Advancing environmental literacy and sustainable laboratory practices through digital chemistry education

Title : Advancing environmental literacy and sustainable laboratory practices through digital chemistry education

Abstract:

Environmental sustainability requires educational approaches that equip future scientists with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities needed to evaluate the environmental consequences of scientific activities. However, sustainability considerations are not always explicitly integrated into undergraduate laboratory teaching. This study explores the use of AI4Green4Students (https://ai4g4s.app/), a pedagogically adapted electronic laboratory notebook (ELN), to support environmental literacy, sustainable decision-making, and scientific data management in undergraduate chemistry education.

The platform integrates sustainability learning resources, chemical hazard information, solvent selection guidance, and green chemistry metrics into experimental planning and laboratory documentation. Students are encouraged to evaluate the environmental implications of their experimental choices, interpret sustainability indicators, and document scientific evidence systematically. The ELN was evaluated through undergraduate laboratory deployments involving 19 students across two academic cohorts, using student feedback, laboratory observations, and instructor perspectives. A separate comparison cohort of 12 students used an existing digital recording system.

Findings indicate that the structured digital environment supported the integration of sustainability considerations into laboratory planning and encouraged engagement with green chemistry metrics. Instructor feedback highlighted improvements in the completeness and consistency of laboratory records, alongside more effective feedback and experimental approval workflows. These findings illustrate how digital laboratory environments can connect scientific knowledge with practical environmental decision-making.

The study highlights the potential of technology-enhanced chemistry education to strengthen environmental literacy, responsible laboratory practices, and evidence-based sustainability awareness. Its approach offers transferable insights for educators seeking to embed environmental responsibility within practical science education.
 

Biography:

Dr Peace C Nwafor is a Lecturer in Forensic Chemistry at Anglia Ruskin University, UK, with expertise in analytical chemistry, environmental sustainability, artificial intelligence, and science education. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, where she co-developed AI4Green4Students, an electronic laboratory notebook designed to promote sustainable chemistry and scientific data literacy. Her research focuses on integrating machine learning, digital technologies, and green chemistry principles into scientific education and environmental applications. She has extensive experience in higher education, industrial chemistry, and public engagement, with a strong commitment to advancing sustainability through research, innovation, and education.