Teaching through Research: Alignment of Core Chemistry Competencies and Skills within a Multidisciplinary Research Framework

Abstract

Innovative models of teaching through research have broken the long-held paradigm that core chemistry competencies must be taught with predictable, scripted experiments. We describe here five fundamentally different, course-based undergraduate research experiences that integrate faculty research projects, accomplish ACS accreditation objectives, provide the benefits of an early research experience to students, and have resulted in publishable findings. The model detailed is the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) at The University of Texas at Austin. While there are currently 30+ active FRI research groups, or “streams”, we focus this report on five different chemistry streams in these four areas (organic, inorganic, analytical, and biochemistry) to demonstrate how general chemistry laboratory skills are taught in the context of these varied research disciplines. To illustrate the flexibility of the FRI model for teaching first-year chemistry, we show how each stream teaches students three different skills within the context of their research: making (synthesis), measuring (UV-vis spectroscopy), and characterization. As a unifying example, all five chemistry streams describe using UV–vis spectroscopy to characterize new synthetic molecules, complexes, and compounds, followed by extensive quantitative collection, processing, and analysis of experimental data sets. The FRI model allows full integration of training in mandatory and accredited general chemistry skill sets with open-ended research experiences with unexpected outcomes in undergraduate science curricula. In turn, this model enables undergraduates to be productive contributors to new knowledge and scientific discovery at the earliest levels of the undergraduate experience.

Potential for Chemistry in Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary Teaching Activities in Higher Education

“…Baranger and co-workers described a green chemistry focused general chemistry laboratory curriculum incorporating over 30 new experiments that introduced students to green chemistry principles to explore and to solve real-world problems (summarized in Table ), which resulted in measurable improvements in students’ understanding of green chemistry principles in 6 out of 7 responses to the question “In your own words, define green chemistry”, and offers students an opportunity to learn the 12 principles of green chemistry − and to understand potential connections to the future courses and professions (another potential complementary/tangentially related topic include regulatory issues [e.g., environmental, health and safety, medical devices, etc. ]). ,, Another exciting initiative is the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) , wherein students participate in an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based research methods course, followed by two semesters of research; this integrates training in mandatory/accredited general chemistry skill sets with open-ended research experiences and results in students who are trained in research methods and capable of contributing to peer-reviewed publications, presenting research, and winning awards at regional/national conferences. The success of this initiative was demonstrated by a number of variables with students with comparable grade point averages, with improvements in probability of graduating within 6 years (non-FRI curriculum, 66%; FRI curriculum, 83%), and with improvements in probability of graduating with a STEM degree (non-FRI curriculum, 71%; FRI curriculum, 94%).…”

“…6.4), which is understood to improve overall academic achievement, skills acquisition/performance, and motivation for learning . The Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) , involving students in interdisciplinary research results in measurable improvements in their probability of graduating within 6 years (non-FRI curriculum, 66%; FRI curriculum, 83%), and their probability of graduating with a STEM degree (non-FRI curriculum, 71%; FRI curriculum, 94%).…”

Measuring integrated understanding of undergraduate chemistry research experiences: assessing oral and written research artifacts

“…Despite a national call to replace traditional introductory laboratory courses with research-based courses, this practice is still emerging at U.S. colleges and universities (Olson and Riordan, 2012;Laursen, 2019). Those course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) that have been developed in chemistry allow students to develop self-confidence and project ownership, as well as contributing to novel research in chemistry (Kerr and Yan, 2016;Ghanem et al, 2018;Cruz et al, 2020). Additionally, students who complete these courses believe that they have learned more chemistry content than they would have in traditional lecture and laboratory courses (Chase et al, 2017).…”

Aptamers in Education: Undergraduates Make Aptamers and Acquire 21st Century Skills Along the Way

“…Through the UT-Austin FRI (briefly described in [19]), the Aptamer Stream students participate in a yearlong, two-semester research experience (i.e., spring to fall with an optional summer session). Freshman and sophomore students perform aptamer research under the guidance of a non-tenure track faculty member (co-author Stovall, G.M.…”