Flipped learning has come to the forefront in education. It maximizes learning by moving content delivery online, where learning can be self-paced, allowing for class time to focus on student-centered active learning. This five-year cross-sectional study assessed student performance in a college general chemistry for majors sequence taught by a single instructor, comparing the flipped learning format to a more traditional lecture format. Students’ conceptual knowledge was captured through the use of American Chemical Society (ACS) standardized exam scores and analyzed using one-way ANCOVA. Student motivation and learning perceptions were assessed using the Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire (CMQ-II) and an in-house Blended (Flipped) Learning Survey. Statistical analysis indicated that students instructed through the flipped learning platform performed better than those taught using traditional pedagogy. Student perceptions regarding flipped learning were mostly positive and reflected motivation to succeed. Educational implications and significance of this work are discussed.

Abstract— Aqueous solutions of L‐tryptophan were photolyzed by exposure to 337.1 nm radiation from a pulsed nitrogen laser. These data were compared with results for the 290 nm conventional‐source photolysis of tryptophan. The progress of photolysis was monitored by fluorescence analysis of tryptophan. UV absorption spectroscopy, HPLC, TLC, and proton NMR spectroscopy. The loss of Trp was observed to be first order for 290 nm photolysis but of mixed order for 337.1 nm photolysis. Five photolysis products were detected by TLC analysis, including: N‐formylkynurenine. kynurenine, tryptamine (detected after 290 nm photolysis but not 337.1 nm photolysis) and two unknown products. The tryptophan‐containing peptides N‐acetyl‐tryptophanamide (NATA) and tryptophylglycine (Trp‐Gly) were also observed to photolyze upon 337.1 nm laser radiation demonstrating that this phenomenon is not restricted to free tryptophan monomer. Since Trp is not ordinarily thought to absorb U V radiation at wavelengths as long as 337.1 nm. a number of experiments were performed in an effort to determine the mechanism of photolysis at this wavelength. Evidence is presented which indicates that the 337.1 nm laser photolysis of Trp does not result from two photon absorption, dielectric breakdown, or other laser‐specific processes. Instead. it is concluded that this photolysis results either from a very weak absorption tail extending to 337.1 nm in tryptophan itself or from a reaction involving an impurity sensitizer which absorbs the 337.1 nm radiation. The sensitizing impurity. if present, could not. however, be removed by preparative HPLC and could not be detected by TLC or fluorescence analysis.

Science education research has shown that solving case studies helps students to develop higher-order analytical skills while discovering the usefulness of conceptual knowledge in solving real-world problems. In order to support team-based learning and promote student curiosity, two case studies highlighting relevant topics in the media were developed for use in a flipped undergraduate general chemistry sequence. The first is a case involving the determination of the molecular formula of a pharmaceutical. Students work in teams and use their knowledge of stoichiometry to determine the identity of the compound. The second, an interrupted case spanning two courses, is pulled from media reports about arsenic in apple juice. Student teams use their knowledge of periodic properties, electron configurations, and molecular geometry to investigate elemental arsenic and As-containing compounds and also research arsenic's toxicological effects. Both cases are described in this paper along with details regarding how they are implemented and assessed. Student opinions on the use of case studies are also presented.

Spelman College, a small (∼2150 students) Black women’s liberal arts college located in Atlanta, GA, USA, is dedicated to empowering women of African descent to become global leaders and change agents. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting abrupt and unforeseen campus closure, Spelman experienced pressure and urgency to maintain a high quality curriculum for its students, while balancing student and faculty well-being. This communication is a reflection of the teaching practices that the faculty in Spelman’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry implemented during the transition to emergency remote instruction (ERI). We first describe the initial week-long planning phase used to transition the Department to ERI, including detailed information on the faculty’s efforts to redesign lecture and lab courses via the adoption of new learning platforms, teaching strategies, and student learning objectives. Next, we use student survey data, collected by individual faculty, to reflect on the challenges, opportunities, and iterative course redesign that occurred throughout ERI. Student well-being, engagement, and adaptation were of particular concern and challenge to the Department during ERI. Nevertheless, by embracing a spirit of ”productive disorder”, the Department was able to channel its faculty ”superpowers” toward pedagogical change and transformation. More importantly, by allowing students to operate as independent and resilient learners in the time of COVID-19, we found that students rose to the challenge of creative expression and critique even in unconventional times.

Abstract— Rates of photolysis, quantum yields of fluorescence, and fluorescence emission maxima for the dipeptides glycyltryptophan (Gly‐Trp) and tryptophylglycine (Trp‐Gly) and for free tryptophan (Trp) were determined under both degassed and aerated conditions in the pH range 4.5‐10.0. The photolyses were performed at 25°C using 290 nm radiation from a 1000 W xenon lamp. Photolysis rates were determined by monitoring tryptophan fluorescence loss with time. It was found that Trp‐Gly and free Trp showed similar behavior in that their fluorescence quantum yields and photolysis rates increased significantly above neutral pH. In contrast, the Gly‐Trp fluorescence yield was smaller than that of Trp or Trp‐Gly, showing no significant increase at high pH and the photolysis rate for Gly‐Trp decreased with increasing pH. In comparing aerated to degassed samples, it was found that degassing had a far greater effect on the photolysis rates of Trp and Trp‐Gly than on the photolysis rate of Gly‐Trp especially at higher pH. But, degassing did not change the relative fluorescence quantum yields or fluorescence emission maxima of any of the three compounds. Possible mechanisms for photolysis under various experimental conditions were examined in light of the data.