ERIC Number: EJ1445140
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Nov
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: EISSN-1938-1328
Available Date: N/A
Research and Service Learning in a Garden of Chemistry
Journal of Chemical Education, v100 n11 p4395-4405 2023
Course based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) enable students to connect theoretical coursework to the real-world application of scientific research, broadly increasing the accessibility of research to students. Similarly, service-learning courses connect undergraduate students to their surrounding communities by anchoring a component of the course in community service and providing an opportunity for students to recognize its potential impact on humanity. Herein, we describe the implementation of a combined CURE and a service learning course. Students designed chemical investigations of purslane, a medicinal and edible plant, while simultaneously volunteering at a campus community garden. Student-led investigations have included analyses of extraction efficiencies, the effect of preparation on the antioxidant potential, and the antimicrobial activity of purslane extracts, among others. Pre- and post-survey data suggest that CUREs may be effectively achieved in a lab course with a significant service learning component. This course can be easily adapted to meet the needs and interests of other chemistry courses.
Descriptors: Student Research, Undergraduate Students, Experiential Learning, Class Activities, Service Learning, Undergraduate Study, Gardening, Plants (Botany)
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A