Understanding natural selection and adaptation are important precursors to learning evolution (NGSS Lead States 2013), the central unifying principle of biology. This lesson sequence, guided by the Five Practices Model (Cartier et al. 2013), incorporates data described by Andersson (1982) that details female choice in a population that eventually…

Effective teachers understand the importance of asking the right kind of questions to facilitate the learning of all their students. By learning what questions to ask and when, teachers can engage their students in instruction that aligns to the vision of the "Next Generation Science Standards" (Benedict-Chambers et al. 2017; NGSS Lead…

Framed within Schein's culture model, this study re-centres teacher culture as a key variable in pedagogic settings. Teachers' cultures or basic assumptions in a culturally diverse desegregated school are explored as a crucial dictate in the emergence of the context in which teaching and learning materialises. Through engagement in a focused…

The emergence of the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) to nature of science (NOS) has prompted a fresh wave of scholarship embracing this new approach in science education. The FRA provides an ambitious and practical vision for what NOS-enriched science content should aim for and promotes evidence-based practices in science education to support…

Socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) incorporates the European Commission's approach to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). These relationships are elaborated into a pedagogic model encouraging young people to ask real-world questions that interest them, collect evidence to answer the questions and, as a result, to take personal…

A-level specifications include references to Lenz's Law, giving the opportunity for high impact demonstrations of associated effects. The authors present demonstrations suitable for all classrooms and show how they can be extended to include the use of superconductors, culminating in a novel take on the classic magnet in pipe demonstration which…

An experiment is described that uses easily obtained materials (glow sticks, chalk, and acetone or alcohol) to separate the dyes contained in glow sticks that actively emit chemiluminescent light. The experiment is very easy to carry out, making it amenable for students to perform in laboratory or outreach settings. The separation occurs fast…

We present here an extension of Morrison's and Ruder's "Sequence-Response Questions" (SRQs) that allows for more nuance in the assessment of student responses to these questions. We have implemented grading software (which we call ANGST, "Automated Nuanced Grading & Statistics Tool") in a Microsoft Excel sheet that can take…

We describe a novel experiment for high school students that uses gas chromatography (GC) equipment to demonstrate the principles of chemical quantitation in the context of fragrant compounds. A highlight of the work is the use of inexpensive equipment and tools accessible to the usual high school laboratory. The students use control samples,…

A multifaceted experiment, accessible to students either in an introductory organic chemistry course or in a more advanced laboratory setting, is described for investigating the addition of dichlorocarbene to E- and Z-[beta]-methylstyrenes. The innovative exercise, which integrates elements of synthesis, mechanisms, instrumental analysis,…

An experiment for the synthesis of N-acyl derivatives of natural amino acids has been developed as part of the Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) program. Students use solid-phase synthesis techniques to complete a three-step, combinatorial synthesis of six products, which are analyzed using LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. This protocol is suitable for…

The stated purpose of this paper is to provide a simple and quick method to assemble pH electrodes using readily available materials. The present assembled electrodes are comparable with commercial pH electrodes, with accuracy for pH determination in the range 2-12. Furthermore, the constructed simple pH electrodes exhibit a fast and stable…

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful tool for gene editing and it has become increasingly important for biology students to understand this emerging technique. Most CRISPR laboratory teaching modules use complex metazoan systems or mammalian cell culture which can be expensive. Here, we present a lab module that engages students in learning the…

Student response systems (SRSs) are widely used in anatomy and physiology courses as a form of active learning. While traditional SRSs (clickers) are pervasive, gamified SRSs such as Kahoot! are becoming increasingly popular. However, the impact of using both types of systems in the same course is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine…

Multimedia-supported e-learning is considered useful as it can offer an enjoyable independent learning experience to learners. However, the effectiveness of e-learning for self-regulated science learning is still inconclusive. This study aimed to explore primary school students' perceptions and experiences of self-regulated science learning in a…