This paper describes the creation of a theme-based first quarter, of a two quarter sequence, general chemistry laboratory course following an argument driven inquiry format and employing specifications grading. The course contains four, two-week projects investigating the chemistry of a popular sports drink. The sugar content, dye concentration,…

This study describes an educational strategy of forming transdisciplinary work teams--with students from different careers and semesters--for developing academic projects as a collaborative learning tool. This strategy was implemented in the elective course Process Design, which involved developing projects in industrial processes. As a final…

Over the past decade, the increasingly globalized society has continually redefined the qualities and skills of an ideal engineering graduate for industry and academic careers, and, more recently, in light of a global pandemic in 2020, the pedagogical environment has shifted toward a virtual classroom setting. Because the engineering and social…

Active learning environments are ideal settings to help students develop process skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. However, implementing active learning pedagogies where students have the opportunity to develop these skills can be challenging in large enrollment courses. With the assistance of undergraduate teaching…

A Quantitative Analysis Lab class was developed that began with 9 weeks of student preparation for the Quant Escape Game (QEG) where the students learned the fundamentals of quantitative analysis. The preparation was followed by the four-week QEG, an active-learning, cooperative-learning, and problem-based learning experience in which the students…

Project-based learning (PJBL) is student-centered and teamwork educational activity that prepares students for the challenge of real-world problems. This kind of instructional method is highly recommended by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).This paper describes an authentic project that focuses on the preparation of…

This work describes a two-year project carried out in an Italian technical high school. Through integrated work, the activity involved the efforts of different teachers and students, particularly those in the Chemical, Electronic, and IT departments. They merged their complementary skills to create an inexpensive device that quickly measures water…

The Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) and the Science Writing and Workshop Template (SWWT) are two active learning instructional approaches which combine writing, inquiry, collaboration, and reflection, elements which have been associated with critical thinking development. In this study, we used a quasi-experimental pretest-post-test design to…

In this paper, we report on the implementation of a novel compute-to-learn pedagogy, which is based upon the theories of situated cognition and meaningful learning. The "compute-to-learn" pedagogy is designed to simulate an authentic research experience as part of the undergraduate curriculum, including project development, teamwork,…