Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Can Make Scientific Research More Inclusive

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) may be a more inclusive entry point to scientific research than independent research experiences, and the implementation of CUREs at the introductory level may therefore be a way to improve the diversity of the scientific community.The U.S. scientific research community does not reflect America''s diversity. Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans made up 31% of the general population in 2010, but they represented only 18 and 7% of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) bachelor''s and doctoral degrees, respectively, and 6% of STEM faculty members (National Science Foundation [NSF], 2013 ). Equity in the scientific research community is important for a variety of reasons; a diverse community of researchers can minimize the negative influence of bias in scientific reasoning, because people from different backgrounds approach a problem from different perspectives and can raise awareness regarding biases (Intemann, 2009 ). Additionally, by failing to be attentive to equity, we may exclude some of the best and brightest scientific minds and limit the pool of possible scientists (Intemann, 2009 ). Given this need for equity, how can our scientific research community become more inclusive?Current approaches to improving diversity in scientific research focus on graduating more STEM majors, but graduation with a STEM undergraduate degree alone is not ­sufficient for entry into graduate school. Undergraduate independent research experiences are becoming more or less a prerequisite for admission into graduate school and eventually a career in academia; a quick look at the recommendations for any of the top graduate programs in biology or science career–related websites state an expectation for ­undergraduate research and a perceived handicap if recommendation letters for graduate school do not include a ­discussion of the applicant''s research experience (Webb, 2007 ; Harvard ­University, 2013 ).Independent undergraduate research experiences have been shown to improve the retention of students in scientific research (National Research Council, 2003 ; Laursen et al., 2010 ; American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011 ; Eagan et al., 2013 ). Participation in independent research experiences has been shown to increase interest in pursuing a PhD (Seymour et al., 2004 ; Russell et al., 2007 ) and seems to be particularly beneficial for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds (Villarejo et al., 2008 ; Jones et al., 2010 ; Espinosa, 2011 ; Hernandez et al., 2013 ). However, the limited number of undergraduate research opportunities available and the structure of how students are selected for these independent research lab positions exclude many students and can perpetuate inequities in the research community. In this essay, we highlight barriers faced by students interested in pursuing an undergraduate independent research experience and factors that impact how faculty members select students for these limited positions. We examine how bringing research experiences into the required course work for students could mitigate these issues and ultimately make research more inclusive.     

A Comparison of Tutor and Student Conceptions of Undergraduate Research Project Work

Tutor and student conceptions of undergraduate research project work were evaluated following the distribution of questionnaires to 85 members of academic staff and 136 final‐year (honours) students in the Schools of Biology and Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University of Belfast (QUB). The percentage of individuals submitting a return was 52% for staff and 38% for students. The issues considered included: (1) types and purpose of honours projects, (2) roles and responsibilities of supervisors (staff) and students, and (3) assessment and feedback. The results revealed a diversity of opinion among both staff and students about the various issues surrounding this complex learning exercise. To remedy this situation and to enhance student learning it is essential to establish a climate of open dialogue between staff and students, to share learning conceptions and to ensure that the assessment of any learning task is commensurate with the aims, objectives and learning outcomes.     

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

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.

Students can work with the same data at the same time and with the same tools as research scientists.iPlant Education, Outreach & Training Group (2008, personal communication)

     

关于小学教育本科生科研能力培养的思考

小学教育本科生科研能力培养是一项系统工程.观念是先导,课堂教学是基础,参与研究是主渠道,有效指导是保证,资源整合是抓手.     

Articulating Scientific Reasoning Improves Student Learning in an Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology Course

In many life science classrooms, instructors rely upon lecture presentations to efficiently present course content. Students, in this case, act as passive learners with little opportunity to test their knowledge for gaps or misconceptions. The goal of the project described here was to determine whether a collaborative quiz protocol that guided students to discuss their understanding with their peers would improve learning and academic performance. The project took place during a single semester and was composed of two studies: a preliminary study that incorporated short-answer quizzes into the curriculum and a comprehensive study that incorporated short-answer quizzes and justify/explain quizzes in which students were expected to select an answer and then justify or explain it. Students took all quizzes twice, first independently and then collaboratively with classmate(s). Learning was assessed using multiple-choice exam questions based upon quiz topics. Students scored significantly higher on exam questions associated with justify/explain quiz topics than on those associated with short-answer quiz topics.     

基于本科生科研训练计划提升本科生综合能力

本科生科研训练计划是一种项目资助计划,是本科生人才培养的重要组成部分。科研训练计划的实施给大学生提供认识和探索未知世界的科研实践活动机会,学生通过参与科研训练计划全面提升动手能力、分析问题和解决问题等综合能力。     

A Comprehensive Faculty,Staff, and Student Training Program Enhances Student Perceptions of a Course-Based Research Experience at a Two-Year Institution

Early research experiences must be made available to all undergraduate students, including those at 2-yr institutions who account for nearly half of America''s college students. We report on barriers unique to 2-yr institutions that preclude the success of an early course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE). Using a randomized study design, we evaluated a CURE in equivalent introductory biology courses at a 4-yr institution and a 2-yr institution within the same geographic region. We found that these student populations developed dramatically different impressions of the experience. Students at the 4-yr institution enjoyed the CURE significantly more than the traditional labs. However, students at the 2-yr institution enjoyed the traditional labs significantly more, even though the CURE successfully produced targeted learning gains. On the basis of course evaluations, we enhanced instructor, student, and support staff training and reevaluated this CURE at a different campus of the same 2-yr institution. This time, the students reported that they enjoyed the research experience significantly more than the traditional labs. We conclude that early research experiences can succeed at 2-yr institutions, provided that a comprehensive implementation strategy targeting instructor, student, and support staff training is in place.     

Developing Elementary Education Candidates’ Skills to Elicit and Interpret Student Thinking through a Mathematics Tutoring Clinical Experience

Early Childhood Education Journal - Teacher educators and educational leaders have emphasized the importance of teachers who can effectively elicit and interpret their students’ thinking....     

医学院校本科生科研训练带教体会

当前是凸显创新型人才的时代,培养医学本科生的创新能力已成为高等医学教育的重要工作。科研训练是快速提高医学本科生创新能力的有效途径之一。本文就医学院校本科生科研训练浅谈下自己的体会。     

应用型高校本科生科研能力的培养机制

新世纪以来,我国经济转型、产业结构调整以及高等教育大众化等因素共同催生了本科高校人才培养的应用型转向需求。在应用型人才的内涵界定中,科研能力是其核心要素。应用型人才培养对本科生的科研能力亦提出了更高要求。然而,目前我国应用型高校对本科生科研能力培养机制的探索存在着培养目标与科研能力指标不对接、培养方式分散、培养者主体及其保障制度不明确等问题。因此,建构一种实践关照导向与责任主体明确的、系统的、校本的,且教学改革与科研实践并行的应用型本科生科研能力培养机制,尤为必要。     

以知识传授为载体，注重培养学生科学思维的方式和科学研究的能力——《电子电路Ⅱ（通信电路原理）》教学实践拾零

本论文以"调频波的解调方法与电路"一节课为例,分析我们在教学实践中如何将知识的传授和素质的培养结合,让学生在枯燥的课程教学中了解科学研究的方法和科学的思维方式。     

高校硕士研究生科研能力培养的探讨

硕士研究生作为研究生教育的初级阶段,对其科研各方面能力的培养尤为重要。本文从科研学习能力、科研创新意识、科研习惯、科技论文撰写能力和科研合作交流能力和科研道德素质等方面的培养进行探讨,提出了各项能力培养的具体措施,以期为培养高质量硕士研究生提供帮助。     

科研第二课堂培养创新思维能力研究与实践

针对地方及行业在新时期对创新型应用人才的实际需求,以及目前教学型高校大学生创新能力培养中出现的缺少长效机制及创新能力培养的不连续、不系统等问题,提出了科研第二课堂培养应用型人才创新能力的思路,给出了利用科研第二课堂,培养学生的创新意识、创新思维和创新技能的教学方法和培养模式,对大学生第二课堂的教育实践具有一定的借鉴意义。     

浅谈医学研究生科研思维培养心得体会

随着现代医学的发展,社会对临床医生的要求越来越高。从医学生到医生,从医生到医学家,任重而道远,而医学研究生阶段正是专注医学科研的最佳时期。因此,本文就医学研究生的科研思维培养的重要性和方法做了一些简要的概述,旨在为医学研究生明确学习和努力的方向,为进行科研的临床医生提供一些参考。     

A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change with Increased Investment in Instructional Time

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.     

培养本科生科研能力的意识误区分析

对本科生参与科研活动的意向,教师对本科生参加自己科研项目的接纳程度等进行了调查分析。调查对象包括大学生和大学教师,重点分析了高校部分教师不愿意指导本科生科研创新,在本科生教育和指导过程中,倾向于培养少数优秀学生的意识误区。     

本科生导师制下大学生科研创新能力培养的研究与实践

大学生科研能力是创新素质的直接体现,培养大学生科研创新能力已经成为高教改革的一个重要目标.本文介绍如何在本科生导师制下培养大学生科研创新能力的做法和成效.     

基于科研项目驱动的大学生创新能力培养新途径

大学作为创新能力培养的重要平台是国家创新体系有机组成部分。针对我国高校人才培养模式缺乏创新性的现状,按照研究性学习和基于问题的学习模式,提出基于科研项目驱动的大学生创新能力培养新途径,充分发挥研究型大学的科研优势,搭建创新人才培养新平台。利用科研团队承担的科研项目,经过凝练、派生,再设计成为大学生创新能力培养的驱动项目。文章对驱动课题来源、设置、发布等细节做了讨论,以实际案例对驱动课题分类和创新团队组建方法给出了建议。     

以高校重点实验室为依托 培养大学生科研创新能力

全面提高本科生综合素质已成为高等教育改革的一个重要目标,科研创新能力的培养,在大学生综合素质中占据重要地位。目前国内外现有的本科生科研能力的培养方式多种多样,各具特色。高校重点实验室在诸多方面具有优势,本文结合湖南中医药大学中西医结合心脑疾病防治湖南省重点实验室的实际情况就如何全面利用重点实验室资源培养本科生科研创新能力进行了探讨。     

数学读图能力的测评与培养

读图能力是学生数学素养的重要表现,对读图能力的测量和评价需要充分考虑图的特点。教师应利用测评的结果着重训练学生观察、操作和作图,以促进他们数学读图能力的提高。