Chemistry Course Research Articles

Development of Multiple Representation Learning Videos on Hydrocarbon Nomenclature

This research focuses on the development of learning media based on multiple representations in organic chemistry courses. Multiple representation-based learning media has the potential to improve students understanding of the concepts of chemical materials that are often considered difficult. However, the lack of learning media used by lecturers to discuss the three aspects of representation is a problem that needs to be addressed. This research aims to produce a nomenclature of hydrocarbon compounds learning video based on multiple representations and to find the eligibility and response for the developed learning video. The research methods are research and development using the 4d development model. The instruments used were the eligibility sheet and response questionnaire using a Likert scale. The eligibility for learning video is included as very feasible, with an average eligibility percentage of 95,03%. The eligibility of learning video was viewed in three aspects, namely, the lesson aspect (94.67%), the language aspect (95.56%), and the media aspect (94.87%). The responses given by students were included as a good category, as shown by the percentage of response results on the small-scale trial of 83,79% and large-scale trial of 83,31%. Based on the outcome of eligibility assessment and field trials, the nomenclature of hydrocarbon compounds learning video based on multiple representations is very feasible for learning media in the organic chemistry of monofunctional compounds course.

Innovative pedagogy: nurturing excellence through an effective student-centered approach in medicinal chemistry courses

Medicinal chemistry educators face challenges in providing students with essential tools to ensure an ideal learning environment. The suspension of on-site classes during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced further obstacles. This study investigated learning outcomes in an online versus on-site medicinal chemistry course in Saudi Arabia, focusing on drug classes and biomolecular interactions. We utilized a causal-comparison study method using data from first-year Pharmacy students (P1) enrolled in the Medicinal Chemistry I course (semester 1) during the 2019–2020 (on-site class) and 2020–2021 (online class) academic years. Data were analyzed using JMP software. The online course utilized advanced virtual technology such as Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and other computational platforms. Data representing the performance of 196 students were obtained. The analyses of the assessment scores showed a mean of 80.45 ± 12.65 for the online class group compared with 71.90 ± 9.50 for the on-site class group. Most online students showed improvement in their active engagement and learning experience. Current data support the argument that there is no apparent difference between outcomes for online versus on-site medicinal chemistry courses. Furthermore, advanced tools and their application within the online instructional methodology play a critical role in the overall learning experience.

THE EVOLUTION OF EDUTAINMENT IN CHEMISTRY TEACHING METHODS

In the modern educational space, the issue of integrating innovative teaching methods, among which interactive elements occupy a prominent place, is of particular relevance. The concept of edutainment, which combines education and entertainment, is actively developing as a promising approach that can increase students’ motivation, improve their learning activity, and assimilate the material. However, the origins of the idea of introducing interactive elements go much deeper into the history of pedagogy. The article examines the historical background and the first attempts to apply interactive methods in teaching chemistry in the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. The formation of methods of teaching chemistry as a science and an academic subject in the national higher and secondary schools is described. The article proposes the introduction of edutainment technologies at different stages of the lesson, in particular during the motivational block, the main part, and the final stage. The possibilities of introducing edutainment technologies in higher education to increase student motivation, interactive assimilation of educational material, and the development of critical thinking are also considered. The use of gamification, simulations, case methods, and multimedia tools to activate the educational process and the formation of practical skills in students is proposed. The paper explores how elements of play and interactivity can be effectively integrated into chemistry teaching, as well as assesses their impact on student’s motivation and learning at different stages of the lesson. One of the benefits of using edutainment technologies when studying a school chemistry course is the ability for students to learn new cognitive skills effectively. In particular, the article presents innovative approaches to the implementation of interactive elements that develop logical thinking and spatial representation, teach cooperation, and prepare students for further learning and solving complex problem situations.

How does using an AR learning environment affect student learning of a radical substitution mechanism?

Abstract As the use of augmented reality (AR) in educational settings grows, it becomes increasingly important to understand how to use AR in classrooms. Here, we present an AR learning environment that we designed for teaching an organic chemistry reaction mechanism in high school chemistry classes. This new environment was tested in six tenth-grade chemistry classes (upper secondary) taught by five different teachers in three different schools over the course of five months and evaluated for effectiveness. Students completed knowledge tests before and after they used the AR learning environment to test their learning gain, and surveys to measure their acceptance of the technology, the cognitive load they experienced, and their attitude toward the use of AR to learn the mechanism for radical substitution. Analysis shows that the knowledge posttest scores were significantly higher than the pretest scores (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (r = 0.8). Student responses showed acceptance of the technology, experience of low extraneous cognitive load, and a positive attitude toward the use of AR to learn this reaction mechanism. These findings indicate that this AR learning environment can be used to teach the mechanism of radical substitution to tenth-grade students in introductory high school chemistry courses.

Feelings of Shame in a First Semester Organic Chemistry Course: Associations between Shame and Examination Performance for Multiple Learner Groups

Feelings of Shame in a First Semester Organic Chemistry Course: Associations between Shame and Examination Performance for Multiple Learner Groups

Research and Practice on the Construction of General Chemistry Curriculum in Applied Universities under the Background of "New Agricultural Sciences"

This paper, guided by the OBE (Outcomes-Based Education) philosophy of "New Agricultural Sciences," oriented by talent cultivation goals, and based on the construction of general chemistry courses in applied universities, elaborates on the construction ideas of general chemistry courses in applied universities. It discusses the diversified construction of general chemistry courses from aspects such as teaching syllabus, teaching model, and assessment methods. Data on students' overall achievement and course goal achievement under different teaching models are analyzed. The results show that the construction of general chemistry courses under the background of "New Agricultural Sciences" has achieved good practical effects.

The Effect of Gender on Post-Examination Confidence in Chemistry Courses

The Effect of Gender on Post-Examination Confidence in Chemistry Courses

"Synthetic Map": A Graphic Organizer Inspired by Artificial Neural Network Paradigms for Learning Organic Synthesis.

Organic Chemistry is widely recognized as a challenging subject, with the design of syntheses and retrosyntheses identified as particularly difficult tasks. Inspired by the success of artificial neural networks in machine learning, we propose a framework that leverages similar principles to enhance the teaching and learning of organic synthesis. In this paper, we introduce a novel teaching tool, the "Synthetic Map", that attempts to visually recreate an expert's mental map and conceptual understanding of organic synthesis built over years of experience. The educational benefits of the Synthetic Map were evaluated through its implementation in an Organic Chemistry course of a Pharmacy degree over two years. The new tool promoted students' learning by providing a mental organizer fostering a deeper understanding of the subject and empowering students to design and execute effective synthetic strategies.

Diagnosis of Students’ Difficulties in Balancing Chemical Equations in Some Selected Senior Secondary Schools in Ibadan, Nigeria

Researchers are concerned about students' difficulties in balancing chemical equations and are working to correct these inaccuracies. The survey identified difficulties among science students in public senior secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. A descriptive research design was used; 188 respondents from six public senior secondary schools in Ibadan provided data for the study. The Chemical Equation Diagnostic Test was developed and validated utilizing test-retest methodology (r=0.86). The data demonstrates the incapacity of students to identify limiting reagents (96.56%), reactants in a reaction (48.4%), understand moles (76.1%), understand atomicity (79.3%), determine the number of elements present in a compound (22.9%); identify the physical states of elements (54.3%); and calculate the valency of elements (79.3%). According to the outcome, students have several difficulties balancing chemical equations. It is advised that teachers diagnose such difficulties by recognizing the numerous ways students struggle to balance chemical equations. Addressing such difficulties will reduce students’ misconceptions about chemistry, improve their conceptual knowledge of chemistry, and increase the number of students who may wish to pursue advanced courses in chemistry and science-related fields.

Examining and Supporting Mechanistic Explanations Across Chemistry and Biology Courses.

Causal mechanistic reasoning is a thinking strategy that can help students explain complex phenomena using core ideas commonly emphasized in separate undergraduate courses, as it requires students to identify underlying entities, unpack their relevant properties and interactions, and link them to construct mechanistic explanations. As a crossdisciplinary group of biologists, chemists, and teacher educators, we designed a scaffolded set of tasks that require content knowledge from biology and chemistry to construct nested hierarchical mechanistic explanations that span three scales (molecular, macromolecular, and cellular). We examined student explanations across seven introductory and upper-level biology and chemistry courses to determine how the construction of mechanistic explanations varied across courses and the relationship between the construction of mechanistic explanations at different scales. We found non-, partial, and complete mechanistic explanations in all courses and at each scale. Complete mechanistic explanation construction was lowest in introductory chemistry, about the same across biology and organic chemistry, and highest in biochemistry. Across tasks, the construction of a mechanistic explanation at a smaller scale was associated with constructing a mechanistic explanation for larger scales; however, the use of molecular scale disciplinary resources was only associated with complete mechanistic explanations at the macromolecular, not cellular scale.

On the Content of the Organic Chemistry Course at the Basic Level of Secondary Education

On the Content of the Organic Chemistry Course at the Basic Level of Secondary Education

The Need for SPD: A Hybridization-Based Card Game for Students on Introductory Chemistry Courses

The Need for SPD: A Hybridization-Based Card Game for Students on Introductory Chemistry Courses

How students taking introductory biology experience the chemistry content.

Student experiences learning chemistry have been well studied in chemistry courses but less so in biology courses. Chemistry concepts are foundational to introductory biology courses, and student experiences learning chemistry concepts may impact their overall course experiences and subsequent student outcomes. In this study, we asked undergraduate students enrolled in introductory biology courses at a public R1 institution an open-response question asking how their experiences learning chemistry topics affected their identities as biologists. We used thematic analysis to identify common ideas in their responses. We found that while almost half of student respondents cited learning chemistry as having positive impacts on their experiences learning biology, students who struggled with chemistry topics were significantly more likely to have negative experiences learning biology. We also found significant relationships between prior chemistry preparation, student background, and the likelihood of students struggling with chemistry and negative experiences learning biology. These findings emphasize the impact of learning specific content on student psychosocial metrics and suggest areas for biology educators to focus on to support learning and alleviate student stress in introductory biology.

Students Who Perceive Instructors to Have a Fixed Mindset Report a Greater Sense of Academic Misfit That Leads to Lower Chemistry Grades.

Student mindset beliefs about the malleability of intelligence have been linked to student outcomes. However, recent meta-analyses showed mixed findings on how student mindset impacts their outcomes depending on the environment and context, such as the mindset that the instructor projects in the classroom. The current work utilizes Social Cognitive Theory to elucidate the relationship among student perceptions of faculty mindset, affective factors (belonging, self-efficacy, and utility value), and behavioral factors (course grade) using a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) lens within the chemistry context at a demographically diverse institution. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) path analysis revealed that student perceptions of the instructor mindset did not directly predict chemistry course grades. However, a significant indirect effect, mediated by students' sense of academic misfit, was detected. The more students perceived instructors to endorse a fixed mindset, the more academic misfits they reported in their courses, which led to lower chemistry grades. ACT math scores (indicators of prior preparation) unsurprisingly had significant direct and indirect impact on chemistry course grades. Additionally, multigroup moderation analysis revealed that regression pathways did not differ based on race, gender, or age group. While this work highlights the benefit of instructors promoting a healthy learning environment that projects a growth mindset to students, this must be coupled with institutional support to help build foundational knowledge to prepare students for the rigor of chemistry courses and increase the chance of success for all students.

Recommendations for Improving End-User Programming Education: A Case Study with Undergraduate Chemistry Students.

Programming is widespread in multiple domains and is being integrated into various discipline-specific university courses where, like students in a typical introductory computing course, students from other disciplines face challenges with learning to program. We offer a case study in which we study undergraduate students majoring in either chemistry or biochemistry as they learn programming in a physical chemistry course sequence. Using surveys and think-aloud sessions with students, we conducted a thematic content analysis to explain the challenges they face in this endeavor. We found that students struggled to transfer their programming knowledge to new representations and problems, and they did not have strategies in place for solving problems with programming. These facts combine to lower students' confidence in their programming abilities, making it less likely that they will reach for computing to help solve domain-specific problems. We recommend that students in end-user programming contexts be explicitly taught the skills of abstraction, decomposition, and metacognitive awareness as they pertain to programming.

Preliminary Study on the Development of a Lip Learning Model Based on the Local Potential of Taba Vulkan Gamalama for Improving Students’ Chemical Literacy

This research is a preliminary study in the form of a needs analysis as a guide in developing a LIP (inquiry training-project) learning model based on the local potential of Taba (sand land and batu angus) Gamalama volcano to increase students' chemical literacy. This research was carried out through observation, distributing questionnaires and literature studies regarding the LIP learning model based on Taba's local potential to increase students' chemical literacy. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques, namely observation, questionnaires and Discussion. The subjects of this research were students in the Chemistry Education Study Program in the inorganic chemistry course. The sample used was a saturated sample with a total of 52 students. This research is the initial part of a series of Research and Development models. The research results show that the chemical literacy of Indonesian students is still low, which is based on the results of the 2022 PISA assessment by the OECD, namely that Indonesia is in 67th position out of 81 countries with a score of 383, and the observation results as needs analysis data obtained 100%, not yet using the LIP learning model (inquiry training-project) based on the local potential of Taba Vulcan Gamalama during chemistry learning. Based on the results of the preliminary study that has been carried out, it shows that it is necessary to develop a LIP learning model based on the local potential of Taba Vulcan Gamalama to increase the chemical literacy of prospective teacher students.

Student Experiences With Peer Review and Revision for Writing-to-Learn in a Chemistry Course Context

Peer review is useful for providing students with formative feedback, yet it is used less frequently in STEM classrooms and for supporting writing-to-learn (WTL). While research indicates the benefits of incorporating peer review into classrooms, less research is focused on students’ perceptions thereof. Such research is important as it speaks to the mechanisms whereby peer review can support learning. This study examines students’ self-reported approaches to and perceptions of peer review and revision associated with WTL assignments implemented in an organic chemistry course. Students responded to a survey covering how they approached peer review and revision and the benefits they perceived from participating in each. Findings indicate that the assignment materials guided students’ approaches during both peer review and revision. Furthermore, students described various ways both receiving feedback from their peers and reading their peers’ drafts were beneficial, but primarily connected their revisions to receiving feedback.

Teaching abductive reasoning for use as a problem-solving tool in organic chemistry and beyond

The second-year undergraduate Organic Chemistry course sequence is often cited as one of the most, if not the most, challenging for students in the US. Thus, a persistent question remains: What is it about Organic Chemistry that makes the course so difficult for students? Herein, we put forward the hypothesis that a new mode of thinking and problem solving is expected of the students; these skills have not yet been developed in their prior scientific coursework and are often not deliberately taught in Organic Chemistry. This form of reasoning and problem solving, known as abductive reasoning, is highlighted for its connection to medical diagnosis and scientific thinking. We provide examples to showcase how instructors could explicitly foreground the reasoning process in their classroom. Ultimately, we argue that teaching how to reason using abduction may benefit students in both the short term (in the course) and the long term (in their careers as scientists and medical practitioners).

Analysis of the Relationships Between University Students' Laboratory Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Science Process Skills and Achievement in Chemistry Courses

It is a widely accepted view among educators that chemistry education should include objectives to develop scientific thinking, laboratory competences and science process skills in addition to chemistry. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between laboratory self-efficacy beliefs and science process skills of chemistry department students and their chemical technology course achievement. The study was conducted in the autumn term of the 2023-2024 academic year in the chemistry departments of three universities in Kazakhstan. The study, which was conducted with relational survey model on the basis of quantitative research paradigm, included 198 students studying in chemistry departments. The data of the study were collected with 'Laboratory self-efficacy beliefs scale' and 'Science process skills scale'. The participants' laboratory self-efficacy beliefs were above moderate, and their science process skills were at a moderate level, according to the study's conclusions. Chemistry department students' laboratory self-efficacy and science process skills did not differ by gender. Correlation analyses revealed significant and positive relationships between students' achievement in chemical technology course and their laboratory self-efficacy beliefs and science process skills in the chemistry department. Regression analyses revealed that the participant students' science process skills, in particular, significantly predicted their performance in the chemical technology course.

Systematic Literature Review: A Fun Organic Chemistry Learning Experience with Educational Games

This article examines organic chemistry educational games developed between 2017-2023. The purpose of this study is to find out the types of educational games that are most developed, organic chemistry materials that have been developed in the form of educational games, and the positive impact of educational games in studying organic chemistry. The method used in this study is a systematic literature review. The systematic literature review is carried out in three stages, namely the planning stage, the implementation stage, and the reporting stage. Based on the results of the study, 38 articles were obtained by the criteria and further analysis was carried out. The results of the analysis show that organic chemistry educational games are developed with various types of games both in digital and non-digital forms. The most developed organic chemistry educational games are strategy video games and card games. The most developed material in the form of educational games is the molecular structure of organic compounds which is shown to deepen students' understanding in organic chemistry courses.