Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students are typically taught content delivered didactically and closely aligned with the laboratory demonstration of concepts, which facilitates the development of experimental skills. Because of the volume of content delivered across multiple courses, student cognitive abilities can be…

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is expected to create a greater sense of presence that might improve students' laboratory learning experiences. However, little research has verified the influence of presence on students' perceptions toward immersive laboratory learning. The current study, which is based on the expectation confirmation model,…

The ability to elucidate the structure of organic compounds from their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), and mass spectrometry (MS) spectra is an essential skill, particularly for those engaged in the fields of synthetic and analytical organic chemistry. Spectral analysis constitutes a fundamental component of the curriculum for all…

Background: Given the increased emphasis on active learning in psychology, it is important to use data to enhance these experiences. In learning courses, both live animals and virtual training laboratories have been found to enhance learning, but less research has examined student preferences. Generally, live rats are preferred, but students may…

Student researchers encounter ethical issues daily, but little is known about their unique perspectives. This article presents the results of 30 qualitative semi-structured interviews exploring students' views and experiences around ethical issues in research groups. During the interviews, students were asked to describe challenges and successes…

We present the development and evaluation of "da Vinci's Curse", a chemistry escape room experience designed to consolidate laboratory skills in a fun and interactive setting. Inspired by the maestro, Leonardo da Vinci, the escape room challenges students to complete a series of puzzles in teams to escape "da Vinci's Curse".…

Affect and emotions matter to science learning. They also matter because they are integral to science identity formation and sense of belonging. This study aims to foreground the epistemic and affective character of laboratory work in higher science education by conceptualizing it as epistemic practice, in which students activate their body and…

To optimize learning experience and improve learning performance, current virtual experimental systems usually assist students with stepwise guidance before operations and feedback after them. However, stepwise and excessive guidance can lead to student overreliance, while late feedback cannot avoid potential errors during experimental learning.…