Active Learning for Entry Level Chemistry Student Research

Information literacy instruction sessions are frequently delivered using a teacher-centered lecture approach followed by a hands-on activity session. Inquiry-based science education changes the teacher role from authority figure to facilitator, creating an environment of discovery and engagement and developing the knowledge practice of Research As Inquiry, a threshold concept of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy. A well-designed science information literacy session depends on students asking questions, allowing students to build deeper understandings of previously learned concepts. Since undergraduate science students often have a limited knowledge base of scientific topics, a multidisciplinary approach to research is transformative. Connecting newly developed knowledge in the sciences to current societal issues helps students engage in the research process. Active learning techniques and collaborative work help students enter the scholarship conversation with literature review skills.