This study aimed to investigate the use of formative assessment rubrics for supporting the learning of organic chemistry in secondary schools in Rwanda. A mixed research approach was used to collect and analyze data. The target population was 210 senior five chemistry students and 15 chemistry teachers. However, 140 senior five chemistry students…

Heavy metals are a recognized toxic environmental contaminant, even at very low concentrations. There have been well-known events in the last decade within the US of high amounts of lead in the drinking water supplies of cities, leading to detrimental effects within its population. Ways have been found to remove this metal, and others, from water…

Organic chemistry is the study of organic compounds containing hydrocarbons and their derivatives. It is similar to inorganic chemistry in terms of the cognitive model. However, the vast number of organic compounds has added to the difficulty in learning organic chemistry with compressed class hours in engineering majors. The integration of the…

In chemistry, building arguments and applying concept knowledge is closely linked to evaluating claims, supporting claims with evidence, and justifying the linkage of evidence to claim with reasoning. However, previous studies revealed that, when building arguments, students experience challenges either in differentiating between argument…

Reformed Experimental Activities (REActivities) is an innovative approach to the delivery of the traditional material in an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory. To better understand the fidelity of implementing this pedagogy and what effects the framework of REActivities has on student-instructor interactions, an observational protocol…

Gold is an increasingly prominent transition metal in organic synthesis. The air-stable, water-insensitive cationic gold(I) catalysts enable varieties of synthetic transformations with a simple reaction setup. However, this increased importance has not coincided with an increase in the application of gold in second-year organic chemistry courses.…

Stepped supporting tools were developed and used in the university seminar Organic Chemistry taken by nonmajor chemistry students, which supported self-regulated learning. These supporting tools were also used for accompanying homework, which included a QR code that led to additional supporting tools. The application of stepped supporting tools in…

4-"tert"-Butylcyclohexanol is rapidly converted to 4-"tert"-butylcyclohexanone with swimming pool bleach in a homogeneous reaction at room temperature. This process introduces students to a heterocyclic compound not normally discussed in the introductory course and has significant advantages over standard procedures using…

Research has shown that within a traditional organic chemistry curriculum, organic chemistry students struggle to develop deep conceptual understanding of reactions and attribute little meaning to the electron-pushing formalism. At the University of Ottawa, a new curriculum was developed for organic chemistry in which students are taught the…

Citizens in all roles need to be able to construct causal explanations of scientific phenomena and engage in coherent argumentation, supported by evidence and sound reasoning. These skills are needed in many contexts, from making everyday decisions to addressing complex global issues. One goal of instruction in this area is to get past assessment…

3D holograms are an effective tool for visualization, and their utilization in chemistry teaching can be beneficial in improving learning outcomes. However, studies on students' opinions about holograms in chemistry teaching and learning are scarce. The research aimed to examine the views of chemistry students on the application of 3D holograms in…

Reaction mechanisms are a core component of organic chemistry. Being able to handle these mechanisms is a central skill for students in this discipline. Diagnosing and fostering mechanistic reasoning is hence an important branch of chemistry education research. When it comes to reasoning about mechanisms, students often experience difficulties…

Formative assessment supports teachers in recognizing students' learning strengths and shortcomings and enhancing teaching and learning approaches. The current study aims to examine the impact of digital-based formative assessment on students' learning of organic chemistry. In this study, a mixed research strategy was used. Students in senior five…

The electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen is a critical step in many green chemistry processes. The key to the efficiency of water electrolysis is the synthesis of an appropriate electrocatalyst. Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an increasingly important part of many industrial processes. In this study, we propose an efficient laboratory…

This communication contains the experience of two early-career organic professors at primarily undergraduate institutions during the rapid transition to an online learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The techniques and methods for transitioning both the organic lecture and lab of two class sizes (~50 and ~10) are juxtaposed, and…