Active participation in project-based learning (PBL) could develop students` knowledge and crucial learning skills across various disciplines. However, the implementation of PBL in the K-12 classroom is usually impeded by the stepby-step PBL cycle. Micro project-based learning (MPBL), which advocates and adheres to the learning principles and…

Undergraduate organic chemistry courses have a reputation for being difficult among students in biological and physical sciences programs. Due to the extensive problem-solving, visualization, and depiction of chemical structures/reactions required, students may perceive learning such content as similar to learning a new language. Several…

Many college students, especially first-generation and underrepresented racial/ethnic minority students, desire courses and careers that emphasize helping people and society. Can instructors of introductory science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses promote motivation, performance, and equity in STEM fields by emphasizing the…

A Wolff-Kishner reaction that does not require hydrazine has been developed. The reaction sequence has two steps: formation of a carbomethoxyhydrazone from methyl hydrazinocarboxylate and acetophenone, then decomposition of this intermediate by treatment with potassium hydroxide in triethylene glycol. Purification is by filtration through a plug…

A multistep synthesis of thieno[2,3-"b"]pyridine derivatives is described that is suitable for the upper-level undergraduate organic laboratory. This experiment exposes students to various hands-on experimental techniques as well as methods of product characterization such as IR and [superscript 1]H NMR spectroscopy, and…

This laboratory experiment introduces the fundamentals of electrochemical techniques to the undergraduate students by developing a simple and cost-effective miniaturized electrochemical setup for detecting UV-induced DNA damage. This is an imperative experiment, as it provides students first-hand experience with electrochemical techniques while…

This communication presents a partial historical summary of some of Iowa State University's Chemistry Department teaching response to the shift to online course delivery caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The observations reflect discussions between and informal surveys of an instructor cohort that impacted roughly 1200 undergraduate students. These…

This article discusses a study carried out to investigate scientific reasoning skills among 82 science pre-service teachers at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), one of the public universities in Malaysia. Undeniably, the development of general scientific abilities is critical to enable students of science, technology,…

Modern science education the world over deliberately remains in the objective, rational, positivist paradigm. In South African classrooms, this paradigm is often alienating for young learners who then stop learning science at the end of Grade 9. Literature indicates that an arts-rich education improves learner engagement, attitudes and test…

The logos of many atomic energy regulatory bodies present a paradox in that the depictions of atomic structure that they portray tend to be 'wrong' in relation to the rules that govern pictorial representations of atomic structure that we teach. These logos present chemistry educators with excellent classroom resources to enhance critical thinking…

Feeling a sense of belonging in a learning environment can have positive effects on student success. The impact of this psychosocial variable on undergraduates' achievement and retention has been demonstrated in STEM disciplines, especially for women within physical sciences where large disparities in gender representation persist. The current…

In recent years, serious games and game-based learning have received growing attention in educational contexts in general and science teaching and learning. They play an especially prominent role in higher education, where they are used to promote content knowledge as well as higher order cognitive skills and competencies such as communication,…

This study focused on exploring and evaluating students' views of the Nature of Science in the context of undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Thirty-six undergraduate students doing a laboratory course in upper division physical chemistry were assessed using an open-ended instrument and assessment criteria that categorise them in three levels of…

In this study, customized videos and chapter handouts served as pre-class materials for semi-flipped General Chemistry II courses. Face-to-face class time involved engaging students in interactive problem-solving sessions on the board with the instructor and collaborative group activities. During the interactive problem-solving sessions, students…

Self-efficacy has a strong influence on the learning and motivation of science students at the postsecondary level, especially in upper division science classes, which are key to student success in science majors. This empirical mixed methods research study (N = 205) examines the associations between students' participation in an online…