We designed the current gamification strategy for an undergraduate introductory organic chemistry course to enhance the student engagement. We implemented it in two classes from the Pharmacy and Chemistry courses using several gaming elements: attendance, punctuality, game-based applications, board games, knowledge tournament, video classes, and…

This experiment introduces undergraduate organic chemistry students to analysis and interpretation of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra through characterization of postconsumer plastics. Students use FTIR spectra to identify and differentiate the common recyclable polymer resins #1-6: polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), polyethylene (HDPE…

General Chemistry serves virtually all STEM students. It has been accused of covering content in a "mile wide and inch deep" fashion. This has made it very difficult to assess, where chemistry educators have relied on assessments of specific topics. Assessing across all these different topics requires introducing many different chemical…

The questions in the practice assignments given to students in the form of worksheets or other formats are often grouped by chapter, topic, or concepts. There is a great emphasis on categorization. Most of the end-of-chapter problems in chemistry textbooks are organized by sections. Although this was done with the intention of helping students…

This work describes the evaluation of the Attitude toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory (ASCI), as well as two modifications (one for measuring attitude toward math and one for measuring attitude toward biology), for college students at a Hispanic Serving Institution. Instrument reliability was tested via multiple administrations of the…

The Conversation Series is a grassroots initiative consisting of monthly discussion events ("Conversations") on topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), organized by and for the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) at McMaster University. The initiative originated in June 2020 with the #ShutDownSTEM strike, which…

Mechanistic reasoning is a powerful form of reasoning central to scientific explanations. Despite mechanistic reasoning being an important dimension of scientific practice and a central dimension of science curricula, students face difficulties in developing such type of reasoning. Many authors have been proposing tools for supporting its…

The recent introduction of an online undergraduate equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training workshop incorporating short authentic videos from a diverse range of voices is described. The training was designed to provide students with insights into how they can access support, act as allies, and respect diverse peers, preparing students…

Students often report using ineffective study techniques. This project encouraged practice testing, distributed practice, interleaved practice, and metacognitive accuracy to increase learning in an undergraduate general chemistry course. Overall, the purpose of this project was to use text messaging to support evidence-based study practices.…

The purpose of this study is to examine the capability of chemistry teachers' scientific explanation on the subject of change of state related to daily life and their beliefs about scientific basis. The sample of this study constituted forty-six chemistry teachers working at different high schools in Gaziantep. The study was conducted following…

Given that science and technology innovations are increasingly becoming important in the global economy market in the twenty-first century, many countries around the world put greater emphasis on producing students who have mastered knowledge of chemistry and who possess twenty-first century skills. However, chemistry is perceived as a difficult…

Students' level of engagement and approach to learning can significantly impact their overall success in a course. This study used the student course engagement questionnaire (SCEQ) to assess the engagement levels of first-year undergraduate students studying three different introductory units (chemistry, biology and nursing) at a regional…

Regardless of students' differences, they should have opportunities to learn in a classroom environment that adequately promotes their interests and scaffolds their progress. Often, research highlights the struggles teachers face in accommodating learners' needs while ensuring effective lesson delivery at various educational levels. Although there…

Across science disciplines, light is a common tool for measuring, characterizing, and catalysing molecules and molecular processes. Despite the ubiquity of light-based tools, little research has been done to investigate how students understand light and light-matter interactions (LMI). This topic is typically first introduced in first-year…

This article explores STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) student associations of assessment with individual achievement, becoming part of a discipline or profession, or developing an orientation towards society. This perspective is based in Frankfurt School critical theory, which argues for the inter-relation between…