A novel S[subscript N]1-S[subscript N]2 studio-based lab module that incorporates inquiry-based learning was designed and implemented. The studio module was taught in a newly renovated lab space designed with an integrated classroom. The students were divided into two groups for the lesson with one group conducting a studio-module lab and the…

Analysis of halogenated volatile organic compounds (HVOCs) by GC-MS demonstrates the use of instrumentation in the environmental analysis of pollutant molecules and enhances student understanding of stable isotopes in nature. In this experiment, students separated and identified several HVOCs that have been implicated as industrial groundwater…

First-year undergraduate physics laboratories are important physics learning environments. However, there is a lack of empirically informed literature regarding how students perceive their overall laboratory learning experiences. Recipe formats persist as the dominant form of instructional design in these sites, and these formats do not adequately…

An experiment that compares product distribution obtained by either substitution or elimination utilizing alkyl bromides and methoxide, ethoxide, or t-butoxide as the base (or nucleophile) is described. The change in product distribution caused by steric effects of the base and substrate are readily apparent. Prior work on this experiment focused…

Isolation and identification of organic compounds is a necessary skill chemistry students must be able to do with proficiency. In this upper-level undergraduate laboratory, students isolate bisphenol-A (BPA; 4-4'-isopropylidenediphenol) from water using solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by derivatization with analysis by GC-MS. The students…

A new laboratory experiment is described in which students compare two benchtop separation methods to isolate the three active components of the commercial analgesic Excedrin. In the two-week sequence, aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine are separated using either a two-base liquid-liquid extraction or silica column chromatography. Students then…

A microwave-assisted synthesis of "N"-phenylsuccinimide has been developed for the second-semester organic teaching laboratory. Utilizing this procedure, "N"-phenylsuccinimide can be synthesized in moderate yields (40-60%) by heating a mixture of aniline and succinic anhydride in a domestic microwave oven for four minutes. This technique reduces…

Authentic scientific data, when richly contextualized, can provide the basis for compelling learning experiences. Many undergraduate students either do not have access to primary data, or if they do, the data are so abstract that student engagement is limited. Here, we describe contextual information and data-rich, student-centered activities we…

Primary literature is essential for scientific communication and is commonly utilized in undergraduate biology education. Despite this, there is often little time spent "training" our students how to critically analyze a paper. To address this, we introduced a primary literature module in multiple upper-division laboratory courses. In…

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common technique used in high school and undergraduate science teaching. Students often do not fully comprehend the underlying principles of the technique and how optimization of the protocol affects the outcome and analysis. In this molecular biology laboratory, students learn the steps of PCR with an…

Teaching the fundamentals of robotics to computer science undergraduates requires designing a well-balanced curriculum that is complemented with hands-on applications on a platform that allows rapid construction of complex robots, and implementation of sophisticated algorithms. This paper describes such an elective introductory course where the…

This paper describes an educational analysis of a first year university chemistry practical called "Investigating sugar using a home made polarimeter". The analysis follows the formalism of the Advancing Chemistry by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory (ACELL) project, which includes a statement of education objectives, and an analysis…

There is a continuing need for engaging inquiry-based laboratory experiences for advanced high school and undergraduate biology courses. The authors describe a guided-inquiry exercise investigating the pH-dependence of lactase enzyme that uses an inexpensive, wide-range buffering system, lactase dietary supplement, over-the-counter glucose test…

An introductory, multidisciplinary lecture-laboratory course linked with a summer research experience has been established to provide undergraduate biology and chemistry majors with the skills needed to be successful in the research laboratory. This three-credit hour course was focused on laboratory skills and was designed to reinforce and develop…

In introductory laboratory courses, many universities are turning from traditional laboratories with predictable outcomes to inquiry-inspired, project-based laboratory curricula. In these labs, students are allowed to design at least some portion of their own experiment and interpret new, undiscovered data. We have redesigned the introductory…