An increase in online science course offerings requires a closer evaluation of the online laboratory experience. While it has been established that students can successfully learn from online laboratory simulations, there is a lack of knowledge regarding factors that impact student success. Grounded in the constructivist learning theory, a unique…

Background: Recent studies have highlighted the application of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) knowledge into daily life via hands-on practical works. The limitations of the existing conventional laboratory work can be potentially overcome by the implementation of the innovative use of smartphones as an experimental tool…

In the future, learning will be essentially characterized by the ability to regulate the learning process and monitor success independently from a teacher. The technical possibilities offer better access to learning contents, precise and more individualized feedback, and learning phases adapted precisely to the needs of the learner in terms of…

Students who experience research as undergraduates tend to remain in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Since course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are often expensive to implement, we developed a relatively inexpensive first-semester research course for majors entitled "Freshman Research in…

In early 2022, the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) Curriculum & Instruction Lab Survey subcommittee launched the third survey of instructors for introductory undergraduate-level courses in human anatomy and physiology. This manuscript presents analyses of questions regarding the laboratory activities and learning outcomes (LOs)…

This study's general theme revolves around practical work in chemical education, and its scope is the employment of a novel inquiry strategy combined with a new openness level. We investigate how the controlled positive error, a new device for inquiry activities developed by us, affects undergraduate students' experience of an experiment and…

We describe an iodometric titration method for the determination of ascorbic acid using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device([mu]PAD). The ascorbic acid was detected by measuring the length of the blue band formed in a straight paper channel delimited by wax. This analytical method was designed as a laboratory experiment for under…

Analogies are useful tools instructors can use to help make challenging concepts less abstract by drawing connections to familiar contexts. In this paper we provide an overview of the various analogies published in the education literature that are situated in the context of enzyme kinetics, including narrative-based analogies (analogies intended…

At first glance, scientific laboratory experiences might appear to be challenging to move to the cloud. Skeptics may point to sensory feedback limitations and inequivalence of student outcomes. However, emerging data increasingly provide evidence that scientific laboratory courses are not only amenable to online learning, but also can deliver…

A low-cost and easy-to-use water recirculation system for a condenser apparatus was designed and installed in an organic chemistry teaching laboratory. Relying on gravity and a small pump for water circulation, it supplies four stations simultaneously. The water recirculation system works very well with condensers used for distillation and reflux…

An undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory experiment involving the breakage of amide C-N bonds is reported. Whereas amides are typically considered stable species due to well-established resonance effects, this experiment allows students to cleave the amide C-N bond in a nickel-catalyzed esterification process. Moreover, students perform the…

The bioinspired polymer polydopamine is synthesized and deposited on semiconductive glass substrates under different synthesis conditions (pH and oxidant type). Electrochemical methods are used to verify polymer deposition on the substrate and to examine the charge transfer properties of the obtained coatings. The presence of aromatic rings from…

We have designed an Arduino-based experiment to check the linear relationship between charge and voltage drop in a capacitor. The electric charge stored in a capacitor is determined by the numerical integration over time of the electric current during the charging or discharging processes through a resistor. Instead of using scientific software to…

Universities are recognizing the need to prepare graduates to think conceptually and have the ability to take on complex, real-world problems. Strategies to assess conceptual knowledge are limited and often require more time and effort to complete than is accessible for most undergraduate courses. Card sorting is a very broad technique for…

This study introduces a small-scale chemistry practicum technique with the concept of acid-base identification, determination of pH with indicators, and neutralization reactions with the concept of titration. The first experiences of teachers and students in small-scale chemistry practicums are revealed. Action research was carried out to…