Student-driven independent research projects: developing a framework for success in analytical chemistry

As educators, we are always looking for new ways to engage our students within the classroom and laboratory setting. Students today want a learning environment that prepares them for their future careers. It is not only important that they see a connection between what they are learning and their world, but also that they see themselves within the discipline. Real-life applications are one way to achieve this. However, creating an environment that provides this can be challenging. Analytical chemistry courses are still often taught in a traditional format that generally introduces students to a wide variety of analysis methods in a series of short experiments. Efforts are being made to provide guided inquiry and problem-based approaches that allow students to become problem solvers in a collaborative environment [1–4]. These activities can greatly enhance the learning experience and allow students to conduct investigations that approximate how practicing scientists do science. However, instructors may still struggle with how to incorporate this type of learning into their curriculum, and/ or feel they are limited to the methods they can explore in the time frame of a course using this approach. Presented here is the development of an instrumental analysis course that utilizes a problem-based learning approach to integrate student-driven research projects into the curriculum. Students have a wide variety of “problems” that interest them. Allowing students to explore and develop questions of their own, rather than providing problems to solve, engaged students in a creative environment where they seized ownership of their learning, gaining important reasoning and critical thinking skills. To effectively implement this course design, independent projects were preceded by a series of introductory experiments designed to provide students with a necessary foundation.