Journal of Chemical Education最新文献

The advent of sites such as YouTube has allowed learners to access videos to support their classroom learning. Given the varying quality and content of chemistry instructional videos, identifying and selecting appropriate videos can be challenging for both instructors and students. This article aims to summarize education research important for creating videos to support students' conceptual chemistry learning and identify ways these criteria can be operationalized for use in the framework to evaluate or guide the development of instructional videos focused on conceptual understanding of chemistry topics. The framework helps the user consider the chemistry content of the video through the lenses of the disciplinary Core Ideas, Science Practices, causal mechanistic reasoning, and Johnstone's Triangle. It also includes design considerations from Mayer's multimedia theory and considerations for accessibility. Finally, we summarize findings and insights gained from using the framework to evaluate a set of 25 highly viewed or highly relevant YouTube videos related to Le Chatelier's Principle.

Incorporating technology and engineering literacy into the teaching of science-based subjects in secondary schools is an important and effective means of developing technology and engineering education in primary and secondary schools. Based on the construction of the Technology and Engineering Literacy Framework, the study analyzed the content of the General High School Chemistry Curriculum Standards (2017 edition, revised in 2020). The results indicated that although the 2020 revision of the curriculum standards did not directly mention technology and engineering literacy, many segments reflected the requirement to strengthen the integration of technology and engineering literacy education into the chemistry discipline. To help high school chemistry teachers better cultivate the technological and engineering literacy of students, the study made recommendations in three areas, namely, the design of the content of textbooks, the application of information technology to teaching, and the implementation of teaching. The study intends to analyze the content of technology and engineering literacy education according to chemistry standards to provide a reference for better teaching and learning in chemistry that integrates technology and engineering literacy.

After analyzing the students’ opinions and performances obtained in the previous Gamification 1.0 implemented in 2021, as well as our self-evaluation, we propose a new set of mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics that were the basis of a new gamification─Gamification 2.0. This article outlines this new gamification process for a Brazilian university’s entire Introductory Organic Chemistry course. Its main difference from Gamification 1.0 is related to the student assessment strategy, whose course averages are now obtained exclusively from the total points (XPs) obtained in each gamification dynamic. The paper also describes how we implemented these new solutions over two semesters (2023.2 and 2024.1) in the Chemistry and Pharmacy courses as an active didactic strategy that uses game thinking, gameplay mechanics, and game elements in nongame contexts to engage students and enhance their knowledge of organic chemistry.

A green chemistry experiment was designed to produce potassium dihydrogen phosphate from the phosphoric acid waste generated by the classic organic chemistry experiment “Preparation of Cyclohexene.” The waste was treated with concentrated phosphoric acid at high temperatures to promote the polymerization and carbonization of organic matter, followed by filtration and activated carbon adsorption to remove impurities. The concentration of the resulting phosphoric acid solution was determined by titration, and K₂CO₃ was added to convert the phosphoric acid to potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Finally, potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals were obtained by crystallization, filtration, and drying. Green chemistry injects the concept of sustainable development into experiments, transforming originally wasted concentrated phosphoric acid into potassium dihydrogen phosphate, which can be used as a fertilizer for plants. This not only cultivates students’ environmental awareness and innovative spirit but also achieves positive teaching outcomes.

Intermolecular forces (IMFs) make up a fundamental concept of chemistry and one that is integral to students’ understanding of the properties and interactions of matter. Despite this, students struggle to apply IMFs to real phenomena in their world. Here we describe a first-semester general chemistry laboratory in which students functionalize the surface of glass slides and observe the interaction of water and heptane drops with the surface, allowing them to integrate IMF, molecular modeling, and causal mechanistic reasoning to explain observable and measurable phenomena. In the activity, students perform and describe a series of simple reactions that covalently bond the silane molecules acetoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and octyltrimethoxysilane to the glass surface. They then characterize the slides by adding drops of water to the modified slide, taking profile pictures with their cell phones, and determining the drop half angles from the pictures using ImageJ software. Students also added drops of heptane to the slides and observed their interactions with the slides, contrasting those with the interactions of the water drops. This lab activity invites students to consider the material of the lab on the macroscopic and submicroscopic levels as they describe the functionalization of glass slides, observe the interaction of the modified and unmodified slides with drops of water and heptane, and then construct explanations that reinforce their learning of IMFs and molecular structures. The experimental procedure and data collection proved to be robust, with most students producing data that were consistent with expectations and supported their claims about the IMFs between water molecules and between the water molecules and the surface.

This project introduces an innovative flipped lab model combined with an electronic lab notebook (ELN) tailored for food chemistry laboratory courses. The primary goal was to restructure traditional lab workflows by shifting the documentation workload from the postlab phase to the prelab and lab phases, thereby preventing overlap between the preparation and documentation phases of different laboratory tasks. The flipped lab approach emphasizes an intensive and structured prelab phase supported by digital media, including customized videos and comprehensive experimental protocols, allowing undergraduates to manage their time flexibly and prepare more effectively. The use of a tailored ELN not only helps the undergraduates in organizing and documenting their lab activities but also enhances their digital competencies, a crucial skill in their future careers. The ELN, integrated into the existing laboratory management system, offers a seamless experience, streamlining laboratory workflows and ensuring ease of use. A key factor for the success of this model is the broad acceptance of the ELN, achieved through its customization to specific workflows and its easily accessible, low-threshold entry.

In response to the Calls to Action of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a learning activity has been developed for use in introductory chemistry, exploring a traditional food-preparation practice of the Syilx and Secwépemc Peoples of British Columbia’s Interior Plateau. The activity begins the course with framing questions highlighting the sophisticated Indigenous knowledge involved in an elaborate and precisely engineered pit-cooking process. As the course progresses, the activity revisits and answers these questions using chemical principles of kinetics, thermodynamics, acid–base chemistry, and organic substitution reaction mechanisms. In alignment with principles of Two-Eyed Seeing, the learning activity fosters appreciation for the sophistication of regional Indigenous knowledge, presented as complementary to Western science. Survey responses (N = 207) indicate a high student interest and engagement with the topic, and thematic analysis of open-ended written responses regarding the activity (N = 33) reveal recognition of a meaningful application of multiple course concepts, admiration for the depth and complexity of the Indigenous knowledge involved, and appreciation for the authentic manner in which an Indigenous cultural context was integrated into the curriculum, demonstrating the activity’s success in promoting an understanding and respect for Indigenous knowledge within a scientific framework.

The construction of the simplest molecular knot, a trefoil (3₁) knot, through a metal template approach has been incorporated into an organic chemistry experiment for advanced undergraduate students. The experimental procedure begins with the formation of a trimeric circular helicate directed by zinc(II) template multicomponent self-assembly, and the subsequent covalent capture via ring-closing metathesis produces the trefoil knot. The highly efficient reaction conditions yield 90% in a two-step synthesis, with both the helicate and knotted products confirmed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) spectroscopies. To clearly elucidate the structural characteristics of the trefoil knot, including the inherent topological chirality and its topological isomer macrocycle, a rope model and a stick-ball model are built during the seminar session. Further analysis of the knotted architecture through single-crystal diffraction is established as a long-term goal for the entire term. The sessions are structured with a proactive methodology, empowering undergraduate students to take on an active and engaged role. This laboratory course introduces students to the intricate chemistry of molecular knots, while reinforcing their foundational understanding of core organic laboratory procedures. Additionally, it strengthens their proficiency in structural characterization techniques, including NMR, MS and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. The experiment is designed to be readily implementable, facilitating the adaptation of both the experimental procedures and laboratory materials to a wide array of undergraduate course curricula.

Many simple chemical reactions produce an audible fizz due to the formation of gases, such as oxygen, hydrogen, or carbon dioxide. A hands-on activity based on perceiving these audible chemical changes is presented. The relative quality of fizz due to the formation of gases in a chemical reaction was determined by visually impaired middle and high school students. Visually impaired students applied a grading scheme to determine the relative quality of the fizz produced in a chemical reaction. The activity was aimed at determining five effects: the effect of surface area on the speed of a chemical reaction, the effect of metals on the feasibility of a chemical reaction, the effect of a catalyst and reactant concentration on the speed of a chemical reaction, the effect of the strength of the acid on the speed of a chemical reaction, and the effect of electric current on the speed of a chemical reaction. Visually impaired students also determined the end point of the acid–base titration from the cessation of fizz produced during the progress of the titration. The chemistry content was verbally explained to the students prior to the activity. The details of the content, implementation of the activity, and results obtained by visually impaired students are presented.

A novel chemistry experiment was created that utilizes Kukui nuts to teach calorimetry principles through place-based learning at the University of Hawai’i at Ma̅noa. The cultural significance of Kukui nuts was emphasized, while the experiment engages students in gathering, cracking, and burning the nuts to measure heat production per gram. Detailed safety protocols and lab techniques are outlined, followed by an analysis of student data to evaluate learning outcomes. Pedagogical objectives aim to enhance student interest and engagement, supported by positive feedback indicating greater enthusiasm toward the place-based experiment compared to a traditional experiment. By integrating culturally relevant elements, this study underscores the value of place-based learning in enriching chemistry education and fostering connections between academic study and the local community or heritage.