Undergraduate Chemistry Students Research Articles

VIEWS ON NATURE OF SCIENCE AND ATTITUDES TOWARD TEACHING NATURE OF SCIENCE AMONG CHEMISTRY STUDENTS IN SAUDI UNIVERSITIES

Understanding nature of science (NOS) is a fundamental goal in science education standards. Due to the role of specialised and educational teachers' preparation programmes in developing their NOS concepts, this study aims to identify views on NOS and attitudes toward teaching NOS among Saudi undergraduate chemistry students and the differences between them according to their academic level and university affiliation. Views on science and education questionnaire were distributed among chemistry students in eight universities. Results found inaccurate views regarding the differences between theories and laws, and that pertaining to well-trained scientists as being detached from personal, social, and cultural values. Half of the sample disagreed on inventing theories and laws and the diversity of Scientists' methods and also rejected teaching a variety of methods and the influence of personal beliefs on Scientists' observations. No significant differences among students' views by academic level or universities were found, except that second-level students have more informed views than fifth-level students, and the UHB and JU students' views were more informed than IMSIU students. The authors recommend developing those NOS concepts which students had shortcomings in the sequential teachers' preparation programmes and suggest recognising chemistry department faculty members' attitudes to developing students' NOS concepts. Keywords: attitudes toward teaching NOS, nature of science, university chemistry students, views on science and education (VOSE).

“Design a Sensor”: Implementation of Entrepreneurial-Minded Learning in Undergraduate General Chemistry

This article describes the design and implementation of a sensors-based entrepreneurial-minded learning (EML) module in a large (>150 students) first-year General Chemistry II course. Students worked in groups create a novel sensor that solves an existing scientific problem or improves upon an existing sensor. Students proposed and explained the chemical background of their sensors as well as presented their final products to the class in the style of a brief elevator pitch. This module necessitates that students think innovatively, integrate knowledge from varied sources, and collaborate with their peers. The aim of implementing this EML module is to spur creative thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurial learning among first-year undergraduate chemistry students. We conducted course surveys to gauge students’ reception of this module and found that the majority of students enjoyed this activity and learned valuable skills from their experience. Moving forward, we advocate that these and similar learning modules are implemented in large, introductory course settings due to the many benefits that they offer to students.

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Cannabis: Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Exercise

In this laboratory teaching experiment, commercial cannabis oils were analyzed by undergraduate organic chemistry students using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to investigate three isomeric cannabinoids commonly found in cannabis products: cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC). The goal was to introduce GC–MS analysis through the relevant topic of product quality inspection, frequently used in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc. and which largely involves analyzing the chemical components of a sample. First, to better understand the cannabinoid analytes, students were taught the differences between these structural isomers, including bond locations, stereochemistry, and functional groups─factors which pertain to their pharmacology and drug classification. Finally, students were guided through the basics of GC–MS instrumentation and the process of analyzing GC–MS spectra through the characterization of CBD, Δ8-THC, and Δ9-THC present in oil samples.

Laboratory Skills Assignments as a Teaching Tool to Develop Undergraduate Chemistry Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Practical Laboratory Skills

Laboratory skills assignments were developed as a novel approach to providing students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on laboratory skills development outside of the lab during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the assignments were implemented within a second-year forensic chemistry course of 48 students and redesigned and modified to be implemented within a large in-person second-year analytical chemistry course of 208 students as a complement to the laboratory experiments. Five laboratory skills were chosen to coincide with those used within the laboratory experiments of the course: pipetting, quantitative transfer, serial dilutions, buret use within titrations, and weight-by-difference mass measurements. Each skills assignment consisted of two videos demonstrating the selected skill: one in which the skill was performed properly and one in which deliberate errors have been included. For each skills assignment, students were tasked with distinguishing between the two videos along with identifying the included errors and the consequences each error would have on either the accuracy and reproducibility of the collected data or the safety of the experimental procedure. Student feedback on the skills assignments is also reported.

Connecting the periodic table to the planet with systems, life cycle and circularity thinking

Reductionist methods of learning and teaching chemistry have indeed advanced the disciplinary knowledge. However, they have proven deficient in connecting the chemical reactions of elements in the periodic table with the significant impacts they have on planetary and societal systems. Therefore, a systems thinking approach is required that integrates an interdisciplinary and complementary understanding of chemical concepts. Systems Oriented Concept Map Extensions (SOCME)s are an effective tool to connect interdisciplinary subsystems to the larger planetary boundaries and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). We present a course activity where undergraduate students of an introductory green chemistry and sustainable synthesis course selected an element from the periodic table and a simple chemical reaction involving that element, to develop a SOCME. Students applied green chemistry principles, life cycle thinking and circular economy concepts to the various subsystems in their SOCME. Students also recommended an alternative greener subsystem based on their integrated understanding and research from primary literature. They connected the impacts from the subsystems of the element/reaction and the alternative greener reaction to the earth, health, economy, and society to address global challenges represented by the UN SDGs. They effectively communicated the science in their SOCME poster through a video presentation in a virtual format. Student survey data indicated that the systems, life cycle and circularity thinking connected to the UN SDGs, improved their knowledge of the wider impacts of chemistry in the world. It also increased their awareness of the role of chemists in promoting environmental and social justice.

Use of Interrupted Case Studies to Teach Scientific Communication: Examples from the Effects of Mining on Water Resources in Brazil

The mining industry in Brazil, despite contributing to economic growth, is one of the human activities that negatively impacts the environment. This situation can be contextualized in discussions of several curricular chemistry topics. One way in which science, technology, society, and environmental issues can be discussed in classes is through case studies. This article reports on three interrupted case studies, based on research articles, which were developed and implemented in a Scientific Communication Course offered to first-year undergraduate Chemistry students at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. During two sessions of this course, students, divided in groups, developed hypotheses, chose sampling points and equipment for instrumental analyses, and evaluated data provided in the case studies. Results from a Descending Hierarchical Classification Analysis of oral presentations, performed on IRAMUTEQ software, and from a quiz containing 11 true or false statements (response rate of 79%) provide evidence for the effectiveness of the case studies for conceptual understanding of different topics in chemistry, such as heavy metals, sediments, and principles of instrumental chemical analysis, and for the development of communication and oral presentation skills.

RGB-LED-PHOTOMETER AND THE DIGITAL IMAGE-BASED METHOD USING A SMARTPHONE FOR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS TEACHING

This work describes the analysis of molecular spectroscopy in the UV/Vis region, as well as the study of transmittance, absorption, and reflectance phenomena in an undergraduate class using an LED (light emitting diodes)-photometer and digital image-based (DIB) method using a smartphone to compare with a benchtop spectrophotometer and literature data employing paired T-test for 95% confidence. The novelties of this work are focused on the use of simple, low-cost, and portable analytical instrumentation, based on an RGB-LED photometer and DIB using a smartphone, for teaching Chemistry to undergraduate classes. Moreover, discussions were held on concepts related to the Beer-Lambert law, spectroscopy, pH, equilibrium shift, and calculation for determining the equilibrium constant and pKa of bromothymol blue, which was used as proof of concept. The advantages are the use of low-cost instrumentation for teaching Chemistry, students’ access to concepts, such as radiation source, photodetector, transmittance calculation from analog data, regulation of the power of the light emitted by the LED, and details to understand the interaction between matter and light were described by undergraduate students in Physics and Chemistry throughout the course of Experiments in Thermodynamic and Chemical Equilibrium. The better understanding of theoretical concepts and the possibility of taking the RGB-LED-photometer and DIB instrumentation to schools, exhibitions, science fairs, and Chemistry teaching meetings were pointed out by students as the main advantages of the instrumentation and methods described.

Abstract 2089: Roadmaps of Biochemical Knowledge: Analyzing Neural Networks of Nucleic Acids and Protein Structure Formed by Undergraduate Chemistry and Biochemistry Students

Abstract 2089: Roadmaps of Biochemical Knowledge: Analyzing Neural Networks of Nucleic Acids and Protein Structure Formed by Undergraduate Chemistry and Biochemistry Students

Prussian blue and Turnbull’s blue: History & Chemistry

Prussian blue and Turnbull's blue are two known compounds to undergraduate chemistry students. These two pigments are frequently synthesized in chemistry laboratories during the qualitative tests for the detection of nitrogen as a special element in organic compounds and spot tests in the classical analytical chemistry of iron. However, these compounds have a rich history and exciting chemistry that any chemistry student should be aware of. The objective of this article is to familiarize chemistry students to the interesting history and chemistry of Prussian blue and Turnbull’s blue.

Change in students’ explanation of the shape of snowflakes after collaborative immersive virtual reality

In recent years, chemistry educators are increasingly adopting immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology to help learners visualise molecular interactions. However, educational studies on IVR mostly investigated its usability and user perceptions leaving out its impact on improving conceptual understanding. If they evaluated students’ knowledge gains, they tended to use information recall tests to assess knowledge gains. Employing interviews and diagram-drawing tasks, this study explored how students’ conceptual understanding of the nature of hydrogen bonds and the shape of snowflakes changed through a collaborative IVR experience on snowflakes. Participants were 68 undergraduate chemistry students. Videos of pre-/post-interviews and student-generated diagrams were analysed. The results indicated a marked improvement in students’ conceptual understanding of the nature of hydrogen bonds among water molecules in snowflakes. After IVR, 57 students provided scientifically acceptable explanations of the nature of hydrogen bonds. Improvements in students’ understanding were related to the intermolecular nature of hydrogen bonds, the role of lone pairs of electrons in forming hydrogen bonds, and molecular interactions in 3D space. This study suggests that collaborative IVR could be a powerful way for students to visualise molecular interactions, examine their alternative conceptions, and build more coherent understanding. Implications for the design and implementation of IVR activities for science learning are discussed.

Blooming student difficulties in dealing with organic reaction mechanisms – an attempt at systemization

Students are known to have various difficulties in dealing with organic reaction mechanisms. A systematic classification of these difficulties appears necessary to design appropriate support. This paper presents insights into whether and how Bloom's revised taxonomy can be used to classify student difficulties in dealing with organic reaction mechanisms. We conducted an interview study with 12 undergraduate chemistry students using problem-solving tasks on nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions to provide examples to test the classification. In our attempt at systemization, student difficulties are perceived as unachieved learning objectives. The classification reveals that student difficulties pertain to different cognitive process and knowledge dimensions. Specific major difficulties occurred within each cell of Bloom's revised taxonomy and for individual students. Our analysis suggests that general support for dealing with reaction mechanisms might be less beneficial for some students and that more adapted support is needed. Our approach of using Bloom's revised taxonomy to classify student difficulties might also benefit other domains to better understand student difficulties and evaluate appropriate support.

LOW-COST AND EASY ACCESS MATERIALS FOR A LABORATORY CLASS: A PROPOSAL OF LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR FOOD COLORING SEPARATION AS AN EXPERIENCE OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING

The experimental activities for undergraduate chemistry students play an important role to develop skills and expertise in that science thus, the practice-experimental classes are so important to achieve this purpose. This work deals with a demonstrative experience for dye separation from food coloring sample using liquid column chromatography. Beyond the experimental practice and the facility in visualizing the separation, this demonstration shows how a simple experiment involving alternative and easy access materials can promote a meaningful learning once it is possible to handle the acquired data, trace and analyze the results themselves, thus developing skills rather than the operational procedure. This proposal could be implemented in initial chemistry classes in Brazilian universities. Sea and river sands were used as stationary phases and aqueous ethanolic solutions were used as mobile phases. A food coloring (a mixture of 3 dyes) was chosen as sample to be studied. Chromatographic separation was followed by spectrophotometric measurements. A set of analyses were carried out to discuss the solubility of the food coloring, granulometric studies of the stationary phases used and electronic microscopy images of the sands studied here. As alternative materials were used in this work, a chromatographic column was also constructed with low-cost materials.

Microwave-Aided Reactions of Aniline Derivatives with Formic Acid: Inquiry-Based Learning Experiments

Abstract The synthesis of amides belongs to traditional experimental tasks not only in organic chemistry exercises at universities but also at chemically focused secondary schools or in special practices at general high schools. An example of such a synthesis may be the preparation of acetanilide via reaction of aniline with acetic acid or acetic anhydride. However, both of these reactions are associated with a rather long reaction time and certain hazards that limit their straightforward use in pedagogical practice. Conveniently, the reaction of aniline with acetic acid may be significantly optimised if it is performed under solvent-free conditions in the presence of microwaves, which reduces considerably the reaction time and provides very good yield, compared to traditional heating by a heating nest. In this study, the main pedagogical aim of the experimental design is elucidation of the influence of the structure of the amines on the course of the reaction with formic acid through inquiry-based learning. Specifically, the proposed experiments consist in investigation of the chemical yield achieved in microwave assisted reactions of aniline and its derivatives with formic acid in such a way that is adequate for constructive learning of undergraduate chemistry students. The selected series of amines involves aniline, 4-methoxyaniline, 4-chloroaniline, and 4-nitroaniline. In accordance with the chemical reactivity principles, students gradually realise that the influence of the substituent is reflected in the reaction yield, which grows in the following order: N-(4-nitrophenyl)formamide ˂ N-(4-chlorophenyl)formamide ˂ N-phenylformamide ˂ N-(4-methoxyphenyl)formamide. Therefore, the results of the experiments enable students to discover that stronger basicity of the amine increases the yield of the amide. In order to deepen the students’ chemical knowledge and skills, the concept of the experiments was transformed to support inquiry-based student learning. The proposed experiments are intended for experimental learning in universities educating future chemistry teachers, but they may be also utilised in the form of workshops for students at secondary schools of a general educational nature.

Use of augmented reality in chromatography learning: How is this dynamic visual artifact fostering the visualization capacities of chemistry undergraduate students?

Developing chemistry students' capability to use representations to explain phenomena is a challenging task for educators. To overcome chemistry students' learning difficulties, strategies that favor the development of visualization capabilities have been identified as productive. We are particularly interested in exploring the use of augmented reality in chemistry education to foster the development of those capabilities in undergraduate students. Our research objective was to analyze the contribution of augmented reality to support undergraduate chemistry students' visualization capacities while explaining the physical-kinetic processes of chromatography. Using an exploratory case study approach, we designed and conducted four task teaching and learning sequences, with seven Augmented Reality markers embedded. Thirty-eight undergraduate students, who voluntarily agreed to participate, explained the different elution rates of pigments in a chromatographic column. Their written accounts were analyzed to identify the level of sophistication of their representations. After using Augmented Reality, students' representations progressed from simple macroscopic descriptions of observed phenomena to explanations of processes where scientific ideas and microscopic representations were used as supporting evidence. Our study shows that the use of Augmented Reality has the potential to favor a more sophisticated use of representations when undergraduate students explain chromatographic processes. However, there are still limitations in reaching the highest levels of performance described in the literature.

The Future of Laboratory Chemistry Learning and Teaching Must be Accessible.

This commentary is a call to make the future of chemistry laboratories accessible and inclusive. We draw from research and lived experience to put forward a list of recommendations for laboratory-based teaching. Our authorial team includes undergraduate and postgraduate chemistry students, graduate teaching assistants, teaching-focused and traditional research and teaching academics, and a Diversity Equality Inclusion (DEI/EDI) academic expert. We all have lived experiences of disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, and other marginalizations related to race, religion, sexuality, or other characteristics. We believe that laboratory-based chemistry learning environments, teaching, assessment, and resources should be accessible to all students and staff.

Development of digital and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills in chemistry teacher training

Citizens of the twenty-first century use specific skills to solve real-life problem situations, propose interdisciplinary solutions, and sustainably solve their communities’ socio-scientific and technological problems, locally and globally. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is an integrated and interdisciplinary teaching-learning space. STEM careers are subject to gender gaps in terms of access to higher education, and only a quarter of female students follow a STEM career. Moreover, later in their professional careers, women often obtain lower salaries and income in the STEM professions. STEM education seeks to actively engage students by incorporating technologies into teaching-learning processes since, favoring searching, analysis, solution, and simulation of socio-scientific problems. The latter has become highly visible during the pandemic caused by COVID-19, particularly in emergency remote education measures. Information and communication technologies (ICT) plays a role in online education, either via the knowledge involved in school curricula or an understanding of how the pandemic has evolved. This is a triple task for professors since they must have the right skills to train citizens of the twenty-first century, build new stimulating learning spaces for their highly technologized students, and develop these skills in their students. This article reviews the concepts associated with digital and STEM skills by analyzing a case study, exploring the perception of students in terms of their development of these competencies, and the commitments required in the study plans made by a Professor of Chemistry in a Chilean state university. A mixed investigation was undertaken, considering three phases with different methodologies. The first phase consisted of a bibliographic study, comparing both the digital and STEM skills of several organizations in Chilean education (UNESCO, MINEDUC, and ISTE). ISTE was used as the basis of the applied questionnaire to establish coherence in the dimensions coming from different reference frames. A second phase refers to the analysis of the study plan programs associated with STEM, ICT, and chemistry teaching, through an Analysis Matrix of Aprioristic Categories. In a third phase, the development of digital skills in undergraduate Chemistry students and professors were evaluated through the Digital Competence Questionnaire of Higher Education Students. Based on UNESCO information, the STEM competencies address both the content and its application to problems related to STEM careers in a manner consistent with the training model for science and chemistry teachers. In the case of digital skills, UNESCO integrates international reference frameworks respecting each country’s laws, enabling them to adapt them. In Chile, MINEDUC focuses on teachers’ use of digital tools to improve the teaching-learning processes of students; and ISTE is focused on the skills of higher education. The analysis of the study programs shows that students’ digital skills do not meet the requirements of the Chilean Ministry of Education (MINEDUC). However, the programs enhance more complex cognitive levels when the curricula advance, promoting STEM skills. The digital competence questionnaire for higher education students (CDAES) survey showed a development proportional to the curricular pursuit of the students where, in the first year of the degree, the students declare positive answers in 60.5% of the items consulted. This trend increases in the second and third years (90.7% of positive answers) and the fourth and fifth years (93.0 and 95.4% of positive answers). It remains a challenge to develop skills to design, create or modify technological educational media that promote the use of digital and STEM skills. In conclusion, this research proposes digital and STEM skills for teacher training, discussing the relevance of their integration in STEM teaching and learning. The teacher training curriculum does not have an explicit association with digital and STEM skills, although it addresses the skills required by national and international benchmarks. However, the students indicate positive attitudes toward the digital skills developed progressively during their training as teachers. As future Chemistry teachers, they value the development of digital teaching skills that allow them to address the challenges that arise in the classroom and thus promote the appreciation of STEM careers, which helps form citizens with more sustainable intentions.

Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Experiment on the Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework ZIF-8, a Typical Example of Metal Organic Framework

Because our undergraduate chemistry students hear about metal organic frameworks (MOF) within the plan of the teaching units dedicated to inorganic chemistry and coordination chemistry, we initiated in 2017-2018 an inorganic chemistry laboratory experiment aimed at third-year undergraduate students (7 sessions of 4 h each). The laboratory focuses on the synthesis and analysis of the ZIF-8, a well-documented and easy-to-synthesize MOF. Students are introduced to coordination chemistry, MOFs, solvothermal synthesis, analysis techniques (scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis), and 3D visualization of the structural models of crystalline solids. Prior to any discussion with the instructor, the students are strongly encouraged to analyze their collected data based on the open literature, and it is expected that they will develop their autonomy. The students gain experimental independency. After the laboratory experiment, the students prepare a poster (2 dedicated sessions, of 4 h each), and present it during an oral examination (10th session) in front of a jury of four instructors. In this way, they are assessed. We believe that this inorganic chemistry laboratory experiment could be adopted by other laboratories as it is, or in an adapted form. Some suggestions to adapt it are made.

Women Chemists Committee honors award winners

The American Chemical Society’s Women Chemists Committee (WCC) honored several awardees during the ACS Fall 2022 meeting in Chicago. The 2022 Overcoming Challenges Award was presented to Riley Atrops , a recent graduate from California State University Channel Islands. This award is given to undergraduate women chemistry students who have overcome significant obstacles in their pursuit of success in the field of chemistry. Atrops survived a serious automobile accident when she was a child and was diagnosed with a tumor as an undergraduate. The 2022 Merck Research Award, sponsored by Merck & Co, was awarded to eight third- and fourth-year women graduate students. The recipients are Maria Aguilera , University of Rochester; Maria Adrover Castellano , University of Michigan; Sara Dibrell , California Institute of Technology; Olivia Garry , Princeton University; Zhuojun Huang , Stanford University; Irene Manning , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Alena Vasquez , Scripps

Division of Organic Chemistry announces SURF awardees

The recipients of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Organic Chemistry’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) for the summer of 2022 are Susanna Angles , Illinois State University; Reece Carew-Lyons , Bryn Mawr College; Catherine Chiang , Scripps College; Damien Cooper , University of Southern Mississippi; Evan Ferry , University of Michigan; Hannah Ford , College of the Holy Cross; Anjali Gurajapu , University of California, Berkeley; Lauren Harstad , Arizona State University; Daniel Hubin , Kansas State University; Sebastian Ibarraran , Yale University; Nikki Keramati , University of Michigan; Madison Maiorano , Stonehill College; Mark Mouch , University of San Diego; Isabelle Petrucci , University of Vermont; Nathan Tang , Northeastern University; and Jason Wu , Boston College. The SURF awards provide $6,000 in funding for summer research opportunities for outstanding undergraduate organic chemistry students. For more information about the program, visit orgn.link/surf .

Chemistry students’ conceptual difficulties and problem solving behavior in chemical kinetics, as a component of an introductory physical chemistry course

Abstract The identification of undergraduate chemistry students’ conceptual difficulties and common mistakes with basic concepts and problems in chemical kinetics provided the aim for this study, which involved 2nd-year/4th semester students who had passed the chemical kinetics component of a physical chemistry course. The study involved the analysis, evaluation and interpretation of students’ answers to the final examination in chemical kinetics. Three achievement groups, for the various topics, were identified: Group A, high achievement (mean ≈ 85%): (a) the steps in a chain-reaction mechanism, (b) integrated 1st- and 2nd-order rate laws; and (c) the Lindemann–Hinshelwood mechanism. Group B, intermediate achievement (mean ≈ 74%): (a) half-life, (b) instantaneous rate and the extent of reaction variable (ξ), (c) the Michaelis–Menten mechanism, and (d) theoretical rate law not asking for a final formula. Group C, low achievement (mean ≈ 54%): (a) experimental rate law and the reaction rate constant on the basis of an experimental-data table, (b) extracting the theoretical rate law, and (c) the Arrhenius equation. Students’ errors and misconceptions have also been identified. Successful students tended to respond well to straightforward questions on the theory of the subject, but had difficulties when solving problems. It is essential that teachers understand the potential of their students, especially possible misconceptions they may hold, and the teaching approaches that may contribute to overcoming the student difficulties. Problems in chemical kinetics can be very demanding both in terms of algebraic manipulations and conceptually. Teaching should focus on problem solving, with the emphasis on students themselves trying to solve the problems.