Course description.

HORT 331- Hydroponic Food Crop Production is a three-credit undergraduate course first offered in Fall 2014. The 15-week course includes two 50-min. lectures and one 1-h and 50-min laboratory weekly. The prerequisite to enrolling in the course is HORT 221- Principles of Horticulture Science, AGRON 181- Introduction to Crop Science, or three credits in biological sciences. Most students enrolled in the course are majoring in Horticulture, with some from allied majors (i.e., Agronomy and Agriculture Education), and a few from unrelated majors (i.e., Electrical Engineering and Industrial Design).

The lecture content is divided into three sections. The first section introduces the history of hydroponic food crop production, the current state of controlled-environment agriculture, and the hydroponic systems most frequently used. The second section of lectures focuses on the principles of hydroponic food crop production, including water quality, mineral nutrition, light, temperature, carbon dioxide, and pest management. The final section features crop-specific lectures on growing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), pepper (Capsicum annuum), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), culinary herbs, and strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa).

The laboratories focus on producing hydroponic food crops using nutrient-film technique (NFT) systems, deep-flow technique (DFT) systems, double rows of coconut slabs, and double rows of Dutch buckets (Currey, 2016; Jones, 2005; Resh, 2013). Lettuce was grown in both NFT and DFT systems and herbs were grown in the NFT systems. Tomato and cucumber were each grown in Dutch buckets and coconut slabs.

Food security service-learning project.

Food security was incorporated into different aspects of the course, including lecture content, laboratory activities, and service-learning outside of scheduled class time. There were three 50-min lecture periods focused on food security and the service-learning project. The first lecture included an introduction to food security and a presentation from the community partner on the background and function of the organization. About halfway through the semester, a presentation was delivered that discussed fundamental concepts related to food security, including factors that affect food security, what populations are most vulnerable to food security, etc.

The service-learning community partner was Food at First, a local, nonprofit meal program and food bank. When lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, and cucumbers matured, students harvested these crops, and packaged them for delivery and distribution to the food bank, and for use in the free meal program. Crops were harvested weekly as part of laboratory activities. Because the delivery would frequently occur after the laboratory period had concluded, participation in the delivery process was optional for students.

In addition, students participated in volunteer activities at the food bank during a period in the middle of semester. Volunteer activities included one of the following three different experiences: 1) assisting with food distributions at the food bank; 2) assisting with the preparation of meals for the free meal program; or 3) assisting with serving and cleaning up for the free meal program. When possible, the crops the students produced were incorporated into the meals prepared for the free meal program. Students were required to participate in one volunteer shift in 2014, whereas in 2015 students were asked to participate in two volunteer shifts. Students chose which type of volunteer experience(s) they wanted to participate in.

Assessment.

To understand the impact of the service-learning project on student understanding and awareness of food security, we used a combination of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods. At the second class meeting of the semester, students were provided with an Institutional Review Board (IRB)–approved (Iowa State University IRB no. 14-382) pre-self-assessment. The self-assessment contained five statements with Likert scale (Likert, 1932) responses (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) designed to quantify their confidence in understanding food security (Table 1). After the self-assessment was completed, students were provided with an 11-question IRB-approved multiple-choice pre-quiz, containing questions on terminology definitions, factors contributing and related to food security, and the impact of food security. During the final class meeting of the semester, students completed the same self-assessment followed by the same quiz, as they did in the beginning of the semester.

Table 1.

Pre- and postsemester self-assessments related to food security (1 to 5 scale) from students enrolled in a hydroponic food crop production course in 2014 (n = 25) and 2015 (n = 24) that included a service-learning component at a local food bank and meal program. Data were analyzed using a t test with an α = 0.05 and the significance (Sig.) is reported.

View Table

In addition to quantitative measurements we also assessed food security qualitatively through guided reflections. Students submitted three reflections throughout the semester focusing on three different themes. Before assigning the first reflection, the instructor provided the explanation that reflections were not simply a description of events but were intended to be personal and emotional responses to information and experiences. The first reflection was completed at the beginning of the semester following the introductory lecture on food security and the introduction of the service-learning project, but before any laboratory or volunteer activities had begun; students were prompted to focus on their thoughts on food security and impression of the proposed service project. The second reflection was completed in the middle of the semester following completion of their volunteer experiences, and students were prompted to focus on their time and experiences at the food bank, meal program or both. The final reflection was completed at the end of the semester following the final lecture dedicated to food security and wrap-up of the service-learning project, and students were prompted to focus on the overall experience, connecting lecture content and laboratory activities with the service-learning experience and food security concepts.

Data analyses.

There were 25 student respondents in 2014 and 24 student respondents in 2015. Data from the self-assessments and quizzes were analyzed using a t test (SPSS 21.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Data for the quiz percentages were arc-signed transformed for analyses and back-transformed for presentation (Little and Hill, 1978).

In this study, we used a combination of in vivo coding and structural coding approaches to identify codes based on words and phrases used by students in their reflections to identify themes across the data (Leavy, 2017; Saldana, 2009). Data gathered from the three guided reflection prompts were pooled across years for each reflection. The pooled data were uploaded into a qualitative data analysis software [NVivo; QSR International (Americas), Burlington, MA]. Data (i.e., the reflection text) were labeled independently by two social science researchers with qualitative codes developed using an iterative process of identifying, recording, organizing, refining, and synthesizing narrative data to understand patterns and themes in responses (Creswell, 2014; Saldana, 2009). Once all data were coded, thematic analysis was used to synthesize the codes into common themes. Once themes were identified, the frequencies and percentages of themes within each reflection were quantified using descriptive statistical analyses (NVivo).

Self-assessment and quiz.

In both 2014 and 2015, student postsemester self-assessment scores increased compared with pre-semester self-assessment scores for every statement (Table 1). The percentage of correct quiz answers also increased from the pre-semester quiz to the postsemester quiz by 59% to 75% and 55% to 81% in 2014 and 2015, respectively. When the self-reported increase in knowledge and performance on quizzes are taken together, student understanding of food security increased over the course of the semester in both years.

Reflections.

In both 2014 and 2015, most students responded enthusiastically about their experience in the class and volunteering with the Food at First program via the three reflections. The students’ first reflection focused on their impressions of the service-learning project and its purpose. The students’ responses included several key elements, including the following: 1) the community benefits of the program (74.5% of students included this theme in their reflection; 2) their thoughts on local and global food waste in society (19.6%); 3) their impressions of volunteering (17.6%); and 4) the quality of food available to those in need (13.7%).

In the second reflection students were asked to include a description and analysis of their volunteer experience and several themes were highlighted throughout the students’ responses. There were no common themes in the description of their volunteer experience because students did a variety of jobs via their participation with Food at First. The consensus overall was that it was a humbling experience and many were surprised at the atmosphere and availability of food at the food bank and meal service. The themes drawn from the analysis included the following: 1) the community benefits of the program (89.8% of students included this theme in their reflection); 2) their positive experiences when interacting with people at Food at First (28.6%); and 3) the students’ reflections on local and global poverty (16.3%).

The third reflection evaluated the impact of the service-learning experience and its connection to class content. The themes for the students’ reflections centered on 1) their experience volunteering (76.6% of students included this theme in their reflection); 2) their ability to provide for those in need (48.9%); and 3) the community benefits of their service (34%).

Although each reflection was based on a specific writing prompt, reflections were also pooled and evaluated to find broader themes across reflections. There were four common themes that emerged across all three of the reflections: 1) community benefits, 2) value of volunteering, 3) local and global effects, and 4) personal growth.

Students thoroughly described their appraisal of how the Food at First program benefitted the community. The “no documentation” procedure of Food at First not requiring their clientele to provide evidence of their need for food was one example consistently mentioned as an important part of the program because students believed that this policy helps create a positive, “no judgment” atmosphere. Student descriptions about the benefits of volunteering were linked to the benefits they saw to the community (e.g., free healthy meals), to the Food at First program (e.g., volunteerism), and to themselves as a result of volunteering (e.g., personal gratification).

Students also emphasized the local and global issues across their reflections. For example, students reflected on personal and business waste as well as the existence of local and global poverty. Students described personal growth as a result of the class and their volunteer experiences. Many students described the class as a great benefit to themselves and others. “It is unique to have a class that goes beyond your personal education and actually benefits the community at large. I hope this class continues to require the service component so that other students can become aware of not only the need, but possible solutions.” Through the service-learning project, students indicated they have become more aware of local issues, personal responsibility, and how they can positively contribute to society.

Overall, knowing where the produce was going was an important aspect of the program and helped students connect the service-learning experience to the course content. One student summarized the rewards of the experience by saying, “Growing plants for people who need it is a great gratifying feeling, but seeing, meeting and interacting with the people who benefit from your hard work is rewarding.”

Course improvements.

Despite the positive experiences students mentioned, many acknowledged opportunities to improve the course and volunteer experience (38.3% of students included this theme in a reflection). Many students expressed a desire to provide Food at First with a greater variety of crops. Students also noted that requiring multiple shifts would be beneficial and that each shift should be a different experience to provide a better view of the Food at First program.

A number of students also expressed a desire to be able to distribute the produce directly to the Food at First clients as a means to more fully connect with their service, laboratory, and class experiences. Students who did get to serve the food described very positive experiences. For example, students who volunteered in a food-serving role indicated they were able to explain to other volunteers and attendees how hydroponics work and how they grew the food.