One challenge of teaching chemical analysis is the proliferation of sophisticated, but often impenetrable, instrumentation in the modern laboratory. Complex instruments, and the software that runs them, distance students from the physical and chemical processes that generate the analytical signal. A solution to this challenge is the introduction…

The science learning environment is an important factor in students' attitudes toward their science experiences in school, as well as toward science courses. This study compares how learning in different laboratory environments (hands-on or virtual) influences these attitudes for middle school (7th grade) students. Participants were 143…

In this study, the Science Laboratory Applications (SLA) course given in a department of Elementary School Teaching in Turkey was evaluated for effectiveness. A triangulation research design, with mixed methods, was employed based on research data collected via a semi-structured interview form, a Science Experiments Evaluation Rubric (SEER)…

An interactive, field-based course on the environmental aspects of natural water was developed as part of STEM initiatives at a comprehensive university in the United States. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation. The course is focused on two fundamental student skills, such as hydrologic field procedures and analytical methods.…

Previous studies on the effectiveness of virtual laboratories for learning have shown inconsistent results over the past decade. The purpose of this research was to explore the effects of a virtual laboratory and meta-cognitive scaffolding on students' data modeling competences. A quasi-experimental design was used. Three classes of eighth graders…

Flipped classrooms provide students the opportunity to collaboratively solve challenging problems in class with help and scaffolding available from instructors. Because there are many ways to structure a flipped course, research on the effectiveness of flipping classrooms has produced mixed results. Therefore, it is important for researchers to…

The reported project-based laboratory unit introduces upper-division undergraduate students to the basics of computer-aided drug discovery as a part of a computational chemistry laboratory course. The students learn to perform model binding of organic molecules (ligands) to the DNA minor groove with computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) tools. The…

Electrochemistry is primarily taught in first-year undergraduate courses through batteries; this lab focuses instead on corrosion to apply electrochemical concepts of electrolytes, standard reduction potentials, galvanic cells, and other chemistry concepts including Le Chatelier's Principle and Henry's Law. Students investigate galvanic corrosion…

This paper presents a system for remote monitoring of turbidity data that can detect light intensity and temperature using a microcontroller and the Internet of Things. The system comprises a light dependent resistor and infrared temperature sensor interfaced with an ESP-12E microcontroller, a programmable data acquisition platform; together these…

Quantum dots (QDs) are useful for demonstrating the particle-in-a-box (PIB) model utilized in quantum chemistry, and can readily be applied to a discussion of both thermodynamics and kinetics in an undergraduate laboratory setting. Modifications of existing synthetic procedures were used to create QDs of different sizes and compositions (CdS…

The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss an alternative solution to an experimental problem given to high school students in the XXII Ibero-American Physics Olympiad held by Colombia this year. From the measurements of electric current and potential difference across a small tungsten filament lamp students should find the dimensions of…

This experiment prepares a large (M[subscript r]: 1821 g mol[superscript -1]) triple helicate complex quickly in one pot from inexpensive starting materials. The protocol illustrates the power of self-assembly in a simple manner that is suitable for second-year general chemistry students using reversible imine bond and metal-ligand bond formation.…

An introductory general chemistry laboratory course was developed to provide an authentic research experience in environmental chemistry. First- and second-year students learned general chemistry concepts and laboratory skills in the context of snow chemistry while participating in the course-based undergraduate research experience. Students were…

With the advances in open-source technology, many laboratory devices can be built with a modest budget, particularly assistive laboratory devices. The current market cost of most assistive laboratory devices is a major barrier for students with accessibility needs. Specifically, for students with visual impairment, their limited choice of…

In this laboratory experiment, students performed thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) of herbaceous materials (TGA-MS) and learned to analyze mass-loss curves, as well as identify common fragmentation ions. The experiment is the first one to present the application of TGA in a currently relevant topic: biomass…