scholarly journals Insights into student gains from undergraduate research using pre/post assessments

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew McDevitt ◽  
Mainsha V Patel ◽  
Brad Rose ◽  
Aaron M Ellison
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Laboratory Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Harvard Forest ◽  
Prior Experiences ◽  
Summer Research Program

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) in STEM fields expose students to scientific research and are thought to increase student retention in STEM. We developed a pre/post survey and administered it to participants of the Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology (HF-SRPE) to evaluate effectiveness of these programmatic goals. Between 2005 and 2015, the survey was sent to all 263 HF-SRPE participants; 79% completed it. Results, controlled for prior experiences, revealed significant improvements across all learning goals. Prior laboratory research experience and perception of being a respected member of a research team were positively associated with gains in research skills and abilities to do and present research. Although the pre/post surveys did not indicate changes in students’ goals of pursuing STEM careers (or, more narrowly, ecological ones), the positive learning gains suggest that students with prior interests in STEM fields take advantage of UREs to solidify further their aspirations in STEM.

scholarly journals Insights into student gains from undergraduate research using pre/post assessments

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew McDevitt ◽  
Mainsha V Patel ◽  
Brad Rose ◽  
Aaron M Ellison
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Laboratory Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Harvard Forest ◽  
Prior Experiences ◽  
Summer Research Program

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) in STEM fields expose students to scientific research and are thought to increase student retention in STEM. We developed a pre/post survey and administered it to participants of the Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology (HF-SRPE) to evaluate effectiveness of these programmatic goals. Between 2005 and 2015, the survey was sent to all 263 HF-SRPE participants; 79% completed it. Results, controlled for prior experiences, revealed significant improvements across all learning goals. Prior laboratory research experience and perception of being a respected member of a research team were positively associated with gains in research skills and abilities to do and present research. Although the pre/post surveys did not indicate changes in students’ goals of pursuing STEM careers (or, more narrowly, ecological ones), the positive learning gains suggest that students with prior interests in STEM fields take advantage of UREs to solidify further their aspirations in STEM.

A Six-Year Review of the Biomedical Engineering in Simulations, Imaging, and Modeling Undergraduate Research Experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. George ◽  
Zachary J. Domire
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Summer Research Program ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Undergraduate research continues to serve as an effective strategy for mitigating the effects of a leaky pipeline. Significant funding from institutions and government agencies has increased the number of students participating in undergraduate research. In this paper, we report on the six-year experience of a National Science Foundation funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site: Biomedical Engineering in Simulations, Imaging, and Modeling (BME-SIM). The operation and evaluation of the program are both described. We report on the results from 55 students over six summers from 2014 to 2019. Our program was successful in attracting a diverse group of participants including 46% under-represented minority students and 53% women. Based on evaluation results, students reported significant gains in technical skills, communication skills, and knowledge of graduate school. Our findings indicate baseline gender differences for several learning outcomes, where women and nonbinary students report lower levels of mastery. These gaps are closed by the end of the program except for confidence in skills, which is still significantly lower than those reported by male counterparts. The impact of the experience on ultimate career path is difficult to determine due to underlying biases and other motivating factors; however, 67.6% of graduates have entered graduate programs. Finally, we have provided lessons learned for those who are interested in building a summer research program. In conclusion, we have described the successful implementation of an REU site and the positive learning outcomes of the student participants.

scholarly journals The Kungullanji Program: Creating an Undergraduate Research Experience to Raise Aspirations of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in the Sciences

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-75
Author(s):  
Jennifer Leigh Campbell ◽  
◽  
Sushila Chang
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Australian Aboriginal ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Summer Research Program ◽  
Initial Results

The Kungullanji Summer Research Program offers research experiences for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander undergraduates while recognizing their contributions to research. The Kungullanji program approach is a strengths-based research training framework that recognizes existing ability outside of institutional definitions of success and adapts to student needs with multilayered support. Initial results suggest that this approach increases students’ self-confidence and interest.

scholarly journals Female mentors positively contribute to undergraduate STEM research experiences

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0260646
Author(s):  
Saili Moghe ◽  
Katelyn Baumgart ◽  
Julie J. Shaffer ◽  
Kimberly A. Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Research Mentor ◽  
The University

The positive influence of undergraduate research and mentoring on student success in STEM fields has been well-established. However, the role that the gender of a research mentor may play in the undergraduate research experience warrants further investigation. This is an especially critical issue to address, since the lack of female role models in STEM fields is acknowledged as an impediment to the success and progress of women pursuing STEM-careers. To evaluate how the gender of undergraduate research mentors influences the research experience of students, we collected and analyzed surveys from undergraduates and alumni who had completed undergraduate research at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. We found that even though students did not select mentors based on gender, there were differences in how students perceived their mentors, depending on the gender of their mentors. Interestingly, students with female mentors were more likely than students with male mentors to report that their research experience had prepared them for a career in science. Further, our gender-pairing analyses revealed that students who expressed that the gender of their mentor had contributed to their relationship with their mentor were more likely to have a female mentor. Our data indicate that female mentors favorably influence the undergraduate research experience of both male and female students. Finally, our study reinforces the conclusions of previous studies demonstrating that undergraduate research and mentoring are beneficial for students. Overall, our findings support that, for students to fully benefit from their undergraduate research experience, undergraduate research opportunities for students should include an equitable representation of female mentors.

scholarly journals OCEAN EDUCATION • Virtual and Remote—Hands-On Undergraduate Research in Plankton Ecology During the 2020 Pandemic: COVID-19 Can’t Stop This!

Oceanography ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Marrec ◽  
◽  
Andria Miller ◽  
Lucie Maranda ◽  
Susanne Menden-Deuer
Keyword(s):  
Research Training ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Safe Delivery ◽  
Research Fellowship ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Internship Programs ◽  
The University

The pandemic has had innumerable impacts on the oceanographic community, including on summer research internship programs that expose undergraduates to diverse career paths in oceanography while immersed in an active laboratory. For many students, these internships are formative in their career choices. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography (SURFO) at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography is one of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs that proceeded remotely during the summer of 2020. Here, we highlight one project that, although remote, maintained a hands-on research experience focused on quantitative skill building. The pandemic forced the REU advisors to identify key learning goals and ensure their safe delivery, given the circumstances. Although all participants agreed that in-person instruction would have been preferable, we were pleased that we did not let a virus halt essential oceanographic research training.

scholarly journals Participation in a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Results in Higher Grades in the Companion Lecture Course

2020 ◽  
pp. 0013189X2096809
Author(s):  
Marsha Ing ◽  
James M. Burnette ◽  
Tarek Azzam ◽  
Susan R. Wessler
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Academic Characteristics ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Hispanic Serving ◽  
The Impact

Opportunities for large numbers of undergraduates to engage in authentic research experiences are limited in many large public institutions. These large public institutions serve the vast majority of students who are historically underrepresented in STEM fields, such as first-generation, low-income students of color. Although a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is one scalable approach to providing such opportunities, there is limited evidence about the impact of participation, particularly for students historically underrepresented in science. This study provides evidence of the influence of student participation in a CURE on undergraduate science course grades using an experimental design and multiple years of data from students at a Hispanic-serving institution. Course grades were compared for five different science courses across five cohorts of students participating in a CURE ( n = 935) and a similar group of students who did not participate in the CURE ( n = 1,144). CURE students had significantly higher overall grades in a lecture course directly related to the CURE even after statistically adjusting for demographic and academic characteristics. Implications for CUREs as a model for improving science knowledge and achievement for students typically underrepresented in STEM fields are discussed.

scholarly journals Assessment of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Corwin Auchincloss ◽  
Sandra L. Laursen ◽  
Janet L. Branchaw ◽  
Kevin Eagan ◽  
Mark Graham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Meeting Report ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Foundation Program ◽  
Definition Of

The Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Network (CUREnet) was initiated in 2012 with funding from the National Science Foundation program for Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education. CUREnet aims to address topics, problems, and opportunities inherent to integrating research experiences into undergraduate courses. During CUREnet meetings and discussions, it became apparent that there is need for a clear definition of what constitutes a CURE and systematic exploration of what makes CUREs meaningful in terms of student learning. Thus, we assembled a small working group of people with expertise in CURE instruction and assessment to: 1) draft an operational definition of a CURE, with the aim of defining what makes a laboratory course or project a “research experience”; 2) summarize research on CUREs, as well as findings from studies of undergraduate research internships that would be useful for thinking about how students are influenced by participating in CUREs; and 3) identify areas of greatest need with respect to CURE assessment, and directions for future research on and evaluation of CUREs. This report summarizes the outcomes and recommendations of this meeting.

scholarly journals College Student Meaning Making and Interest Maintenance During COVID-19: From Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) to Science Learning Being Off-Campus and Online

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cong Wang ◽  
Melanie Bauer ◽  
Alita R. Burmeister ◽  
David I. Hanauer ◽  
Mark J. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Making ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Situational Interest ◽  
Laboratory Research ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Spring Semester ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Student Meaning ◽  
Based Instruction

In response to the outbreak of COVID-19 the national landscape of higher education changed quickly and dramatically to move “online” in the Spring semester of 2020. While distressing to both faculty and students, it presents a unique opportunity to explore how students responded to this unexpected and challenging learning situation. In four undergraduate STEM courses that incorporated course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs)—which are often focused on discovery learning and laboratory research—we had an existing study in progress to track students' interest development at five time points over the Spring 2020 semester. Via this ongoing study we were able to investigate how students stay engaged in their college science courses when facing unexpected challenges and obstacles to their learning. Longitudinal survey data from 41 students in these CURE courses demonstrated that students' situational interest dropped significantly when their CURE courses unexpectedly shifted from hands-on, discovery-based, and laboratory-based instruction to online instruction. Although we observed a dramatic decline in student interest in general after the CURE courses moved fully online, the decline rates varied across students. Students who were able to make meaningful connections between the learning activities and their personal or career goals were more likely to maintain a higher level of interest in the course. Implications for practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Early year undergraduate researchers’ reflections on the values and perceived costs of their research experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaye D. Ceyhan ◽  
John W. Tillotson
Keyword(s):  
Achievement Motivation ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Expectancy Value ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Future Work

Abstract Background Prior research reported that motivational beliefs that individuals attach to specific tasks predict continuing interest and persistence in the task. A motivational approach may be particularly useful for understanding undergraduate students’ engagement with research in their first and second years in college. The current study utilizes the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation to qualitatively explore how much and in what ways early year undergraduate researchers value their research experience and what kinds of costs they associate with it. Results The results revealed that intrinsic value had the highest expression in participants’ motivation to engage in research. The second most expressed value type was the utility value of undergraduate research with regards to obtaining the desired outcomes, and attainment value played the least important role in participants’ motivation to engage in research. Findings also indicated that some of the participants associated a cost(s) to their research experience. The highest mentioned perceived cost was opportunity cost, where participants commented on losing other valued alternatives when engaging in research. Participants commented on the time, effort, or amount of work needed to engage in research, and a few participants commented on the emotional cost associated with their research experience in terms of the fear of failure. Conclusion As perceived cost is the least studied in the expectancy-value framework, this study contributes to cost values within college students, particularly about early year undergraduate researchers. The findings of this study can form the basis for future work on exploring ways to increase the values and decrease the costs students experience in their undergraduate research experiences.

scholarly journals Student music stimuli composition in a scaffolded course-based undergraduate research experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Abbey L. Dvorak ◽  
Eugenia Hernandez-Ruiz ◽  
Halle Nick ◽  
Ruowen Qi ◽  
Celeste Alderete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Graduate Assistants ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) allow students opportunities to develop research skills. In a scaffolded CURE, music therapy and music education students composed, evaluated, and selected the music stimuli used in a music and mindfulness study with non-musicians at Site 1 and musicians at Site 2. The purposes of this paper are to (a) describe the process of student music stimuli composition and evaluation for use in a course-based undergraduate research experience and (b) identify benefits, challenges, and lessons learned from the viewpoints of students, graduate assistants, and faculty who participated in the multi-site study. Eight students, two graduate assistants, and two faculty provide an overview of the CURE teaching model and assignments, and share first-person accounts of their experiences participating in this CURE.  

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