Science education at different levels can be supported by various mobile applications that can be downloaded for free onto mobile phones, tablets, and other devices. Such applications can also be used in laboratory work, but it must be said that their use in science laboratories is a relatively new approach. This study is aimed at determining the…

The dissolution of cobalt­(II) chloride in an appropriate binary alcohol solvent yields an equilibrium mixture, consisting of the differently colored octahedral (pink in color) and tetrahedral (blue in color) cobalt­(II) coordination complexes, which can exhibit a brilliant and reversible pink-to-blue color transition over a ~10 °C window - i.e.,…

A major challenge when designing new experiments for the general chemistry laboratory is introducing students to the necessary techniques while keeping the experiment engaging and accessible. This work presents a new multiweek activity designed to introduce students to advanced instrumentation in the form of high-performance liquid chromatography…

Microfluidic-based ultramicroscale chemistry experiments involve the manipulation and consumption of reagents on a microliter or submicroliter scale in a microfluidic device. This article presents the pedagogical functions of microfluidic systems, including green chemistry education, stimulation of students' interest in learning about chemistry,…

In an effort to further develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, a guided-inquiry-based, multioutcome organic chemistry synthesis and characterization experiment was developed. Students were provided with the protocol for a time-saving microwave-assisted acetanilide synthesis reaction from acetic anhydride and an unknown primary aryl…

An introductory normal phase column chromatography experiment is described and evaluated for second year undergraduate chemistry laboratory class. The experiment involves a nucleophilic substitution yielding a crude mixture of reactant and one product, both of which are brightly colored and contrasting, creating a clearly visual separation when…

Nowadays there is a concern to improve the quality of education by including an interdisciplinary approach of concepts and their integration in the curriculum of scientific disciplines. The development of microbial fuel cells as a potential alternative for production of renewable energies gives undergraduate students the challenge of integrating…

Students often perceive school science as purely theoretical, overloaded with facts, and mostly disconnected from their school, home, and community life. One way to bridge the disconnection between school science and lived experiences, and support students in realizing the relevance of science to their everyday life, is by enabling them to…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] Research on nontraditional laboratory (lab) activities in physics shows that students often expect to verify predetermined results, as takes place in traditional lab activities. This understanding of what is taking place, or…

Many aspects of electrochemical education, such as electroanalysis demonstrations, require three-electrode-cell experimental setups. Many researchers and educators use screen-printed electrochemical electrodes, which are miniature and disposable but are relatively expensive and use proprietary fabrication components. The present article describes…

Although diffusion is the subject of beginning chemistry classes, there are a variety of experiments, such as the spread of perfume in the classroom, that are often "incorrectly" explained by diffusion alone. To eliminate this common misconception, a recently published method is modified to determine the diffusion constant of hydrogen…

Plant extracts and their components have been reported to have antimicrobial properties against phytopathogens. Although such properties could be harnessed for the development of new pathogen control strategies, there are no standardised methods for their assessment in different extracts. The laboratory exercise presented here involves the use of…

The turn to 'evidence-based education' in the past three decades favours one type of evidence: experiment. Knowledge brokers ground recommendations for classroom practice on reports of experimental research. This paper distinguishes "field" and "laboratory" experiments, on the basis of control and precision of causal…

Laboratory courses can serve as important avenues to equitably support introductory biology students to develop foundational scientific literacy skills while experiencing the authentic research process. We present a model for an equity-focused redesign of an introductory organismal biology laboratory course at a teaching institution with limited…

The family resemblance approach to nature of science is receiving increasing attention by science educators since its inception about a decade ago. Many scholars of science education have contributed and continue to contribute to it not only theoretically but also by applying it empirically to a wide range of areas such as curriculum and textbook…