For the past several decades, high-enrollment undergraduate chemistry laboratory experiences have favored traditional approaches involving disparate daily experiments with optimized protocols provided to students. This model often results in poor learning outcomes and low student engagement, and it lacks any attention to scientific inquiry. Here,…

Intensive mode delivery (IMD) of subjects and courses offer a flexible option for today's diverse student body, many of whom juggle work and carer responsibilities alongside study. However, little focus has been placed on the detailed design of IMD for different teaching roles. Responding to a call for science specific data, we investigated…

Students sometimes learn about a model of the "scientific method" that is linear and clear cut. While this approach may have pedagogical advantages, it does not reflect how science is often done in practice. The Experimental Modeling Framework (EMF) describes the complex and iterative process of experimentation in the domain of physics,…

Chemical engineering students are typically required to take biology courses and many pursue biotechnology related careers. However, it is unknown what emotions students have toward biology that can influence curricular design. We surveyed 246 students and found that 74.6% have overall positive emotions toward biology because they find biology…

The current study investigated science identity development among Latinx university students selected for a critical race theory (CRT)-informed undergraduate research experience. Twenty students (12 female, 8 male; M[subscript age] = 22.00; SD = 2.77) enrolled in biomedical-related majors at a 4-year university responded to open-ended questions…

A cornerstone activity in undergraduate organic laboratories revolves around students running instrumental analysis on their products and interpreting their spectra. They are left to link the theory they have learned in lecture to practical spectral interpretation. Students often memorize benchmark interpretations of peaks, such as the broad…

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have become more commonly incorporated in laboratory courses in undergraduate education. Because CUREs incorporate research within the context of a course, the benefits of mentored research (self-efficacy, science identity, persistence, and more) are extended to each student enrolled. CUREs…

In health courses, the students must be familiar with the effects of intravenous solutions on cell volume and function, a topic where there can be learning difficulties and misunderstandings. Since educational games can assist in understanding complex concepts, we created a game relating solution osmolarity and tonicity to red blood cell volume…

In our taught chemistry curricula, the majority of individuals who are used to illustrate historical aspects of chemistry topics are white, western chemists. Decolonizing the undergraduate chemistry curricula is increasingly recognized as an important step toward developing a more inclusive higher-education environment for students from…

This manuscript introduces a novel General Chemistry experiment designed to incorporate modern instrumental methods and bioinspired materials in the context of marine environments and sustainability. The experiment explores the influence of collagen on the formation of calcium carbonate (CaCO[subscript 3]) polymorphs over two 2 h lab sessions,…

Chemical screening libraries often feature natural product extracts (NPEs) due to the intriguing biological activities they possess and the structural diversity found in their individual components. A research project originally designed to create an extract library of every specimen in the University of Rhode Island (URI) Heber W. Youngken Jr.…

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is a versatile and widely used technique to detect and quantify small molecules in various clinical and analytical applications. It is also an effective tool for demonstrating the specificity between antibody and antigen to students across diverse disciplines. However, undergraduate laboratories often face…

Collaborative two-stage exams provide an effective mechanism to incorporate group work into summative course assessments. We implemented these exams in an upper-level biology laboratory course over two terms, one with online exams and one with in-person exams. We compared student exam performance and perceptions of two-stage exams and group work…

The latest development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), particularly ChatGPT, has drawn the attention of educational researchers and practitioners. We have witnessed many innovative uses of ChatGPT in STEM classrooms. However, studies regarding students' perceptions of ChatGPT as a virtual tutoring tool in STEM education are rare.…

The pursuit of science is essential for the progress and development of a nation. However, there is evidence of a persistent decline in the number of students opting for science courses in undergraduate programs across the world. This paper investigated the perceptions of the students regarding the reasons for the dearth of science students and…