We created a 2-week, dual-module summer course introducing high school students to environmental toxicology by teaching them quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as a way to quantify gene expression of chemical defense proteins in response to exposure to environmental pollutants. During the course, students are guided through the various…

Laboratory classes effectively enhance student understanding and appreciation of course concepts. With course delivery suddenly shifted into the online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, four laboratory exercises in each of two introductory-level soil science courses were converted into virtual sessions delivered in the form of…

The undergraduates in the major of Environmental Science and Environmental Engineering frequently ignored the importance of identifying pollution sources for water environment monitoring and knew little about the techniques of identifying pollution sources. Thus, a laboratory experiment which focused on pollution sources identification in a water…

Mentorship plays an important role in the experiences of undergraduate researchers, and students may interact with multiple potential mentors in laboratory settings. Using qualitative methods, we explored the relationships between undergraduate students engaged in research and their mentors in faculty-led laboratories, with particular attention to…

Based on the pedagogical principle of cognitive conflict, Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities (IBLAs) have been shown to improve conceptual understanding of challenging science and engineering topics. Yet, providing students physical apparatuses to complete an IBLA is not tenable in every instructional setting. This paper reports design,…

Students often enter chemistry laboratory courses with a well-documented disconnect between their experiences outside the classroom and the procedures, concepts, and techniques that occur in our courses. Strong base, weak acid titration experiments are present in general chemistry laboratories but also relate to foods our students are familiar…

Accuracy and precision are measures of experimental error and are fundamental to most chemical analysis laboratory classes. Assessment of accuracy and precision is often based on the comprehension of the results generated by students rather than on the quality of the data generated. This activity focused on developing a chemical analysis…

The process of method development is at the heart of analytical chemistry, yet direct experimental experience with the process is rarely taught in the undergraduate laboratory. We report here an experiment that uses rapid, safe, and inexpensive paper-based microfluidics with cell phone detection in order to facilitate the development of a…

Simple, often artificial problems are normally preferred for introductory lab courses and are restricted to indoor participation. Microtitrations make it possible to leave the lab and study water chemistry directly in the natural environment. An exemplary outdoor challenge is presented here: travertine formation is context-rich, has to be examined…

This study uses two different approaches to examining student outcomes and understanding in the context of aspects of acid-base chemistry. It introduces the use of evidence centered assessment design as a design framework of a multi-dimensional acid-base titration laboratory and as an analysis tool of student performances in a lab setting and in…

A large body of literature has established the benefits of undergraduate research experiences via the traditional apprenticeship model. More recently, several studies have shown that many of these benefits can be recapitulated in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) that are more scalable and easier for students to participate…

Virtual microscopy podcasts (VMPs) are narrative recordings of digital histology images. This study evaluated the outcomes of integrating the VMPs into teaching histology to osteopathic medical students. The hypothesis was that incorporating virtual microscopy podcasts as supplementary histology resources to the curriculum would have a positive…

Under the new ABET accreditation framework, students are expected to demonstrate "an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions." Traditional, recipe-based labs provide few opportunities for students to engage in realistic experimental design or…

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a valuable tool in various chemical and biological fields for investigating the presence and quantity of proteins of interest in given samples. The high importance of the assay makes it widely used in biological research and hence a crucial skill to master for up-and-coming scientists. A major…

In an effort to improve student learning, authentic research experiences have been incorporated into introductory laboratory courses as a means to teach students scientific inquiry and engage them in the scientific process. Here, we describe the development and implementation of a novel undergraduate research-based laboratory course for first-year…