Journal of Chemical Education最新文献

The use of digital technology in teaching has gained more attention globally because of the overwhelming advantage and breakthroughs in the teaching and learning enterprise credited to it. However, the success of any teaching and learning centers on the teacher’s ability and preparedness. This study sought to find out empirically how gender influences teachers’ readiness to use digital tools in chemistry classes in Nigeria. One research question and one hypothesis guided the study. A quantitative research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 410 in-service secondary school chemistry teachers was used for the study. The instrument used was a self-administered questionnaire. The results of the study revealed that gender has no significant influence on teachers’ preparedness in integrating digital technology in chemistry instruction, and there was no significant difference between male and female teachers’ preparedness in integrating digital technology in chemistry instruction. The author recommends that teacher training programs should ensure equal opportunities for all teachers to develop their digital skills.

A novel teaching approach is aimed at elucidating the concept of bond enthalpy for general chemistry students. Through the integration of a hands-on candy pulling activity, students in a large lecture class were provided a tangible experience to explore bond strengths using rope candy and a luggage scale. Feedback from students indicated a clear appreciation for the demonstration of bond enthalpy, highlighting the effectiveness of the activity in enhancing comprehension. Furthermore, the involvement of undergraduate learning assistants (LAs) to plan and execute the activity contributed to fostering an engaging learning environment. Overall, the success of this innovative teaching activity underscores its transformative impact on student learning experiences, emphasizing the importance of active engagement and practical applications in chemistry education.

In this undergraduate organic laboratory study, extensive solvent screening was meticulously designed for the optimization of the l-proline-organocatalyzed intermolecular aldol reaction involving acetone and p-nitrobenzaldehyde. The experimental procedure entailed selecting specific solvents, analyzing the reaction crude through NMR spectroscopy, and subsequently, purifying the aldol adducts to measure their enantiomeric ratios via HPLC provided with the chiral column. Remarkably, this comprehensive investigation was efficiently conducted within two concise 2-h laboratory sessions, together with a 1-h seminar session, rendering it highly suitable for both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. Conducted at room temperature, the experiments unveiled significant variations in both yields and enantiomeric excess of the aldol products and the byproducts proportions, depending on the solvent of choice. This experiential learning opportunity empowers students to gain practical insights into organocatalyzed transformations, purification techniques, and chromatographic analysis, enhancing their proficiency as organic chemists.

Currently, perovskites are one of the most explored frontier topics in research and industry due to their exceptional properties that make them a candidate for a wide range of applications, such as solar cells, sensors, and light emitting diodes (LEDs). On the other hand, one of the pedagogical problems is the lack of laboratory practices that can help students to relate the basic concepts of chemistry and physics with the fabrication and characterization process of an electronic device. In this work, a laboratory practice is proposed for undergraduate and postgraduate students in natural sciences and engineering to show an easy route of synthesis and characterization of the MAPbBr₃ perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) and their application in LEDs. The step-by-step Ligand-Assisted Re-Precipitation (LARP) method is described for synthesis of luminescent efficient PQDs. A spin-coating method is used to fabricate active layers of perovskite LEDs under ambient conditions with a eutectic field metal as the top contact to avoid the use of expensive high vacuum systems. The positive feedback of the students toward this laboratory practice demonstrates the effective learning on the concept–application relationship through the fabrication and characterization of perovskite LEDs.

Multimedia approaches, including short instructional videos, are complementary to traditional modes of instruction such as in-person lecture and written procedures. We describe the creation, implementation, and evaluation of Quick Reference (QR) instructional videos in an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory (OCL) setting for nonchemistry majors. The QR videos were designed to address specific, recurring questions about equipment, procedure, and concepts that students in our OCL courses find continually challenging. Quick-response barcodes for each video were located close to related glassware, equipment, and chemicals during the teaching laboratory, which could be scanned by a mobile device. Students indicated in survey responses that the QR videos were easily accessible, increased their confidence in the chosen technique, and answered questions that they would otherwise have asked their TA. We found that students engaged the most with video sections relating directly to hands-on procedures (“how”) but disengaged during conceptual explanations (“why”). This study offers useful insights into how chemistry students utilize instructional videos in a laboratory setting.

Efforts to improve diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and belonging in academic STEM programs have analyzed ways in which the community and culture can become more supportive and welcoming to minoritized scientists. Structural biases in the direction and framing of research questions and the research process itself, however, are less often addressed. Using a department climate survey, the personal scientific values and priorities of researchers in the UC Berkeley Department of Chemistry were investigated. Overall, the department showed good alignment in the values of the students and faculty. Students who identified as members of underrepresented groups were more likely to value the consideration of impacted communities and minimizing the potential for harm. Minoritized students were also more likely to report engagement in DEI and outreach-related activities. Value alignment is associated with motivation to continue and positive relationships with advisors, among other traits related to students thriving in the department. Demonstration of the department’s commitment to social responsibility and DEI is identified as a way to improve the feelings of alignment and belonging for minoritized students.

We present an inquiry-based lab approach that enabled undergraduate students to synthesize ruby and sapphire gemstones not only as nanocrystals but also as macroscopic crystals through assisted microwave combustion synthesis and a flux growth method. This approach is highly involving for the students and can be used as a support to easily train them on more theoretical knowledge such as spectroscopy, light properties (e.g., light scattering), binary diagrams, etc. and connect them to laboratory experiments. The trial-and-error process that led to the final procedure was spread over a few years and showed how involvement, imagination, and curiosity can remain high even in a multiyear process involving different generations of students.

This study evaluates the efficacy of a localized Argument-driven Inquiry (ADI) teaching model adapted for high school chemistry education in Northeast China. By modification of the ADI model to align with regional educational standards and cultural contexts, the research aims to enhance student scientific argumentation skills and increase their engagement in chemistry. Employing a comparative pretest and post-test design, the study examines two groups of students: one experiencing the traditional teaching method and the other the localized ADI model. Results indicate significant improvements in the ADI group’s argumentation abilities and scientific engagement compared to the control. These findings suggest that culturally adapted educational frameworks can effectively enhance student learning outcomes and interest in scientific subjects, supporting the integration of ADI into the chemistry curriculum.

In this article, the development, use, and evaluation of a role play on the topic “climate change and energy supply” are described and discussed. The role play has been used in courses at university for preservice chemistry teachers using the concept of “didactic doppeldecker”. By participating in the role play, the future chemistry teachers are on the one hand chemistry students (learners) and on the other hand preservice chemistry teachers who get to know a method they can use during their future profession. The role play has been developed in two versions using the results of the evaluation. In the second version, the role play consists of five different roles: the mayor of a small city, a climate activist, representative of municipal energy supplier, a single parent, and a scientist (climate researcher). Overall, the students rated the role play and its materials as suitable for chemistry lessons at school. They also evaluated their participation very well.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is becoming more prevalent in higher education, and with that comes opportunities and challenges. One opportunity is using this technology to help create educational material, but one challenge is that the output of these tools might produce biased content. Thus, for this work, three text-based GenAI tools (ChatGPT-4o, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini) were used to develop an activity for an analytical chemistry laboratory course. In each response, the student names provided by the chatbots were quantified with respect to gender and broadly assessed for cultural representation. All three chatbots generated an equal percentage of female (“she/her”) and male (“he/him”) student names, but none of the chatbots used “they/them” pronouns, signaling a lack of inclusivity for nonbinary, gender-neutral, or gender-nonconforming individuals. The names provided by the chatbots were dominated by those popular in English-speaking countries, highlighting a lack of cultural diversity in the output provided. Both these biases could be mitigated by asking that the chatbots provide gender-inclusive names and names that represent diverse cultural backgrounds. As educators begin to utilize GenAI tools to create classroom materials or have students use this technology in their assignments, it is important to think about the potential biases that might emerge, share this limitation with those using these tools, and work to not perpetuate them.