Designing a relevant and engaging curriculum for biochemistry undergraduates can be challenging for topics which are at the periphery of the subject. We have used the framework of context-based learning as a means of assessing understanding of quantum theory in a group of students in their junior year. Our context, the role of retinol in skincare,…

This project introduces green chemistry to the undergraduate laboratory through two pedagogical techniques: undergraduate research and guided-inquiry. Through these two learning activities, an efficient synthetic procedure for the PRINS cyclization of citronellal into isopulegol, focused on minimizing negative environmental impact, was developed.…

The reform documents point out the necessity of teaching the plurality of scientific method (SM) when scientists engage in scientific practices (SPs). The dramatic change in education due to COVID-19 pandemic necessitates examining the outcomes of online education, especially laboratory applications courses, which the students and educators used…

Although laboratory work is considered a significant factor in helping students develop their science process skills and cultivate alternative knowledge construction, there are still gaps in the selection, integration, and implementation of the basic elements in physics laboratories. In this study, three modified guided discovery and conventional…

This study focused on exploring and evaluating students' views of the Nature of Science in the context of undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Thirty-six undergraduate students doing a laboratory course in upper division physical chemistry were assessed using an open-ended instrument and assessment criteria that categorise them in three levels of…

The present study aimed to determine the impact of argument-based laboratory method on the scientific process skills of pre-service primary school teachers and their views on the nature of science. The study was designed based on the pretest-posttest quasi-experimental method and conducted with 64 sophomore pre-service primary school teachers (37…

The physics community explores and explains the physical world through a blend of theoretical and experimental studies. The future of physics as a discipline depends on training of students in both the theoretical and experimental aspects of the field. However, while student learning within lecture courses has been the subject of extensive…

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the explicit nature of science instruction embedded in the Argument-Driven Inquiry method compared with an implicit inquiry method on eleventh grade students' conceptions of NOS. The study used a pre-/post-test control group design to investigate the influence of the explicit nature…

This study examines the effects of an extended authentic research experience on students' understanding of the nature of science (NOS) and self-efficacy toward science. The curriculum of an introductory physical geology lab was transformed to include a six-week, student-driven research project focused on local groundwater and surface water issues.…

This quantitative study reports the effects of gender and grade level on secondary students' attitude towards chemistry lessons. For this purpose, the Attitude towards Chemistry Lessons Scale (ATCLS) was administered to 446 secondary school students between 16-19 years old. The ATCLS consists of four different subscales: liking for chemistry…

A hands-on project was developed to educate new chemical engineering students about the types of problems chemical engineers solve and to improve student enthusiasm for studying chemical engineering. In this project, students studied the phenomenon of carbonated beverages going flat. The project was implemented in 2003 and 2004 at Kansas State…

This article presents an activity for early-in-the-year parents' night. The beginning of a new school year is an exciting time. The authors, as teachers, like to capture that excitement by engaging their 10th-grade biology students in an inquiry project demonstrating the nature of science and scientific inquiry. They developed the Next Step…

The desire to observe and understand the natural world is strong in young children, but high school students often consider science irrelevant to their daily lives. Therefore, as teachers of older age groups, the authors constantly struggle to engage students in scientific exploration so they can master concepts and appreciate the nature of…

Describes a study that explored the interplay between students' scientific epistemological views (SEVs) and their learning in school laboratory activities. Finds that students having SEVs oriented to constructivist views of science tend to focus more on negotiating the meanings of experiments with their peers than students with SEVs more in line…

This book attempts to reflect on the value and purpose of practical work as part of the science curriculum: why are practical exercises so necessary and what do they contribute to the science learning process? The chapters in this book examine issues such as: how practical work is perceived by students and teachers; the possibilities and perils of…