Undergraduate biochemistry laboratory courses often do not provide students with an authentic research experience, particularly when the express purpose of the laboratory is purely instructional. However, an instructional laboratory course that is inquiry- and research-based could simultaneously impart scientific knowledge and foster a student's…

A three-pot synthesis oriented for an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory was developed to construct a fluorescent acridone molecule. This laboratory experiment utilizes Grignard addition to an aldehyde, alcohol oxidation, and iterative nucleophilic aromatic substitution steps to produce the final product. Each of the intermediates and the…

Hiring undergraduate lab assistants in chemistry departments is common in college. However, few studies have focused on promoting undergraduate chemistry learning and thinking skills through this work experience in chemistry teaching laboratories. This article discusses the strategy we implemented in the lab assistant program. The…

A modern undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory experiment involving the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling is reported. Although Suzuki-Miyaura couplings typically employ palladium catalysts in environmentally harmful solvents, this experiment features the use of inexpensive nickel catalysis, in addition to a "green" alcohol solvent. The…

Metallo-supramolecular polyelectrolytes (MEPE) based on iron(II)-acetate and 1,4-bis(2,2':6',2?-terpyridin-4'-yl)benzene are assembled by layer-by-layer deposition on transparent electrode surfaces. When a potential is applied, the color of the film can be switched from blue to transparent. Due to the strong absorption and the fast switching…

Enzyme kinetics measurements are a standard component of undergraduate biochemistry laboratories. The combination of serine hydrolases and fluorogenic enzyme substrates provides a rapid, sensitive, and general method for measuring enzyme kinetics in an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory. In this method, the kinetic activity of multiple protein…

In this laboratory experiment, students work in pairs to synthesize a simple aliphatic polycarbonate via ring-opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate using 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene and thiourea as organocatalysts. Following polymer isolation, students cool the material in a dry ice/acetone bath to observe its glass-transition…

In this laboratory, students calculated the nutritional value of common foods to assess the energy content needed to answer an everyday life application; for example, how many kilometers can an average person run with the energy provided by 100 g (3.5 oz) of beef? The optimized geometries and the formation enthalpies of the nutritional components…

A semester-long research project to synthesize unique compounds designed after published metalloprotease peptide inhibitors is presented. The research project encompasses a set of nine organic chemistry reactions traditionally taught in the second semester lab course, and the procedures are derived from scientific literature. The two principle…

Research-based learning motivates students to identify with different subjects. The orientation program MINTgrün at Technische Universität Berlin offers two study semesters for open choices of teaching modules, including a series of specially designed laboratories covering topics like robotics, construction, environmental research, programming,…

The study investigated the impact of virtual laboratory on the achievements of secondary school chemistry students in homogeneous and heterogeneous collaborative settings in Minna, Niger state, Nigeria. Three hypotheses were formulated, analyzed and tested at 0.05 alpha level. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 60 Senior Secondary…

The relevance of the article in question is that the success of pupils' learning depends not only on the aptitude of pupils, but also on the teaching technique, including universal educational technique of various complexities. This problem is relevant on all levels of learning--from nursery schools up to higher education, including refresher…

Various cognitive aids (such as change of color, arrows, etc.) are provided in virtual environments to assist users in task realization. These aids increase users' performance but lead to reduced learning because there is less cognitive load on the users. In this paper we present a new concept of procedural guidance in which textual information…

The laboratory is a mainstay in STEM education, promoting the development of critical thinking skills, dexterity, and scientific curiosity. The goals in the laboratory for nonchemistry, prehealth majors, though, could be distinguished from those for chemistry majors. In service courses such as organic chemistry, much laboratory time is often spent…

This commentary discusses how the principles of universal design for learning (UDL) can be applied in the science laboratory with an emphasis on assisting students who experience stress in the laboratory environment. The UDL approach in the laboratory is based on three elements: open-mindedness, supportive communication, and analysis and…