Faculty: Dr. Bridgette Clarkston, Department of Botany
Community Partners: Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Hornby Island Natural History Centre, and Hornby Island Community School
Responding to a Growing Need
Although algae are essential to healthy ecosystems and play an important role in biodiversity, food systems, and human cultures, they are often overlooked in educational resources. To address this gap, Dr. Bridgette Clarkston developed a community-engaged learning project that invited Biology 320 students to apply their knowledge by creating educational materials for audiences beyond the university classroom.
Supported by the Advancing Community Engaged Learning (ACEL) Fund, the project sought to transform student-created books, games, and learning activities into high-quality educational resources for community partners while creating authentic opportunities for students to communicate science in accessible and engaging ways.
Learning Through Community Partnership
Students in Biology 320: Survey of Algae designed educational resources that introduced the biology, ecology, and importance of algae to children and the broader public. Selected projects were refined in collaboration with community partners before being professionally produced for use by the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and K–12 educators.
The project also expanded into a field-based community learning experience on Hornby Island, where UBC students worked alongside staff from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, stewards from the Hornby Island Natural History Centre, and students from Hornby Island Community School to explore local seaweed diversity and share knowledge about marine ecosystems. The experience brought together university students, educators, museum staff, and community members through hands-on learning centred on biodiversity and coastal ecology.
Creating Lasting Impact
By connecting classroom learning with community engagement, the project created opportunities for students to apply scientific knowledge in meaningful public contexts. Educational resources developed through the course were designed to support museum programming and K–12 education, while the Hornby Island experience extended learning beyond campus through collaboration with local partners.
To share the project’s outcomes more broadly, the team produced a short video documenting the initiative and assembled a collection of professional photographs capturing students and community partners learning together. The project was also selected to be featured in a future UBC Focus magazine article, further extending its reach within the university community.
The Role of the ACEL Fund
The ACEL Fund supported the development of community partnerships, professional production of student-created educational resources, and learning opportunities that connected UBC students with museums, schools, and community organizations. Reflecting on the project, Dr. Clarkston shared:
“This fund is so helpful for getting these great learning opportunities off the ground. Want to help celebrate them as much as possible.”
Looking Ahead
The project demonstrates how undergraduate learning can contribute to public science education while strengthening partnerships between UBC and community organizations. Through educational resources, community-based field experiences, and knowledge sharing beyond the classroom, the initiative continues to increase awareness of the ecological importance of algae and the value of community-engaged learning.
Link to the output: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suWzJhbVPQ8
