The ResearchFriendly Curriculum Integration of Undergraduate Research and Teaching

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The Research-Friendly Curriculum Integration
of Undergraduate Research and Teaching by Bert
E. Holmes Carson Distinguished Chair of
Science The University of North
Carolina-Asheville Saturday, January 24, 2009
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• Overview
• Models for Incorporating Undergraduate Research
  into the Curricula.
• A. Many school adopt a sequence of stand-alone
  research courses that are required.
• 1. Distributed throughout the curriculum
• OR
• 2. Senior/junior year courses
• Regardless of which method is used the
  traditional courses need to prepare students to
  fully benefit from the intense experience.

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B. Research integrated into traditional
courses C. Interdisciplinary undergraduate
research experience Future advances in
cutting-edge research will be at the interface of
different disciplines. How do we prepare
students for this using our traditional (or
non-traditional) courses? 1. Research teams
from multiple departments 2. Integrated
laboratory experiences D. Other options
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• II. Typical Evolution of Undergraduate Research
  Courses at Many Colleges/universities.
• Research courses are electives for some
  students.
• Research courses are required for Honor students
  (or only for BS but not for BA majors)
• One of two research courses are required for the
  major
• (maybe reorganize the upper level laboratory
  requirements)
• Multiple research courses or a significant
  requirement (one-half of the senior year) are
  required for the major.
• E. At some point in this evolution it is
  realized that cook-book or verification
  laboratory experiments (the traditional
  curriculum) does not fully prepare student for a
  meaningful mentor-guided research experience.
• Consider my experiences Starting teaching in
  1975.

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1. Starting teaching at Ohio Northern
University in 1975 (undergraduate university with
about 2,400 students) and began engaging students
in research because I enjoyed it. 2. Became
aware of CUR in 1980 and began reading the CUR
Newsletters. Was tenured in 1981. 3. Moved to
Lyon College (college with 450 total students) in
Batesville, AR in 1983 as the Head of the
Mathematics and Sciences Division with the
expectation that I would build a strong science
program. Made undergraduate research the
keystone of our program. 4. By 1986 I realized
that having required research courses was not
sufficient because students were not being
prepared by the traditional curriculum to engage
in research. 5. Develop my first
mini-research experience in first semester
general chemistry laboratory for fall 1986.
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• The synthesis of Alum KAl(SO4)2-12H2O
• In reality the K can be replaced by Li, Na,
  Rb, Cs or NH4 cations and the Al3 can be
  replaced by Cr3 or Fe3
• We gave student teams the task of preparing
  another alum. The following year we added
  analysis of waters of hydration, potassium,
  sodium, iron and sulfate ions to the regular
  laboratory. We then added a requirement that
  they not only prepare an alum but that they also
  provide analysis to support the formula.
• 7. Next we converted an entire course to
  project-based experiences. Our second semester
  general chemistry laboratory became an analysis
  of the environmental impact of building a new
  baseball field on our campus.
• 8. Of course, preparing students to engage in
  research required that I remain active in
  undergraduate research.

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• III. The traditional laboratory or lecture
  courses must prepare students to fully benefit
  from the research experience.
• Early in the curriculum there should be 2-4 week
  long mini-research exercises. These must be
  well defined and limited in scope.
• Sophomore and/or advanced courses could become
  semester-long mini-research experiences (maybe
  3-5 separate projects).
• Interdisciplinary experiences should be
  emphasized and the design could be one of the
  following
• 1. Student take two integrated laboratories at
  the same time. (chemistry and biology) or
  (chemistry and environmental science) or
  (mathematics and physics) or (statistics and
  chemistry)
• 2. A single laboratory course focuses on an
  interdisciplinary experience.

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• Examples of a 2-3 week long project
• 1. First Semester General Chemistry
  Laboratory
• a. Titrations and Comparisons of Common
  Antacids and Nutritional Data 
• b. Comparison of Synthesized Soap and
  Commercially Available Soap
• c. Determining the Relative Acidity of Soft
  Drinks
• d. Analysis of the Effectiveness of Soap
  Synthesized from Different Oils
• These are rather routine but here are some more
  unusual examples.

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• e. Comparing Calorimeters by Determining the
  Enthalpy of a Reaction 
• f. Synthesis of a Liquid Magnet
• g. Synthesis and Determination of Density, Cloud
  Point, and Heat of Combustion of Biodiesel Fuel 
• The Measurement of Conductivity for Sports Drinks

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2. Examples in Organic Chemistry (semester long
projects) a. Separation and characterization of
six compounds in a mixture (benzoin,
2-methyl-1-butanol, trans-cinnamic acid,
4-methylacetophenone, methyl phenylacetate, and
trans-stilbene). Use of TLC column
chromatography for separation and IR and NMR for
analysis. b. Synthesis Esterification (teams
proposal and conduct the synthesis and
characterization of different esters) c.
Synthesis of Organic Dyes. (ditto) d. Synthesis
of hexaphenylbenzene. (ditto)
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• Interdisciplinary examples in a single course
• 1. Analysis of Tannic Acid Concentration in Tree
  Leaves and Comparison to the Tree's Ability to
  Resist Predation (chem/bio)
• 2. Analysis of different metal ions in stream
  water (shallow vs. deep pools, slow vs. rapid
  stream flow, etc.). Influence of sample site on
  analyses results (chem/envr).
• 3. Measurement of E coli (Escherichia coli ) in
  various locations at waste water treatment plants
  pig or cattle feed lots (chem/bio).
• 4. Effectiveness of different anti-bacterial
  agents in destruction of Escherichia coli.
  (bio/allied health)

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• An entire course focused on interdisciplinary
  projects. Second semester general chemistry
  The theme is Phytoremediation (plants that remove
  metals from soils)
• In this interdisciplinary laboratory course,
  groups of beginning students complete
  semester-long projects studying soil chemistry,
  plant uptake of metals, and environmental
  analysis while applying their knowledge to the
  research area of phytoremediation.
• Debra Van Engelen, Bert Holmes and co-workers
  Undergraduate Introductory Quantitative
  Chemistry Laboratory Course Interdisciplinary
  Group Projects in Phytoremediation J. Chem.
  Educ. 2007, 84(1), 128.

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Examples of semester-long projects in the Second
Semester General Chemistry (Phytoremediation)
Laboratory 1. Investigation of the Effects of
Varying Salinities on the Ability of Water
Hyacinth to Hyperaccumulate Cadmium in its
Shoots 2. Phytoremediation of Lead Nitrate by
Coleus Blumei 3. Comparison of Cadmium
Hyperaccumulation of Chives in Terrestrial versus
Aquaculture Conditions 4. Analysis of the
Hyperaccumulation Abilities for Geranium, Aloe
and Spider Plants for Copper 5. Affect of Soil
Acidity on Hyperaccumulation of Zinc by
Marigolds 6. Analysis of Hyperaccumulation of
Ag and Cu by Lactuca Sativa
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• Hyperaccumulation of Lead by Brassica genus
• Study of Cadmium, Manganese, and Lead
  Accumulation in Scented Geraniums (Pelagonium sp.
  Fresham)
• Investigation of Hyperaccumulation of Various
  Heavy Metals in Pteris Cretica
• The Variation of Cadmium Hyperaccumulation with
  Plant Growth in Brassica Juncea
• Hyperaccumulation of Arsenic in Water Hyacinth
• Hyperaccumulation of Arsenic by Azolla
  Caroliniana
• Hyperaccumulation of Copper by Brassica Juncea
• Analysis of Various pH levels on
  Hyperaccumulation of Lead by Brassica Oleracea

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15. Metal Analysis of Botanical Gardens
Creeks. 16. The Quantitative Study of Lead
Accumulation of Mentha Piperita in Fertilized
Soil and Varying Levels of Contamination. 17.
Hyper Accumulation of Lead with India Mustard 18.
The Ability of Polystichum setiferum to
Hyperaccumulate Lead NOTE Students are
limited to 10 different metals (some are too
toxic to use and some we dont have easy ways to
measure concentration) and the plants must mature
within 10 weeks.
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Students learn to digest soils to extract the
metals.
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Plants growing during the semester.
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• Examples of interdisciplinary course designs.
• 1. Macalester College Integrated courses in
  general chemistry and cell biology for first-year
  students. The double course was organized around
  six units
• a. Energetics Harvesting (Bio)Chemical
  Energy
• b. The Regulation of Biological Processes
  Chemical Kinetics and Equilibrium
• c. Membranes and Electrochemical Gradients
• d. Acids and Bases and the Regulation of pH
• e. Intracellular Compartments and Transport
• f. Cellular Communication. Schwartz, A.
  Truman Serie, Jan. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78,
  1490.

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• Statistics and General Chemistry laboratory at
  Lyon College. Partially integrated courses in
  general chemistry and statistics for first-year
  students, in early 1990s.
• a. Chemical measurements laboratory exercise in
  which the results from the chem. lab. served as
  the data that the statistics course used as an
  introduction to statistical analysis.
• b. Linear plots of mass vs. volume in a density
  laboratory in general chemistry served as the
  data for linear regression analysis (std. of
  slope and intercept) for the statistics course.
• c. Enthalpy change for acid-base reactions in a
  calorimetry laboratory served as the basis for
  some advanced statistical analysis.

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• Harvey Mudd College-an Interdisciplinary
  Laboratory in chemistry, physics and biology.
• a. Thermal properties of an Ectothermic animal
  (Students first measure the cooling rates of
  Aluminum cylinders and analyze the effect of
  mass, surface area and volume. Then students
  measure cooling rates for lizards of various
  sizes.)
• b. Carbonate content of biological hard tissue
  (shells of oysters, hens eggs, skeletons of
  reef-building corals)
• c. Structure-activity investigation of
  photosynthetic electron transport. (Students
  measure the rate of electron transport in
  photosynthesis in spinach chloroplasts. Then
  students then add substituted quinones that serve
  as models of herbicides that inhibit
  photosynthesis)
• d. A genetic map of a Bacterial Plasmid.

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• Critical Elements in multi-week long
  mini-research projects
• A. The projects should mimic the process of
  inquiry of the discipline. (generate an idea,
  research the literature, propose the
  investigation, design the experiment, conduct the
  experiment, analyze results, communicate results
  orally (via PowerPoint), in writing, and/or on a
  poster to your peers)
• B. Use research teams.
• C. Need a narrowly defined project with a
  specific theme.
• D. During the semester techniques needed to be
  successful in the research can be taught.
• E. Select a theme with multiple permutations.

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Final thoughts 1. Harder to teach 2. More
time intensive for the faculty 3. Need
computer-base literature search software 4.
More costly than cook-book experiments 5.
Students may need open access to the
laboratory 6. Some students really like this
approach. 7. Difficult for graduate teaching
assistants to teach using this approach.
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Incorporating Research Into Our Curricula
Curricular Models, Strategic Planning and Case
Study The ultimate goal is to engage students in
research because you become a scientist by doing
science. You learn best when no one knows the
answers. It is better to know some of the
questions than all of the answers.
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• I. Evolution of curricula requirements (typical
  for many institutions)
• Research courses available as an option (satisfy
  an elective in the major)
• Research courses are required for Honor students
  (or only for BS but not for BA majors)
• One or two research courses are required for the
  major (maybe reorganize the upper level
  laboratory requirements)
• Multiple research courses or a significant
  requirement (one-half of the senior year) are
  required for the major.
• Research is required by the college for all
  graduates.

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• Evolution of the Research Curriculum in
  Chemistry at UNCA.
• A. 1969-1995 Research courses were electives
  (averaged 5.7 graduates in the 1990s)
• B. 1995-1999 One research course required of BA
  majors and two for BS majors
• C. 2000-2004 Three experimental/theoretical-based
  research courses required of all graduates.
  (averaging 12.1 graduates with a high of 17)
• D. 2005-present. Three courses required for BA
  and may be literature based research. For BS
  graduates there are five experimental/theoretical-
  based research courses required.

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• Description of the 5 research courses in
  chemistry at UNCA.
• A. CHEM 280 Introduction to Chemical Research
  Methods.
• 1. Review use of SciFinder Scholar
• 2. 30 minute presentations by research faculty
• 3. Students interview at least 3 faculty
• 4. Students rank three potential faculty
  mentors--a faculty mentor is selected.
• 5. Student do a background literature search,
  write a 10 page introduction to the research and
  an abstract of the proposed work.
• 6. Students write a research proposal for the
  UGR Office

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• CHEM 415 Introduction to chemical seminars.
• 1. Students work to develop their oral
  communication skills.
• 2. Students develop and present a poster of
  their research.
• Students meet with their faculty committee (three
  faculty) and write the first draft of their
  experimental section.
• Students conduct 10 hrs/week of research.
• C. CHEM 416 Chemical Research I
• Students conduct 10 hrs/week of research
• Students give their first oral presentation of
  their research on a Saturday(s)
• Students present the first draft of their
  experimental results section.

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• CHEM 417 Chemical Research III
• 1. Students conduct 10 hrs/week of research
• Students give their second oral presentation of
  their research on a Saturday(s)
• Here we judge competency to be a chemistry major.
• Students present the first draft of their Senior
  Thesis.
• E. CHEM 418 Chemical Research IV
• 1. Students finish all research work.
• 2. Finish writing and then submit their final
  thesis.
• 3. One final presentation and a celebration.

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• IV. Administrative Issues
• A. Faculty workload
• B. Cost of supplies
• C. Instrumentation must be rugged for student
  use but also research quality.
• D. Open access by students to research
  laboratories.

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V. Strategic Plan A. Select a team to guide the
plan. B. Make the plan fit the
mission/strategic plan of the university or the
department. C. Brain storm among stakeholders
to come up with the essentials of the plan. D.
Develop a timeline for your plan. E. Identify
individuals who are responsible for each
component (step) of the plan. F. Implement.
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VI. Advice A. Take bite-size pieces-let it
evolve B. Conduct inventory of research-like
experiences on your campus. C. Considering
faculty workload in your plan is essential.
(differential workloads) D. The curriculum
should be designed to prepare students to fully
benefit from the research experience.
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E. Use a team approach-everyone has talents and
you want to take advantage of each persons
talents to make the team succeed. F. Make
student/faculty collaborative scholarship
asignificant experience. Dont dabble. G.
Understand the mission of student/faculty
researchat your institution.
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• My mission statement
• The student and teacher/scholar(mentor) working
  together to address significant unresolved
  problems.
• Student/faculty research develops the student
  into acolleague, a scholar, an artist, or even a
  critic.
• H. Undergraduate research is teaching Mentor
  guidedresearch develops in the student a way of
  knowing - amethod of reasoning - a process for
  creating. This isthe denouement of education
  (the highest form ofteaching and learning).
• I. Plan carefully, boldly and wisely from the
  bottom upand from the top down.

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VII. Case Study Lyon College in
1983/84 Department of Biology and Chemistry 450
- 500 Students

• I was the second chemist and the first to start
  aphysical chemistry laboratory. A second
  biologistwas also hired that year.
• There was no history of undergraduate research.
• The only major instrumentation was an AA and aGC
  and both were 8 years old.
• No research laboratories or space for research
  existed.
• Few students majored in science the
  freshmanchemistry enrollment was 23 students and
  there were nograduates in chemistry and only
  three graduates in biology in 1983.
• Mean ACT was 17.9 in fall 1983.

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Case Study Lyon College Department of Biology
and Chemistry 1993 - 98 470 - 525 Total Students

• Four chemistry faculty, all with Ph.D.s, and
  threebiology faculty conducting research and
  publishing results.
• Freshman chemistry enrollment ranged from 58 to
  93students (45-58 of the entering freshman
  class).
• Summer stipends for 15-27 chemistry students and
  8-11students in biology.

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• Faculty external grants averaged 175,000 from
  1993-98.
• 5. The total number of chemistry graduates
  increased from4 from 1982-87 to 28 from 1993-98.
  Typically, 25-40of each graduating class
  majored in biology or chemistry.For the 1993-98
  period, 22-31 total graduates in biologyand
  chemistry annually.
• 6. Six NSF curriculum/instrumentation grants
  (CoSIP, CCLI and ILIP) in chemistry and eight
  significant matching grants totaling 550,000.

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7. The mean ACT was 26-27.5 during
1993-1997. 8. CUR asked that I help author How
to Get Started in Research in 1996 with a second
edition in 1999. 9. Undergraduate Research
Presentation Day during the spring Board of
Trustees Meeting.
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• Important Lessons
• Strategic plans at the department level will
  work.
• Have all disciplines involved in undergraduate
  research. Dont let a set of haves and have
  nots exist.
• Department leadership is key.
• Decisions about hiring and retaining faculty are
  paramount.
• Improving the sciences rapidly raises the
  entrance test scores (SAT or ACT).
• It requires about 5-10 years to fully develop a
  program with only a grass-roots effort.

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Thank you for your time and attention.