Undergraduate Research Experiences for STEM Students Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities (2017) / Chapter Skim
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7 Need for Research About UREs
7 Need for Research About UREs
Pages 163-180
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From page 163... ...
Conducting research can be expensive and time consuming, so it is important to consider the cost-effectiveness of the various research approaches and the relative importance of the questions so that resources can be targeted appropriately. Although all URE programs should conduct some type of evaluation to measure whether they are meeting their goals, not all UREs must or should be part of a research study.
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From page 164... ...
. Since few studies employ research designs that allow for strong causal inferences about the effects on students of participating in UREs compared to programs without UREs, the next step for research on UREs is to gather this information.
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From page 165... ...
selective attrition (e.g., weaker students or those for whom STEM research is not a good fit may be less likely to complete URE projects, remain as STEM majors, or elect to participate in longitudinal surveys about their experiences)
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From page 166... ...
Students who continue to participate in UREs and/or studies of UREs until outcomes are measured may consistently differ in outcome-relevant ways from students who withdraw or fail to respond to a survey. Students who are not satisfied with their experience in undergraduate research, who struggle academically, or who confront challenges outside of school that hinder their academic progress are more likely than other students to withdraw from courses or from the university itself.
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From page 167... ...
The committee's review of the literature in Chapters 2 through 6 showed that future studies need more rigorous measurement and more-valid indicators. Validation of self-reported information, for example, can be improved by cross-referencing analysis of research products, such as presentations and reports, essay examinations, or other observations of student activities.
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From page 168... ...
Causal questions related to learning outcomes could include the following: Did URE participation increase STEM literacy? Did URE participation alter the ability to navigate uncertainty or professional STEM efficacy?
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From page 169... ...
. Scholars at the University of Michigan successfully employed this approach to study the causal effect of Michigan's Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (Nagda et al., 1998)
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From page 170... ...
will need to BOX 7-1 Examples of Design-Based Research • andomly assign students taking UREs to weekly structured mentoring ses R sions or to informal mentoring to explore the effects of structured mentoring. • andomly assign URE students to writing a weekly journal reflecting on their R insights or to keeping a typical research notebook.
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From page 171... ...
Mixed methods experimental or quasi-experimental approaches should be used that account for the influence of students' incoming interest, motivation, expectations, and academic background on student outcomes. Longitudinal studies will require researchers to document the number and types of UREs that students participate in, the characteristics of those UREs, and the duration and timing of the UREs within the students' educational experience.
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From page 172... ...
As is always the case, studies should be designed in ways that respect the needs of students, and any necessary Institutional Review Board approval should be established before studies begin. RESEARCH RECOMMENDATION 1 Researchers should develop and validate tools that can be readily used by people who direct undergraduate research experiences to assess student outcomes.
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From page 173... ...
For example, does participation in a URE impact performance in future upper-division courses? Evaluation of how UREs enhance student outcomes when compared to other experiences is needed and can be informed by research on inquiry instruction and identity processes.
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From page 174... ...
For example, if UREs result in the development of a professional identity and it is found that URE students who develop a professional identity are more likely to go to graduate school in a STEM field, then educators might actively foster activities that help student's grow their professional identity. Research that seeks to measure the "why" will benefit from large numbers of study participants, longitudinal data collection methods, and measurement (both self-report and objective measures)
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From page 175... ...
A major research priority is to understand the critical factors that contribute to the success of diverse groups engaged in UREs. For example, longitudinal research on the role and impact that mentors have on the persistence of diverse groups in STEM fields could help shape mentor-mentee interactions (see Research Recommendation 5)
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From page 176... ...
Hypotheses have been offered that UREs can increase or decrease faculty productivity depending on the circumstances at the institution, the structure of the URE, and the particular students involved. The value placed on UREs, and on teaching in general, on a particular campus may have an effect on the incentives and rewards that alter faculty decisions regarding UREs.
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From page 177... ...
Well-designed summative cross-site external evaluations and research on URE programs and their design features are of potential value to the nation's students and the national STEM education community. Using rigorous research approaches for studying UREs will cost more than small outcome-centric evaluation, but it is important that some in-depth research studies be conducted.
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From page 178... ...
Paper commissioned for the Committee on Strengthening Research Experiences for Undergraduate STEM Students. Board on Sci ence Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.
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From page 179... ...
Paper commissioned for the Committee on Strengthening Re search Experiences for Undergraduate STEM Students. Board on Science Education, Divi sion of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.
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From page 180... ...
Paper commissioned for the Committee on Strengthening Research Experiences for Undergraduate STEM Students. Board on Science Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.
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