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Enhancing Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Undergraduate Curriculum through Service Learning
Author(s) -
Gayton Michael,
Waikel Rebekah L
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a541
Subject(s) - service learning , curriculum , service (business) , medical education , population , psychology , pedagogy , medicine , business , environmental health , marketing
Service learning is an educational method that requires the student to design and implement a project, which benefits the community and promotes a greater student understanding of their field of study. Service learning can be used to complement standard teaching practices in the undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology classroom. The service learning projects included designing informational brochures on medical conditions that directly affect their target population, giving presentations in their workplace that addressed disease transmission (particularly in health care offices), and teaching short science lessons to K‐12 students. The impact of these projects on the individual student and the community is assessed by post‐activity questionnaires for both the student and members of the community. Service learning projects empower students to use their scientific knowledge to be social advocates. In return, the community becomes better educated about science, thus more supportive of science education and research.