Creating Effective Undergraduate Research Programs in Science

Creating Effective Undergraduate Research Programs in Science
Author: Roman Taraban
Publisher:
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2008-07-24
Genre: Education
ISBN:

This is the first comprehensive, data-based study of the benefits to students who actively participate in authentic science research programs. The book features contributors from a variety of institutions who bring together studies of undergraduate research programs. They focus on identifying the successful elements of each program, and then draw valuable conclusions about the effects those programs have on the students. Providing much-needed information about the organization and administration of programs and the challenges to create and sustain viable research opportunities, this essential resource: Features a variety of perspectives, including those of external evaluators, longtime program directors, participants, and administrators. Identifies the characteristics of effective programs and the kinds of gains that faculty and administrators can expect from them. Examines the barriers to research opportunities, including lack of departmental and institutional resources and inadequate faculty compensation. Can be used as a primer for creating programs and for determining their effectiveness.

Entering Research

Entering Research
Author: Janet L. Branchaw
Publisher: Macmillan Higher Education
Total Pages: 1120
Release: 2019-07-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1319294448

For students whose experience with science has been primarily in the classroom, it can be difficult to identify and contact potential mentors, and to navigate the transition to a one-on-one, mentor-student relationship. This is especially true for those who are new to research, or who belong to groups that are underrepresented in research. The Entering Research curriculum offers a mechanism to structure the independent research experience, and help students overcome these challenges.

BIO2010

BIO2010
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2003-02-13
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0309085357

Biological sciences have been revolutionized, not only in the way research is conductedâ€"with the introduction of techniques such as recombinant DNA and digital technologyâ€"but also in how research findings are communicated among professionals and to the public. Yet, the undergraduate programs that train biology researchers remain much the same as they were before these fundamental changes came on the scene. This new volume provides a blueprint for bringing undergraduate biology education up to the speed of today's research fast track. It includes recommendations for teaching the next generation of life science investigators, through: Building a strong interdisciplinary curriculum that includes physical science, information technology, and mathematics. Eliminating the administrative and financial barriers to cross-departmental collaboration. Evaluating the impact of medical college admissions testing on undergraduate biology education. Creating early opportunities for independent research. Designing meaningful laboratory experiences into the curriculum. The committee presents a dozen brief case studies of exemplary programs at leading institutions and lists many resources for biology educators. This volume will be important to biology faculty, administrators, practitioners, professional societies, research and education funders, and the biotechnology industry.

Designing and Teaching Undergraduate Capstone Courses

Designing and Teaching Undergraduate Capstone Courses
Author: Robert C. Hauhart
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2015-01-12
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1118761871

Enrich your students and the institution with a high-impact practice Designing and Teaching Undergraduate Capstone Courses is a practical, research-backed guide to creating a course that is valuable for both the student and the school. The book covers the design, administration, and teaching of capstone courses throughout the undergraduate curriculum, guiding departments seeking to add a capstone course, and allowing those who have one to compare it to others in the discipline. The ideas presented in the book are supported by regional and national surveys that help the reader understand what's common, what's exceptional, what works, and what doesn't within capstone courses. The authors also provide additional information specific to different departments across the curriculum, including STEM, social sciences, humanities, fine arts, education, and professional programs. Identified as a high-impact practice by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities' LEAP initiative, capstone courses culminate a student's final college years in a project that integrates and applies what they've learned. The project takes the form of a research paper, a performance, a portfolio, or an exhibit, and is intended to showcase the student's very best work as a graduating senior. This book is a guide to creating for your school or department a capstone course that ties together undergraduate learning in a way that enriches the student and adds value to the college experience. Understand what makes capstone courses valuable for graduating students Discover the factors that make a capstone course effective, and compare existing programs, both within academic disciplines and across institutions Learn administrative and pedagogical techniques that increase the course's success Examine discipline-specific considerations for design, administration, and instruction Capstones are generally offered in departmental programs, but are becoming increasingly common in general education as well. Faculty and administrators looking to add a capstone course or revive an existing one need to understand what constitutes an effective program. Designing and Teaching Undergraduate Capstone Courses provides an easily digested summary of existing research, and offers expert guidance on making your capstone course successful.

The Chicago Guide to College Science Teaching

The Chicago Guide to College Science Teaching
Author: Terry McGlynn
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2020-11-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 022654253X

Higher education is a strange beast. Teaching is a critical skill for scientists in academia, yet one that is barely touched upon in their professional training—despite being a substantial part of their career. This book is a practical guide for anyone teaching STEM-related academic disciplines at the college level, from graduate students teaching lab sections and newly appointed faculty to well-seasoned professors in want of fresh ideas. Terry McGlynn’s straightforward, no-nonsense approach avoids off-putting pedagogical jargon and enables instructors to become true ambassadors for science. For years, McGlynn has been addressing the need for practical and accessible advice for college science teachers through his popular blog Small Pond Science. Now he has gathered this advice as an easy read—one that can be ingested and put to use on short deadline. Readers will learn about topics ranging from creating a syllabus and developing grading rubrics to mastering online teaching and ensuring safety during lab and fieldwork. The book also offers advice on cultivating productive relationships with students, teaching assistants, and colleagues.

Engaging Undergraduates in Publishable Research: Best Practices

Engaging Undergraduates in Publishable Research: Best Practices
Author: Traci A. Giuliano
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2019-11-20
Genre:
ISBN: 2889631443

Although many articles and books have been written about conducting research with undergraduates, there is a dearth of research on the process of publishing with undergraduates. Thus, in this research topic, we assembled a collection of 43 articles from 98 researchers worldwide who are passionate about—and have had success in—publishing high quality peer-reviewed journal articles with undergraduates. The diverse articles represent a wide range of practices to help researchers publish with undergraduates, including structuring the curriculum to promote undergraduate research and publication, optimizing research experiences for undergraduates, training students in implementing advanced techniques, accessing special populations, or conducting research in off-campus settings, addressing institutional and career challenges for faculty, and increasing inclusion and diversity. Each article provides a unique and diverse perspective that nevertheless resonates across contexts and situations. We hope that the ideas, models, techniques, and practices in these articles will motivate and inspire readers to begin, continue, or rethink how they engage undergraduates in publishable research; we also hope to stimulate empirical and quantitative research on the effectiveness of these ideas, models, techniques, and practices.

Reaching Students

Reaching Students
Author: Nancy Kober
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2015
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9780309300438

"Reaching Students presents the best thinking to date on teaching and learning undergraduate science and engineering. Focusing on the disciplines of astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, geosciences, and physics, this book is an introduction to strategies to try in your classroom or institution. Concrete examples and case studies illustrate how experienced instructors and leaders have applied evidence-based approaches to address student needs, encouraged the use of effective techniques within a department or an institution, and addressed the challenges that arose along the way."--Provided by publisher.

Assessing the Value of Research in the Chemical Sciences

Assessing the Value of Research in the Chemical Sciences
Author: Chemical Sciences Roundtable
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 138
Release: 1998-11-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309519764

This book captures the messages from a workshop that brought together research managers from government, industry, and academia to review and discuss the mechanisms that have been proposed or used to assess the value of chemical research. The workshop focused on the assessment procedures that have been or will be established within the various organizations that carry out or fund research activities, with particular attention to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The book presents approaches and ideas from leaders in each area that were intended to identify new and useful ways of assessing the value and potential impact of research activities.

Undergraduate Research in the Sciences

Undergraduate Research in the Sciences
Author: Sandra Laursen
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2010-06-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0470625635

Undergraduate research enhances the learning experience of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Undergraduate Research in the Sciences offers a groundbreaking and practical research-based book on the topic. This comprehensive resource addresses how undergraduate research benefits undergraduate participants, including those populations that are underrepresented in the sciences; compares its benefits with other types of educational activities and experiences; and assesses its long-term value to students and faculty as both a scholarly and educational endeavor. In laying out the processes by which these benefits are achieved, this important book can assist faculty and program directors with practical guidance for design and evaluation of both new and existing undergraduate research programs. Praise for Undergraduate Research in the Sciences "This meticulous, definitive study of the effects of working with a faculty member on research as an undergraduate confirms the overall value of the experience by taking us deep into the minds and actions of participants—both faculty and students. As a result we now have many more compelling reasons to get more students involved with research mentors and ways to optimize the benefits for all parties."—George D. Kuh, Chancellor's Professor and director, Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research "This timely book offers a unique, comprehensive analysis of undergraduate research in the sciences, based on the voices of college students and faculty mentors who have participated in these voyages of discovery. As our nation struggles to train more scientists, this book will be a valuable resource for designing undergraduate research experiences that can build our country's capacity for discovery and innovation."—Arthur B. Ellis, Vice Chancellor for Research, University of California, San Diego "The text is written in a lucid and engaging style and will be a valuable guide to policymakers, academic administrators, and faculty members who want to find ways to engage undergraduates in the 'real work' of investigation."—Judith A. Ramaley, president, Winona State University "This book is a 'must-read' for anyone who directs undergraduates in research. It presents an impressive and rigorous body of work that brings fresh insights into the field of undergraduate research. The next generation of scientists will benefit greatly from the findings and recommendations!"—Jo Handelsman, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, Yale University

Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited

Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 102
Release: 2010-10-23
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0309160979

In the face of so many daunting near-term challenges, U.S. government and industry are letting the crucial strategic issues of U.S. competitiveness slip below the surface. Five years ago, the National Academies prepared Rising Above the Gathering Storm, a book that cautioned: "Without a renewed effort to bolster the foundations of our competitiveness, we can expect to lose our privileged position." Since that time we find ourselves in a country where much has changed-and a great deal has not changed. So where does America stand relative to its position of five years ago when the Gathering Storm book was prepared? The unanimous view of the authors is that our nation's outlook has worsened. The present volume, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited, explores the tipping point America now faces. Addressing America's competitiveness challenge will require many years if not decades; however, the requisite federal funding of much of that effort is about to terminate. Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited provides a snapshot of the work of the government and the private sector in the past five years, analyzing how the original recommendations have or have not been acted upon, what consequences this may have on future competitiveness, and priorities going forward. In addition, readers will find a series of thought- and discussion-provoking factoids-many of them alarming-about the state of science and innovation in America. Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited is a wake-up call. To reverse the foreboding outlook will require a sustained commitment by both individual citizens and government officials-at all levels. This book, together with the original Gathering Storm volume, provides the roadmap to meet that goal. While this book is essential for policy makers, anyone concerned with the future of innovation, competitiveness, and the standard of living in the United States will find this book an ideal tool for engaging their government representatives, peers, and community about this momentous issue.