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Chemical Illustrations of Flattening the Curve

Dean Campbell | Sun, 03/22/2020 - 18:24

With the current global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been much discussion of “flattening the curve” by social distancing. These ideas can be demonstrated chemically, for example, by the iron-catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to produce an oxygen gas foam. Decreased hydrogen peroxide concentrations, representing decreased human population concentrations from social distancing, produce oxygen gas foam, representing cases of illness, at a slower rate. A similar demonstration can be achieved using the popular Diet Coke and Mentos experiment. These simple experiments are best used as stand-alone demonstrations.

10 Principles of Effective Games to Make School a Better Learning Environment

Josh Kenney | Mon, 03/16/2020 - 08:44

Gameful learning isn’t about playing educational games; instead, it’s about creating a highly motivating and engaging learning environment by implementing proven game design elements into a course structure. With gamified learning, students are challenged and motivated to construct knowledge that goes far beyond the basics of an educational game.

JCE 97.03 March 2020 Issue Highlights

Mary Saecker | Tue, 03/10/2020 - 14:17

Developing Students’ Scientific Reasoning - The March 2020 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education is now available online to subscribers. Topics featured in this issue include: nanochemistry; innovative curriculum; teaching with games; teaching with food chemistry and natural products; infrared applications; analysis using color, images, and visualization; environmental chemistry; computer-aided organic chemistry; synthesis laboratories; physical chemistry; graduate school climate assessment; chemical education research: introductory chemistry and student success.

A Multi-Colored Equilibrium Experiment

Tom Kuntzleman | Thu, 03/05/2020 - 18:35

Solutions of copper (II) dissolved in acetone are easy to prepare, and can display orange, yellow, green, and blue color depending upon conditions. Such solutions allow for a variety of demonstrations and experiments that illustrate principles of chemical equilibrium. 

What is Gamification in Education?

Josh Kenney | Sat, 02/15/2020 - 13:20

The notion is to increase student engagement and persistence by embedding game design elements in a course or lesson. It seems to work in other industries, but can game elements be successfully applied in educational contexts?

Assessing the Assessors

Francisco Villa | Tue, 01/21/2020 - 15:10

A lot of time is spent assessing students but how much time is spent assessing ourselves and our peers? Some faculty take departmental evaluations seriously and professionally while others prefer not to for a variety of reasons. What happens when a faculty member introduces evaluation guidelines into a department that had none previously? Read and find out.

JCE 97.01 January 2020 Issue Highlights

Mary Saecker | Fri, 01/17/2020 - 17:48

Inspiring Teaching and Learning Chemistry for 97 Years

The January 2020 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education is now available to subscribers. Topics featured in this issue include: activities using household materials; demonstrations; health-oriented experiments; microplastics; environmental chemistry labs; fluorescence; surface chemistry; cost-effective equipment; augmented & virtual reality; laboratory curriculum; examining learning in general chemistry; organic chemistry teaching resource; from the archives: developing oral communication skills.