{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T19:46:27Z","timestamp":1791920787485,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"American Chemical Society (ACS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100005747","name":"Mississippi Space Grant Consortium","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100005747","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000070","name":"National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["R21EB033533"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["R21EB033533"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000070","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000106","name":"Office of Integrative Activities","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2414447"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2414447"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000106","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000149","name":"Division of Engineering Education and Centers","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2419224"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2419224"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000149","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Creating lessons that connect classroom content to real-world application can enhance high school students\u2019 interest in STEM curricula. The scientific method is one such component of the curriculum that can be meaningfully connected to techniques and practices used across a range of STEM fields. Specifically, Design of Experiments (DoE) is a statistical process widely used in STEM industries and research and development contexts to efficiently collect and analyze scientific data, yet it is rarely taught at the high school level. Importantly, DoE also introduces foundational concepts in structured data generation, multivariable analysis, and pattern recognition that underpin emerging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) approaches. To bridge this gap between methodological understanding and real-world application, this study implemented a hands-on DoE-based lesson focused on polymer hydrogels, which was assessed in a high school science classroom with students across grades 9\u201312. Pre- and postlesson assessments, consisting of multiple-choice, short-answer, and conceptual understanding questions, were used to evaluate shifts in students\u2019 content knowledge and understanding of the DoE approach. The median correct response rate for the conceptual understanding section increased from 33.33% to 66.67% between the pre- and postassessments. Additionally, while response rates for conceptual questions increased following the intervention, a statistically significant improvement in response accuracy was not observed. This pilot study serves as a valuable starting point for designing STEM lessons that introduce students to DoE as a framework for experimental design, while also providing insight into student understanding of this approach\u2500an essential skill set for preparing students for future STEM workforce demands.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jchemed.6c00856","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T06:01:57Z","timestamp":1788933717000},"page":"5689-5697","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Science\nof Design: Introducing Design of Experiments\n(DoE) through a Hydrogel-Based High School Chemistry Investigation"],"prefix":"10.1021","volume":"103","author":[{"given":"Penelope E.","family":"Jankoski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Mississippi , , , ,","place":["Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, 39406"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jamie","family":"Sorrell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sumrall High School , , ,","place":["Sumrall, Mississippi, United States, 39402"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Harrison A.","family":"Livingston","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Mississippi , , , ,","place":["Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, 39406"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dori C.","family":"Harcharik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Mississippi , , , ,","place":["Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, 39406"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Claire M.","family":"Clemons","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Mississippi , , , ,","place":["Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, 39406"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tristan D.","family":"Clemons","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Southern Mississippi , , , ,","place":["Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, 39406"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"316","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"10","key":"2026101310133119300_cit1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2535","DOI":"10.1002\/tea.21948","article-title":"The impact\nof high school science pedagogies on students\u2019 STEM career\ninterest and on their ratings of teacher quality","volume":"61","author":"Chen","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Res. Sci. Teach"},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit2","unstructured":"States, N. L.\n          \n          MS-ETS1 Engineering\nDesign.\n          The National Academies Press, 2026https:\/\/www.nextgenscience.org\/dci-arrangement\/ms-ets1-engineering-design."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17226\/13165","volume-title":"A Framework for K-12\nScience Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas","author":"Council","year":"2012"},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit4","unstructured":"What is design\nof experiments (DOE)?;; National\nInstitute of Standards and Technology, 2026; https:\/\/www.itl.nist.gov\/div898\/handbook\/pmd\/section3\/pmd31.htm."},{"issue":"4","key":"2026101310133119300_cit5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"636","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jchemed.7b00431","article-title":"Flexible Experiment\nIntroducing Factorial Experimental\nDesign","volume":"95","author":"Snetsinger","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Chem. Educ."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit6","unstructured":"Anandamurthy, M.\n          \n          Design\nof experiments for pharma, biotech, and medical electronics.  JMP Resources Articles 2026, https:\/\/www.jmp.com\/en\/resources\/articles\/design-of-experiments-for-pharmaceutical-sciences-biotechnology-and-medical-electronics."},{"issue":"2","key":"2026101310133119300_cit7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/asmb.70075","article-title":"Applied Statistics\nin the Era of Artificial Intelligence: A Review\nand Vision","volume":"42","author":"Min","year":"2026","journal-title":"Applied Stochastic Models in Business\nand Industry"},{"issue":"6","key":"2026101310133119300_cit8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1954","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jchemed.1c00166","article-title":"Design-Based\nLearning Framework for Introducing Factorial Experimental Design and\nLab-on-a-Chip Separations in an Instrumental Chemistry Laboratory","volume":"98","author":"Mondaca","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Chem. Educ."},{"issue":"3","key":"2026101310133119300_cit9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.1021\/ed075p357","article-title":"Fractional\nFactorial Experimental Design as a Teaching Tool for Quantitative\nAnalysis","volume":"75","author":"Oles","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Chem. Educ."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2357","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemmater.5c03073","article-title":"Cell-Laden Supramolecular\nand Covalent\nPolymer Hydrogels for High-Shear Delivery: A Design of Experiments\nApproach","volume":"38","author":"Jankoski","year":"2026","journal-title":"Chem. Mater."},{"issue":"11","key":"2026101310133119300_cit11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"916","DOI":"10.1021\/cbe.4c00129","article-title":"Design and Fabrication\nof Viscoelastic Hydrogels as\nExtracellular Matrix Mimicry for Cell Engineering","volume":"1","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chem. & Bio Engineering"},{"issue":"9","key":"2026101310133119300_cit12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2902","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules27092902","article-title":"Hydrogels:\nProperties and Applications in Biomedicine","volume":"27","author":"Ho","year":"2022","journal-title":"Molecules"},{"issue":"2","key":"2026101310133119300_cit13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.15171\/bi.2017.09","article-title":"Polymers in\nour daily life","volume":"7","author":"Namazi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Bioimpacts"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026101310133119300_cit14","first-page":"8","article-title":"The experimental design\nability test (EDAT)","volume":"37","author":"Sirum","year":"2011","journal-title":"Bioscene: Journal of College\nBiology Teaching"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026101310133119300_cit15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.progpolymsci.2011.06.003","article-title":"Alginate: Properties and biomedical applications","volume":"37","author":"Lee","year":"2012","journal-title":"Prog. Polym. Sci."},{"issue":"1","key":"2026101310133119300_cit16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1016\/0014-5793(73)80770-7","article-title":"Biological\ninteractions between polysaccharides and divalent cations: The egg-box\nmodel","volume":"32","author":"Grant","year":"1973","journal-title":"FEBS Lett."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit17","volume-title":"Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for\nScience","author":"Mississippi Department of Education.","year":"2018"},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit18","unstructured":"College Board.AP Biology Course and Exam Description; College Board: New York, NY, 2025.\n          \n          AP Biology Course\nand Exam Description. 2025."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit19","unstructured":"ABET. Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, 2025-2026; ABET: Baltimore, MD, 2025.\n          \n          Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs 2025-2026. 2025."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit20","unstructured":"Statistics, N. C. f. E.\n          \n          Lamar\nCounty School District, Mississippi \u2500 ACS-ED School District\nDemographic Dashboard; U.S. Department of\nEducation, 2026. https:\/\/nces.ed.gov\/Programs\/Edge\/ACSDashboard\/2802400."},{"key":"2026101310133119300_cit21","unstructured":"National Center for Education Statistics.Search for Public Schools: Sumrall High School (280240001173); U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2025.\n          \n          School Detail: NCES School ID 280240001173. 2025."}],"container-title":["Journal of Chemical Education"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1021\/acs.jchemed.6c00856","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"unspecified"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/jceda8\/article-pdf\/103\/10\/5689\/68454387\/acs.jchemed.6c00856.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/jceda8\/article-pdf\/103\/10\/5689\/68454387\/acs.jchemed.6c00856.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T19:05:00Z","timestamp":1791918300000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/jceda8\/article\/103\/10\/5689\/5426708\/The-Science-of-Design-Introducing-Design-of"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"references-count":21,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acs.jchemed.6c00856","relation":{},"ISSN":["0021-9584","1938-1328"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0021-9584","type":"print"},{"value":"1938-1328","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]}}}