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2. Increasing student awareness and understanding of food security by integrating a service-learning project into an undergraduate hydroponic food production course
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Currey, Christopher J. (author), vanderZanden, Ann Marie (author), Mitchell, Joshua J. (author), and Iowa State University
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-08
- Published:
- United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 11 Document Number: D10329
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 28(4) : 543-547
- Notes:
- 5 pages., Via online journal., Food security is a growing global concern. To meet the needs of an ever-growing population, food production practices will need to evolve to maximize food quantity and quality. Controlled-environment food production has increased significantly in the United States over the past 5 years, and a component of that production includes hydroponic food crops. In an effort to better prepare a workforce with knowledge of hydroponic crop production, a new course was added to an existing greenhouse curriculum. A service-learning project was integrated in the course that allowed students to experience both growing crops hydroponically and volunteering at a local food bank with a free meal program. Self-assessment showed a significant increase in student confidence in understanding food security by the end of the course. There was also a significant knowledge gained in defining terminology, factors, and the impact of food security in a community. The three guided reflections students completed during the course identified four common themes relative to the course content and service-learning project including the following: community benefits, value of volunteering, local and global effects of food insecurity, and personal growth.