In this article a potentiometric method for reducing sugar quantification is described. Copper(II) ion reacts with the reducing sugar (glucose, fructose, and others), and the excess is quantified using a copper wire indicator electrode. In order to accelerate the kinetics of the reaction, working conditions such as pH and temperature must be…

Noncovalent interactions and physicochemical properties of amino acids are important topics in biochemistry courses. Here, we present a computational laboratory where the capacity of each of the 20 amino acids to maintain different noncovalent interactions are used to investigate the stabilizing forces in a set of proteins coming from organisms…

This paper presents an overview of how circuit models can be used for analysing wave propagation in stratified structures. Relatively complex structures can be analysed using models which are accessible to undergraduate students. Homogeneous slabs are modelled as transmission lines, and thin sheets between the slabs are modelled as lumped…

The synthesis of "N"-benzyl-2-azanorbornene via aqueous hetero Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene and benzyliminium chloride formed in situ from benzylamine hydrochloride and formaldehyde is described. Characterization of the product was achieved by IR and NMR spectroscopies. The spectral data acquired are thoroughly discussed. Numerous…

This article seeks to answer the question of whether or not the design and development of an educational laboratory really changes when the focus is on nanotechnology. It explores current laboratory building trends and the added considerations for building a nanotechnology laboratory. The author leaves the reader with additional points to consider…

Whether a student or an instructor in an electronics lab, having the means to check the operation of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) at the proto-board stage is a blessing. Most students do not have the experience or knowledge that it takes to recognize whether or not a BJT is operating. With this handy BJT checker, a student or the instructor…

This laboratory project is one component of a semester-long advanced biochemistry laboratory course that uses several complementary techniques to study tRNA[superscript Phe] conformational changes induced by ligand binding. In this article we describe a set of experiments in which students assay metal-catalyzed hydrolysis of tRNA[superscript Phe]…

Undergraduate and graduate students come to the writing center for consultations with peer tutors in order to improve their communication skills. During peer tutoring sessions (over the course of one semester) it became clear that these students were meeting with the tutors that I supervised, for more than just help with their writing. I observed…

This paper reports findings from a project implementing the VL (virtual labs) site featuring flash-based animations developed at Stanford University. The main conclusion in this paper stresses the need to design for flexibility and adaptability of interactive media to better suit the specific situation teachers encounter in their everyday work, in…

Lifelong learning is a must in our information age, especially in the worldwide recession that began in 2008. In order to gain the most from their education, adult learners in any subject, major, program, or school must master the basics of academic reading and academic writing. Towards this end, writing tutors and writing centers offer…

What needs to be considered when establishing a writing center? Writing labs have a long history on college campuses, the main purpose of which is to assist students to become better writers. Although the information on writing centers at the high school level is at best, limited, the literature reported that the number of students using writing…

The HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) publication, "External quality arrangements for Scotland's colleges, September 2008," specifies that HMIE will produce a number of subject aspect reports over the four years 2008-2012. These reports complement in a subject-specific context the generic evaluations of learning and teaching in HMIE's…

Introductory physics laboratories have seen an influx of "conceptual integrated science" over time in their classrooms with elements of other sciences such as chemistry, biology, Earth science, and astronomy. We describe a laboratory to introduce this development, as it attracts attention to the voltage induced in the human brain as it…

This article describes the practical challenges faced by instructors who must blend a face-to-face laboratory experience into a distance education course. This issue is discussed in the context of an ongoing kinesiology and health course that includes a mandatory physical activity laboratory experience. The challenges that have arisen around this…

In the laboratory, people classify the color of emotion-laden words slower than they do that of neutral words, the emotional Stroop effect. Outside the laboratory, people react to features of emotion-laden stimuli or threatening stimuli faster than they do to those of neutral stimuli. A possible resolution to the conundrum implicates the…