The 50 most-cited articles in Journal of Chemical Education, 2018

An “escape game” activity is proposed to increase stimulation, team group skills, and adaptability in the chemistry classroom. The students follow in the footsteps of Nicolas Leblanc, a young French chemist, who took part in a contest launched by the French Academy of Sciences in 1775 to produce industrial soda ash. By means of scientific puzzles, such as using the periodic table, balancing a reaction, drawing up a flowsheet, or performing simple mole calculations, students will access combinations of numbers that allow them to open mechanisms present in the room that give them access to other enigmas. Following a precise sequence (controlled by the teacher present in the room), the students will thus advance in groups by retracing the development of one of the first industrial processes in the world. Escaping from the room is not the end of the activity: a debriefing will highlight the key elements of the construction of this process and will indicate the resources for further research, notably on the environmental consequences of the Leblanc process and the passing of the alkali…

Abstract Batteries are valued as devices that store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy. Unfortunately, the standard description of electrochemistry does not explain specifically where or how the energy is stored in a battery; explanations just in terms of electron transfer are easily shown to be at odds with experimental observations. Importantly, the Gibbs energy reduction in an electrochemical reaction in a battery also involves atom transfer between different phases. It is shown that, for simple galvanic cells or batteries with reactive metal electrodes, two intuitively meaningful contributions to the electrical energy are relevant: (i) the difference in the lattice cohesive energies of the bulk metals, reflecting metallic and covalent bonding and accounting for the atom transfer, and (ii) the difference in the ionization energies of the metals in water, associated with electron transfer. The ionization energy in water can be calculated as the sum of gas-phase ionization energies and the hydration energy of the metal ion. Entropy plays only a limited role, for…

The study presented here is a follow-up to a previous report in which we investigated how general-chemistry students in a transformed curriculum reason about simple acid–base reactions. In the present study, we use and adapt the previously developed coding scheme for a longitudinal study in which we follow students from general chemistry through organic chemistry. We find that (i) generally, the manner in which students reason about acid–base reactions increases in sophistication over the course of a two-semester sequence of organic chemistry; (ii) there is little difference in reasoning between students at the end of a transformed general-chemistry course and a similar cohort at the beginning of organic chemistry; (iii) the nature of a student’s general-chemistry experience has a profound effect on the sophistication of their reasoning in that students from a transformed general-chemistry course are more likely to provide causal mechanistic explanations for simple acid–base reactions than students with other general-chemistry experiences; and (iv) the type of acid–base reaction…

This methodological paper examines current conceptions of reliability in chemistry education research (CER) and provides recommendations for moving beyond the current reliance on reporting coefficient alpha (α) as reliability evidence without regard to its appropriateness for the research context. To help foster a better understanding of reliability and the assumptions that underlie reliability coefficients, reliability is first described from a conceptual framework, drawing on examples from measurement in the physical sciences; then classical test theory is used to frame a discussion of how reliability evidence for psychometric measurements is commonly examined in CER, primarily in the form of single-administration reliability coefficients. Following this more conceptual introduction to reliability, the paper transitions to a more mathematical treatment of reliability using a factor analysis framework with emphasis on the assumptions underlying coefficient alpha and other single-administration reliability coefficients, such as omega (ω) and coefficient H, which are recommended as…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This technology report aimed to explore preservice chemistry teachers’ perception of mobile augmented reality (MAR) assisted chemical education. To this end, 15 participants were recruited from a Chinese university. They were provided access to an MAR chemistry learning app, Elements 4D, on their own mobile computing devices, and were instructed to complete some self-paced, hands-on activities. Data were collected through classroom observation and semistructured interviews. Subsequent content analyses revealed that participants generally had positive attitude toward the immersive chemistry learning experience. Meanwhile, challenges pertinent to the content knowledge and user experience were also discovered. The findings point out possible directions for more effective uptake of MAR assisted chemical education, and accentuate the importance of pedagogical thinking in developing similar educational apps.

To enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, a project-based learning (PBL) approach for “Instrumental Techniques” courses in undergraduate physical chemistry was specifically developed for a pharmacy bachelor degree program. The starting point of this PBL was an open-ended question that is close to the student scientist’s interest and related to this lab: “How can we determine the deacetylation degree of chitosan?” Chitosan is a polysaccharide used in a broad range of pharmacy applications because of its unique properties. Many of these properties derive from the presence of primary amino groups (−NH 2 ) in its structure. These −NH 2 groups are usually formed by the deacetylation of chitin. For this reason, a proper quantification of the deacetylation degree (DD) of chitosan is important to know whether it can be used in a particular application. This driving question requires an experimental procedure that can be carried out by a wide range of instrumental techniques. In this project, techniques such as conductometry, potentiometry, and 1 H NMR were addressed to…

Acquiring conceptual understanding seems to be one of the main challenges students face when studying organic chemistry. Traditionally, organic chemistry presents an extensive variety of chemical transformations, which often lead students to recall an organic transformation rather than apply conceptual knowledge. Strong surface level focus and rather weak conceptual knowledge is the consequence. Purposefully designed tasks, which help engaging students to “overlook” the structural features, are proposed here as a means to enhance conceptual understanding and the integration of concepts. Following the idea of contrasting cases, broadly used in science education, and mirroring the epistemic practice of organic chemistry, we illustrate how contrasting cases can be embedded in an inquiry process to highlight the influence of electronic substituent effects on reactive intermediates and rates of organic reactions.

Abstract How can we help students develop an understanding of chemistry that integrates conceptual knowledge with the experimental and computational procedures needed to apply chemistry in authentic contexts? The current work describes ChemVLab+, a set of online chemistry activities that were developed using promising design principles from chemistry education and learning science research: setting instruction in authentic contexts, connecting concepts with science practices, linking multiple representations, and using formative assessment with feedback. A study with more than 1400 high school students found that students using the online activities demonstrated increased learning as evidenced by improved problem solving and inquiry over the course of the activities and by statistically significant improvements from pre- to posttest. Further, exploratory analyses suggest that students may learn most effectively from these materials when the activities are used after initial exposure to the content and when they work individually rather than in pairs.

The handling of chemicals in the laboratory presents a challenge in instructing large class sizes and when students are relatively new to the laboratory environment. In this work, we describe and demonstrate an augmented reality colorimetric titration tool that operates out of the smartphone or tablet of students. It allows multiple students to conduct the exercise at the same time, respond quickly to actions made, and correctly depict the colors associated with changes in pH values for the indicator used. The tool imbues unparalleled realism in the conduct of the experiment and offers to strongly help students acquire bench skills with minimal use of liquid chemicals, thereby reducing handing risks for them and resulting in lower negative impacts on the environment. The feedback received from undergraduate students that participated in an initial small test exercise with the tool corroborates this.

Robust evidence shows that Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) improves the academic success of first-year college students in introductory Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. Less clear is the extent to which this positive PLTL effect varies across different subgroups of the population. The current study aims to deepen our understanding of the overall PLTL effect by extensively evaluating an optional PLTL program associated with General Chemistry I at a private, research university. Using five years of exam data, this study disaggregates the PLTL effect by demographics (sex and race), academic preparation (math skills, chemistry content knowledge, and experience with college-preparatory coursework), and participation in another curricular innovation (a growth-mindset intervention). Results revealed that the positive effect of PLTL was comparable across demographic identity groups. Thus, the PLTL program benefitted all participants but did not reduce the pre-existing performance disparity between underrepresented minority and white students (no sex-based…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This paper presents a teaching kit that combines the fabrication of a low-cost microcontroller-based potentiostat and a LabVIEW-generated graphical user interface. The potentiostat enables undergraduate-level students to learn electroanalytical techniques and characterize energy conversion devices such as solar cells. The purpose of this teaching module is to make the introduction of electrochemistry accessible to undergraduate laboratories, especially those with limited financial resources and without expertise in electronics or programming. The electronic circuit components for the potentiostat are readily available and easy to assemble. The graphical user interface replaces any programming-based interface, displays data in real time, and interacts with user commands. The software package is a stand-alone executable file that is compatible with any PC and is provided in the Supporting Information. Cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and chronoamperometry functions are demonstrated with representative electrochemical…

This paper examines the effectiveness of adding an online component to the general chemistry laboratory in which students view prelaboratory instructional materials through online videos prior to completing general chemistry laboratory activities. Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared the performance of 1089 general chemistry students who viewed online prelaboratory videos for two laboratory activities and attended face-to-face prelaboratory lectures for two additional laboratory activities. Students were assessed on their understanding of the rationale for specific laboratory procedures, their efficiency at completing each activity in the allotted time, and their help-seeking behavior during laboratory sessions. Students were more efficient and demonstrated a greater understanding of the rationale for procedures for the two laboratory activities that used online prelaboratory videos than those that used prelaboratory lectures. No differences were observed in help-seeking behavior between the two conditions. These results suggest that online prelecture videos have…

Community colleges educate nearly half of all students who complete postsecondary degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. For many matriculated students, chemistry is a required gatekeeping course for postsecondary retention and advancement in STEM majors. This research explored community college student enrollment and performance in introductory chemistry courses for STEM majors, and how chemistry achievement related to student background characteristics and degree persistence. Data included grades, demographics, enrollment patterns, and degree status for 1,690 chemistry students who matriculated at a diverse, suburban community college from 2011 to 2014. Descriptive statistics indicated 32% of students received grades of D, F, or W in introductory chemistry; 49% of these students changed their majors after taking the course, with four-fifths of those degree changers switching to non-STEM fields. Binary logistic regression models revealed that chemistry enrollment was a significant predictor of degree change to non-STEM disciplines, with…

Recently there has been a renewed interest in the development and use of pedagogical games, as they provide an interesting approach to the appropriation of knowledge in the context of active learning. However, most didactic games fail to completely implement a cycle of reflection and action, thereby fostering mostly lower-order thinking skills and memorization as opposed to critical thinking and problem solving skills. This limitation can be traced back to the ineffective carrot and stick approach to game design that is widely applied in the context of pedagogical games. In this article, we discuss the development of a pedagogical game in which the game elements were carefully chosen to seamlessly merge with the desired chemistry content and therefore create an engaging and fun learning experience. In particular, in order to allow complex concepts to naturally emerge from a simple set of rules, we followed the so-called European approach to game design. The resulting game, MOL (Mastering the Organic chemistry Laboratory), was tested with 77 students of ages between 19 and 21…

According to the most recent data from the federal Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, between 2001 and 2011, more than 120 university laboratory accidents have caused injuries (including one death) and millions of dollars in damages. Laboratory-safety lessons normally comprise lecture slides alongside occasional movies and tours of laboratory facilities. This approach limits the realism of safety instruction within the laboratory. In addition, enthusiasm for laboratory-safety lectures is often low for both instructors and participants. To address these issues, we have developed an augmented-reality (AR) program to increase enthusiasm and enhance the learning experience for laboratory safety using Microsoft HoloLens. AR is an emerging field that uses computer technologies to generate realistic images, sounds, and other sensations that replicate a real environment. When compared with static or one-sided laboratory lectures, our approach creates an interactive learning environment where students must physically move around the laboratory to learn about laboratory safety.…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide A series of laboratory themed simulations developed by Learning Science Ltd. were integrated into a first year laboratory module at the University of Leicester. These simulations allow students to attempt the experiments they will do in the laboratory in a risk-free way that provides the opportunity to make mistakes and learn how to correct them using the immediate feedback generated. High student engagement was observed during our pilot, and student end-of-module comments were very positive for this technological enhancement.

This article describes an ongoing initiative of the Department of Chemistry (Chem. Dept.) at the University of Minnesota (UMN) to support the mental health of graduate students. With the increasing pressure on students to carry out novel research, publish articles, learn a broad range of skills, and look for career opportunities, the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among graduate students are on the rise. For tackling these issues, the UMN Chem. Dept. has adopted an approach that heavily relies on the involvement of graduate students and student empowerment. This contribution describes the results of a collaboration between a student group (Community of Chemistry Graduate Students, CCGS), the director of graduate studies of the Chem. Dept., and mental health professionals at the UMN campus health service, to provide strategies for ensuring a welcoming and productive departmental climate. It describes the events that CCGS has hosted to help to improve the mental health of students, and raise awareness and stimulate open discussions about this topic. As an early intervention…

Improving communication between people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and the public is critical to the future of STEM. Partnerships between institutions of higher education with K–12 schools are identified as one effective strategy to support community engagement. We have employed a service-learning model to develop a chemistry course (Chemistry 010) that engages undergraduate students in developing and teaching chemistry experiments for a secondary school audience. This service-learning course design provided us with the consistency and flexibility to sustain substantive learning experiences for both the undergraduates and secondary students. In addition to describing the model of this course in detail, we evaluate this course’s impact on undergraduate scientific communication skills. Analysis of reflections written by the undergraduates reveals that Chemistry 010 is an effective course structure for them to explore and assess their competencies to teach and communicate scientific concepts. The course’s influence on the secondary students,…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide With 360° cameras becoming increasingly available at affordable costs, 360° videos have been gaining momentum online as an exciting visual medium that engages viewers in an immersive 360° panoramic view. In this report, we share insights of our experience in using 360° cameras to capture several laboratory techniques in an undergraduate organic chemistry course and raise pertinent issues regarding the 360° videos. In summary, we found that 360° videos add value in terms of its large field of view, but pose some potential problems in terms of disorientation and lack of focus.

Rapid development in the field of reticular chemistry has allowed scientists ever-increasing control over the design and synthesis of crystalline porous materials. The promise that this field has in the development of next-generation materials for numerous applications (gas storage and separation, catalysis, chemical sensing, electronics) relies on the effective training of new scientists in the diverse array of computational, synthetic, and analytical techniques that reticular chemistry requires. Herein, we describe a laboratory-research experience designed to equip a class of upper-division undergraduates in chemistry and chemical engineering not only with these skills but also the skills necessary to communicate their future research accomplishments to the greater scientific community. The course is subdivided into three modules: (i) synthesis, characterization, and post-synthetic modification of metal–organic frameworks; (ii) superacid catalysis with metal–organic frameworks; and (iii) synthesis, characterization, and gas adsorption applications of covalent organic frameworks.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Mobile technology is increasingly prevalent in higher education. Chemistry-related software applications (apps) on touchscreen computers are emerging as a popular platform in many areas, including in the chemistry classroom. In this work, a new game-based app designed for hand-held and portable touch-controlled devices is presented. Chirality-2 covers multiple aspects of introductory undergraduate organic chemistry. The app allows users to earn chemistry-type medals related to his or her score for each stage, track progress, and post scores and compete with peers on social media. The app is free to download on both the iOS and Android operating systems and aims to help reinforce important chemical concepts necessary for introductory undergraduate chemistry courses worldwide. The target audience includes teachers and students at the final year of high school and introductory undergraduate level.

Many chemistry laboratory exercises follow a given protocol with known results. Such traditional laboratories rarely give students an accurate representation of how research is conducted, the scientific practices involved in research, and the ownership that accompanies developing and carrying out an independent project. Several laboratory reforms have sought to overcome these limitations, including the creation of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). The CURE design is meant to emulate authentic research in the teaching laboratory by having students perform novel experiments with unknown results. In this article, we describe our implementation of a CURE for an upper-level physical chemistry laboratory course. Our students carried out novel research using molecular dynamics simulations, isothermal titration calorimetry, and stopped-flow kinetics to study ligand binding to the protein human serum albumin. We studied the effects of the CURE laboratory redesign via a mixed-methods approach. We use the CURE Survey by Lopatto and colleagues to record students’…

In this study, we continue our efforts to address students’ difficulties understanding organic chemistry, particularly in connecting structure to function and using the language of chemistry to explain how and why reactions occur. For the first time, we have characterized students’ work and problem-solving strategies on familiar and unfamiliar mechanism questions in a new course format: a patterns of mechanisms organic chemistry curriculum and flipped course format. This study began with analysis of students’ exam answers then more deeply explored the features to which they attend and their strategies using a think-aloud interview protocol. Success rates were higher on both the familiar and unfamiliar mechanism questions in the new course format with medium effect sizes, although we cannot conclude a causal link with the new format. Interview analysis revealed that all used the electron-pushing formalism correctly and as an initial and routine part of their problem-solving strategy. Most participants regularly used concepts of nucleophiles, electrophiles, electronegativity, and…

This work is part of a larger project that seeks to understand how students blend (integrate) chemistry and mathematics as they work through chemical kinetics problems. Here we focus on four students from our larger sample: two students that demonstrated more instances of blending chemistry and mathematics in their interviews (“high-frequency blenders”) and two students that did not have any instances of blending chemistry and mathematics in their interviews (“nonblenders”). In this study, we characterized the intuitive mathematical ideas the students associated with equations (symbolic forms) and graphs (graphical forms), focusing on how the students’ mathematical reasoning influenced their understanding of chemical phenomena. The findings suggest that, in order for students to integrate chemistry and mathematics in a way that supports their understanding of the chemical processes in chemical kinetics, they must be able to reason using symbolic and graphical forms.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyze organic chemistry students’ annotations of reaction coordinate diagrams to better understand how they sought connections between reactions and reaction coordinate diagrams. Thirty-six students enrolled in Organic Chemistry II participated in semistructured, think-aloud interviews that asked students to choose a reaction coordinate diagram from a set of three possible diagrams to match a substitution reaction mechanism and then to match an elimination reaction mechanism. Students’ annotations of the reaction coordinate diagrams provided in the interviews, and in some cases additional reaction coordinate diagrams generated by the students themselves, were examined. Qualitative analyses indicated that half of the participants considered only the “major” species (reactant, intermediate, and product) to be encoded in reaction coordinate diagrams, whereas the rest of the reaction species (leaving groups, nucleophiles/bases, and solvent molecules) were omitted from their drawings. These findings suggest that because organic chemists…

Green chemistry and sustainable development have become increasingly important topics for the education of future chemists. The cross-disciplinary nature of green chemistry and sustainable development often means these subjects are taught in conjunction with other subjects, such as organic chemistry and chemical engineering. Herein, a straightforward and efficient approach for vertical integration of green chemistry concepts within existing undergraduate organic chemistry courses is shown. The gradual self-evaluation, “greenification”, and reassessment of an organic chemistry course at KTH Royal Institute of Technology from 2013 to 2017 is described, with particular focus on the laboratory course and a novel green chemistry project designed to promote sustainability thinking and reasoning. The laboratory project, which can also be conducted as an independent organic chemistry laboratory exercise, required students to critically evaluate variations of the same Pechmann condensation experiment according to the twelve principles of green chemistry. The course evaluation shows that,…

Students learned the principles and practice of photometry through project-based learning. They addressed the challenge of measuring the unknown concentration of a colored substance using a photometer they were required to design, build, and test. Then, they used that instrument to carry out the experiment and fulfill the challenge. A photometer was designed and built by students consisting of a green laser pointer as the light source and a lux meter as the detector and readout. Using this photometer students have determined the concentration of the unknown sample of KMnO 4 solutions. The concentration of this sample solution was calculated to be (4.62 ± 0.06) × 10 –4 M; this value agrees within 6% of the expected value from the measurement using the commercial spectrophotometer which was calculated to be (4.96 ± 0.005) × 10 –4 M. The experiments fit well into an analytical chemistry course and take a standard (1 h) lab period. This project has facilitated improved student understanding of the photometry concepts and increased the creative problem-solving. In general, the students’…

The quantitative evaluation of experimental data and their graphical presentation are integral to teaching and research in chemistry and the life sciences. Data are commonly fitted to physical models, which in all but the simplest cases are expressed as nonlinear mathematical functions. To facilitate data evaluation in both teaching and research contexts, the Fit-o-mat program, implemented in Python, offers versatile nonlinear least-squares curve fitting through a graphical user interface. Fit-o-mat supports near-arbitrary fitting functions, including numerical and discontinuous ones, produces vectorized graphics, runs on different operating systems, and is free of charge, thus promoting the adoption of the program by students and instructors in the classroom and beyond. An embedded tutorial mode facilitates integration of Fit-o-mat into teaching curricula at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is a technology with near-unlimited potential for the chemical educator. However, its adoption into higher education has been limited by the dual requirements of expertise in 3D printing and 3D computer-aided design (CAD). Thus, its reported utilization in the chemistry curriculum has been within the creation of 3D models for the macroscopic visualization of molecular models and processes. With the commercialization of inexpensive 3D printers, we seek to provide a series of optical mounts and tools for use in chemical research or education by designing systems which may be mounted on a breadboard and used to construct chemical instrumentation. These designs include mounts for cylindrical lenses or mirrors with 0.5, 1, and 2 in. diameters, 0.5 in. diffraction gratings, an adjustable optical slit, cuvette holders, stepper motor (NEMA 17) adapters, and a modular, 3D printed breadboard. All designs were created using Solidworks CAD, and have been provided in Supporting Information and uploaded to…

We investigated whether use of an adaptive-responsive online homework system (OHS) that tailors homework to students’ prior knowledge and periodically reassesses students to promote learning through practice retrieval has inherent advantages over traditional-responsive online homework. A quasi-experimental cohort control post-test-only design with nonequivalent groups and propensity scores with nearest neighbor matching ( n = 6,114 pairs) was used. The adaptive system was found to increase the odds of a higher final letter grade for average, below average, and failing students. However, despite the learning advantages, students self-reported less favorable attitudes toward adaptive-responsive (3.15 of 5) relative to traditional-responsive OHS (3.31). Specific to the adaptive OHS, the following were found: (i) student attitudes were moderately and positively correlated ( r = 0.36, p < 0.01) to final letter grade, (ii) most students (95%) reported engaging in remediation of incorrect responses, (iii) a majority of students (69%) reported changes in study habits, and (iv) students…

To explore the differences between how organic chemistry students and organic chemistry professors think about organic chemistry reactions, we administered a card sort task to participants with a range of knowledge and experience levels. Beginning students created a variety of categories ranging from structural similarities to process oriented categories. Professors and more experienced graduate students created their categories only for process oriented reasons. Professors discussed different features of the reactions than the students did, suggesting that students need guidance and opportunities to develop skills to identify mechanistically relevant features in a reaction. More specifically, at the University of Ottawa, a transformed organic chemistry curriculum has been designed and implemented where students are first taught the language of mechanisms before learning about specific reactions. Then, students are taught reactions in order of their governing pattern of mechanism, rather than by functional group. We developed a card sort task to investigate how students perceive the…

In this article, a low-cost, simple, and rapid fabrication of paper-based analytical devices (PADs) using a wax screen-printing method is reported here. The acid–base reaction is implemented in the simple PADs to demonstrate to students the chemistry concept of a limiting reagent. When a fixed concentration of base reacts with a gradually increasing concentration of acid, a dramatic demonstration allows students to discover the limiting reagent by naked eyes observing the color change from phenolphthalein as an indicator. This demonstration is not only a new approach to enhancing students’ learning of the chemistry concept of the limiting reagent, but also presents potential applications of PADs into all levels of chemistry from middle school through college classes.

A thought-provoking activity called the “Chemistry Connections Challenge” (CCC) has been introduced to an introductory organic chemistry course as a method of highlighting the real-world applications of course content. Identifying how course material can be utilized in the world around them may be difficult for students in introductory organic chemistry courses, particularly those geared toward life science disciplines. This activity was created as a means to improve student attitudes toward organic chemistry by encouraging them to explore how course content is applied to nature, research, and everyday life. In preparation for the activity, students are exposed to several instructor-generated “Chemistry Connections” slides shown in class during the first 4 weeks of the semester. Then, students are invited to create their own slide as part of the “Chemistry Connections Challenge” activity. As students complete the activity they engage with the course material in a meaningful way which can stimulate new ways of thinking about organic chemistry, identify the value of course content,…

Experimental design is a desirable outcome of laboratory education. Incorporating inquiry into the laboratory curriculum is attractive, but there are acknowledged concerns from practical, theoretical, and epistemological perspectives, and these are accentuated in upper-division courses. In this work, we draw on the extensive literature relating to experimental design and inquiry learning to conceive a pragmatic laboratory curriculum that invokes the development of experimental design skills in a structured way. The model also incorporates the core principles of formative assessment, so that students get a chance to improve their work on the basis of feedback as they are doing it. We illustrate this model with two examples from our own practice of upper-division physical chemistry, but the basis of the design is elaborated so that interested readers can adopt it for any aspect of practical chemistry where there is a desire to incorporate experimental design skills.

Abstract This article describes the process of designing a new four-year curriculum at Emory University. Acknowledging the limitations of traditional curricula and pedagogy, the major goals of this reform effort include an emphasis on core ideas and scientific practices rather than content and historical course boundaries in order to convey the excitement, relevance, and interdisciplinary nature of 21st century chemistry to undergraduate students.

As described by the National Research Council, science practices reflect, in part, the way science is done. When researchers are developing an explanation for a phenomenon, they are using a combination of knowledge and skills reflected in the science practices. Laboratory-based chemistry courses provide the opportunity for students to move beyond surface-level thinking as they use quantitative reasoning skills, analyze data, and draw connections between observations and explanations. Thus, when students in a laboratory course are utilizing science practices, they are making use of the shared set of tools used by researchers. Here we discuss laboratory curriculum development that focuses on taking current laboratory experiments and modifying them by framing the prelab and postlab questions in terms of science practices, which provides the opportunity for students to engage in critical thinking. This approach toward creating a practice-centered curriculum is an easy way instructors can promote engagement in science practices without having to expend the time and resources needed to…

A simple and reliable didactic laboratory has been developed to illustrate fundamental concepts of hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, wetting, and spreading phenomena for undergraduate students. The described laboratory includes preparation of surfactant solutions at different concentrations and applying droplets of these solutions on a hydrophobic surface followed by imaging the applied droplets using a cost-effective USB digital microscope connected to a computer. Contact-angle values of droplets were measured using ImageJ, a freely available image-processing software. Students constructed surfactant-concentration–contact-angle plots to determine the surfactant’s critical-micelle-concentration value. The feasibility of the described didactic laboratory and the achievement of the intended learning outcomes (ILOs) were evaluated through complementary assessment tools, including lab reports, homework assignments, and students’ feedback. The described laboratory was found to be cost-effective, safe, reproducible, and successful in achieving the ILOs.

A research-based inorganic chemistry laboratory course is described. Using the defined protocol of a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), students undertake a self-designed research project to identify new catalysts for the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane. Students select ligands and metals, prepare and characterize catalysts precursors, develop protocols for catalysts, and screen catalyst precursors. These activities are designed to align with the five components of a CURE (research activities, discovery, relevance, collaboration, and iteration), and this course is presented as one model from which individuals can develop CUREs at their own institutions. The students were assessed with the CURE survey, which showed gains in both research activities and understanding the nature of science.

A 14 week undergraduate course on laboratory safety was developed at the University of Pittsburgh. The first segment of the course consists of a series of lectures intended to increase the students’ knowledge and appreciation of safety. In the second segment, experts from both academia and industry present and discuss case studies on specialized issues in laboratory safety. The course culminates with interactive exercises, written assignments, and student capstone projects, which reinforce an understanding of the course principles and encourage undergraduates to take leadership and ownership of safety. The creativity exhibited through the student projects and the results of a post-semester survey suggest that the course inspired students to take a greater role in promoting safety culture.

Previous work has shown that the formation of misconceptions remains one of the most significant barriers to progress for chemistry students. Determination and visualization of the shapes of molecules using valence shell electron pair repulsion theory (VSEPR theory) is an example of an abstract concept that students often find difficult to learn. Concepts may be better understood if the learning process were supported by innovative, interactive, learning resources. In order to address the conceptual difficulties that students may encounter when using VSEPR theory, an activity has been developed that is supported by simple molecular models. Activity cards give students the opportunity to work through the steps required to predict the shape of a molecule in an engaging manner that promotes social learning. Students were tested before and after the activity. A statistically significant improvement in scores ( p = 0.001) was found, which indicates that the activity cards and molecular models could help students understand the topic.

Several active-learning pedagogies involve groups of students working together to construct their own understanding of course content. In these classrooms, the instructor serves as a facilitator of learning, by interacting with every group, engaging students in discussions, answering questions, and providing formative feedback. This type of interaction can be challenging for instructors in large enrollment classes. The use of undergraduate teaching assistants (TAs) during active-learning “lecture” periods is an effective way to provide an active-learning experience to a large group of students. Most undergraduate students have little to no experience with facilitating active-learning environments. Therefore, it is important to provide a thorough TA training experience in order for TAs to be effective in an active-learning classroom. Using an iterative design process, several successful strategies were developed to help prepare undergraduate TAs to assist in facilitating a large organic chemistry active-learning class. These methods ensured that TAs were knowledgeable about the…

The Lewis acid–base model is key to identifying and explaining the formation and breaking of bonds in a large number of reaction mechanisms taught in the sophomore-level year-long organic chemistry course. Understanding the model is, thus, essential to success in organic chemistry coursework. Concept-inventories exist to identify misunderstandings and misconceptions of acid–base theories; open-ended problems, though, have been shown to provide a more nuanced and holistic understanding of how students use acid–base models to explain reactions. The time necessary to score such problems, however, limits their use, especially in large student enrollment courses. Given the efficacy of open-ended problems, there is occasion for the development of methods to efficiently and effectively analyze open-ended assessment responses. In this study, we establish the importance of assessing “use of the Lewis acid–base model to explain a chemical reaction” by determining the association of model use with summative examination performance. In addition, we generate and evaluate a binomial logistic…

A new method for teaching advanced laboratories at the undergraduate level is presented. The intent of this approach is to get students more engaged in the lab experience and apply critical thinking skills to solve problems. The structure of the lab is problem-based and provides students with a research-like experience. Students read the current literature, develop new experiments for the curriculum, and then present the work in both oral and poster format. From the instructor’s observations, it was found that students take ownership of their experiments and typically apply themselves more than in a traditional lab setting. Student feedback about this approach has been overwhelmingly positive.

Introductory chemistry students encounter the concept of hybrid orbitals as a transition from atomic orbitals to molecular bonding. The principal purpose of learning hybridization in the undergraduate curriculum is to impart an understanding of the origins of molecular bonding and geometry. Physical models of both individual hybrid orbitals and combinations of hybrid orbital types have the potential to aid in student visualization of molecular geometry. 3D printing can serve to generate physically accurate models in a cost-effective manner. The use of a freely available JavaScript applet (CalcPlot3D) enables the generation of 3D-printing files (.stl/.3mf files) that can be subsequently printed on a 3D printer. The procedure is low-cost and relatively flexible and produces mathematically accurate hybrid orbital models that can serve as hands-on pedagogical tools.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide In this article, a low-cost and pocket-sized setup for measuring CO 2 is presented. This setup is based on Arduinos, making it economic and open to modifications or improvements that satisfy other needs. It is composed of an Arduino board, a CO 2 sensor, an SD-card module, and a control panel. The device has been tested in three different experimental contexts that are typically used in primary and secondary science education: chemical reactions, plant photosynthesis and respiration, and gas diffusion. Results show major potential for the device, both for promoting students’ model-based inquiry and for encouraging students to build their own devices and develop engineering practices. The other advantages of the proposal, compared with commercial data loggers, are also discussed.

Undergraduate lab sessions play a crucial role in building and reinforcing conceptual understanding in STEM education. In third and fourth year higher education, lab sessions can be challenging to incorporate into the curriculum due to cost, safety, or difficulty in realizing abstract concepts. Mixed reality (MR) systems provide a novel solution due to their ability to nurture collaboration and tactile interaction. In this work, an MR system designed for use in chemical kinetics undergraduate curriculum is described. This system combines the principles of student-driven, investigative learning with tactile feedback and simulation-based teaching. A small-scale study was conducted to explore students’ use of a prototype MR system as compared to a traditional “pen-and-paper” cooperative learning activity. Differences in student engagement and learning outcomes were analyzed. Results indicate that students working with MR demonstrated slightly more accurate and nuanced conceptual understandings, conducted faster and more cycles of inquiry, expressed more clarity when articulating…

This laboratory experiment leverages the pedagogical value and multidisciplinary nature of biodiesel production from vegetable oil to introduce students to continuous-flow chemistry, a modern and rapidly growing approach to chemical synthesis. An interdisciplinary approach exposes students to the practical and conceptual aspects of modern continuous-flow chemistry while simultaneously reinforcing core organic chemistry techniques and investing students in issues of sustainability. Students screen reaction conditions in flow through an inquiry-guided approach and make evidence-based decisions to accomplish the sustainable conversion of waste cooking oil into biofuel. The laboratory experiment is designed to be highly modular and can be completed in two, three, five, or eight laboratory periods. By incorporating the burgeoning field of continuous-flow chemistry into the educational infrastructure, the experiments allow students to develop skills that are highly valued in the modern chemical workforce.

In the writing assignment and presentation described, small groups of students investigate a given industrial business/company that has made major changes to a synthesis, process, or procedure by implementing one or more of the 12 principles of green chemistry. Students submit a short paper on the assignment and present the project during the recitation portion of the laboratory. By studying an industrial change to a given synthesis or process, students become more aware of their environmental and global responsibility. They also begin to realize that businesses are incorporating green principles in their practices. In a self-reported survey nearly all (97%) of students of students reported an increased understanding of the principles of green chemistry and an increased interest in the topic. Results of surveys indicated that nearly all students felt that the project should be continued.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Chemistry has served a unique historical role among the sciences by not only studying the world around us, but also creating the chemicals we study and use. The impacts of chemistry are accordingly more profound on earth and societal systems, and helping our students understand both the benefits and potential hazards of chemicals and chemical processes represents a core responsibility of chemistry education. Establishing an overarching learning outcome for chemistry courses presents a flexible approach for embracing the challenge posed by our unique history and catalyzing future contributions to society through the students we educate.

Zero-order systems provide an interesting opportunity for students to think about the underlying mechanism behind the physical phenomena being modeled. The work reported here is part of a larger study that seeks to characterize how students integrate chemistry and mathematics in the context of chemical kinetics. Thirty-six general chemistry students, five physical chemistry students, and three chemical engineering students were asked to think aloud as they responded to an interview prompt about the half-life of a catalyst-driven zero-order reaction. Our findings revealed that students often described zero-order in mathematical terms (i.e., the zero-order rate law, integrated rate law, and graphical representation), but lacked a clear understanding of the particulate nature of zero-order systems. Results also indicated students have productive discipline-specific conceptions of catalysts but less productive ideas regarding half-life, expressing a limited view that seemed restricted to first-order decay reactions. Analysis of student problem solving further revealed patterns among…