success, conceptual errors and permanent learning of students. A total of 37 8th graders in a secondary school of Samsun participated in this study which had a random experimental design with…

We report the student response to a two-year transformation of a one-semester organic chemistry course for nonchemistry majors. The transformed course adopted a peer led team learning approach and incorporated case studies. Student attitudes toward the course transformation were assessed throughout the semester, and adjustments to the methods were…

This study investigated exam achievement and affective characteristics of students in general chemistry in a fully-randomized experimental design, contrasting Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) participation with a control group balanced for time-on-task and study activity. This study population included two independent first-semester courses with…

In the current study, gymnasium students' technology-related career orientations were studied from a Social Cognitive Career Theory perspective. In order to address students' lack of interest in technology-related careers as recognised worldwide, the design-based science learning (DBSL) approach was used. For the purposes of the current study,…

We derived an index of high school academic rigor by optimizing the prediction of first-year college GPA based on high school courses taken, grades, and indicators of advanced coursework. Using a large data set (n~108,000) and nominal parameterization of high school course outcomes, the high school academic rigor (HSAR) index capitalizes on…

A questionnaire with 22 Likert type items was developed to collect cross-sectional data from university chemistry students of different study years (N = 118). The aim was to obtain information on their learning approaches as well as their study preferences. Students willing to change from their major subject to medical education represented a…

Three different samples of students were asked to answer five multiple-choice questions concerning the properties of a sample of helium gas (particle speed, state of matter, sample volume, sample pressure, and particle distribution), including a particulate question first used by Nurrenbern and Pickering (particle distribution). In the first…

In this paper, we present the concept of problem-based learning as a tool for learning Mathematics and Chemistry, and in fact, all sciences, using life situations or simulated scenario. The methodology involves some level of brain storming. Here, active learning takes place and knowledge gained by students either way through a collaborative…

Academics teaching large and highly diverse classes are familiar with the inevitable effect this has on promulgating teaching and assessment practices to "middle of the distribution", thus ignoring the distribution extremes. Although the literature documents a wide range of strategies for supporting poor-performing students in large…

The global trend of the declining interest in chemistry education is a major concern. Over the last few decades, significant efforts and improvements have been made in various areas of chemistry education research to increase student motivation and engagement based on classroom and laboratory practices. However, little research has been conducted…

College students often find general chemistry to be a very challenging rite of passage on their way to degrees in various science, technology, and mathematics disciplines. As teachers, we make efforts to simultaneously patch gaps in students' prior knowledge and instill valuable learning strategies and sound study habits. In this paper, we…

Active learning is a hallmark of the traditional science laboratory class, making it a natural place for librarians to integrate active information literacy instruction. The course structure of science lab classes, particularly large entry-level undergraduate classes, can make the logistics of such integration a challenge. This paper presents two…

Assessment instruments developed specifically for chemistry classrooms have increased in number over the past decade. In the design, development, and evaluation of these instruments, the chemical education community has adopted many of the practices and standards used by the greater assessment communities. Methodologies for creating new assessment…