Journal of Chemical Education最新文献

As flow chemistry emerges as a pivotaltechnology for achievingsustainable development goals (SDGs), integrating it into the undergraduatecurriculum requires an understanding of the total student experience.This study applies Novak’s theory of meaningful learning toevaluate the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor experiences of82 students in a green flow chemistry laboratory. Data from a 15-itemLikert survey and open-ended responses reveal a strikingly asymmetriclearning profile: while students reported high cognitive engagement(mean = 4.30) and strong intrigue with the equipment (mean = 4.49),their psychomotor confidence was markedly lower (mean = 3.60). Notably,students expressed high attraction to the equipment (positive affect)alongside persistent intimidation and low confidence in data-drivendecision-making (psychomotor). These results suggest that while greenchemistry principles serve as effective cognitive and affective anchorsfor student interest, the technical novelty of flow systems createsa psychomotor threshold that current single-session formats do notfully bridge. Our findings demonstrate that measuring only cognitionand affect would obscure this bottleneck, underscoring the importanceof independently assessing all three domains. We propose that prelabfamiliarization activities, distributed multisession exposure, andexplicit linking of experimental steps to green chemistry principlescan support the development of technically confident sustainable chemists.

Undergraduate students have a difficult time recognizingdifferentfunctional groups in complex compounds like biological molecules anddrugs. Students are also challenged to find effective ways to studyand recognize functional groups, typically relying on flash cardsthat lack a variety of locations and arrangements of the functionalgroup. To support student learning, we have developed an interactivegame that can serve as a useful and entertaining alternative to traditionalstudy methods. “Doggy Diagnosis” simulates a hospitalfor dogs that have consumed different chemical compounds. You playas a nurse trying to cure each patient in as few days as possibleby identifying functional groups to determine treatment. The gamecan be modified to ensure the appropriate difficulty for the studentdepending on their course application. The game also increases thecomplexity of the compounds over play time to challenge the student.Students that have played the game found it to be entertaining anda useful educational tool.

The comprehensive teaching experiment presented hereinexhibitsstrong interdisciplinary integration, practical relevance, and applicationpotential, making it a suitable experimental teaching program forundergraduates majoring in materials chemistry, polymer science, andother related fields. This experiment successfully integrates organicsynthesis techniques, nanomaterial preparation methods, and polymerhydrogel performance characterization skills acquired by undergraduatestudents, which is critical for enhancing their comprehensive experimentaloperation capabilities. Through hands-on practice, students not onlyenhance their ability to solve complex experimental problems but alsodevelop innovative thinking and scientific research literacy. Takingthe application requirements of multifunctional hydrogels in the biomedicalfield as the starting point, the experiment guides students to deeplyexplore the intrinsic relationship between the chemical structureand properties of materials, thereby establishing a systematic cognitiveframework. Throughout the experiment, students complete the synthesisof dopamine methacrylamide (DMA), the preparation of molybdenum disulfide(MoS₂) nanosheets, and the construction of MoS₂ composite hydrogels (MoS₂@DAS), followed by evaluatingthe mechanical, adhesive, catalytic, and photothermal properties ofthe hydrogels via various characterization methods. The teacher–studentinteractive teaching mode runs through the entire process of experimentalpreparation, implementation, and summary, positively expanding students’theoretical knowledge, improving practical skills, and fostering innovationability.

In chemistry, a visual science, the ability to read,interpret,and reason with graphs is essential for conceptual understanding.However, existing models of graph competence have largely been developedoutside chemistry and primarily focus on the formal-representationaldimension of graph comprehension. As such, they do not adequatelycapture the domain-specific cognitive demands that arise when learnersengage with chemistry-specific graphs. This paper introduces the ReceptiveGraph Competence Model for Chemistry (RGC-Chem), a hierarchicallystructured, domain-specific framework for the analysis, instruction,and assessment of receptive line graph competence in chemistry. Themodel comprises five hierarchically ordered levels, ranging from theidentification of individual function values (Level 1) to the integratedinterpretation of more than one graph (Level 5), and integrates twocomplementary dimensions: a formal-representational dimension addressingthe structural conventions of graphs and a domain-specific contentdimension encompassing the chemistry-related conceptual knowledgerequired for comprehensive graph understanding. The RGC-Chem was developedusing a deductive–inductive approach, grounded in establishedtheoretical frameworks and empirically refined through a systematictextbook analysis of 371 line-graph-related tasks from German secondarychemistry textbooks. The findings indicate that the model’scompetence levels accommodate the full range of graph-related taskdemands identified in these textbooks and support the model’spractical utility as a research and instructional tool. The paperalso discusses the model’s potential for task design, assessment,and instructional planning, as well as its current limitations, particularlythe need for empirical validation with learners. Overall, the RGC-Chemprovides a theoretically grounded framework for research and practicerelated to graph competence in chemistry education and highlightsthe importance of connecting graphical patterns to their underlyingchemical meaning.

Effective teamworking has become a cornerstone of successin highereducation, shaping both teaching practices and research outcomes.As universities respond to increasing demands for innovation, interdisciplinarycollaboration, and student engagement, the ability to foster cohesiveand high-performing teams is more critical than ever. Beyond enhancingacademic productivity, teamworking plays a pivotal role in preparinggraduates for the modern workforce, where collaboration, adaptability,and communication are among the most highly valued employability skills.Embedding these competencies within undergraduate programs not onlybenefits students but also aligns teaching practice with professionalstandards and accreditation requirements, which increasingly emphasizecollaborative learning and authentic assessment. This paper describesan evidence-informed, practice-focused workshop designed to move studentsbeyond task-based group work toward effective teamwork. Situated withinundergraduate chemistry laboratory education, the workshop uses activeand reflective pedagogies to prepare students for collaborative, research-stylelaboratory practice and offers a transferable model for explicitlyteaching teamwork in chemistry curricula.

In this work, we introduce Quantum Ninjas vs Laser Robots, a board game designed to cultivate quantumintuition in learnersacross a variety of backgrounds through interactive gameplay and tangibleanalogies. The game introduces familiar and approachable characters,ninjas and robots, which help to model key ideas of quantum mechanics,including probabilistic measurement, discrete energy levels, excitationand relaxation processes, and wave function collapse. The game wasintroduced to a group of undergraduate students at Texas A&M University,and their postgame perceptions were collected via a survey. The resultsindicate a positive reception of the game, engagement, and collaborativelearning. Our findings suggest that game-based learning has the potentialto serve as an effective complement to traditional teaching methodsfor abstract and math-heavy subjects such as quantum mechanics bylowering barriers to entry.

Electronconfigurations of atomic orbitals are basicand essentialtopics in the chemistry curriculum for understanding atoms throughquantum mechanics. Because the mathematical treatment of wave functionsis generally omitted from introductory chemistry courses, studentslearn the process of arranging electrons in atomic orbital energylevels according to the aufbau principle, the Pauli exclusion principle,and Hund’s rules. Although various game-based educational methodshave been developed to enhance motivation for learning electron configurationsof atomic orbitals, they do not encompass all content related to electronconfigurations in ions and excited states, which are covered in thechemistry curriculum. In this work, an interactive board game wasdesigned to include electron configurations not only in the groundstate but also in excited and ionized states. Thirty-six 11th-gradestudents engaged in this game and reported positive perceptions ofusage intention and learning effectiveness. The learning activityled to meaningful improvement in students’ understanding ofexcited-state electron configurations. The game’s competitiveand engaging features encouraged repeated play, supporting students’learning of fundamental chemical concepts related to electron configurations.

Thesynthesis and characterisation of nanoparticles provide anengaging and practical approach to integrating nanotechnology intoeducational settings. This study outlines a streamlined and cost-effectiveexperiment for synthesizing Rose Bengal encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles, with the synthesis step completed within 60 minutes, making it suitablefor classroom-based experiments. The formulation employs chitosanas a biodegradable polymer, sodium tripolyphosphate for ionic crosslinking,and acetic acid to enhance chitosan solubility in an aqueous medium.Post-synthesis purification was achieved using dialysis, ensuringimproved stability and size uniformity of the nanoparticles. Characterisationthrough scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scatteringconfirmed a particle size distribution between 100–300 nm,with an average size of around 200 nm, ideal for biomedical applications,including photodynamic therapy (PDT). This experiment supports greenchemistry principles by avoiding toxic reagents and minimising wastewhile serving as a practical, interdisciplinary learning tool thatreinforces both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills in polymerscience, nanoparticle synthesis, and biomedical applications suchas PDT. As such, it offers an accessible and impactful addition toa nanotechnology-focused educational curriculum.

This paper reports an undergraduate laboratory experimentdesignedfor a course on micro/nanofabrication and devices, in which studentsfabricate and characterize silicon nanowire–based microrobotsusing standard micro/nanofabrication techniques. The experiment integratesphotolithography, silicon etching, and thin-film deposition to constructordered silicon nanowire arrays featuring an in situ SiO₂ insulating layer and deposited metal films, thereby forming metal–insulator–semiconductor(MIS) junctions capable of enabling light-driven propulsion. By combiningtop–down microfabrication with bottom–up nanostructureformation, the project introduces students to fundamental conceptsin modern micro/nanoengineering, including template-assisted fabrication,structure–property relationships, and microrobot motion analysis.The laboratory instruction combines demonstrations by teaching assistantswith hands-on practice by students, extends beyond conventional “cookbook-style”laboratory instruction by emphasizing process optimization, parameterregulation, and experimental data analysis, thereby strengtheningstudents’ understanding of micro/nanodevice fabrication principlesand operational mechanisms. Overall, this work provides a modular,reproducible, and pedagogically accessible laboratory framework forincorporating emerging microrobot technologies into undergraduateengineering and applied science curricula.

We present a course explaining structural features foundin inorganicion crystals aiming to give an outline to lecturers for a stepwiseintroduction to specific structural phenomena. It deals with the symmetryof polyhedra and its modification starting from isolated ones to theircatenation toward the three-dimensional entity. We furthermore treatthe sometimes-puzzling interaction of the coordination number, polyhedralcatenation, and stoichiometric ratio of the compounds and presentworking sheets to help with “reading” structures byan analysis of their pictorial presentations. We discuss a varietyof effects leading to distortions of polyhedral symmetry induced bytypical bonding effects. We also present rules to help understandpolymorphic transitions induced by changes in temperature or pressure,and we discuss structural features which are indictive for high temperatureor high-pressure regimes.