A versatile potentiostat based on inexpensive and “off the shelf” components is reported. The platform was shown to be capable of performing simple electrochemistry experiments, suitable for undergraduate level teaching. The simple design and construction enable easy customization to accommodate a broad array of experimental designs. The equipment was used to calculate the diffusion coefficient of potassium ferricyanide in an aqueous solution, and the obtained result was in good agreement with the literature. Although simple in design, the low cost and good performance of the device make it a competitive alternative for teaching laboratories in the fields of both electronics and electrochemistry, and for developing teaching centers that cannot afford a commercial device.

http://pubsdc3.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00961

Building a Microcontroller Based Potentiostat: A Inexpensive and Versatile Platform for Teaching Electrochemistry and Instrumentation

Many research and teaching laboratories rely on USB data acquisition devices to collect voltage signals from instrumentation. However, these devices can be cost-prohibitive (especially when large numbers are needed for teaching laboratories) and require software to be developed for operation. In this article, we describe the development and use of an open-source USB data acquisition device (with 16-bit acquisition resolution) built using simple electronic components and an Arduino Uno that costs under $50. Additionally, open-source software written in Python is included so that data can be acquired using nearly any PC or Mac computer with a simple USB connection. Use of the device was demonstrated for a sophomore-level analytical experiment using gas chromatography and a capillary electrophoresis-UV separation on an instrument used for research purposes.

An Inexpensive, Open-Source USB Arduino Data Acquisition Device for Chemical Instrumentation

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the education system worldwide, which was forced to respond with a sudden shift to distance learning While successful distance teaching requires careful thinking, planning, and the development of technological and human resources, there was no time for preparation in the current situation Various physics courses, including lectures, tutorials, and laboratory courses, had to be transferred to online formats, resulting in a variety of simultaneous, asynchronous, and mixed activities To investigate how physics students perceived the sudden shift to online learning, we developed a questionnaire and gathered data from N = 578 physics students from five universities in Germany, Austria, and Croatia In this article, we report how the problem-solving sessions (recitations) and laboratories were adapted, how students judge the different formats of the courses, and how useful and effective they perceived them The results are correlated with the students' self-efficacy ratings and other behavioral measures (such as self-regulated learning skills) This study is descriptive in nature, and a survey study design was implemented to examine the relationships among the variables We found that good communication abilities (r = 0 48, p < 0 001) and self-organization skills (r = 0 63, p < 0 001) are positively correlated with perceived learning achievement Furthermore, the previous duration of studies had a significant impact on several self-reported achievement measures, resulting in consistently lower scores of students in their first academic year compared with students who were further along academically We draw conclusions and suggest implications for future online classes on the instructor and faculty level Suggestions include (i) focusing on first-year courses with on-campus teaching when facing limited lecture hall capacities, (ii) offering special courses for promoting self-regulated learning skills, (iii) emphasizing the positive aspects of distance learning, and (iv) installing networking services for supporting student communication

Studying physics during the COVID-19 pandemic: Student assessments of learning achievement, perceived effectiveness of online recitations, and online laboratories

ABE-Stat, a Fully Open-Source and Versatile Wireless Potentiostat Project Including Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Motivated by the recent explosion of interest around Educational Robotics (ER), this paper attempts to re-approach this area by suggesting new ways of thinking and exploring the related concepts. The contribution of the paper is fourfold. First, future readers can use this paper as a reference point for exploring the expected learning outcomes of educational robotics. From an exhaustive list of potential learning gains, we propose a set of six learning outcomes that can offer a starting point for a viable model for the design of robotic activities. Second, the paper aims to serve as a survey for the most recent ER platforms. Driven by the growing number of available robotics platforms, we have gathered the most recent ER kits. We also propose a new way to categorize the platforms, free from their manufacturers’ vague age boundaries. The proposed categories, including No Code , Basic Code , and Advanced Code , are derived from the prior knowledge and the programming skills that a student needs to use them efficiently. Third, as the number of ER competitions, and tournaments increases in parallel with ER platforms’ increase, the paper presents and analyses the most popular robotic events. Robotics competitions encourage participants to develop and showcase their skills while promoting specific learning outcomes. The paper aims to provide an overview of those structures and discuss their efficacy. Finally, the paper explores the educational aspects of the presented ER competitions and their correlation with the six proposed learning outcomes. This raises the question of which primary features compose a competition and achieve its’ pedagogical goals. This paper is the first study that correlates potential learning gains with ER competitions to the best of our knowledge.

/pdf/educational-robotics-platforms-competitions-and-expected-14gjbr32p8.pdf

Educational Robotics: Platforms, Competitions and Expected Learning Outcomes

In everyday praxis, we often need demonstration measuring devices (thermometers, pH meters, etc.), with large enough displays to be easily readable from every point in the classroom. Here, we present some of the capabilities of the Arduino platform for the school environment. This microprocessor board can be used for inexpensive construction of measuring devices for demonstrations and experiments performed by students in chemistry.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ed5008102

ChemDuino: Adapting Arduino for Low-Cost Chemical Measurements in Lecture and Laboratory

In everyday praxis we often need to demonstrate measuring devices—such as thermometers, manometers and voltmeters— with large enough displays that they can easily be read from anywhere in the classroom. In some cases, computers with a measurement interface can be used as a substitute, but often this is not possible (for example in the lab or in an outdoor environment). We present a low-cost basis for demonstration devices that can also be used in situ as data loggers or in the classroom as computer interfaces.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0031-9120/50/4/472/pdf

Štěpánka Kubínová

Papers

ChemDuino: Adapting Arduino for Low-Cost Chemical Measurements in Lecture and Laboratory

Physics Demonstrations with the Arduino Board.