Introducing Students to Fundamental Chemistry Concepts and Basic Research through a Chemistry of Fashion Course for Nonscience Majors

Abstract

The combined lab and lecture course is designed around the themes of colorants (dyestuffs and pigments) and fibers (natural and human-made) for nonscience majors. Students dye natural and synthetic fibers with natural dyes such as turmeric, raspberries, tea, and cochineal insects as well as synthetic dyes. The students observe the colorfast properties of a dye and the changes made to a fiber during the dyeing process. Some chemical concepts introduced over the semester are light energy and color, solution chemistry, chemical bonding and bond polarity, acids and bases, and oxidizing and reducing agents. An important component of this class is introducing students to primary literature. The students, throughout the semester, read and discuss research articles on topics relevant to the coursework. The course culminates with students applying all they learned through a self-designed inquiry project. Students, in groups, write a research proposal using science research literature. At the end of the semester, the students in the lab conduct original research, which culminates with the students sharing their findings with the class in a conference-like setting. Students from two classes (N = 34) completed a SALG (student assessment of their learning gains) survey; SALG is a web-based instrument that allows students to assess their perceptions of learning gains made over the duration of the course. The students were asked about the gains they experienced from this course in collaborative work, scientific literacy skills, science attitudes, and connecting science to other situations. The students showed good gains in working in collaborative settings and knowing how to gather and use data. The students also reported a better understanding of how chemistry relates to other classes and how it can apply to other situations. The students were also taught how to critically read scientific research articles. While the improvement in critical reading was not as robust, it did indicate an improvement in the students’ understanding of how to read scientific studies. This lab and lecture course, designed to increase interdisciplinary learning at the school—particularly with the school’s fashion, marketing, and communication majors—piqued students’ interest in chemistry, improved their understanding of scientific processes, and helped them understand the role of chemistry in other subjects.