The 50 most-cited articles in Journal of Chemical Education, 2024

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings prompts an urgent examination of its efficacy and the strategies that students employ to harness its potential. This study focuses on preservice chemistry teachers use of generative AI for chemistry-specific problem-solving and task completion. We found that there is a prevalent reliance on copy-pasting tactics in initial prompting approaches, and students need guidance to improve their prompting abilities. By implementing the “Five S” prompting framework, we explore the evolution of student prompts and the resultant satisfaction with AI-generated responses. Our findings indicate that, while students initially struggle with the nuances of effective prompting, the adoption of structured frameworks significantly enhances their perceived quality of AI-generated answers. This research sheds light on the current state of AI use among students but also underscores the importance of targeted educational frameworks to refine AI interaction in academic…

When bulk materials are reduced in size to the nanometer scale, in particular, their surface-to-volume ratio increases drastically. We introduce some simple experiments on how to visualize this concept to students in the framework of a laboratory class. In the same context, experiments to demonstrate the consequences of this on the properties of the materials are introduced. This will involve solubility and chemical surface reactivity of the materials and properties originated from the surface. In the framework of their chemical reactivity, potential benefits and threads of nanomaterials due to their high surface-to-volume ratio will be discussed, such as applications as catalysts and their impact on nanotoxicology.

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly shaping our society. Among various AI tools, ChatGPT stands out for its user-friendly nature and wide accessibility to the public. However, despite their countless potential benefits, these tools also face significant challenges, especially in sensitive areas like Education. In this publication, we conduct a prompt engineering essay with ChatGPT to understand the potential and challenges of this tool in designing new, high-quality chemistry laboratory activities. We aimed to assess its performance in proposing scientifically and pedagogically suitable protocols for chemistry laboratory activities based on the 11th-grade Portuguese curriculum. The initial exploratory essay was conducted to fine-tune the prompt, followed by the analysis of proposals for the five mandatory laboratory activities in this subject. ChatGPT demonstrates the ability to interpret and reproduce the specialized symbolic language of chemistry, effectively conceptualizing problems and laboratory activities in a clear and understandable manner for a…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The chemistry education research community values and emphasizes the role of constructing explanations and mechanistic reasoning to support students’ learning of organic chemistry. Emerging large language model (LLM) and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) technologies are uniquely equipped to advance the teaching and learning of chemistry. GAI-based chatbots, such as ChatGPT, have the potential to help students learn mechanistic reasoning through their generated responses. This study investigates the extent to which 255 ChatGPT-generated responses are accurate explanations of 85 different reaction mechanisms and exhibit mechanistic reasoning as categorized by the levels of explanation sophistication framework. The study also explores the effects of prompt engineering on mechanism accuracy and explanation sophistication through three types of prompt cueing. Study findings show that (1) a quarter of responses are fully accurate explanations of reaction mechanisms and the majority contain predominantly accurate explanations of…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This paper presents an innovative approach to problem-based learning (PBL) designed with the aid of ChatGPT in a Unit Operations course. Students were tasked with designing an industrial dryer for specific technological applications of social and economic relevance in Brazil, answering key learning outcomes of the undergraduate program: tackling open-ended problems, employing diverse data gathering strategies, and developing mathematical and simulation skills. One particular aspect of this PBL activity was the use of commercial process simulation software for designing and simulating the dryer. To foster a collaborative learning environment, students were divided into groups with assigned roles, which were evaluated distinctively. This approach helped enhance engagement and involvement and significantly improved learning outcomes. Over 90% of the students reported increased engagement, better teamwork dynamics, and enhanced learning. A feature of this PBL activity was the integration of generative AI (ChatGPT) in diverse simulation…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Chemical ways of knowing, thinking, and acting are critical for finding solutions to complex global challenges and achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Reorienting chemistry education using a systems thinking (ST) perspective can help us better equip students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that they need to contribute to these efforts. To support this needed educational reform, we describe in this article an educational framework that can guide and facilitate the work of chemistry educators when planning, implementing, and assessing chemistry units, modules, or lessons using an ST approach. This framework is an outcome of the IUPAC Systems Thinking in Chemistry for Sustainability: 2030 and Beyond (STCS 2030+) project, which seeks to provide resources and tools on ST and sustainability to the chemistry and chemistry education communities.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The college-level integration of generative artificial intelligence presents new opportunities and challenges as educators explore the potential of artificial intelligence technologies to enhance learning experiences and academic outcomes. In this study, we investigate and assess the impact of integrating ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence tool, into an inorganic chemistry classroom for an 8-page writing assignment on selected elements from the periodic table. This study explores student experiences, perceptions, and the utility of ChatGPT across different stages of the writing process, considering its role in idea generation, topic verification, proofreading, and editing while also investigating student opinions on the ethics of using ChatGPT in academic writing. This study’s results reveal positive student experiences and perceptions of integrating ChatGPT for a writing-intensive assignment, showcasing its effectiveness in idea generation, topic verification, proofreading, and editing.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have recently been challenging traditional models of higher education. Given the growing use of these tools for writing, research, and content retrieval tasks, it is imperative that both students and faculty understand their capabilities and shortcomings. Here we describe assignments in which lower- and upper-division students evaluated chemistry writing samples generated and revised by ChatGPT version 3.5 and used this program for revision and other writing tasks. General Chemistry students who evaluated AI-generated content showed strong gains in their knowledge about report structure and the capabilities and deficiencies of LLMs in chemistry. Upper-division students found generative AI to be helpful for revision. Content analysis revealed AI-revised and -generated samples exhibited fewer grammatical errors, fewer very short and very long sentences, and improved readability of the text. We conclude with some implications for future research and suggestions for other instructors who wish…

The effective and responsible educational application of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools constitutes an active area of exploration. This study describes and assesses the implementation of a structured, GenAI-assisted scientific essay writing assignment in nucleic acid biochemistry. Briefly, students created, evaluated, and iteratively refined ChatGPT essays in response to feedback and independent literature research, identifying several strengths and shortcomings of large language model writing and citation practices. The scaffolded assignment structure aimed to prepare students for GenAI-assisted writing, and the majority of the class cohort ultimately indicated an improved understanding of GenAI functionality and prompt engineering, as well as interest in additional GenAI usage and applications. Moreover, students valued the instructional guidance on engagement with GenAI tools and the prompt engineering opportunities afforded by this exercise. However, discontentment with AI-produced citations was common, and 26% of supporting references were…

Four General Chemistry instructors investigated the use of ChatGPT-4 to improve their lessons plans for the historical experiments of Thomson, Millikan, and Rutherford. The instructors varied in their prior knowledge for these experiments and their initial lessons addressed somewhat different learning objectives. This led to different conversations with the chatbot as the instructors used the resource in different ways and discussed topics they each found relevant. The output from ChatGPT-4 was robust and each instructor identified ways it could be used to improve their instruction. The chatbot was able to accomplish instructional tasks these instructors found useful, such as outlining a lesson plan, recommending resources, discussing instructional strategies, describing calculations, offering explanations for different levels of leaners, and generating assessments. A limitation was its ability create images or visual aids the instructors found useful. Overall, these instructors found the chatbot could support, but not replace, an instructor in a course like General Chemistry.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are being used for outlining, writing assistance, and higher-level research tasks in many areas of science. The purpose of the work described here was to assess ChatGPT version 3.5’s ability to help upper-level Analytical and Inorganic Chemistry students find methods and green modifications to use in laboratory proposals. Some students found that ChatGPT provided a helpful starting point, but it mostly gave vague and erroneous responses when asked to provide upper-level methods in these areas, particularly in green chemistry. Few ChatGPT suggestions were useful for students’ proposals. Students usually used reasonable prompts, and they often evaluated ChatGPT outputs correctly; however, most students reported they were not confident using its responses. Some lacked confidence in ChatGPT outputs because it rarely provided references, and some said they preferred formal literature searching. Despite ChatGPT’s deficiencies in producing usable methods, we found evidence that these were…

The introduction of multimodal capabilities in large language models (LLMs) marks a significant advancement in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). In particular, the ability to process and interpret visual data, including complex graphs and plots frequently encountered in chemistry, expands the potential of these models. This integration of text and image processing allows multimodal AI to tackle a broader range of problems, especially in areas where visual information is central to understanding and solving problems. This study provides an examination of GPT-4’s image input capabilities, specifically targeting its efficacy in interpreting and solving chemistry problems that require graphical information. This study evaluates GPT-4’s image input feature, focusing on its accuracy in interpreting chemical diagrams, structures, and tabular data, and its utility as an interactive, conversational tutor in chemistry education. The research assesses the consistency of the AI’s responses to visual data of varying quality and its ability to parse handwritten problems and answers.…

Green and sustainable chemistry (GSC) will become ever more central to the study of chemistry. This is demonstrated by commitments from the American Chemical Society, particularly the Committee on Professional Training and the Green Chemistry Institute, and the United Nations (UN Sustainable Development Goals), which underscore the urgent need for a paradigm shift in chemistry and chemistry education. Engagement in green chemistry education can provide students with connections between the chemistry they learn in the course and the environmental and human health consequences of chemistry in the world around them. The purpose of this position paper is to (a) reframe GSC as a decision-making activity, (b) briefly introduce theoretical principles for instructional design and assessment of student learning, and (c) describe a framework for the implementation of Green and Sustainable Chemistry that emerged from our designs of case studies using these theoretical principles. This framework includes four key design principles: (1) underlying chemical phenomena should be central to…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The use of large language model Generative AI (GenAI) systems by students and instructors is increasing rapidly, and there is little choice but to adapt to this new situation. Many, but not all, students are using GenAI for homework and assignments, which means that we need to provide equitable access for all students to AI systems that can support and enhance their learning. At the same time, we need to think carefully about just what we want teaching and learning to look like as GenAI systems become readily available. Here we propose that “business as usual” is not a responsible option. Although chatbots can readily answer questions, produce summaries of content, and make the process of education more efficient, there is scant evidence that such time saving is effective, and indeed, it is important that we not allow the use of GenAI systems to circumvent or undermine the learning process. The availability of so-called Retrieval Augmented Generative (RAG) AI systems allows us to expand what we expect students to know and do, by 1)…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Instructors use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) language models (i.e., chatbots) as an educational resource will require an understanding of students’ AI literacy, namely their ability to critically reflect on the relevance, trustworthiness, and quality of these tools in the context of chemistry. This study sought to describe students' AI literacy via open-ended surveys of general chemistry I students and students in an upper-level chemistry elective. Thematic analysis was used to create a deeper understanding of chemistry students’ AI literacy when considering chatbots. Based on students’ responses, they were categorized as either with reservations toward chatbots or without reservations toward chatbots. Thematically, students tended to either reason with the utility/benefit of the tool or reason with concern toward the accuracy of the tool. Results suggest that students are more of a range between these two extremes. This new deeper understanding of AI literacy in chemistry can support instructional practices and inform future…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Generative intelligence technologies like ChatGPT hold significant promise across various sectors, particularly in education. This study assessed ChatGPT’s proficiency in responding to questions from University Entrance Exams typically administered to senior secondary students. Our findings indicate that ChatGPT version 4.0 consistently outperformed students, achieving higher average scores across exams from the past four years. However, it still committed errors in about 20% of its responses. Despite this, ChatGPT 4.0 demonstrated a robust capability to comprehend and produce natural language within a chemical context. Consequently, by applying diverse prompt engineering techniques, this AI was able to create short-answer questions and numerical problems that closely mimic the format and conceptual content of University Entrance Exams. We also confirmed that ChatGPT 4.0 could grade exams, showing a significant correlation with scores given by human evaluators but lower than that among human graders. This discrepancy and other…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide In statistics and chemometrics education for chemistry and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) students, gone are the days of laborious calculations and conclusions based solely on p values. Free and graphical user interface (GUI) software like JAMOVI streamlines calculations, generates informative plots, and fosters a deeper understanding beyond just p values. This article serves as a comprehensive guide for instructors on utilizing JAMOVI to teach essential parametric and nonparametric tests commonly encountered in these fields. Our focus centers on a paired samples t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, repeated measures ANOVA (RMANOVA), and Friedman test. We also delve into principal component analysis (PCA) using the MEDA plugin, which generates high-quality colored plots that visually elucidate trends between groups. Through 21 guided questions, students will assess data normality, compare dependent groups using both parametric and nonparametric tests, explore comparisons between dependent groups, and…

When designing a study, the sampling method for selecting research participants is an important decision with a host of considerations. When designing a professional development (PD) program with a limited number of spaces, the method of choosing participants from the applicants is also important. When research and professional development are entwined, sets of sampling criteria could conflict. Additionally, in a mixed methods study, such as the one undertaken by the researchers, additional trade-offs exist when considering the many potential methods of sampling and participant selection. In this report, we present a novel solution to the problem of multiple-criterion-focused selection of research and PD participants when the number of applicants to participate outnumbers the availability of resources. By using a weighted ranking system, we were able to incorporate multiple purposive sampling criteria in a simultaneous, rather than sequential, fashion. This allowed us to focus our evaluation of chemistry-specific free-response questions on a narrower pool of finalists and more…

A series of critical thinking assignments was created for students in an advanced chemistry course to interact with and evaluate generative AI (GenAI) systems. Students explored GenAI’s facility with producing summaries of C&EN articles, analyzing titration data, and closely reading literature articles. For each assignment, the students evaluated the output using a critical thinking exercise and presented their results using written reports. The students found GenAI to be effective at summarizing news articles, although it demonstrated inaccuracies in mathematical calculations and produced mixed results in answering technical questions based on specific literature articles. The assignments provided valuable practice for students’ critical thinking skills.

In the field of education, ChatGPT has become a topic of debate for its usefulness as a learning tool. This article focuses on non-science majors’ ( n = 29) perceptions of a ChatGPT enabled final exam, where, prior to the exam, students wrote papers on science and sustainability and, during the final exam, students were asked to compare their paper to one produced on the same topic by ChatGPT. Thus, the underlying chemistry, its broader impacts, and connection to sustainability and writing styles were compared. Students’ perceptions were analyzed through a developed coding framework that enabled the visualization of emerging themes. The most common themes revealed that students believed the ChatGPT essay did not read as “human-like”, used more intricate words, and often did not include enough science to support its arguments. Students also noted that their essays provided more chemistry details and were easier to read as they focused on connecting chemistry concepts to their essay topic as well as sustainable policies and practices. Students were impressed, however, by ChatGPT’s…

The effectiveness of active learning on promoting students' academic outcomes and persistence has been established in the literature. However, despite the effort of purposeful change agents, the uptake of active learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is slow. While previous research from the chemistry education community has provided insights into the implementation of specific active learning strategies across the United States, the extent to which chemistry instructors leverage these strategies in general remains unknown. This article presents the results of a national survey aimed at exploring introductory chemistry instructors' knowledge and implementation of active learning, variations on this knowledge, and use across tenure statuses and institution types. This paper also aims to address the gap in the literature in our understanding of the characteristics of instructors of these courses. We thus provide a description of instructors' demographics, training, teaching experience, and teaching responsibilities. Our findings reveal that instructors in…

Although the present university-level chemistry experimental curriculum has been extensive and well-designed, it lacks a connection with the scientific research field, especially the frontier field. It is crucial to incorporate recent discoveries through new experiment designs to bridge this gap and boost the value of the undergraduate experimental course. Under the background of advancing with the times, this paper integrates the scientific research results of electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis (through nitrogen reduction reaction, NRR) into the undergraduate teaching classes, which is conducive to improving students’ scientific analysis ability and their green environmental awareness. Two lead dioxide catalysts with different crystal phases were prepared on a carbon cloth substrate by a simple water bath method. The structure, composition, and morphology of the two catalysts were characterized, and the electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis performance of the two catalysts was explored. This experimental project not only covers the teaching content of inorganic, analytical, and…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide In order to improve the accessibility and user friendliness of an accurately pretrained stacking ensemble machine learning regressor used to predict sulfate levels (mg/L) in Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), a Graphical User Interface (GUI) was developed using Python by combining human input with ChatGPT and deployed in the Jupyter Notebook environment. This was achieved by combining human prompts with ChatGPT to create an error message feedback loop to generate the working code for the GUI. This allowed for the model to be used by those with no/low programming experience and limited machine learning knowledge, which further contributed to expanding the accessibility and usefulness of the developed model. ChatGPT also proved to be helpful in learning how to use Anaconda Navigator as well as the Jupyter Notebook environment for first time users. Therefore, this study serves as a template and inspiration to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the chemical sciences to develop GUIs related to their specific field of work without having…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Generative Artificial Intelligence technologies can potentially transform education, benefiting teachers and students. This study evaluated various GAIs, including ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4.0, Google Bard, Bing Chat, Adobe Firefly, Leonardo.AI, and DALL-E, focusing on textual and imagery content. Utilizing initial, intermediate, and advanced prompts, we aim to simulate GAI responses tailored to users with varying levels of knowledge. We aim to investigate the possibilities of integrating content from Chemistry Teaching. The systems presented responses appropriate to the scientific consensus for textual generation, but they revealed alternative chemical content conceptions. In terms of the interpretation of chemical system representations, only ChatGPT 4.0 accurately identified the content in all of the images. In terms of image production, even with more advanced prompts and subprompts, Generative Artificial Intelligence still presents difficulties in content production. The use of prompts involving the Python language promoted an…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide In a recent paper in this Journal ( J. Chem. Educ. 2023, 100, 3934−3944), Clark et al. evaluated the performance of the GPT-3.5 large language model (LLM) on ten undergraduate pH calculation problems. They reported that GPT-3.5 gave especially poor results for salt and titration problems, returning the correct results only 10% and 0% of the time, respectively, and that, despite a correct application of heuristics, the LLM made mathematical errors and used flawed strategies. However, these problems are partially mitigated using the more advanced GPT-4 model and entirely corrected using simple prompting and calculator tool use patterns demonstrated herein.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The concepts of electronegativity and classical electronegativity scales are briefly described. Electronegativity scales have practical quantitative applications, and this work suggests activities which can assist students select the scales for use in chemistry applications. It provided examples of the use of an appropriate electronegativity scale, for estimating bond lengths, bond dissociation energies, and dipole moments. Expressions are introduced for estimating internuclear distances in ionic, covalent, and intermetallic compounds and bond dissociation energies. Estimated values of bond lengths, bond energies, and dipole moments using different electronegativity scales are compared with experimental values and show that the levels of performance are not the same for different electronegativity scales. Additional proposed activities are included.

Modern scientific communication revolves around data visualizations. While chemistry curricula include basic instruction on constructing data visualizations, the design of these visualizations is rarely taught. There are two main reasons for this lack of instruction: (i) most instructors were never taught design themselves and thus struggle to articulate design concepts, and (ii) refining data visualizations has traditionally required detailed knowledge of specialized software, which required excessive time to teach within existing curricula. This article reports my recent experience using the AI tool ChatGPT-4 to teach the design of data visualizations. ChatGPT-4 can process data, create, and display data visualizations─eliminating the need to teach specialized software. The article makes the case that this tool can help overcome the above barriers, by leveraging everyday language as the interface for creating data visualizations. The use of everyday language means that one need not possess a specialized design lexicon, but only understand the basics of design─which can be…

In chemical synthesis, obtaining product(s) with high purity is a crucial issue from both academic and industrial viewpoints. Higher purity of the product(s) means higher quality and a lower chemical production costs. Sometimes, purification and separation processes are very laborious and lead to significant impacts on the final price of the desired product(s). Simple and new synthetic methods for the preparation of highly pure product(s) have always been a challenge for synthetic and industrial chemists. In this paper, the relationship between the mass of reactants, quantity amount of each substance, and number of elementary entities, which are very important in obtaining the stoichiometric ratio of reactants, is first reviewed. Then, we show that using a nonstoichiometric ratio of reactants is a crucial and easy method in some organic reactions for obtaining products with high purity.

In an ongoing effort to incorporate active learning and promote higher order learning outcomes in undergraduate organic chemistry, a hybrid ("flipped") classroom structure has been used to facilitate a series of collaborative activities in the first two courses of the lower division organic chemistry sequence. An observational study of seven classes over a five-year period reveals there is a strong correlation between performance on the in-class activities and performance on the final exam across all classes; however, a significant number of students in these courses continue to struggle on both the in-class activities and final exam. The Activity Engagement Survey (AcES) was administered in the most recent course offering included in this study, and these preliminary data suggest that students who achieved lower scores on the in-class activities had lower levels of emotional and behavioral/cognitive engagement and were less likely to work in collaborative groups. In total, these findings suggest that if students can be guided to engage more successfully with the in-class…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This laboratory experiment was devoted to teaching descriptive statistics and comparing independent groups to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) students using open-source and graphical user interface software. Students answered 21 questions using JAMOVI in previously published data sets to learn fundamental statistics concepts. It was divided into four parts. In the first part, descriptive statistics were carried out (mean, median, standard deviation, interquartile range, data normality, and skewness). In the second part, data normality was checked by using visual inspection of plots (histograms and Q – Q plots). In the third part, two independent groups were compared. In the fourth part, more than two independent groups were compared. Normally, comparisons between two or more groups are presented in many textbooks, and a normal and homogeneous distribution of the data is assumed. Only parametric tests were taught, while nonparametric tests were not presented. Thus, data normality was checked using…

Inquiry-based laboratory experiments, in comparison to traditional "cookbook" style laboratory experiments, more accurately model the work scientists do and engage students in the skills they use. Students who participate in inquiry-based laboratory experiments engage in science practices and develop skills such as critical thinking and argumentation. Despite the abundance of literature surrounding the benefits of inquiry-based laboratory learning approaches, adoption of these instructional approaches has been slow. The MICRO project was designed with the goal of supporting analytical chemistry faculty in adopting inquiry-based laboratory experiments. Laboratory experiments representing those used by institutions prior to the project and during the project were collected and analyzed for their level of inquiry. We saw a decrease in the percentage of laboratory experiments that were traditional, "cookbook" style laboratory experiments and an increase in laboratory experiments that are higher levels of inquiry during the semester of implementation of MICRO laboratory experiments,…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Chemistry is essential to address global challenges, like the reduction of resource consumption. One of the ways to make chemical processes more effective, environmentally friendly, and safer is through green chemistry. The associated changes inspired by green chemistry should also have an impact on chemistry education. Many researchers have called for the introduction of green chemistry in chemistry education. However, most proposals for bringing green chemistry into education only aim at the tertiary educational level. At the same time, an up-and-coming field of education focuses on game-based education in general and educational escape rooms in particular. Escape rooms can be used to promote subject content learning and to develop interdisciplinary skills playfully. This article presents a digital educational escape room on selected principles of green chemistry for high school chemistry education. The educational escape room was tested with 91 high school students. Students were motivated by the activity and learned about green…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide As the 21st century progresses, we are increasingly reminded of the importance of and need for green chemistry, which also leads to the corresponding need for green chemistry education. The UC Berkeley Department of Chemistry developed a green chemistry laboratory curriculum─the General Chemistry Green Curriculum (GC 2 )─ recognizing general chemistry as a keystone course for introducing green chemistry to STEM professionals. This initiative focused both on what green chemistry content was taught and how that green chemistry content was delivered using the Knowledge Integration framework to design a curriculum that provided students with opportunities to integrate normative green chemistry concepts and practices into their existing knowledge schema. This initiative also used a utilization-focused evaluation framework to guide iterative improvements in the curriculum over three semesters. Ultimately, this process allowed us, in collaboration with instructors and students, to develop and refine over 50 new green chemistry postlab…

Instrumentation plays a vital role in almost every area of chemistry. As such, it is imperative that the undergraduate curriculum is designed to allow students to have opportunities to use a variety of instruments to best prepare them for careers in chemistry. Previous work has provided evidence of the types of instruments students use in undergraduate chemistry laboratories. However, little is known about employers’ expectations for specific instrument knowledge as chemistry students enter industry. With most chemistry undergraduate students entering careers in chemical industry upon graduation, the aim of this research was to determine the frequency of occurrence and value of specific instruments used in industry to help better align undergraduate chemistry laboratory curricula with the needs of industry. Additional data was also collected on the most important skills needed to succeed in industry, as well as the perceptions of the undergraduate courses where these skills are most effectively acquired. Results emphasize the need to improve how undergraduate students are taught…

Microfluidics has attracted widespread interest in the fields of chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, biology, etc. Integrating low-cost automation based on open-source hardware/software to improve lab security and reduce time consumption is demanded in microchemical processing. In this work, we developed a “do it yourself” multichannel syringe pump by using easily available low-cost components and microcontrollers, which can be used for educational and/or research purposes in the study of microfluidics and flow chemistry. An Arduino UNO board with CNC shield expansion board and A4988 stepper motor driver is used to control the injection volume and rate of the four syringes. The Arduino-based open-source community minimizes the technical knowledge required to build the system and makes it readily shareable. Detailed fabrication guidelines are provided for the device, which is priced well below commercial alternatives and promotes the development of open hardware for microprocess engineering. The operation of the syringe pump can be controlled by the Arduino IDE or other software…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide MoleculAR is a free, multiplatform augmented reality (AR) application that allows students to visualize and manipulate molecular structures in 3D, providing a more immersive and interactive learning experience. Using QR codes to generate 3D models of molecules, geometries, and orbitals, students can explore structures in real-time using their smartphones or tablets. Based on student survey responses, the app is effective at engaging students in both first- and second-year chemistry courses. Our goals for MoleculAR include providing a universally accessible tool for students to learn about molecular geometry and allowing for instructor adaptation and customization to make it as relevant as possible for individual courses. The skills students develop with the help of the app are highly transferable to other topics or areas, making it a valuable resource for educators in other fields. We welcome other educators to adopt the app to facilitate their teaching and improve the learning outcomes for their students.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Experiments in the physical chemistry laboratory often require moderately complex fitting of data, but the software packages to do this can be expensive and challenging to use. Open-source programming platforms are a common replacement, but students frequently start their physical chemistry laboratory courses without a background in programming, requiring either giving detailed instructions and code to students or devoting significant class time to developing those skills. Large language model artificial intelligence systems (LLMs) are capable of generating, editing, and debugging code and are freely available. The use of LLMs to generate Python code to carry out several plotting and fitting exercises in a one-semester physical chemistry laboratory was studied. Students were able to successfully use the LLM to generate code which they then used to complete laboratory analysis tasks. This represents a possible mechanism for getting students quickly using code to complete data analysis and is an approach that they can freely apply in…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The literature has reported the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for educational purposes. This article aims to discuss the potentialities and limitations of AI in lesson planning and teacher training in chemistry and science subjects. The study compares three high school Teaching Sequences (TSs) on electrolysis, developed with and without AI’s assistance. The first, H-TS, was crafted within a Brazilian university’s Chemistry Teaching program, without AI. The other two, GPT-3.5-TS and GPT-4-TS, were independently created using GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, maintaining consistent lesson numbers and durations, and adhering to the same theoretical and methodological framework, including the use of a simulator. Findings indicate a marked improvement in TSs developed with GPT-4 over GPT-3.5. Nonetheless, both AIs exhibited limitations such as shallow reasoning and repetitive use of prompt terms, lacking in-depth didactic-pedagogical elaboration. They produced highly prescriptive sequences, potentially reinforcing misconceptions,…

Combining the achievements of scientific research projects with experimental teaching, a new comprehensive experiment of “shrimp-shell-derived carbon dots for quantitative detection by fluorometry and colorimetry” was designed for undergraduate college students. The blue-emissive carbon dots (SS-CDs) are synthesized with waste shrimp shell as raw material through a one-step hydrothermal method. Dialysis and freeze-drying are then used for the purification of carbon dots. The structure of the carbon dots is characterized with the assistance of technicians from the testing center. After obtaining the characterization data, students analyze and plot it through Origin. Based on the selective interaction between carbon dots and cobalt ions, it can be used as a fluorescence sensor for Co 2+, with an average detection limit of 1.68 μM. The doping of iron ions in SS-CDs endows them with excellent peroxidase activity. In the presence of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), H 2 O 2 and glucose can be detected by a colorimetric method, with an average detection limit of 6.02 μM for glucose.…

In pursuit of active learning and fostering conceptual understanding, educators and researchers have tirelessly endeavored to reshape the perception of chemistry, transcending its apparent barriers of technical jargon, semantics, and symbolism. One innovative approach that aligns with this mission is the integration of narratives into chemical education and targeting the visuospatial aspect of learning among students, supporting the shared vision of promoting scientific literacy through creative and purposeful means. Enabling learners to grasp complex concepts through narratives and translate them into mental imagery opens new pathways to comprehend chemical principles, fostering higher-order cognitive functions and nurturing logical and creative information processing. Herein, we present an instructional approach that explores narrative pedagogy and visual thinking using concept maps and diagrams as potent tools for conveying fundamental concepts within introductory chemistry courses. Short narrative accounts of concepts were incorporated into classroom instructions, and the…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Precipitation titrations are fundamental techniques in analytical chemistry, offering simplicity and generating a large data set in a short time. This laboratory experiment introduced students to three widely used titration methods: Mohr, Fajans, and Volhard. The study was conducted in two sessions, each lasting 100 min, and included both standard and real-world samples. In the first session, students quantified potassium iodide (KI) in solutions with varying concentrations, where the variables were related. Parametric statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA (RMANOVA), while Friedman’s test was applied as its nonparametric counterpart for data not meeting normality or sphericity assumptions. In the second session, KI and sodium chloride (NaCl) were quantified in syrup and saline solutions, respectively, using statistical methods for independent groups. ANOVA was employed for parametric data, while the Kruskal–Wallis test served as its nonparametric equivalent. Results revealed that the Mohr method…

Cyclic voltammetry, as a versatile electroanalytical technique, is commonly utilized by researchers from various scientific disciplines to determine different kinetic parameters of a redox active species, including reversibility of a redox reaction, charge transfer coefficient (α), diffusion coefficient ( D ), formal electrode potential ( E f 0 ), dimensionless kinetic parameter (ψ), and standard rate constant ( k 0 ) but systematic guidelines and best practices for accurate estimation of these parameters using the characteristic peak parameter expressions (peak potential, half peak potential, and peak current) of reversible and irreversible couple is currently lacking. Unfortunately a novice in this field is often confused and misguided by the controversial diagnostics of reversible and irreversible couples mentioned in many textbooks and literature. The lack of fundamental knowledge of voltammetry among researchers from different fields results in a buildup of misinterpreted kinetic data in the literature. This perspective explores the theoretical foundation, limitations, and…

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Four artificial intelligence (AI) image generators (Adobe Firefly, DALL·E2, Craiyon, and DreamStudio) were utilized to produce “faces” of chemists with varying occupational titles. Images were analyzed for representational biases and compared to data available from National Science Foundation (NSF). Presentational biases were analyzed within American Chemical Society (ACS) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect guidelines with a particular focus on presentation of diversity and disability. Amplification of both representational and presentational biases was observed for all four AI generators despite alignment of demographic trends with NSF and ACS reporting. Influences of occupationally tied prompts (specific to chemistry) on demographic distributions of AI-generated images were investigated. At least one AI image generator assigned women and racial minorities to “assistant” positions while males and whites occupied the “top” positions in the field. Our data also demonstrates erasure of people with visible disabilities in the…

This study investigates student perceptions of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in an introductory chemistry course. Students engaged with AI chatbots of their choice to correct missed exam questions, revealing overall positive attitudes toward their usefulness. Despite this positive perception, the study shows a disconnect between the overall media portrayal of AI in academia and how actual students use it. Only a small number of students had used AI before this activity. This study highlights the need for training on responsible AI use to address ongoing ethical concerns over the misuse of these systems and to get ahead of future issues.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and data science (DS) are receiving a lot of attention in various fields. In the educational field, the need for education utilizing AI and DS is also being emerged. In this context, we have created an AI/DS integrating program that generates a compound classification/regression model using characteristics of compounds and predicts classification and boiling points of compounds from an unknown dataset. Students have experienced data collection and preprocessing, exploratory data analysis, modeling, and prediction. The No-Code-Low-Code Orange3 tool has been used for the process of modeling and prediction so that even beginners can easily perform Machine Learning (ML) analysis. The raw dataset containing 24 characteristics for 277,569 compounds went through data preprocessing process and became a well-refined dataset. The Random Forest model accurately predicted whether the type of compound in the unknown dataset was hydrocarbons, alcohols, or amines and predicted the boiling points of the some arbitrary compounds within the average error range of 4.49K.…

Teaching and learning in college chemistry classrooms is affected by a variety of structural and psychosocial factors that influence classroom dynamics. In this second part of a two-part perspective [Talanquer et al. J. Chem. Educ.10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00838], we review and discuss the results from research that has helped us understand the complex social and knowledge dynamics that emerge in interactive learning environments. We use this analysis to make explicit major insights about curriculum, instruction, assessment, teachers, and students gained in the past 25 years and to summarize their implications for chemistry education.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide In this article, we regard what we call critical chemical literacy as a basis for climate empowerment and agency from a chemistry education point of view. We explain what we mean by critical chemical literacy by presenting four frameworks/models, all based on previous research but here developed with critical chemical literacy as a guiding principle. One of these frameworks/models consists of the following four main aspects: powerful chemical conceptual knowledge, powerful knowledge about chemical practices, powerful knowledge about chemistry in society, and eco-reflexive chemical agency. Another framework/model highlights three visions of chemistry education, from focusing only on concepts, via also focusing on context, to an inclusive, critical, and eco-reflexive vision focusing on complexity and responsibility. All four frameworks/models can support chemistry educators’ considerations concerning content, teaching, and learning in and about chemistry in relation to, for instance, climate issues.

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Instructional reforms of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in higher education have primarily focused on instructors’ teaching practices. While this area has been well explored, other areas of instructional reform lag. One such broad area is assessment and evaluation, which includes grading schemes. In recent years, alternative grading schemes and movements have increased in popularity. Within chemistry, specifications grading is favored. Specifications grading has been proposed as an alternative grading scheme to address the reported flaws of the traditional, 100-point or A–F grading system. Advocates for specifications grading expect increases in students’ motivation to learn, grading transparency, and reductions in stress. However, empirical investigations testing these hypothesized outcomes are rare. To empirically test the hypothesized outcomes of specifications grading, we developed the Perceptions of Grading Schemes (PGS) instrument, which explores students’ perceptions of the implementation of…

Climate change has been a global topical issue due to serious adverse effects that have been posed on the global ecosystem. This has generated a global call for “climate action” that focuses on climate change mitigation behaviors and empowerment of young citizens. The empowerment could be acquired through an effective chemistry education. This quasi-experimental study set to investigate the effectiveness of inquiry-based chemistry learning on students’ attitudes and knowledge of climate change mitigation behaviors. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A sample of 725 participants was used for the study. Instruments used were the Climate Mitigation Attitude Inventory (CMAI) and Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT). The internal consistency of CMAI was 0.92, as estimated using the Cronbach’s alpha method, while the internal constancy of CAT was estimated to be 0.89 using the Kudder–Richardson formula 20 (K-R, 20) method. Results show that there were significant improvements on students’ attitudes and knowledge in climate change mitigation behaviors using…

The paper reviews the literature on Problem-based learning (PBL) in general and the undergraduate chemistry laboratory in specific. PBL found its place in the medical curriculum in the 1970s when it was noticed that students could not apply discipline-specific knowledge (anatomy, neurology, pharmacology, etc.) to clinical cases. It was realized that the lecture approach did little to help them see the connection between theory and practice. Therefore, the need for new pedagogical means was realized and the PBL approach was initiated. From then on, a lot of research on PBL is done, also in the domain of chemistry laboratory education. This paper gives a detailed review of research work to understand the theories that support the practice of problem-based learning in chemistry laboratory space. The paper also describes various models that help in PBL implementation. Finally, the paper highlights the research that describes the implementation of this pedagogical style in undergraduate chemistry laboratories. The review suggests that each of the prescriptive aspects of PBL has strong…