ABSTRACT
The integration of technology in education has become ever more prioritized since the COVID-19 pandemic. Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) is an artificial intelligence technology that generates conversational interactions to user prompts. The trained model can answer follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests. The functionality of ChatGPT in answering chemistry assessment questions requires investigation to ascertain its potential impact on learning and assessment. Two chemistry-focused modules in year 1 and year 2 of a pharmaceutical science program are used to study and evaluate ChatGPT-generated responses in relation to the end-of-year exam assessments. For questions that focused on knowledge and understanding with "describe” and "discuss” verbs, the ChatGPT generated responses. For questions that focused on application of knowledge and interpretation with nontext information, the ChatGPT technology reached a limitation. A further analysis of the quality of responses is reported in this study. ChatGPT is not considered a high-risk technology tool in relation to cheating. Similar to the COVID-19 disruption, ChatGPT is expected to provide a catalyst for educational discussions on academic integrity and assessment design. © 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic is also an infodemic, which has brought scientists closer to the popular media, highlighting the need for training in public communication of science and technology. A virtual magazine environment based on this scenario was simulated during a science communication course attended by first-year undergraduate chemistry students, who assumed the role of science journalists. The instructor, in the role of editor, organized a special issue on chemistry and COVID-19 and structured the activities into science communication classes, agenda building, interviews with nonexperts, writing popular science texts, peer reviews, and online publishing. Fifty-eight popular science texts were produced on different topics of chemistry related to the pandemic. The activity contributed to improving communication, information literacy, and media and technology learning, which are among the 21st century skills for science education. © 2022 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
ABSTRACT
Global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for visionary innovations in chemical education. We recently deigned a new learning environment called "ZuKon 2030”, which addresses sustainability from a chemical perspective while simultaneously introducing students to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030. It integrates modern and innovative learning strategies by creating a format that can be used in either face-to-face or distance learning settings. In addition to the modules designed as exit games embedded in the overarching narrative of a fictional science conference, the Future Conference, paper materials enriched with Augmented Reality are used in order to allow students to complete the modules independently. In this paper, we present the basic concept of the learning environment and concretely show the implementation of the concept. We use the module "The Mystery of Coral Death” as an example, and we report our results and experiences with the entire learning environment. In the preliminary study, the students rated the hybrid learning environment mostly positively in the areas of thematic content, realization of the learning environment, digital content, and game elements. © 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
ABSTRACT
Global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for visionary innovations in chemical education. We recently deigned a new learning environment called "ZuKon 2030", which addresses sustainability from a chemical perspective while simultaneously introducing students to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030. It integrates modern and innovative learning strategies by creating a format that can be used in either face-to-face or distance learning settings. In addition to the modules designed as exit games embedded in the overarching narrative of a fictional science conference, the Future Conference, paper materials enriched with Augmented Reality are used in order to allow students to complete the modules independently. In this paper, we present the basic concept of the learning environment and concretely show the implementation of the concept. We use the module "The Mystery of Coral Death"as an example, and we report our results and experiences with the entire learning environment. In the preliminary study, the students rated the hybrid learning environment mostly positively in the areas of thematic content, realization of the learning environment, digital content, and game elements. © 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic is also an infodemic, which has brought scientists closer to the popular media, highlighting the need for training in public communication of science and technology. A virtual magazine environment based on this scenario was simulated during a science communication course attended by first-year undergraduate chemistry students, who assumed the role of science journalists. The instructor, in the role of editor, organized a special issue on chemistry and COVID-19 and structured the activities into science communication classes, agenda building, interviews with nonexperts, writing popular science texts, peer reviews, and online publishing. Fifty-eight popular science texts were produced on different topics of chemistry related to the pandemic. The activity contributed to improving communication, information literacy, and media and technology which are the 21st skills for science education.
ABSTRACT
UV-vis absorption spectroscopy is one of the most accessible spectroscopic techniques at the high school educational level, and it is usually introduced in analytical chemistry courses due to its high versatility and to the wide range of applications in many fields of chemistry. Within this framework, we have developed an easy-to-use "simulation tool" to identify and quantify the main pigments in a relatively complex food matrix, such as olive oil and seeds' oils. This digital software, freely available, can be used by high school students and first-year undergraduate students to analyze the UV-vis absorption spectrum of olive oils recorded in the bulk without any chemical treatment. In this paper, we are reporting the basic principles of the spectroscopic method and the way to use the "simulation tool" with several examples and explanations that are useful for students and teachers. In the second part of the paper, several examples of activities about the chemistry of olive oil, realized with the fifth classes' students of a high school technical institute (K-12 level) and undergraduate students of an introductory course in spectroscopy in the second year of the Chemistry Degree Course, are reported. These activities were performed partially face-to-face and partially in distance learning mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main learning outcomes, methodological issues, and students' feedback resulting from these experiences are reported and commented on, showing the potential of the simulation tool for educational purposes.