This study aims to demonstrate how a course design approach based on explorative research involving systems thinking can be implemented through the recovery of rare earth elements utilizing deep eutectic solvents. The method used in this research is design based research (DBR). The instruments used were questions regarding the measurement results/characterization of leaching samples, short questions about concept maps, and student response questionnaires. Data from measurements of leaching samples was measured using an Fouier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), data about concept maps was measured by the number of component and process concepts in the context recovery of electronic waste that students were able to identify, and student response data was measured using a Likert scale. Based on the research results, recovery of rare earth metals can be leached using DES. This can be shown by a shift in the peak vibration of 497.65 cm-1 from the standard sample at vibration of 449.43 cm-1. In addition, this study yields new insights into the perceptions of future pre-service chemistry teachers regarding the possibility of new types of eutectic based ionic liquids in the context of chemistry learning. According to pre-service chemistry teachers, the recovery of rare earth metals from electronic waste and the application of DES are an interesting new context for laboratory learning. Context-based design of research activities can enhanced system thinking and interest in the study of chemistry. Students showed increased systems thinking abilities, this can be shown by the component and process concepts that emerged from the pretest by 652 concepts while the posttest increased by 1208 concepts.