Connecting Systems Thinking and Service Learning in the Chemistry Classroom

Systems thinking has been employed by many disciplines and agencies to address a diversity of needs from technical manufacturing objectives to global health interventions. Chemistry plays a significant role in most of these systems, but there are few resources available to chemistry faculty to help introduce systems thinking processes and models into their programs or classrooms. High-impact practices, such as service learning, are validated pedagogies and programs that have been shown to have the greatest influence on student learning outcomes, skill building, and retention and graduation rates. By incorporating service learning projects into the chemistry classroom, faculty can link systems thinking objectives to service learning projects to help students achieve higher-order visioning around their role as chemists in systems and communities. This commentary suggests using interdisciplinary teams of students around campus- or community-based service learning projects to help chemistry students recognize the impacts of their discipline on larger, complex systems while also helping them realize their potential to make positive change as individuals within these systems.