2020 Transformative Learning Conference

Applying Transformative Learning in Teaching

Capstone courses help students tie together learning from previous courses in the discipline. In our capstone courses, we extend this by asking students to demonstrate growth in areas besides discipline knowledge. Students write reflections intended to demonstrate their growth and development in the areas of Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activities (RCSA), Leadership, and Health & Wellness. The RCSA reflections allow students to draw upon their research experiences in previous courses, during internships, or research activities that are not directly part of a course. The Leadership reflections allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the roles chemists play within a community of chemists and as members of a broader society. It also asks students to reflect on experiences in which they have demonstrated leadership while serving in these roles. The Health & Wellness reflections encourage students to think about their growth and understanding of chemical safety and hygiene and their application to the concern for the care of themselves, those around them, and the environment. We will also discuss how we have used a scaffolding approach throughout the major curriculum in order to support student transformation in these areas. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss similar opportunities for students to demonstrate transformation in their own major curricula and capstone courses.