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Chemistry 180: Chemistry Outreach

In Chem 180, taught by professor Ken Lyle, Duke students develop the knowledge and skills associated with learning and presenting chemistry demonstrations.

They also examine and reflect upon societal issues relevant to conducting a science outreach program, such as:

  • the importance of a scientifically literate society

  • the decline in performance by American children in science and math

  • the decline in numbers of American students who choose to pursue a career in science

  • the under-representation of certain groups in scientific fields

  • the potential impact chemistry outreach programs can have in fostering positive attitudes towards science among school children, college students, and professional scientists

 

Why is this a service-learning course?

Because the students don't just learn these things through readings, class discussions, lectures, and labs--they learn them while developing, practicing, and performing chemistry demonstrations all around the Triangle!

  • Each student contributes at least 20 hours of service in the form of chemistry demonstrations.

  • The chemistry demonstrations are integrally related to the academic objectives of the course and meet a need in the community (Dr. Lyle receives more requests for demonstrations than he can accommodate!).

  • Through journals and class discussions, the students reflect on their service experiences in relationship to course readings and academic content, as well as on the ethical and civic issues that arise through their service.

The Facts

Each semester, up to 16 students complete hundreds of hours of service by conducting demonstrations with community partners such as the following:

  • American Chemical Society
  • Bethesda Christian Academy
  • BOOST (Building Opportunities and Overtures in Science and Technology)
  • Burton Elementary School
  • Central Park Charter School
  • Club Elementary School
  • Coats Elementary School (Coats, NC)
  • Creekside Elementary
  • Culbreth Middle School (Chapel Hill)
  • Duke Alumni Association
  • Durham Nativity School
  • Durham PAGE (Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education)
  • E. K. Powe Elementary
  • Easley Elementary School
  • Endeavor Charter School (Raleigh)
  • FEMMES (Duke student initiative)
  • Forest Hill Elementary (Morgantown, NC)
  • Future Is Now (Duke student initiative)
  • Githens Middle School
  • Hawfields Middle School (Alamance County)
  • Hillandale Elementary
  • Hope Valley Elementary
  • LEAP (Launch into Education About Pharmacology)
  • Magnolia Tree Project (Duke student initiative)
  • Maureen Joy Charter School
  • McDowell Middle Schools (McDowell, NC)
  • Meredith College (Raleigh)
  • Museum of Life and Science
  • NC Central University
  • NC Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh)
  • Roxboro Elementary School (Roxboro, NC)
  • Science U
  • St. Mary's School (Raleigh)
  • Techtronics
  • Unihealth Post-Acute Care
  • Wakefield Middle School (Raleigh)
  • Watts Elementary School
  • Wiley Elementary (Raleigh)

Dr. Lyle was the faculty recipient of the Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Award  in the spring of 2011.

For more information about the course, or download the course syllabus.

Reflections

[Chemistry 180] arose from my desire for students to earn academic credit for what they were already doing voluntarily—sharing their interest in and enthusiasm for chemistry with the surrounding community.

The first class met in the fall of 2008 with 23 students enrolled.  Because of the success of this first class, [Chemistry 180] is now offered both the fall and spring terms.  The benefits to the students are innumerable: improved cognitive understanding of chemical principles, greater self-confidence, and development of leadership, teamwork, and public speaking skills, to name a few.

Also, as a result of this course, strong Duke-community partnerships are being fostered, such as our relationship with the Museum of Life and Science. Inter-departmental collaborations have been established and continue to grow: FEMMES, Techtronics, FIN, the Magnolia Learning Tree Project, BOOST, and LEAP are just a few examples.

I would like to express my thanks to the Service-Learning Program, the Department of Chemistry, and the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership for their continued support for the Chemistry Outreach Program.

- Ken Lyle, Instructor

I took [Chemistry 180] in the fall of my Junior year. This course gave me the tools to impart a love of science to all ages in the community and showed me the importance of continuing education throughout your life.  After a demonstration the smile on the face of an adult can be just as big as that of a small child – and the fact that there exists such a course that can reach across gender, socioeconomic, and age differences is truly amazing.  Whether it is hearing a little girl say that she wants to be a scientist now, or simply listening to the exclamations of delight from a crowd, [Chem 180] is truly an unforgettable experience.

- Ellen Litkowski, student

Dr. Lyle and his students have been a joy to work with over the past two years. They have put together over 25 science shows at the Museum of Life and Science and have our visitors eagerly awaiting their next performance. The Duke students have made a strong connection with our visitors, young and old. The excitement and energy they bring to these events is sparking a scientific interest in young scientists throughout our community and inspiring adults to rediscover the joy of learning. We feel privileged to be involved such a successful partnership with Duke and are looking forward to growing this relationship in the future.

- Trish Lemm, Investigate Health! Lab Facilitator, Museum of Life and Science