Undergraduate Research Experiences for STEM Students Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities (2017) / Chapter Skim
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Multiple reports have focused on the potential high impact of UREs and the often limited availability of the experiences.1 These reports often call for an expansion in UREs to allow for greater access 1 Three important examples of such reports are Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology; High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter from the Association of American Colleges and Universities; and Science in Solution: The Impact of Undergraduate Research on Student Learning by David Lopatto and published by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.
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College students today are more diverse than in the past, and faculty and administrators implementing UREs need to consider how they include historically underrepresented students, first generation college students, STEM majors, non-STEM majors, beginning students, students enrolled in capstone experiences, and pre-service teachers.2 Many of the more extensive 2 Capstone experiences are large projects done by upper-level students that bring together multiple aspects of their undergraduate education. First generation students are the first generation in their family to attend college.
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The opportunity for faculty and other mentors to engage in relevant professional development also varies. Little research has been done on how working with undergraduates doing research or establishing a URE program impacts the professional life of the faculty.
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The committee's research agenda in Chapter 7 proposes specific areas where additional studies would be particularly informative. To maximize the return on the investment in URE programs, it will be useful to collect additional data comparing programs to ascertain those design features that contribute to student success.
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Analysis of the current offerings on campus can inform decisions and help create a culture of improvement in which faculty are supported in their efforts to continually refine UREs based on the evidence currently available and evidence that they and others generate in the future. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Following its analysis of the available information, the committee reached consensus on a set of conclusions and recommendations.
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Conclusion 4: The committee was unable to find evidence that URE esigners d are taking full advantage of the information available in the education literature on strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating learning experiences. STEM faculty members do not generally receive training in interpreting or conducting education research.
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Schools across the country are showing considerable creativity in using unique resources, repurposing current assets, and leveraging student enthusiasm to increase research oppor tunities for their students. Recommendations Recommendation 1: Researchers with expertise in education research should conduct well-designed studies in collaboration with URE program directors to improve the evidence base about the processes and effects of UREs.
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As part of this process, institutions should: • Consider how best to leverage available resources (including off campus experiences available to students and current or potential networks or partnerships that the institution may form) when offerng UREs so that they align with their institution's mission i and priorities; • Consider whether current UREs are both accessible and welcom ing to students from various subpopulations across campus (e.g., historically underrepresented students, first generation college students, those with disabilities, non-STEM majors, prospective indergarten-through-12th-grade teachers)
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Recommendation 7: Administrators and faculty at all types of colleges and universities should work together within and, where feasible, across institutions to create a culture that supports the development of evidence-based, iterative, and continuous refinement of UREs, in an effort to improve student learning outcomes and overall academic success. This should include the development, evaluation, and revision of policies and practices designed to create a culture supportive of the participation of faculty and other mentors in effective UREs.
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