scholarly journals One-Year Research Experience for Associate’s Degree Students Impacts Graduation, STEM Retention, and Transfer Patterns

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. ar25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Nerio ◽  
Althea Webber ◽  
Effie MacLachlan ◽  
David Lopatto ◽  
Avrom J. Caplan
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Stem Retention ◽  
Associate's Degree ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
One Year ◽  
Matched Comparison

The CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP) provides a yearlong faculty-mentored research experience to associate’s degree students. The program takes place at all 10 associate’s degree–granting colleges within the City University of New York system. We report on a mixed-methods study of 500 students who participated in the program during its initial 3 years. Quantitative longitudinal assessments revealed that students who engaged in CRSP were more likely to be retained in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) discipline or to graduate with a STEM degree than their counterparts in a matched comparison group. Furthermore, students who participated in CRSP demonstrated an increased likelihood of transferring to the more research-intensive 4-year schools within the CUNY system and to R1 universities outside the CUNY system. CRSP students reported an increased sense of belonging in college based on survey data, and focus groups with their mentors provided insight into the factors that led to the gains listed above. These combined results—of student data analysis, student surveys, and mentor focus groups—provide evidence that early research experiences for associate’s degree students contribute to their academic success.

scholarly journals A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change with Increased Investment in Instructional Time

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher D. Shaffer ◽  
Consuelo J. Alvarez ◽  
April E. Bednarski ◽  
David Dunbar ◽  
Anya L. Goodman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Instructional Time ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Widespread Agreement ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Biology Curriculum

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit.

Using Multidisciplinary Research Experiences to Enhance STEM Learning through Undergraduate, Team-Based, Summer Research Projects for At-Risk Students

2014 ◽  
pp. 198-220
Author(s):  
Jennifer Yantz ◽  
Brittany D. Smith ◽  
Ginger Holmes Rowell ◽  
Thomas Cheatham ◽  
Donald Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Faculty Mentor ◽  
And Mathematics

Undergraduate research can be one of the most important and influential learning experiences during a student's college career (Light, 2001). Significant retention value is achieved both through one-on-one contact with a faculty mentor (Campbell, 1997; Jacobi, 1991) and by interaction with peers in a learning community (Johnson, 2001). Colleges and universities are using undergraduate research experiences to help improve student retention, graduation, and success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). However, undergraduate research is frequently reserved for the best and brightest students who have achieved junior or senior class status. This case study describes a team-based research experience designed for first-year, at-risk undergraduate students. For this project, the term “at-risk” is defined to be first-time, full-time freshman declared STEM majors with a weak mathematics background as measured by having an ACT-Mathematics sub score of 19 to 23, inclusive. In particular, this case study focuses on the multidisciplinary nature of some of the research projects and the benefits for the students in terms of confidence, depth of learning in STEM, and progress in understanding the scientific process.

The Impact of Summer Research Experience for Science Teachers on Classroom Instruction

2011 ◽  
Vol 1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Sen ◽  
D. R. Baker ◽  
R. J. Culbertson
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Teaching Fellows ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Science And Mathematics Teachers ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTMore than 100 science and mathematics teachers have participated in the ASU Math and Science Teaching Fellows program for summers in 2007-2010 at Arizona State University. The goal of the program was to expose the teachers to the real world of science and help them transfer the experience into the classroom. The teachers spend the mornings in small groups in assigned research laboratories and afternoons in whole group interactive sessions. During the afternoon sessions the teachers worked on a poster presentation and a classroom unit integrating the research experience. The present study focuses on the impact of the research experiences on the teachers’ classrooms and the differences between a larger and longer program (37 teachers for 5 weeks in 2009) and a smaller and shorter program (8 teachers for 4 weeks in 2010). The lesson plans were coded based on a rubric. The posters were coded using qualitative analysis software. The scores on the lesson plans and the frequency of codes on transfer to classroom were higher in 2010 compared to those in 2009. The results indicate that the research experience program had a better impact on transfer to school curriculum with a smaller cohort of teachers. This implies that future research experience programs should be designed for smaller groups of teachers.

scholarly journals Pedagogical Models to Implement Effective STEM Research Experience Programs in High School Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 743
Author(s):  
Zubair Ahmad ◽  
Mohammad Ammar ◽  
Noora J. Al-Thani
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Smooth Transition ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
School Students ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
School Research ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
High School Research

High school research experience programs (HSREPs) provide opportunities for true science education and expose students to scientific investigations in laboratory settings. Various HSREPs models have been practiced to shape students’ research understandings; however, a systematic comparison of the success, challenges, and opportunities of these HSREPs has not been gauged. This article compares the effectiveness of such science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) based HSREP models reported in the last two decades. We shortlisted seventeen studies on the most effective HSREPs and identified the characteristics of these reports. Results show that student research experiences vary depending on the structure of the model used and the nature of the laboratory setting to which students are exposed. However, there is a dire need to integrate more collaborative and customized research practices to accommodate more students in HSREPs. Additionally, intensive support, mentoring, and coaching are essential to provide students a comprehensive understanding to excel in their research career pathway. Finally, there is a desperate need for further studies to develop the frameworks that can help the smooth transition of high school students into research-oriented university programs.

scholarly journals Development and Evaluation of the Tigriopus Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Impacts on Students’ Content Knowledge, Attitudes, and Motivation in a Majors Introductory Biology Course

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. ar72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey T. Olimpo ◽  
Ginger R. Fisher ◽  
Sue Ellen DeChenne-Peters
Keyword(s):  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Scientific Reasoning ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Student Autonomy ◽  
Problem Solving Strategies ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
Viable Mechanism

Within the past decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as a viable mechanism to enhance novices’ development of scientific reasoning and process skills in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Recent evidence within the bioeducation literature suggests that student engagement in such experiences not only increases their appreciation for and interest in scientific research but also enhances their ability to “think like a scientist.” Despite these critical outcomes, few studies have objectively explored CURE versus non-CURE students’ development of content knowledge, attitudes, and motivation in the discipline, particularly among nonvolunteer samples. To address these concerns, we adopted a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the aforementioned outcomes following implementation of a novel CURE in an introductory cell/molecular biology course. Results indicate that CURE participants exhibited more expert-like outcomes on these constructs relative to their non-CURE counterparts, including in those areas related to self-efficacy, self-determination, and problem-solving strategies. Furthermore, analysis of end-of-term survey data suggests that select features of the CURE, such as increased student autonomy and collaboration, mediate student learning and enjoyment. Collectively, this research provides novel insights into the benefits achieved as a result of CURE participation and can be used to guide future development and evaluation of authentic research opportunities.

scholarly journals Scaling Up: Adapting a Phage-Hunting Course to Increase Participation of First-Year Students in Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. ar13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy L. Staub ◽  
Marianne Poxleitner ◽  
Amanda Braley ◽  
Helen Smith-Flores ◽  
Christine M. Pribbenow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Faculty Time ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The One

Authentic research experiences are valuable components of effective undergraduate education. Research experiences during the first years of college are especially critical to increase persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) model provides a high-impact research experience to first-year students but is usually available to a limited number of students, and its implementation is costly in faculty time and laboratory space. To offer a research experience to all students taking introductory biology at Gonzaga University (n = 350/yr), we modified the traditional two-semester SEA-PHAGES course by streamlining the first-semester Phage Discovery lab and integrating the second SEA-PHAGES semester into other courses in the biology curriculum. Because most students in the introductory course are not biology majors, the Phage Discovery semester may be their only encounter with research. To discover whether students benefit from the first semester alone, we assessed the effects of the one-semester Phage Discovery course on students’ understanding of course content. Specifically, students showed improvement in knowledge of bacteriophages, lab math skills, and understanding experimental design and interpretation. They also reported learning gains and benefits comparable with other course-based research experiences. Responses to open-ended questions suggest that students experienced this course as a true undergraduate research experience.

scholarly journals Student Outcomes From a Large-Enrollment Introductory Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience on Soil Microbiomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley M. Lo ◽  
Bryan D. Le
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Mathematics Majors ◽  
Large Enrollment ◽  
And Mathematics

In recent years, national reports have called for undergraduate laboratory education that engages students in authentic research experiences. As a result, a number of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been developed in biological sciences and some specifically in microbiology. Students benefit from CUREs much like in traditional mentored research experiences, where students carry out independent projects in faculty laboratories. These benefits include increased self-efficacy in research skills, enhanced identification as scientists, and higher graduation rates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors. Because mentored research experiences are not readily available to every student, CUREs represent a potential mechanism to democratize the research experience by providing such opportunities to all students. However, many of existing CUREs described in the literature are designed for advanced undergraduates or are limited to a small number of students. Here, we report student outcomes from a large-enrollment introductory CURE on soil microbiomes that engages students in a real-world context with microbiology. In pre- and post-course surveys, students reported significant gains in self-efficacy on a number of research skills. These results are triangulated with post-course survey data on project ownership, sense of community, and CURE design elements such as collaboration, iteration, discovery, and relevance.

scholarly journals Undergraduate Research Experience For STEM Students: Efforts And Outcomes

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanlei Zhang ◽  
Samar Swaid
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Smith College ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Graduate Study ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Computer Science Faculty

Undergraduate research for STEM students involves students who are attending college or universities pursuing a bachelor's degree, majoring in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM).  Research experience for STEM undergraduates has been viewed as a positive experience that has several benefits such as developing intellectual mentality, enhancing teamwork skills and improving preparation for graduate study.  In this paper, we provide an overview of HBCU-UP research experience with STEM students at Philander Smith College for the last few years. Projects in Bioinformatics and Human-Computer Interaction of two Computer Science faculty and their teams are shared.  Efforts in implementing research experiences and outcomes of these efforts are discussed. 

scholarly journals Do We Need to Design Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences for Authenticity?

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. ar79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Rowland ◽  
Rhianna Pedwell ◽  
Gwen Lawrie ◽  
Joseph Lovie-Toon ◽  
Yu Hung
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Authentic Science ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Definition Of

The recent push for more authentic teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics indicates a shared agreement that undergraduates require greater exposure to professional practices. There is considerable variation, however, in how “authentic” science education is defined. In this paper we present our definition of authenticity as it applies to an “authentic” large-scale undergraduate research experience (ALURE); we also look to the literature and the student voice for alternate perceptions around this concept. A metareview of science education literature confirmed the inconsistency in definitions and application of the notion of authentic science education. An exploration of how authenticity was explained in 604 reflections from ALURE and traditional laboratory students revealed contrasting and surprising notions and experiences of authenticity. We consider the student experience in terms of alignment with 1) the intent of our designed curriculum and 2) the literature definitions of authentic science education. These findings contribute to the conversation surrounding authenticity in science education. They suggest two things: 1) educational experiences can have significant authenticity for the participants, even when there is no purposeful design for authentic practice, and 2) the continuing discussion of and design for authenticity in UREs may be redundant.

Evidence: From Interviews, Focus Groups, and Think-Alouds

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline M. Dewar
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Student Thinking ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Student Voices ◽  
Think Alouds ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Pedagogical Research

Chapter 6 gives detailed instructions for gathering evidence through focus groups, interviews, and think-alouds. When seeking to answer questions about science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) student thinking, motivation, attitudes, or underlying reasons for certain behaviors, a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) investigator should consider using one or more of these methods even though they may be unfamiliar. Numerous examples are given of studies of student learning in science, engineering, and mathematics that employed these methods. The investigator is advised to select a method that is appropriate for the type of research question—What works? What is? What could be? The chapter closes with a discussion of the key role that student voices play in SoTL, including the positive outcomes resulting from several projects that engaged students as co-investigators or provided undergraduate research experience in pedagogical research.

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