The sudden COVID-19 outbreak has obstructed the conventional method of teaching causing a mandated shift to virtual platforms. A developing country like India which predominantly depended on conventional methods of teaching and learning in the pre-COVID era is gradually gaining success in effectively transitioning into virtual classrooms with the…

For years, hybridization in chemistry has been taught using static pictures and model kits. We decided to reimagine how students learn hybridization through the development of a mobile learning tool. The tool contains gamification features, such as achievements and progressive leveling that keep students engaged, while the mobile platform allows…

Although active learning strategies are being incorporated into many higher-education STEM courses, not all students benefit from these activities to the same extent. As these types of activities are designed to engage students in their learning, differences in student engagement may explain some of the differences in learning outcomes. However,…

This paper presents MATLAB user interfaces for two multiphase kinetic models: the kinetic double-layer model of aerosol surface chemistry and gas--particle interactions (K2-SURF) and the kinetic multilayer model of aerosol surface and bulk chemistry (KM-SUB). Each interface has simple and user-friendly features that allow undergraduate and…

This study explores the design and delivery of two gamified, virtual laboratories, created to replace or compliment the compulsory third-semester university chemistry laboratories. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, laboratory experiments needed to be adapted to suit both on- and off-campus students. Here, we include detailed guidelines on how to…

Assistive technologies remain important in supporting student learning in both in-person laboratories and the online laboratory environment. In this article, we describe an adaptation of a smartphone technology called the Color Blind Pal app to aid students in complementing online laboratory assignments in a general chemistry course. The app was…

Educational games have demonstrated that they represent valuable pedagogical instruments, which can contribute to teaching and learning in a gratifying environment. In particular in chemistry courses, an important effort has been made to facilitate complex interrelated concepts in an easy, enjoyable, and sometimes competitive way. "Compounds…

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are commonly used in performance evaluations of university faculty. However, evidence regarding the association of SETs to student learning has been inconsistent. One way to assess the connection between SETs and actual learning is to compare SETs in the first course in a sequence to student performance in…

Dropout and low academic performance at university level constitute a big current challenge. In this work, materials comprising different interactive tools were developed following instructional design, rooted in the cognitive load theory. They were applied in a first-year lecture chemistry course to tackle low academic performance and high…

Laboratory education makes up an extensive part of natural science education at universities. To support meaningful learning during laboratory work, students should prepare by carefully studying the protocols. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a preparative learning material that focuses on protocol steps with the design goal to…

The ability to collaborate with culturally diverse groups is essential, not only to further scientific knowledge but also to solve complex global problems. However, not all students have opportunities to develop intercultural competencies through study abroad programs, due to various issues such as cost, rigid curriculum, and unrelated field of…

The assessment of student understanding, and of student reasoning skills more broadly, hinges upon the ability to elicit and interpret student-generated explanations. In practice, however, the explanations that students provide in response to traditional prompts do not always reveal as much about student reasoning as teachers and researchers in…

Electrochemistry is a branch of chemistry concerned with the interrelation of electrical and chemical effects, in which mathematical equations are employed to describe the fundamental principles of electrode processes and measurement methods. In this work, we present a graphical simulation that provides visual observations of dynamical behavior…

Traditionally, laboratory practice aims to establish schemas learned by students in theoretical courses through concrete experiences. However, access to laboratories might not always be available to students. Therefore, it is advantageous to diversify the tools that students could use to train practical skills. This technology report describes the…

Introductory chemistry courses tend to suffer from high failure rates. Success in an introductory course has been linked to how students approach learning. The aim of this study was to explore how students' learning approach was related to their success in the introductory chemistry courses measured by the ACS exam and the final course grade.…