@article{muniz_oliver-hoyo_2014, title={Investigating Quantum Mechanical Tunneling at the Nanoscale via Analogy: Development and Assessment of a Teaching Tool for Upper-Division Chemistry}, volume={91}, ISSN={["1938-1328"]}, DOI={10.1021/ed400761q}, abstractNote={We report a novel educational activity designed to teach quantum mechanical tunneling to upper-division undergraduate students in the context of nanochemistry. The activity is based on a theoretical framework for analogy and is split into three parts that are linked pedagogically through the framework: classical ball-and-ramp system, tunneling involving a familiar substance (NH3 inversion), and tunneling in core/shell quantum dots. Students first begin in the classical world—the world within which they are most familiar, explore tunneling in the NH3 inversion paradigm to gain exposure to the stark differences between classical and quantum behavior, and finally extend the concept of tunneling to the nanoscale through the examination of spectroscopic results in the literature of CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots. Additionally, the activity has been assessed via a mixed-methods approach using qualitative analysis of individual student interviews (pre- and postactivity) and recordings of students’ group discou...}, number={10}, journal={JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION}, author={Muniz, Marc N. and Oliver-Hoyo, Maria T.}, year={2014}, month={Oct}, pages={1546–1556} }
 @article{muniz_oliver-hoyo_2014, title={On the use of analogy to connect core physical and chemical concepts to those at the nanoscale}, volume={15}, ISSN={["1756-1108"]}, DOI={10.1039/c4rp00097h}, abstractNote={Nanoscale science remains at the forefront of modern scientific endeavors. As such, students in chemistry need to be prepared to navigate the physical and chemical concepts that describe the unique phenomena observed at this scale. Current approaches to integrating nanoscale topics into undergraduate chemistry curricula range from the design of new individual nano courses to broad implementation of modules, experiments, and activities into existing courses. We have developed and assessed three modular instructional materials designed to explicitly connect core physical and chemical concepts to those at the nanoscale. These modular instructional materials aim to be readily adapted to existing curricular format and have been designed based on an educational framework for analogy. The findings from a qualitative study involving undergraduate chemistry students indicate that analogical transfer from core physical and chemical concepts to those at the nanoscale can be facilitated through the use of these instructional materials. Conceptual challenges as well as evidence for analogical transfer are provided herein, along with recommendations for instructor implementation and future work.}, number={4}, journal={CHEMISTRY EDUCATION RESEARCH AND PRACTICE}, author={Muniz, Marc N. and Oliver-Hoyo, Maria T.}, year={2014}, pages={807–823} }