Course-Based Undergraduate Research: A Review of Models and Practices

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Harris ◽  
Mohammed Babkoor ◽  
Tianchang Gu ◽  
Gül E. Kremer
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Archival Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Complex Problems ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Student Teams

Based on the available evidence from published literature, we reviewed the effectiveness of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). In many cases, CUREs present open-ended, complex problems that student teams tackle. Our review of 41 published articles, additional archival research, and semi-structured interviews identified multiple benefits of CUREs, including their ability to introduce larger numbers of students to research than is possible within traditional, apprenticeship-style models for undergraduate research experiences. We identified outcomes of CUREs as well as obstacles to their successful implementation. We recommended a set of features for consideration for future CURE implementers. A brief comparison of CURE with REU, or Research Experience for Undergraduate, is also included in the paper.

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 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.  

Designing Authentic Undergraduate Research Experiences in a Single-Semester Lab Course

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (7) ◽  
pp. 526-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Mennella
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Laboratory Course ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Scheduled Time

The importance of a robust undergraduate research experience has been demonstrated time and again. However, too few undergraduates engage in genuine research and leverage this opportunity. Here, I present a laboratory course in cell and molecular biology that is designed to mimic a true research project. Students work through a 10-step experimental design culminating in the construction, expression, and visualization of microtubules fused to green fluorescent protein in baker's yeast. The steps of this project include the isolation of the tubulin gene from yeast genomic DNA, the cloning of that gene into an expression vector, the amplification of this plasmid in E. coli, and the expression of fluorescent tubulin in yeast. Controls and validation steps are embedded throughout the project, as they would be in a genuine research project. This laboratory course more closely resembles a one-semester undergraduate research experience than a typical lab course. However, because this course reaches a much larger number of students compared with undergraduate research opportunities, it provides students with a valuable research experience that remains confined to the scheduled time block of a typical lab course. In this way, many of the benefits of research are experienced by a large number of undergraduates.

scholarly journals Recommendations for Effective Integration of Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research (E/RCR) Education into Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. mr2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Diaz-Martinez ◽  
Ginger R. Fisher ◽  
David Esparza ◽  
Jay M. Bhatt ◽  
Christina E. D’Arcy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Responsible Conduct Of Research ◽  
Meeting Report ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Scientific Enterprise ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Responsible Conduct ◽  
Effective Integration

Advancement of the scientific enterprise relies on individuals conducting research in an ethical and responsible manner. Educating emergent scholars in the principles of ethics/responsible conduct of research (E/RCR) is therefore critical to ensuring such advancement. The recent impetus to include authentic research opportunities as part of the undergraduate curriculum, via course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), has been shown to increase cognitive and noncognitive student outcomes. Because of these important benefits, CUREs are becoming more common and often constitute the first research experience for many students. However, despite the importance of E/RCR in the research process, we know of few efforts to incorporate E/RCR education into CUREs. The Ethics Network for Course-based Opportunities in Undergraduate Research (ENCOUR) was created to address this concern and promote the integration of E/RCR within CUREs in the biological sciences and related disciplines. During the inaugural ENCOUR meeting, a four-pronged approach was used to develop guidelines for the effective integration of E/RCR in CUREs. This approach included: 1) defining appropriate student learning objectives; 2) identifying relevant curriculum; 3) identifying relevant assessments; and 4) defining key aspects of professional development for CURE facilitators. Meeting outcomes, including the aforementioned E/RCR guidelines, are described herein.

scholarly journals MUREs - a new member of the URE-CURE family of research opportunities for undergrads

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly E. Bates ◽  
Shanna Lowes ◽  
Sarah L. West
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
Experiential Research

Undergraduate research experiences are important for the development of scientific identity, appreciation of authentic research, and to improve persistence towards science careers. We identified a gap in experiential research opportunities for undergraduate Biology students who were seeking a formal yet small-scale research experience that was unique to their own interests and career aspirations. These opportunities may be especially worthwhile for STEM students aspiring to non-research scientific careers (i.e., medicine, dentistry, forensics, communication) and underrepresented STEM students. Here, we reflect on the use of small-scale, individualized undergraduate research experiences that are based on established methods (MURE). These experiences have helped to fill this gap and create problem-centred learning opportunities for undergraduate students that are as unique as the students themselves.

scholarly journals Student Perceptions of Authoring a Publication Stemming from a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. ar46
Author(s):  
Ashley N. Turner ◽  
Anil K. Challa ◽  
Katelyn M. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Interview Study ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Undergraduate Research Experiences ◽  
Course Format

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) engage students with research experiences in a course format and can sometimes result in publication of that research. This interview study identifies student-perceived benefits of authoring a publication stemming from a CURE and explores student perceptions of authorship.

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.

Outcomes from a research experience for undergraduates (REU) program focused on behavioral research with real-world implications

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 1156-1156
Author(s):  
Patricia R. DeLucia ◽  
Jeong-Hee Kim ◽  
Ngan Nguyen ◽  
Eugene W. Wang ◽  
James Yang
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Real World ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
National Science Foundation Research

The current study examined a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site which provided research training to eight female undergraduates. Although it is well known that undergraduate research experiences benefit students and help them pursue careers in science (e.g., Eagan et al., 2011; Taraban & Logue, 2012; Willis et al., 2013), it is important for students to recognize the association between their research and real-world issues (ASHA, 2015; Rhoten & Pfirman, 2007). Human Factors/Ergonomics provides rich opportunities to enhance research experiences for undergraduates. In the current study, students conducted research focused on real-world implications with topics such as driving, human-robot interaction, and relationships. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed to assess the effectiveness of the training. Measures included students’ ratings on the Undergraduate Research Questionnaire and the Kardash Ratings of Interns’ Research Skills; diaries of training experiences, and semi-structured interviews. Students and their faculty mentors perceived improvements in the students’ research skills after the completion of the training program. In addition, the students described positive experiences from the training and thought they gained preparation for their careers. The strengths and weakness of the training program that were identified by the students will be useful to improve REUs that are conducted in the future. In conclusion, consistent with prior research, undergraduate research training (or experience) focused on real-world applications was effective.

scholarly journals Simulations, Imaging, and Modeling: A Unique Theme for an Undergraduate Research Program in Biomechanics

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. George ◽  
Zachary J. Domire
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Positive Research ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
School Based ◽  
Undergraduate Research Program ◽  
Qualitative Responses

As the reliance on computational models to inform experiments and evaluate medical devices grows, the demand for students with modeling experience will grow. In this paper, we report on the 3-yr experience of a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) based on the theme simulations, imaging, and modeling in biomechanics. While directly applicable to REU sites, our findings also apply to those creating other types of summer undergraduate research programs. The objective of the paper is to examine if a theme of simulations, imaging, and modeling will improve students' understanding of the important topic of modeling, provide an overall positive research experience, and provide an interdisciplinary experience. The structure of the program and the evaluation plan are described. We report on the results from 25 students over three summers from 2014 to 2016. Overall, students reported significant gains in the knowledge of modeling, research process, and graduate school based on self-reported mastery levels and open-ended qualitative responses. This theme provides students with a skill set that is adaptable to other applications illustrating the interdisciplinary nature of modeling in biomechanics. Another advantage is that students may also be able to continue working on their project following the summer experience through network connections. In conclusion, we have described the successful implementation of the theme simulation, imaging, and modeling for an REU site and the overall positive response of the student participants.

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document