The aim of this research was to establish the effects of argumentation and the quality of arguments related to history of the development of organic chemistry: (i) on the level of the pupils' knowledge about the composition, structure and general properties of organic compounds; and (ii) on their perception of the key aspect of NOS that scientific…

A ChE process safety assignment using case study videos produced by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is described. Study of student perceptions of video quality and effectiveness of 25 CSB videos identified a number of entries highly-regarded by students which would make good choices for in-class discussion/assignments. Student ratings of…

Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) is a promising methodology to find quality drug leads. It is important in the curriculum of a drug design course due to its impact on drug discovery. However, teaching FBDD and its use by students remain challenging in most cases. A web-based laboratory class to teach FBDD in the form of our copyrighted workshops…

Over the past decade the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) has changed the general chemistry requirements to include a single introductory course for most engineering majors. There is a focus on outcomes that equip students with the ability to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam and to work in…

To be literate in modern society no longer means that one can simply read and write. In our rapidly changing world where information is available with a few taps of our fingers, critical thinking and process-oriented learning have become an essential part of being literate. Therefore, when many of the states decided to create a unifying set of…

Zinc oxide is a common additive in food, cosmetics, and medicines. Here, we describe the validation of methods to analyze two pharmaceutical samples containing ZnO--talc powder and dermal ointment--by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) titration. The methods developed were implemented as a practical class to students of a Quantitative Analysis…

This paper presents an experimental lab designed for undergraduate students which focuses on soil science and chemistry. Students perform a series of tests to classify soil's phosphate retaining characteristics, texture, pH, organic matter content, and permeability with the addition of a novel soil amendment, Al Mg biochar. This lab has minimal…

Preparatory or bridging courses are widespread and have a long tradition at universities. They are designed to increase students' academic success -- in particular of students with low prior knowledge -- and to reduce dropout rates. However, critics of these short and compact bridging courses complain that preparatory courses are not able to fill…

In electrochemistry, the concept of a reference electrode is fundamental. Introductory courses might mention the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE), its working principle, and its theoretical design; however, chances are that students will never have the opportunity to work with one. A hydrogen electrode should be a device readily available at the…

An increased public knowledge of the health benefits of unsaturated fats has resulted in a surge of different cooking oils. Intense advertising of various oil brands claiming to provide the best dietary recommendations often leaves buyers unclear of what their best choices are. Herein, we describe a research-based project for upper-level…

Creativity has become an increasingly important competence in today's rapidly changing times. It is a central aspect of social development, but it is hardly discussed in schools and often neglected in the natural sciences. In order to promote creativity in science teaching in a targeted way, it is important to understand the perspectives and views…

High school students find reaction stoichiometry and the concept of the mole hard to comprehend. Teachers are well aware of the importance of teaching the mole concept and also the difficulty associated with it. In an attempt to improve the understanding of the mole concept with reduced difficulty, an atomic model kit that provides a hands-on…

This article reports the design of a scientific board game, named "Element Enterprise Tycoon" (EET), which creates a scenario combining chemical elements, techniques, and products in daily life. The game cards are designed to motivate students not only to retrieve information about chemical elements, but also to be proficient in…

Organic Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything (OCLUE) is an undergraduate lecture-based organic chemistry course that has been transformed in line with the vision for science education set out by the 'Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas' (National Research Council, 2012). OCLUE is designed…

Freshmen and sophomores in college are historically at risk of disengaging with general and organic chemistry courses, performing poorly and not continuing in STEM. Utility value (UV) interventions, though, have increased the achievement and retention of low-performing students in psychology and introductory biology courses. In this study, a…