JCE 90.09—September 2013 Issue Highlights

Future Directions of Chemistry Education Research

The September 2013 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education is now available online [http://pubs.acs.org/toc/jceda8/90/9]. This latest issue of JCE plus the content of all past issues, volumes 1 through 90, are available at http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc.

Cover: A New Approach to General Chemistry and a Model for Curriculum Reform

Melanie Cooper and Michael Klymkowsky present a rationale for why curriculum reform is necessary, and how it can be accomplished, based on current understandings of teaching and learning at the college level. They present a model for curriculum development and use their new two-semester, introductory chemistry course—CLUE: Chemistry, Life, the Universe, and Everything—as an example of materials developed in this way.

Chemistry Education Research

In this month's Editorial, Marcy H. Towns, Associate Editor of JCE, announces new content requirements for Chemistry Education Research (CER) manuscripts in JCE and discusses future directions of the field.

Effect of Different Types of Small-Group Activities on Students’ Conversations
by Krista K. Young and Vicente Talanquer


Validating Chemistry Faculty Members’ Self-Reported Familiarity with Assessment Terminology
by Mary Emenike, Jeffrey R. Raker, and Thomas Holme

Innovative Approaches to the General Chemistry Laboratory

A Process for Developing Introductory Science Laboratory Learning Goals To Enhance Student Learning and Instructional Alignment
by Jennifer M. Duis, Laurel L. Schafer, Sophia Nussbaum, and Jaclyn J. Stewart


Changing the First-Year Chemistry Laboratory Manual To Implement a Problem-Based Approach That Improves Student Engagement by Thamara Laredo


Development and Preliminary Impacts of the Implementation of an Authentic Research-Based Experiment in General Chemistry
by Janice Hall Tomasik, Katelyn E. Cottone, Mitchell T. Heethuis, and Anja Mueller

Using a Thematic Laboratory-Centered Curriculum To Teach General Chemistry
by Todd A. Hopkins and Michael Samide


Developing Online Collaboration Skills in the General Chemistry Laboratory
by Scott A. Sinex and Theodore L. Chambers

Computer-Based Learning

Online Homework Put to the Test: A Report on the Impact of Two Online Learning Systems on Student Performance in General Chemistry
by Jack F. Eichler and Junelyn Peeples

Exploring Transmedia: The Rip-Mix-Learn Classroom
by Lucille A. Benedict, David T. Champlin, and Harry E. Pence

Understanding Hydrophobic & Hydrophilic Materials

Preparation of Transparent Superhydrophobic Glass Slides: Demonstration of Surface Chemistry Characteristics
by Jessica X. H. Wong and Hua-Zhong Yu


Going inside Colored Solutions: The Optical Microscope as a Tool for Studying the Chemistry of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Materials
by Riam Abu-Much, Sobhi Basheer, Ahmad Basheer, and Muhamad Hugerat

Consumer Chemicals in the Lab

Determination of Calcium in Powdered Milk via X-ray Fluorescence Using External Standard and Standard Addition Based Methods
by Jason C. Chan and Peter T. Palmer

Glucose Determination in Beverages Using Carbon Nanotube Modified Biosensor: An Experiment for the Undergraduate Laboratory
by J. Mark Hobbs, Niral N. Patel, Daniel W. Kim, Joseph K. Rugutt, and Adam K. Wanekaya


High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Analysis of Single-Origin Chocolates for Methylxanthine Composition and Provenance Determination
by Shannon E. Stitzel and Ryan E. Sours


A Two-Step Synthesis of the Laundry Detergent Perfume Additive β-Citronellyl Tosylate
by Cheryl M. Mascarenhas

Cost-Effective Teaching Materials

Introducing Colorimetric Analysis with Camera Phones and Digital Cameras: An Activity for High School or General Chemistry
by Eric Kehoe and R. Lee Penn


Using a Hands-On Method To Help Students Learn Inorganic Chemistry Nomenclature via Assembly of Two-Dimensional Shapes
by Amalio Garrido-Escudero


Building Molecular Models Using Screw-On Bottle Caps
by Dawid Siodłak

Proflavine–DNA Binding Using a Handheld Fluorescence Spectrometer: A Laboratory for Introductory Chemistry
by Swapan S. Jain, Christopher N. LaFratta, Andres Medina, and Ian Pelse

Primers in Physical Chemistry

Chemical Kinetics Laboratory Discussion Worksheet
by Dustin Wayne Demoin and Silvia S. Jurisson


Reaction Extrema: Extent of Reaction in General Chemistry
by Jonathon E. Vandezande, Douglas A. Vander Griend, and Roger L. DeKock


Beyond the Syllabus: Using the First Day of Class in Physical Chemistry as an Introduction to the Development of Macroscopic, Molecular-Level, and Mathematical Models
by Chrystal D. Bruce

A Primer in Monte Carlo Integration Using Mathcad
by Chad E. Hoyer and Jeb S. Kegerreis


From the Archives: Green Chemistry

This issue contains an article on integrating green chemistry across the liberal arts curriculum, with the goal of increasing the level of communication and awareness among students from different majors about growing environmental and global issues. Past issues of JCE include many additional articles that incorporate the ideas of green chemistry, including these recent ones:

Green Goggles: Designing and Teaching a General Chemistry Course to Nonmajors Using a Green Chemistry Approach by Sarah Prescott

Green Chemistry and Sustainability: An Undergraduate Course for Science and Nonscience Majors by Erin M. Gross

ConfChem Conference on Educating the Next Generation: Green and Sustainable Chemistry—An Online Conference and the seven succeeding articles from that conference

Fitting It All In: Adapting a Green Chemistry Extraction Experiment for Inclusion in an Undergraduate Analytical Laboratory by Heather L. Buckley, Annelise R. Beck, Martin J. Mulvihill, and Michelle C. Douskey

1,000,000 JCE Fans Can’t Be Wrong

With over 1.6 million downloads each year, you always be sure to find something useful—including all of the articles mentioned above, and many more—in the Journal of Chemical Education. Articles that are edited and published online ahead of print (ASAP—As Soon As Publishable) are also available.

The January 2013 issue is available as a sample issue for the entire year. If you like what you read, subscribe! If you have something to share, write it up!