Shifting Perspectives: A Community-Based Learning Science Outreach Course That Engages Undergraduate Metacognition through Midsemester Redesign

The content and implementation of a one-credit course with built-in science outreach to the community partner, Girls, Inc., is described herein. This community-based learning (CBL) course aims at developing the undergraduates’ ability to plan, monitor, evaluate, and adjust to new learning environments by reflecting on their own learning and also to define their scientific identities. The course delivery is divided into five Training and Preparation sessions, seven Community Partner Interaction sessions, and two Assessment sessions. Throughout the semester, the participating students reflected on their experiences and contextualized the outreach within the educational theories discussed. Student feedback indicated a shift in the undergraduate students’ bias on gender in science, and the appreciation to have the opportunity for metacognitive reflection.