This work describes the design and testing of a low-cost light-emitting diode (LED)-based nephelometer for turbidity analysis. It also describes the use of this nephelometer for context-based learning (CBL) experiments designed for teaching laboratories. The LED nephelometer is simple, low-cost, and robust, providing similar results as a…

Contextualized chemistry curricula have been shown to positively impact academic outcomes, especially in middle and secondary school levels. However, only a limited number of investigations on the impact of real-world contextualized curricula on students' learning outcomes in chemistry lecture courses in postsecondary education have been reported.…

This work is a course proposal for a stronger ethics education component for chemistry undergraduates. We propose that this course should integrate different approaches in ethics with the value-laden and scientifically complex issues that arise in chemistry. Although some programs require that students take some ethics as a core requirement, for…

Fieldwork is a meaningful and authentic learning experience that is rarely included in undergraduate chemistry courses. In this laboratory, we visited a hot spot of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) contamination identified in 2012, in Binbrook, Ontario, Canada, a 1 h drive from the University of Toronto. The persistence and unique environmental…

Students often enter chemistry laboratory courses with a well-documented disconnect between their experiences outside the classroom and the procedures, concepts, and techniques that occur in our courses. Strong base, weak acid titration experiments are present in general chemistry laboratories but also relate to foods our students are familiar…

Case studies are helpful teaching tools that can bring scientific concepts to life. Here, we present a case study related to protein-ligand interactions, amino acids, protein structure, and protein modification. While protein-ligand interaction is a foundational concept within Biochemistry, there are few available case studies that focus on this…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world, making it imperative to educate the next generation about both the potential benefits and the challenges associated with AI. This study presents a cross-disciplinary curriculum that connects AI and chemistry disciplines in the high school classroom. Particularly, we leverage machine…

Many scientific concepts and theorems are often abstract and challenging to relate to real-life problems, making it difficult for students to grasp them. Therefore, some researchers have attempted to enhance students' understanding by employing a contextual learning approach, which allows students to apply scientific knowledge to real situations…

The aim of this article is to examine research on inquiry-based chemistry education in primary and secondary schools to discuss how it is addressed in the research literature. A systematic review was conducted, including 102 articles published between 2000 and 2020. Through inductive analyses, the articles were categorised into four groups: (1)…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are being increasingly implemented to broaden the opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in authentic research across STEM disciplines including chemistry. The present review synthesizes the literature on chemistry CUREs, encompassing 68 articles published between 2016 and 2022…

This study aims to test the effects of essay tests and learning methods on students' chemistry learning outcomes. The sample of this study was drawn from grade 11 students at Jambi State Senior High Schools through a multi-stage random sampling technique. Within a factorial experimental design, the data were analyzed using the covariance analysis…

Numerous American national committees have recommended the replacement of traditional labs with a more engaging curriculum that inspires inquiry and enhances scientific skills (examples include the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)'s Engage to Excel program and American Association for the Advancement of Science…

This mixed method study investigated changes in 3rd year Bachelor of Education students' attitudes towards chemistry after learning interventions with virtual chemistry simulations. After participant students identified certain concepts from their 3rd year chemistry module as being abstract and not easily comprehensible, these concepts were…