The 50 most-cited articles in Journal of Chemical Education, 2019

Laboratory courses are an ever-present form of teaching in chemistry, despite little evidence for their impact upon student learning. The chemistry community is challenged to consider the evidence basis for laboratory teaching commensurate with the significant investment of cost and time to provide this instruction.

Abstract Within recent history, both science research and science education have been largely reductionist in perspective. While the reductionist approach has resulted in a significant increase in our knowledge of the natural world and in great technological advances, it is not sufficient for addressing global world challenges, such as sustainability, pollution, climate change, and poverty. We, as members of the Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education (STICE) project, argue that for science in general, and chemistry in specific, to continue to advance and for citizens to be prepared to participate knowledgeably and democratically in science-related policy decisions, the reductionist approaches that are commonly used in chemistry research and chemistry education must be complemented with a more holistic approach. Systems thinking is such an approach. This article discusses the historical development, describes the key characteristics, and presents some skills and competencies associated with systems thinking. Our intention is to provide chemical educators with enough basic…

Systems thinking is a holistic approach for examining complex problems and systems that focuses on the interactions among system components and the patterns that emerge from those interactions. Systems thinking can help students develop higher-order thinking skills in order to understand and address complex, interdisciplinary, real-world problems. Because of these potential benefits, there have been recent efforts to support the implementation of systems thinking approaches in chemistry education, including the development of the IUPAC Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education (STICE) Project and this Special Issue of the Journal of Chemical Education: “Reimagining Chemistry Education: Systems Thinking, and Green and Sustainable Chemistry”. As part of these efforts, our purposes in this paper are to describe some of the potential benefits associated with systems thinking approaches, to identify the STEM education fields that have employed systems thinking approaches, to summarize some of the major findings about the applications of systems thinking in STEM education, and to present…

Abstract The reemergence of virtual reality (VR) in the past few years has led to affordable, high-quality commodity hardware that can offer new ways to teach, communicate, and engage with complex concepts. In a higher-education context, these immersive technologies make it possible to teach complex molecular topics in a way that may aid or even supersede traditional approaches such as molecular models, textbook images, and traditional screen-based computational environments. In this work we describe a study involving 22 third-year UK undergraduate chemistry students who undertook a traditional computational chemistry class complemented by an additional component which we designed to utilize real-time interactive molecular dynamics simulations in VR (iMD-VR). Exploiting the flexibility of an open-source iMD-VR framework which we recently described, the students were given three short tasks to complete in iMD-VR: (1) interactive rearrangement of the chorismate molecule to prephenate using forces obtained from density functional theory calculations; (2) unbinding of chorismate from…

Abstract The flow of materials and energy through society is an integral but poorly visible element of global sustainability agendas such as the Planetary Boundaries Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Given that the primary activities of chemistry are to analyze, synthesize, and transform matter, the practice of chemistry has a great deal to contribute to sustainability science, which in turn should play an increasingly important role in reshaping the practice of chemistry. Success in integrating sustainability considerations into the practice of chemistry implies a substantial role for chemistry education to better equip students to address the sustainability of earth and societal systems. Building on the framework of the IUPAC Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education (STICE) project, we develop approaches to using systems thinking to educate students about the molecular basis of sustainability, to assist chemistry to contribute meaningfully and visibly toward the attainment of global sustainability agendas. A detailed exemplar shows how ubiquitous coverage…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Using virtual reality (VR) in educational settings is becoming increasingly popular. The feasibility of replacing an instrumentation-based organic chemistry lab with a VR experience has been evaluated. A VR laboratory experience was designed to teach students how to use an infrared spectrometer and elucidate an unknown structure from the resulting infrared spectrum. The resulting first-person VR experience is immersive and realistic, with a teaching assistant guiding the user along the steps required to complete the experiment, including feedback as needed. The VR experience was developed in WondaVR with selections made using gaze navigation. The resulting product was tested with a group of students, and the outcomes for short- and long-term recall were compared with a group of students that did the same experiment in a traditional lab. Results indicate that there are no significant differences in learning outcomes between the two groups, which indicates the possibility of using this tool to offer this organic chemistry lab…

Chemistry educators have a responsibility to teach students about the essential role the field of chemistry has in a sustainable future for the planet. Chemical products, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, electronics, agrochemicals, and building materials, all benefit society yet unintended consequences resulting from the production and use of these products compel chemists to develop new technologies which minimize their harm. The Committee on Professional Training (CPT)’s recently adopted Supplement on “Green Chemistry in the Curriculum” promotes the inclusion of green chemistry in the undergraduate curriculum. The design of safer technologies is enabled by a systems thinking approach, which analyzes the life cycle of every component of a chemical process. The skills utilized by systems thinking in green chemistry have the potential to foresee and avoid unintended consequences of new chemical products. In this article we illustrate how the inclusion of green chemistry in general and organic chemistry courses connects structure and reactivity to a chemical’s impact on the…

Abstract The fundamental structure of a typical mainstream two-semester organic chemistry course, populated mostly by life science majors and taught at universities throughout the United States, has changed little since the 1970s. However, much of the research on learning in organic chemistry has been devoted to characterizing student difficulties of various types, and there is now persuasive evidence that organic chemistry as currently taught is neither effective nor relevant for a majority of students. In an attempt to address the problems with traditional approaches to organic chemistry instruction, we have developed an approach to the design of a transformed organic chemistry course (Organic Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything or OCLUE) suitable for the vast majority of organic chemistry students that includes (1) using the Framework of three-dimensional learning (3DL) to support knowledge in use and (2) emphasizing biologically important mechanisms. In this course, topics are connected to core ideas by using scientific practices, such as constructing models and…

While virtual reality (VR) is emerging as an interactive tool for chemical education, its application and assessment for chemical education are still limited. Thus, an educational VR activity based on interactive molecular dynamics in virtual reality (iMD-VR), which allows for real-time, immersive interactions with a dynamic molecular world, was now designed and executed to demonstrate chemical concepts and engage students in exploring molecular structures, motions, and interactions. There were 70 students in the first semester of an introductory organic chemistry course asked to complete an example task to pull a methane molecule through a carbon nanotube with iMD-VR software originally designed for research purposes by Glowacki and co-workers. Our assessments of this activity have shown valuable motivational impacts and measurable learning gains. The VR activity can be further tailored to many different levels by varying the topics and tasks, with affordable hardware and software.

With a growing number of global challenges related to the environment, water, public health, and energy, there is an imminent need to teach chemistry in the context of its interconnectedness with other systems. Project- and problem-based learning are student-centered learning approaches which offer educators the opportunity to engage learners in solving complex real-world problems. By choosing a globally relevant project/problem and requiring students to utilize scientific methods to solve the problem, both problem-based learning and project-based learning are excellent strategies for educators to teach chemistry using a systems approach. This review summarizes key research studies which utilize project- and problem-based learning in the context of enabling learners to confront global problems and the wide applicability of these approaches to systems thinking.

Citizens in all roles need to be able to construct causal explanations of scientific phenomena and engage in coherent argumentation, supported by evidence and sound reasoning. These skills are needed in many contexts, from making everyday decisions to addressing complex global issues. One goal of instruction in this area is to get past assessment questions that can be answered using only memorized rules (e.g., S N 1 reactions are favored with tertiary halide substrates), toward answers that require reasoning with evidence ( why is an S N 1 pathway favored under certain conditions?). Previous work has suggested that these reasoning skills may not be effectively taught, practiced, or learned in organic chemistry courses or directly assessed on exams. In this study, we explored students’ ability to construct scientific arguments using evidence in the context of organic reaction mechanisms, specifically when comparing two proposed reaction mechanisms, making a claim as to which was most plausible, and providing reasoning. We used a qualitative coding scheme to analyze (1) the features…

Imagine being locked in a chemical lab with 4 “bombs” that will detonate within 60 min unless you neutralize them. You now must use your brain, chemical knowledge, intuition, and need a bit of luck to neutralize the bombs and escape unharmed... This is the concept behind “chemical escape”, an activity for high-school students, which brings the extremely popular genre of “escape rooms” into the chemistry classroom; it engages students in learning, increases motivation, and bridges the gap between classroom chemistry and the real world, as well as allows for teamwork and peer learning. A mobile escape room was designed and built in Israel; it consisted of lab-based activities and was suitable for high schools. To date, the activity has been introduced to more than 350 chemistry teachers who then implemented it to over 1500 students. An evaluation questionnaire was developed on the basis of students’ statements of their experience of the escape room (bottom-up); the results indicate that the students were highly engaged and motivated during the activity, and there was an appreciation…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Field trips are a common activity for instructors to engage students and give them a first-hand understanding of a subject, especially in environmental chemistry. However, the planning and execution for a field trip is logistically challenging and demanding of human and material resources. Here, we demonstrate the conduct of a virtual overseas field trip for 74 students with the use of a web-based virtual reality (VR) application. From the feedback after the virtual field trip, students reported general receptiveness toward such use of VR technology.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide KinSim is a research-grade, interactive, user-friendly, open-source, and visual software for kinetics modeling of environmental chemistry and other applications. Students without any computer-programming background and limited knowledge of environmental chemistry can use KinSim, which also includes multiple features and functionality dedicated to reducing users’ workload and preventing users from creating errors in modeling; thus, KinSim is particularly suitable for in-classroom and homework teaching applications. Students can choose from several preprogrammed mechanisms and initial conditions for important environmental-chemistry problems, and only clicking a few buttons is needed to perform a simulation and obtain graphs with concentrations and chemical fluxes. The mechanism and initial conditions can be edited very easily to study other cases. Feedback from its use in courses shows the effectiveness of KinSim in helping students conduct computer experiments to gain familiarity with environmental chemical systems and helping them…

Wide accessibility and a broad range of applications have made 3D-printers a commonplace tool in the science community. From tier-one research institutions to community public libraries and high schools, 3D-printers are being used to enrich STEM education through a variety of learning techniques and experiences. Reports of 3D-printed models for improved visualization of chemical phenomena, as well as the educational use of 3D-printed laboratory devices, are rapidly increasing. The objective of this review is to provide a resource for educators interested in incorporating 3D-printing into their chemistry classrooms by evaluating recent peer-reviewed reports that used this technology to enhance chemistry education.

This work seeks to add to the growing body of chemistry education research that emphasizes the teaching and learning of advanced topics, focusing on students’ understanding of enzyme kinetics. The data corpus relevant to this study involved 14 second-year undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory biochemistry course taught in a chemistry department. During semistructured interviews, the students were prompted to discuss a typical enzyme kinetics reaction scheme (i.e., E + S ⇌ ES → E + P) and describe two enzyme kinetics graphs. The findings indicated that students had productive understanding regarding the meanings of the kinetic parameters ( K m and V max ) and the utility of Lineweaver–Burk plots; however, students needed more support in drawing connections between a conceptual understanding and the representations commonly used to model enzyme kinetics.

A central theme in introductory and advanced chemical education courses pertains directly to the transfer of electrons between atoms, ions, or molecules. This article presents theoretical treatments of electron transfer with specific attention toward applying these principles to experiment. The goal is to revitalize teaching electron transfer at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Central theoretical aspects are presented through the construction of Gibbs free (potential) energy surfaces with definitions and semiquantitative descriptions of the three key parameters necessary to compute electron transfer rate constants with Marcus theory: (1) the Gibbs free energy change, Δ G °; (2) the reorganization energy, λ; and (3) the electronic coupling between D and A wave functions, H DA . A simplified description of this theory is presented with classical free energy surfaces for the electron donor and acceptor wherein the force constant in Hooke’s Law is replaced by λ. Variation of Δ G ° results in a Gaussian distribution of activation energies that give rise to Marcus normal,…

As part of curriculum renewal in three introductory chemistry courses at the University of Sydney, a partially flipped classroom model was implemented. Content that is conventionally delivered in the in-class sessions was moved online through the use of web-based tutorials, videos and quizzes. During the in-class sessions, active learning opportunities were created through the use of guided-inquiry worksheets and clicker responses to promote peer-to-peer and instructor-led discussion. Student evaluations indicated high satisfaction with the quality of teaching and learning resources. In comparison to before these changes, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of students achieving the higher grades across all three courses. Failure rates decreased or remained unchanged. The course with the historically highest attrition showed a marked improvement. These results suggest that a partially flipped learning model can be useful to enhance student engagement, support learning, and positively impact on retention and academic performance.

Systems thinking, interdisciplinary research projects, and creative problem solving are ways to frame modern chemistry curricula to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, teachers, and citizens to use their skills and education to create a sustainable future. By integrating planetary boundaries, green chemistry, and the UN sustainable development goals, we use a systems thinking approach in undergraduate education and outreach to a range of diverse populations to drive discussion, exploration of scientific principles, and teach students how they can use chemistry to solve the distinctive challenges of the anthropocene. Interdisciplinary research projects employ critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity as part of the scientific method. Translating undergraduate research in nanotechnology, renewable energy, and sustainability into lesson plans and engaging in outreach to diverse populations promotes equity in science education and encourages underrepresented groups to seek careers in a scientific field. Community college students act as role models in outreach…

Systems thinking approaches underscore a holistic view of the components comprising a dynamic system, including their connections and interdependencies as well as their interactions with other systems. Compelling international calls have been made recently to infuse chemistry education with systems thinking so as to not only better illustrate chemistry’s connection to other disciplines, but also explain and address emerging global challenges. Doing so presents exciting opportunities for chemistry educators to incorporate creative new activities into their courses. However, to employ systems thinking effectively in the chemistry classroom, we argue that considering the learner must take precedent. Relatively little is known regarding how chemistry learners interact with systems thinking, or the knowledge and skills necessary for chemistry learners to productively engage in systems thinking. In this article, we begin to address the discipline’s knowledge gap about learning using a systems thinking approach. Our goal is to explore systems thinking from the perspective of the chemistry…

An experiment for the calculation of the degree of double bond conversion, after a polymerization reaction, of photopolymerizable liquid monomers using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy is reported. The experiment was successfully conducted with undergraduate students in materials engineering during the Fundamentals of Polymeric Material course. Students synthesized a Bis-GMA and TEGDMA copolymer through radical chain polymerization using visible light as the energy source (photopolymerization). Through the quantitative analysis of two absorption bands in the FTIR spectra of the monomer and the polymer, the νC═C of the alkene group at 1638 cm –1 and the νC═C of the aromatic ring at 1610 cm –1, students calculated the degree of double bond conversion after the polymerization reaction. Students acquired competencies in the synthesis and qualitative and quantitative characterization of polymeric materials through FTIR spectroscopy.

One challenge associated with introducing systems thinking in chemistry classrooms is the increase in content complexity that students face when they engage in this type of approach. Placing core chemical ideas within larger systems has promise, as long as students are not overwhelmed by the added complexity. Although there are many potential strategies for dealing with complexity, one common tool is to employ visual or graphical tools to help conceptualize the problem or system at hand. In part because systems thinking touches on many potential levels of implementation, there are different visual tools that are helpful in conceptualizing different aspects. Some tools, such as systems-oriented concept map extension (SOCME) diagrams and systemigrams, use methodologies often associated with concept mapping but add features that enhance their applicability in systems thinking. Object–Process Methodology (OPM), which has seen fairly wide use in systems engineering contexts, uses formally defined components and links between them to help conceptualize systems and problems. Many systems…

Escape ClassRoom “CSI 1.0” is an educational escape room proposed as an interactive analytical chemistry exercise for the evaluation of undergraduate students at the end of the subject. This approach is a new form of live action learning activity in which the students have to solve an analytical problem, namely, “an alleged crime”. From this initial hypothesis, they have to investigate the crime by playing the role of trainee forensic chemists. As in any escape room, Escape ClassRoom “CSI 1.0” is a logical game in which the main objective is to discover several clues, to find hidden objects, and to solve a mystery in order to escape a “locked” room in an established time. The students play the role of forensic scientists and solve the alleged crime by following the scientific method in order to escape. To do so, they have to apply the whole analytical process from beginning to end, i.e., from a correct sampling at the crime scene, through the analysis of sample and data treatment until the interpretation of the results to validate the initial hypothesis: a murder has been committed.…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Experimental electrochemistry offers unique opportunities for interactive instruction at all levels of education; however, widespread adoption in curricula is hindered by high costs associated with electrochemical instrumentation. Thus, the development of affordable instruments represents an essential step toward making electrochemistry accessible to everyone. While numerous commercially available three-electrode potentiostats exist, two-electrode potentiostats provide a simple and inexpensive alternative. Herein, we present the two-electrode SweepStat as a low-cost option capable of performing voltammetry and amperometry with comparable data acquisition to commercially available potentiostats valued from $4,000–40,000 USD. Additionally, the SweepStat’s design facilitates current measurements in the nanoampere regime, permitting experiments with ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs; r electrode < 25 μm). The fabrication, programming, and testing of this device constitute a valuable experimental exercise at the intersection of circuit design…

Over the past several decades, green chemistry has gained prominence in chemistry education. However, the development of green chemistry curricula has not reached all levels of education equally, focusing mainly on elective and upper division courses. We deliberately focused our green chemistry curriculum redesign on a high enrollment introductory general chemistry laboratory course at the University of California, Berkeley. We developed over 30 new experiments that introduced students to green chemistry concepts and applications, while maintaining canonical general chemistry learning goals. The context of the curriculum and required course assignments encouraged students to use green chemistry principles to explore and solve real-world problems. After completing this redesigned course, we hypothesized that students would value green chemistry and feel more confident in their green chemistry knowledge. We developed new methods to measure students’ attitudes toward and understanding of green chemistry as a system instead of isolated reactions or processes. These assessments allowed…

An escape-room-game activity was introduced to foster team building and collaborative learning in a laboratory-experiment setting. The students were placed in a laboratory with clues and puzzles that required the students to use a sequence of analytical instruments in the laboratory in order to escape. The instruments utilized included a UV–vis spectrophotometer, an FTIR spectrometer, a gas chromatograph, and a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GCMS). Student groups solved the puzzles and escaped by identifying a mystery compound at the end of the game. Student surveys indicated that the students enjoyed the lab and that they felt it was an effective review of laboratory techniques.

Over the past 20 years research on reform efforts aimed at the chemistry laboratory has focused on different aspects of students’ experiences including increasing content knowledge, improving student attitudes toward chemistry, incorporating inquiry activities, and providing students a hands-on experience related to the chemistry concepts learned in lecture. While many of these efforts have been designed to incorporate inquiry activities, because this term is somewhat nebulous, it can be difficult to identify which aspects of the laboratory support inquiry. The Scientific and Engineering Practices outlined in the Framework for K–12 Science Education provide a new way to identify and characterize laboratory activities more precisely. This work compares two laboratory curricula in terms of the extent to which the curricula as a whole provide opportunities for students to engage in scientific practices and characterizes in which sections of a laboratory activity (prelab/procedure, data manipulation/analysis, conclusions/report out) students most frequently engage specific scientific…

The International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) launched a global project in 2017 to infuse systems thinking into chemistry education, motivated in part by the desire to help equip chemists and citizens to better address the complex, global challenges our society currently faces. One important early outcome of the IUPAC Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education (STICE) project is this special issue of the Journal of Chemical Education, which provides a key reference point for the rapidly emerging literature on the incorporation of systems thinking into chemistry education, including its application to green and sustainable chemistry. The STICE project outcomes to date include reviewing systems thinking approaches in other STEM fields, articulating a framework for STICE, identifying aspects of learning theories relevant to learning systems thinking skills in chemistry, using systems thinking approaches to integrate green and sustainability chemistry concepts into university-level chemistry classrooms, and identifying considerations for assessing systems thinking in…

Green Machine is a competitive strategy card game facilitating a systems thinking approach to learning recycling processes and green chemistry in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Players compete to be the first to be able to launch their recycling plant by collecting a series of playing cards. Players must use interpersonal skills to consider the interconnected systems while showing an appreciation for commercial awareness and versatility, as dynamic problem solving (reflecting real-world scenarios) is required to play the game successfully. The card game was implemented with 19 U.K. graduate students and 29 U.S. second-year undergraduate students. Survey feedback showed that Green Machine was an innovative resource that was enjoyable to play and engaged students in learning recycling processes through systems thinking. On the basis of pre- and post-test questions to evaluate learning gain, Green Machine is a helpful resource to introduce students not only to green chemistry and sustainability but also to taking a systems thinking approach to…

Abstract Scientific argumentation is a key means by which students make sense of content and processes in inquiry-based instruction. In scientific argumentation students make a claim that they support with evidence and provide reasoning as to how the evidence supports the claim. Integrating the different aspects of scientific argumentation can be challenging for students especially if they need to make a claim change to accommodate new evidence. This study examines student argumentation within a two-semester general chemistry laboratory sequence at a minority-serving, comprehensive university in the Midwest, which employed the Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI) instructional model for laboratory instruction. Video recordings of group argumentation from four investigations, two each semester, were coded using the Assessment of Scientific Argumentation in the Classroom (ASAC) observation protocol. On the basis of the data, students did not tend to change their claims or reasoning even when provided with contradictory evidence. Semistructured interviews with students also coded with the…

Laboratory coursework is widely considered to be an integral part of chemistry undergraduate degree programs, although its impact on students’ chemistry knowledge is largely unsubstantiated. Laboratory experiences provide opportunities to learn skills beyond chemistry content knowledge, such as how to use scientific instrumentation appropriately, how to gather and analyze data, and how to work in a team. The acquisition of process skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication, is an integral part of becoming a scientist and participating in the scientific community. As apprentice scientists, chemistry students interact with each other in a context-rich environment where the need for process skills can arise organically. This study seeks to understand the role of laboratory courses in developing process skills. Students in a first-year chemistry laboratory course used rubrics to assess their own process skills. During the course, the students also received feedback via rubrics from a teaching assistant trained in rubric use. Additionally, students reported…

Low cost, open-source analytical instrumentation has the potential to increase educational outcomes for students and enable large-scale citizen science projects. Many of these instruments rely on smartphones to collect the data, mainly because they can effectively leverage a dramatic price-to-performance ratio of the optical sensors. However, several hurdles need to be overcome for these devices to be more widely adapted. In this communication we focus on visible spectrophotometers, which are common in chemistry laboratories because of the day-to-day need for quantifying concentration. To make smartphone-based spectrometers practical for wider use, we have designed a 3D-printable spectrophotometer with a dual-beam optical geometry. This geometry allows for sample and reference data to be collected on the same photograph and thus improves the signal-to-noise ratio and reproducibility of the spectra. A universal mounting system was also developed to allow for a wide variety of smartphone form factors to be coupled to the spectrophotometer. To demonstrate potential applications of this…

Abstract Using 2-dimensional (2D) images in order to teach about 3-dimensional (3D) molecules can limit the ability of students to grasp key visuospatial elements of 3D macromolecular structures, including depth perception and a sense of scale. The lack of simple, accessible, and easy-to-use teaching tools for visualizing and interacting with (i.e., rotating, translating, zooming) 3D virtual representations of macromolecular structure also continues to be a limitation for biochemistry instructors interested in incorporating more 3D visualizations in their classrooms. To address this current gap in available instructional tools, a novel app utilizing augmented reality (AR) technology to visualize macromolecular structures is described. The app allows users to easily visualize and manipulate the 3D structure of the potassium channel and is accompanied by a set of curricular materials to facilitate app implementation during a discussion on membrane transport. The app is free to download on both iOS and Android systems, is suitable for use on mobile and tablet systems, and is aimed for…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide To remain relevant, chemists need to be able to understand their work in terms of systems. Since systems thinking is a framework to understand and manage systems, the introduction of systems thinking in chemistry education would assist learners to navigate complex, inter-related concepts typical of systems. At the same time, the adoption of systems thinking in chemistry education will require a major reorientation in how chemistry is taught. We consider several characteristics of system complexity that are key to systems thinking in chemistry–including purpose, scale, boundaries, hierarchies, constraints, loop concepts and emergence–and discuss their introduction in education and the benefits this will bring.

In the laboratory experiment described here, students synthesize silver nanostructures (AgNS) with different shapes and sizes to elucidate the shape- and size-dependent optical properties of nanostructured materials. Students also develop understanding of some thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the synthesis process through this experiment. In the size-controlled synthesis of spherical and triangular silver nanostructures, students can observe the conspicuous color change of colloidal AgNS systems. In addition, the optical properties of these materials can be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using UV–vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Students gain skills in synthesizing and characterizing different silver nanostructures (sphere and triangle) and learn about the shape-dependent optical properties of these nanostructures.

The implementation of environmentally friendly, solvent-free mechanochemical synthesis in an undergraduate chemistry teaching laboratory is described. As a model reaction, the experiment addresses the catalytic mechanochemical synthesis of a small library of sulfonylureas, including a known active pharmaceutical ingredient, tolbutamide. The experiment introduces students to mechanochemistry, and the use of automated ball milling as a solvent-free synthetic methodology with a choice of two instruments: a mixer mill and a planetary ball mill. The isolation and purification of final products is achieved simply by washing with water and characterization is performed through powder X-ray diffraction. As milling reactions under wet and dry conditions lead to the formation of two diverse polymorphs of tolbutamide, this experiment also provides an opportunity to discuss topics relevant to solid-state pharmaceutical materials science, such as crystal packing of molecules and polymorphism, and it is an illustration of the emergent field of medicinal mechanochemistry in an undergraduate…

Recent advances in computer hardware and algorithms are spawning an explosive growth in the use of computer-based systems aimed at analyzing and ultimately correlating large amounts of experimental and synthetic data. As these machine learning tools become more widespread, it is becoming imperative that scientists and researchers become familiar with them, both in terms of understanding the tools and the current limitations of artificial intelligence, and more importantly being able to critically separate the hype from the real potential. This article presents a classroom exercise aimed at first-year science and engineering college students, where a task is set to produce a correlation to predict the normal boiling point of organic compounds from an unabridged data set of >6000 compounds. The exercise, which is fully documented in terms of the problem statement and the solution, guides the students to initially perform a linear correlation of the boiling point data with a plausible relevant variable (the molecular weight) and to further refine it using multivariate linear fitting…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This paper provides two demonstrations of how Augmented Reality (AR), which is the projection of virtual information onto a real-world object, can be applied in the classroom and in the laboratory. Using only a smart phone and the free HP Reveal app, content rich AR notecards were prepared. The physical notecards are based on Organic Chemistry I reactions and show only a reagent and substrate. Upon interaction with the HP Reveal app, an AR video projection shows the product of the reaction as well as a real-time, hand-drawn curved-arrow mechanism of how the product is formed. Thirty AR notecards based on common Organic Chemistry I reactions and mechanisms are provided in the Supporting Information of this paper and are available for widespread use. In addition, the HP Reveal app was used to create AR video projections onto laboratory instrumentation so that a virtual expert can guide the user during the equipment setup and operation.

A simple synthesis of fluorescent carbon quantum dots from lemon juice is described to introduce advanced high-school students and undergraduate college students to nanoparticle synthesis and quantum dots. The synthesis is based on the carbonization of lemon juice using only a hot plate stirrer. Column chromatography is used to separate different carbon quantum dots according to their size. This laboratory experiment can be carried out within a 2 h laboratory course and introduces the students to (1) nanotechnology and nanoparticle synthesis, using safe and commonly available chemicals. Furthermore, (2) the concept of fluorescence can be visualized in an intriguing manner using a pocket UV lamp. (3) This experiment serves as an introduction into size-exclusion chromatography. (4) An insight into possible sensing applications is given by the specific fluorescence quenching with an iron(III) solution. The experiment has been tested with 80 students in 4 Swiss high schools, and the knowledge of the students was tested before and after the experiment with a questionnaire. The…

Escape rooms are physical adventure games where players solve a series of puzzles and riddles. Using clues and hints participants focus on completing a series of tasks within a set time frame. Because participants of escape rooms interact with a variety of challenging problems in an experiential manner they are of interest as active learning tools. To engagingly accommodate a broad audience, however, the puzzles in traditional escape rooms have limited requirements for specialized participant skills or knowledge. In contrast, ChemEscape strives to both engage and have participants enhance and apply discipline specific skills and knowledge during puzzle solution. This is achieved by incorporating opportunities to learn about objectives and hands-on problem-solving skills typical of research-based experiences. Described herein are four hands-on general chemistry puzzles for use in the novel Battle Box design at the grade 4–12 level and first year general chemistry.

Systems thinking is highly desirable for re-imagining chemistry education, which will help in the development of an integrated and sustainable approach that takes into account the interdependence of a system under study with other components of the ecosystem rather than practicing a fragmented approach. Thus, to develop a systems’ perspective into the minds of early researchers, we propose a safe, convenient, and reliable two sessions laboratory experiment in which students synthesize magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) using plant-derived potato extract as a green reaction medium and as both reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized MNPs are effectively utilized in the degradation of rhodamine B dye under ultrasonic radiation and using H 2 O 2 as an oxidant. Further, the recyclability of MNPs was tested in successive runs. The described experiment has also been performed by numerous undergraduate students and is well appreciated by them. The former synthetic experiment gives students an introduction and hands on experience to nanotechnology through nanoparticle synthesis. While the…

The laboratory has occupied an important place in the general chemistry curriculum for well over a century, despite the fact that many have voiced concern about its value and utility. In an effort to potentially increase capacity in our general chemistry courses, we developed and implemented a hybrid laboratory curriculum that consisted of alternating face-to-face and virtual laboratory experiments. This study sought to better understand the impact that this hybrid approach had on students’ cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning. The results suggest that students taught using the hybrid approach developed similar cognitive and psychomotor skills in comparison to students taught using a traditional laboratory curriculum; however, their affective outlook toward chemistry was significantly lower.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This work provides information about a free-of-charge, trilingual (Portuguese, Spanish, and English), game-based application. The game allows high-school and undergraduate students to review chemical nomenclature in an engaging and fun way on their own by answering random questions from a database with over 700 questions. Student testing revealed that the game design, content, playability, and usefulness was helpful as a complementary didactic tool to aid in traditional study. Assessment of student knowledge gains was performed. The results revealed that students who used the game as a complementary tool had higher performance in tests compared with students who studied nomenclature by only conventional learning methods.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Instruction on the design of analytical instrumentation is a critical component of the analytical chemistry curriculum. To simplify this process and enable students to directly see how the instruments that are in their own laboratory setting work, the use of augmented reality technology can be implemented. In this report, the HP Reveal platform was used to create digital overlays that are triggered when students view an analytical instrument through their smartphone camera. From here, further information on the components and operation of the instrument can be presented to students. To demonstrate this technology, various overlays were created for four analytical instruments commonly taught in second-year undergraduate analytical chemistry courses: flame atomic absorption spectrometer, gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer, liquid chromatograph, and double-beam UV–vis spectrophotometer.

This paper seeks to provide some insights into the assessment of student understanding within a systems thinking perspective. Results are based on work carried out using a general chemistry curriculum that, although not developed with such a framework, shares some of its underlying intentions. After describing how chemical systems thinking is conceptualized in the paper, a specific example of an assessment tool is described and discussed to illustrate major points in our analysis. Results of a qualitative pilot study using this instrument are presented and used to highlight potentialities and challenges in teaching and assessing student understanding using a systems thinking framework. A majority of study participants expressed sophisticated ways of reasoning based on the properties and interactions of relevant components and processes in the system under consideration. Nevertheless, they could not easily connect and apply their understanding of theoretical chemical models and practices to the realities of the system.

The use of the flipped classroom approach in higher education STEM courses has rapidly increased over the past decade, and it appears this type of learning environment will play an important role in improving student success and retention in undergraduate chemistry “gatekeeper” courses. Many adopters of the flipped classroom structure see the greatest benefit originating from the additional time this format provides for the implementation of student-centered learning activities during the classroom period. However, results from recent quasi-experiments suggest that improved course performance for students in flipped classroom environments has a significant contribution from the online preclass activities. In order to compare the impact of the preclass online learning environment to the in-class collaborative activities typically done in a flipped classroom, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with student volunteers. A two-day organic chemistry stereochemistry unit was delivered to students who were randomly assigned to “flipped classroom” and “traditional lecture”…

To date, few general chemistry laboratory studies have included affective measures despite calls for more research on aspects of this domain. This shortage of studies may be partially due to the scarcity of affective measures that have been designed for, or tested in, the college laboratory setting. To provide measures for use in this environment, several existing affective scales were adapted for this new context. Before data from the scales were utilized to study the environment, evidence was provided for the validity and reliability of the data generated from them. Once sufficient evidence was provided, it was possible to determine affective differences between students completing a Beer’s law experiment in the traditional hands-on laboratory (control group) and a similar experiment in a virtual environment (treatment group). To assess expected differences between environments, scales for anxiety, emotional satisfaction, intellectual accessibility, usefulness of lab, equipment usability, and open-endedness of lab were selected. To account for potential between-student…

In general chemistry laboratories, students learn practical laboratory skills through hands-on activities and are exposed to new scientific instruments. However, these instruments are often viewed as black boxes for various reasons, where students do not know how to use them or what the instruments are capable of. This tendency is likely to induce some measure of fear in the students’ attitude toward learning about instruments, even though instrumentation is a significant part of laboratory education. Augmented reality in educational laboratory (ARiEL) is an application utilizing AR technology designed to connect students to information on scientific instruments. ARiEL can be downloaded and used on phones or tablets while students are working on experiments, providing them with direct and immediate forms of information about laboratory instruments. Currently, the pH meter and conductivity meter are two instruments ARiEL can recognize as they are small, benchtop devices often used in general chemistry laboratory courses. An initial usability study with a focus group of first-term…

As part of a revision to the content and delivery of first-year chemistry instruction at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, we have employed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as a thematic framework. This framework was introduced to promote the achievement of affective learning outcomes, including a systems thinking approach to exploring the relevance of first-year chemistry content and concepts to societal and global challenges. Through this framework, sets of course concepts, which are traditionally limited in their application to isolated textbook chapters, are demonstrated, through various in-class group activities, to have collective applications to the environmental and societal systems embodied by specific SDGs. Student attitudes to this framework and its associated activities were examined via a course-end survey and in-depth semistructured interviews. Student responses were generally positive, indicating an appreciation for the relevance of course concepts to the global challenges described by the SDGs, and for many students, the…

A bilingual (English and Portuguese) innovative teaching method, Stereochemistry Game, is presented in the form of a board/card game to help students in their studies of stereochemistry. Four decks of cards (280 cards in total) and one board have been developed for second-year organic chemistry students in an effort to have them work together to solve stereochemistry problems in the context of a fun board game and to provide an efficient alternative to traditional methods of learning. This game encourages interaction and communication among students, develops strategic thinking, and requires minimal preparation and supervision from the professor. Based on the feedback of students and the assessment of learning, the game can be used as a complementary didactic tool by students for aiding them to review and to learn topics related to stereochemistry in a fun way.