A multi-disciplinary study of the benefits students gain from engaging in research experiences

1. A multi-disciplinary study of the benefits students gain from engaging in research experiences • Dr Kirsten Zimbardi & Dr Paula Myatt • The University of Queensland, • Brisbane, Australia • HERDSA July 2011

2. Undergraduate Research Consider… For the students who are the professionals of the future, developing the ability to investigate problems, make judgements on the basis of sound evidence, take decisions on a rational basis, and understand what they are doing and why is vital. Research and inquiry is not just for those who chose to pursue an academic career. It is central to professional life in the twenty first century. (Brew, 2007)

3. High-Impact Educational Practices • ..educational research suggests these practices increase student retention and engagement • First-Year Seminars and experiences • Common Intellectual Experiences • Learning Communities • Writing-Intensive Courses • Collaborative Assignments and projects • Undergraduate Research • Diversity/Global learning • Service learning, Community-Based Learning • Internships • Capstone Courses and Projects From Kuh, G. (2008) High-Impact Educational Practices

4. Undergraduate Research –a definition • Undergraduate Research: • Any teaching and learning activity in which undergraduate students are actively engaged with the research content, processes or problems of their discipline. • We acknowledge that this is a broad definition. • Designed to be inclusive of many activities across all disciplines.

5. High-Impact Educational Practices • ..educational research suggests these practices increase student retention and engagement • First-Year Seminars and experiences • Common Intellectual Experiences • Learning Communities • Writing-Intensive Courses • Collaborative Assignments and projects • Undergraduate Research • Diversity/Global learning • Service learning, Community-Based Learning • Internships • Capstone Courses and Projects From Kuh, G. (2008) High-Impact Educational Practices

6. Benefits of undergraduate research experiences Hunter et al (2006)

7. Undergraduate Research at UQ‘Bridging the Gap’ • This study aimed to further our understanding of the benefits of undergraduate research experiences currently available across a range of disciplinary contexts at a research intensive university. • The investigation asked the questions: • What specific student learning outcomes are believed to be achieved through undergraduate research experiences? • Do the findings match those of previously reported studies? What difference, if any, can be identified? • Are the most commonly (frequently) reported benefits in this Australian study similar to or different from the benefits reported in previous studies in different educational contexts?

8. Characterisation of undergraduate research experiences • Searched for examples of students actively engaged in research • 135 cases of undergraduate research identified • Semi-structured group interviews of coordinators • ~50% participation rate  72 detailed descriptions • Case studies available in Farrand-Zimbardi et al (2010) • Covered broad range of disciplines (26 Schools) • 94% of cases were courses Benefits to students of participating in these research activities • Identified in transcripts • Matched with 8 themes from Hunter et al (2006) • Represented as the proportion of total benefits represented by each theme

9. Benefits of active participation in undergraduate research • *Originally “Scientist” in Hunter et al (2006) • Thinking and Working like a “Scientist” •  Thinking and Working like a “Researcher or Professional” • Becoming a “Scientist” •  Becoming a “Researcher or Professional”

10. Benefits of undergraduate research experiences Hunter et al (2006)

11. Skills • Particularly communication skills • Linked explicitly to assessment • “…and finally, the most important thing is documentation. Whatever the design, when we are presenting this to your client, the client doesn’t want to know whether you did an elastic analysis or linear and whatever. It’s important which documents you are presenting” (Civil Engineering) • “So they actually have to think about a research question and then in their final paper they have to do a literature review, pose their hypothesis, do the analysis, interpret the results, come up with the conclusion” (Sociology and Criminology) • Lopatto (2009) noted same shift moving from summer to course based models of undergraduate research

12. Thinking and Working like a Researcher or Professional • Experiential learning • Embedded in design of student activities • “From the beginning of the semester the idea is really that the research that they’re doing will be the kind of things that architects do anyway.” (Architecture) • Applying research skills to solve complex industry-relevant problems • “The projects we use are real industry projects…if we get them familiar with the real industry projects, they will not be afraid of tackling any project they are … given in industry when they start working.” (Mechanical and Mining Engineering)

13. Career and/or Graduate School Preparation • Research experience for a broad range of career destinations • Using the outcomes of their research projects in interviews to gain employment • “…because they do a project, there is an output at the end of it and so they have management plan or a really comprehensive report that they have developed or something that they can take to interview.” (Environmental Management) • Enhancing their CV and developing networks of contacts • “I think it gives students who are participating in these competitions get a real head start in their careers, not only because it looks good on your CV and because… members of the profession are often involved in judging practice moots” (Law)

14. Conclusions and Implications • Benefits from narrow context applicable across much broader contexts • Science  26 disciplines • Summer  curriculum • Apprenticeship  diverse models of research experience • Changes in relative frequency of reported benefits • Experiential learning ranked near top • Skills and Enhanced Career and/or Graduate School Preparation more highly ranked in broader context • Use of assessment to ensure skills attained • Engage a greater number of students with career plans outside academic research

15. Undergraduate Research Consider… For the students who are the professionals of the future, developing the ability to investigate problems, make judgements on the basis of sound evidence, take decisions on a rational basis, and understand what they are doing and why is vital. Research and inquiry is not just for those who chose to pursue an academic career. It is central to professional life in the twenty first century. (Brew, 2007)

16. Acknowledgements • Contact details for authors: • Dr Kirsten Zimbardi • k.zimbardi@uq.edu.au • Dr Paula Myatt • p.myatt@uq.edu.au

17. References • Brew, A. (2007) Research and Teaching from the students’ perspective, Southampton Solent University, Research and Teaching International Colloquium, 18-20 April. Available from: http://portal-live.solent.ac.uk/university/rtconference/2007/resources/angela_brew.pdf • Farrand-Zimbardi, K., van der Burg, N., & Myatt, P. (2010). Undergraduate Students’ Research Experiences: Bridging the Gap Between Teaching and Research in a Research-Intensive University. Paper presented at the Report for the University of Queensland Strategic Teaching and Learning Grants Scheme. Available from: http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:212669 • Healey, M. & Jenkins, A. (2009) Developing undergraduate research and inquiry. The Higher Education Academy. The Higher Education Academy. (149 pages) Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/ publications/DevelopingUndergraduate_Final.pdf • Hunter, A., Laursen, S. & Seymour, E. (2007) Becoming a scientist: the role of undergraduate research in students’ cognitive, personal and professional development. Science Education,91, 36-74. • Kuh, G. (2008). “High Impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter.” Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), 44 pages. • Lopatto, D. (2009) “Science in Solution: The Impact of Undergraduate Research on Student Learning”, Published by Research Corp. for Science Advancement, 132pp.