Students In Chemistry Course Research Articles

Measuring the impact of incorporating systems thinking into general chemistry on affective components of student learning

Recently, there has been an increased interest in incorporating systems thinking content into various chemistry classrooms. One promise of systems thinking is that students will be able to connect typical chemistry concepts learned in lectures with real-life situations through context-rich instruction. Such experiences may impact affective factors related to learning such as motivation and attitude of students. These factors have often revealed negative orientation for students in chemistry courses, where the majority of students are externally motivated, whereas intrinsic motivation is positively correlated with students’ course performance. A modified Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) and the short version of the Attitude towards the Subject of Chemistry Inventory (ASCIv2) were used to assess whether a systems-thinking instructional approach resulted in changes in students’ motivation and attitudes in general chemistry. Pre- and post-survey data suggest that a first-semester chemistry course that incorporates systems thinking does not induce significant positive changes in students’ motivation. End of the semester motivation and attitude levels were correlated with students’ ACS exam scores, where students with higher levels of intrinsic motivation showed better performance on the ACS exam. Although the results obtained in this study were not optimistic, they suggest several areas of study within systems thinking instruction as potential areas to improve both instruction and student reception of the systems thinking components of instruction.

Supporting Engagement in Metamodeling Ideas in General Chemistry: Development and Validation of Activities Designed Using Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Criteria

Metamodeling ideas move beyond using a model to solve a problem to consider the nature and purpose of a model, such as reasoning about a model’s empirical basis and understanding why and how a model might change or be replaced. Given that chemistry relies heavily on the use of models to describe particulate-level phenomena, developing sophisticated ideas about models reflects a critical competency for undergraduate students in chemistry courses. Here we describe a set of collaborative learning activities developed using the design criteria for process oriented guided inquiry learning. The activities were designed to use general chemistry topics as a context to engage students in the metamodeling ideas: model changeability, model multiplicity, evaluation of models, and process of modeling. In addition to learning relevant content (gas laws, nuclear chemistry, orbitals, colligative properties, equilibrium, chemical kinetics), each activity provides opportunities to reason about the nature of models, including mathematical models such as equations and graphs. As a practical consideration, the complete activities and instructor guides are provided as editable files.

Development of Educational Scratch Program for Machine Learning for Students in Chemistry Course

Development of Educational Scratch Program for Machine Learning for Students in Chemistry Course

Development of Educational Scratch Programs for the First-year Students in Chemistry Course of University

Development of Educational Scratch Programs for the First-year Students in Chemistry Course of University

Beyond graduation: motivations and career aspirations of undergraduate chemistry students

This study investigated undergraduate chemistry students' career aspirations and how these vary from one educational system to another in different geographic regions. The participants of this study were undergraduate chemistry students from various institutions located in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The study took place in the form of an international cross-sectional survey. Findings of this study show that undergraduate students choose to study chemistry predominantly because they are interested in it or because they like it. This study also found that, whereas undergraduate students mainly have plans of pursuing a career that uses chemistry, they seem to be aware that a chemistry course can lead to many career options and as such only a few have chosen to study it as a route to a specific career. The findings of this study may be important in informing policies to attract and retain students in chemistry courses.

Use of iSpartan in Teaching Organic Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is often one of the most difficult subjects in an organic chemistry course for students to master. One difficulty comes from relating peaks in a spectrum with structural features. For example, when teaching infrared spectroscopy, it is often difficult to connect the theory between bending and stretching vibrations to the actual peaks. iSpartan for the iOS platform allows this to be done easily without the high cost of the full Spartan software.

Combinación de Aprendizaje Cooperativo e Individual en una Asignatura de Química de Materiales

The application of various cooperative learning techniques in a material chemistry course for students of different scientific faculties is reported. Since 2010/2011, part of the program has been developed through jigsaw classroom, learning games or team learning techniques, in addition to classical lectures and competitive practices. The reception of the changes in teaching methods by the students has been positive, as it has been reflected in the evaluation surveys of teachers and in the increasing of the passing rate. On the other hand, in addition to the positive feedback from students, mainly focused on the recognition of the importance of developing skills in group work, some few negative opinions mainly due to the lack of habit of working through nontraditional teaching techniques, must be mentioned.

Fact or Fiction? General Chemistry Helps Students Determine the Legitimacy of Television Program Situations

A large number of students in chemistry courses are thinking about pursuing careers in the health professions. We used a segment from the popular TV show, Bones, to illustrate how basic chemical concepts can help them solve complex physiological and medical problems. Many students have found the use of the Bones video clip engaging, and appreciated seeing the connection of chemistry to “real-world” situations. This presentation is intended to take chemistry out of the mundane classroom setting and present it in the context of a thrilling (albeit highly improbable) life-or-death scenario.

Incorporating Professional Service as a Component of General Chemistry Laboratory by Demonstrating Chemistry to Elementary Students

Formalized participation in professional service is not often part of the college experience, especially for first-year students in chemistry courses. When service opportunities are offered, they are most often through elective credit, upper-level courses, extracurricular clubs, and the rare service-learning courses. We have successfully incorporated a large science service-learning opportunity into the general chemistry laboratory that provides multidisciplinary educational experiences for children and the community. The experience for the college students involves several weeks of preparation for a two-week laboratory module and participation in the public event on the university campus. College students involved in the second year of the event were surveyed to determine the impact of formalized participation in professional service on their attitude toward science and participation in future professional service events. Highly positive responses on the surveys and public interest in the event suggest c...

Techniques To Enhance Instructors' Teaching Effectiveness with Chemistry Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

This paper describes techniques developed as solutions to problems encountered while teaching blind or visually impaired students in chemistry courses at high school and postsecondary levels. Establishing and maintaining a sound student–instructor relationship is critical to the success and implementation of a plan of action for blind or visually impaired students enrolled in chemistry courses.

A Networked NMR Spectrometer: Configuring a Shared Instrument

Andrews University (AU), Lake Michigan College (LMC), and Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) established an educational consortium in southwest lower Michigan. An FT-NMR spectrometer was installed at AU and networked with the community colleges. Students and faculty from LMC and SMC visit Andrews on a regular basis to receive training and operate the NMR. The instrument is accessible via the Internet for data acquisition, processing, and transfer. The spectrometer has helped the consortium schools improve the quality of chemistry education, exposed students in chemistry courses to the concepts and techniques of modern NMR spectroscopy, and strengthened the collaboration between the chemistry faculty of the three schools. This article describes the NMR network configuration and the methodology for NMR data acquisition and distribution.

Using Cooperative Learning to Enhance Performance in General

This paper describes a successful application of mandatory collaborative learning to a General Chemistry course for students with poor academic preparation. The paper describes the characteristics of the students, the nature of the course, and methodology of the collaborative learning. All learning teams had 4 to 6 members, met outside of class, and worked on both normal homework problems and critical thinking assignments. The paper also describes both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the project. Student performance in this course exceeded that of better prepared students in a typical General Chemistry course at the same campus during the same semester. One factor which seems linked to student success is that collaborative learning in this course increased the time on task (study-time) of the students involved as well as the effectiveness of that study time.

Two investigations of students' understanding of the mole concept and its use in problem solving

AbstractThe authors' purpose in a series of two investigations is to examine the following research questions: (1) How do college students define the mole concept? (2) How do college students explain the numerical identity between the atomic or molecular mass of a substance and its molar mass? (3) Is there a connection between students' definitions of the mole concept and their explanations of the numerical identity between the atomic or molecular mass and the molar mass of a substance? (4) Do the connections in question 3 extend to students' ability to solve mole concept problems? Research questions 1‐3 are examined first through an analysis of students' answers and errors on a chemistry examination question that assesses their knowledge of the mole concept and the numerical identity between the atomic or molecular mass of a substance and its molar mass. Forty‐eight students in the first quarter of first‐year chemistry for scientists and engineers at a large, urban, midwestern research university during summer session are the subjects. One question on the first exam assesses the extent to which students understand the mole concept and the above‐mentioned relation. Results indicate that students' most frequent errors are: (1) failing to define the mole in terms of 12C; (2) defining the mole as Avogadro's number; (3) defining the mole as a mass; and (4) constructing a logical argument in vague terms or by using improper knowledge. The results and limitations of the first investigation prompted a follow‐up study in which the authors add research question 4 and further examine research questions 1‐3 through qualitative methods. In the second study, the subjects are 12 college students enrolled in a chemistry course for students with little or no background in chemistry. Each subject participates in a think‐aloud protocol designed to focus on the research questions. The authors qualitatively analyze the content of written transcripts of the audiotaped think‐aloud sessions. Results of the second investigation indicate that students' definitions of the mole vary and that their definitions are connected to their understanding of the numerical identity issue. Moreover, students' understanding of the numerical identity issue is a major stumbling block in terms of their ability to solve two problems in the think‐aloud protocol. Results of both investigations are discussed in terms of research in chemical education and in cognitive science.

A "practical chemistry" course

A high school attempts to serve students better by offering chemistry courses for students who plan to go into science-related fields, students who want to go to a four year school but not major in science, and a course for students going into a two-year vocational program.

Collecting labels for household products: A project for students in chemistry courses for nonscience majors

A project that requires students to consider some of the many chemicals that they use and come into contact with on an almost daily basis.

Enthalpy cycles in inorganic chemistry

This paper demonstrates how enthalpy cycles have been used in the inorganic chemistry course for students of chemical engineering.