Promoting learning through authentic and relevant research experiences in environmental monitoring and remediation across ten chemistry and biology laboratory courses

Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Interdisciplinary(99) Flame atomic absorption is being introduced into five chemistry courses and five biology courses including courses for non-science majors and into undergraduate research courses. Environmental concerns provide a common theme whereby students investigate; 1) environmental arsenic occurrence, 2) copper and iron in plant nutrition, and 3) assessment of local watersheds. Each spring students from all ten courses make presentations at a joint poster session. The project incorporates three prominent trends in science education: 1) the promotion of undergraduate involvement in authentic and relevant research science, 2) calls to situate traditional science content within "real-world" contexts and problems, and 3) a movement towards interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The project is serving as a national model for the simultaneous promotion of interdisciplinary research experience and context-based learning across several courses and curricula.