Undergraduate Research Experiences From a Longitudinal Perspective

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have been endorsed as a powerful instructional tool in higher education; however, relatively little is known about the long-term effects of participation in these programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational enhancements of URE part...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of college science teaching 2011-09, Vol.41 (1), p.84-91
Main Authors: Harsh, Joseph A., Maltese, Adam V., Tai, Robert H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemistry
College Science
Data Analysis
Employment Patterns
Graduate schools
Graduate Students
Industrial research
Internships
Laboratory Procedures
Laboratory techniques
Laboratory Training
Learning Experience
Measures (Individuals)
Organic Chemistry
Physics
RESEARCH and TEACHING
Research facilities
Research skills
School to work transition
Science education
Science Instruction
Scientific Research
Scientists
STEM education
Student participation
Undergraduate Students
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Summary:Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have been endorsed as a powerful instructional tool in higher education; however, relatively little is known about the long-term effects of participation in these programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational enhancements of URE participation from the perspective of practicing scientists in chemistry and physics. Data used in this analysis are from a national mixed-methods study, which sought to investigate the transition from graduate student to practicing scientist. Respondents (n = 4,300) provided extensive data regarding their demographic and educational backgrounds, motivations, research, and professional experiences. Initial findings indicate UREs afford students a multitude of long-term enhancements, with the largest being exposure to genuine research, building of confidence to conduct research, and development of laboratory techniques. Although research type was found to have a limited effect on reported outcomes, the findings of this study support the value of UREs structured in collaborative student-mentor models that are based on the individual. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
ISSN:0047-231X
1943-4898
DOI:10.2505/3/jcst11_041_01