scholarly journals Student and faculty outcomes of undergraduate science research projects by geographically dispersed students

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawton Shaw ◽  
Dietmar Kennepohl
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Local Area ◽  
Pass Rates ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Research Students

<p>Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU) science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their local area, coordinated at a distance by AU faculty. This paper presents demographics and course performance for 155 students over five years. Pass rates were similar to other distance education courses. Research students were surveyed by questionnaire, and external supervisors and AU faculty were interviewed, to examine the outcomes of these project courses for each group. Students reported high levels of satisfaction with the course, local supervisors, and faculty coordinators. Students also reported that the experience increased their interest in research, and the probability that they would pursue graduate or additional certification. Local supervisors and faculty affirmed that the purposes of project courses are to introduce the student to research, provide opportunity for students to use their cumulative knowledge, develop cognitive abilities, and independent thinking. The advantages and challenges associated with this course model are discussed.</p>

scholarly journals Undergraduate Science Research: A Comparison of Influences and Experiences between Premed and Non–Premed Students

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Brongo Pacifici ◽  
Norman Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Medical School ◽  
Graduate School ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
School Research ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Rule Out

Most students participating in science undergraduate research (UR) plan to attend either medical school or graduate school. This study examines possible differences between premed and non–premed students in their influences to do research and expectations of research. Questionnaire responses from 55 premed students and 80 non–premed students were analyzed. No differences existed in the expectations of research between the two groups, but attitudes toward science and intrinsic motivation to learn more about science were significantly higher for non–premed students. Follow-up interviews with 11 of the students, including a case study with one premed student, provided explanation for the observed differences. Premed students, while not motivated to learn more about science, were motivated to help people, which is why most of them are pursuing medicine. They viewed research as a way to help them become doctors and to rule out the possibility of research as a career. Non–premed students participated in research to learn more about a specific science topic and gain experience that may be helpful in graduate school research. The difference in the reasons students want to do UR may be used to tailor UR experiences for students planning to go to graduate school or medical school.

scholarly journals Bacteria as “ink” for writing the initials of names on agar

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenfa Ng
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Surface Patterning ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Purple Pigment ◽  
Patterning Technique ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Planar Substrates ◽  
Open Access Article

Mementos encapsulate memories and serve as triggers for their recollections. By using a purple pigment producing bacterium as “ink” for writing on agar, a picture memento depicting the initials of students’ names was created to help them recollect, in future, the strong friendships that they fostered during their final year research projects. Besides the fun activity of “Bacterial calligraphy”, the surface patterning technique can also serve as a simple and relatively low cost tool for testing the feasibility of research ideas; for example, depositing cells in both straight and curvilinear lines on planar substrates may find use in understanding possible interactions between different microorganism species. A synopsis of the work and a structured abstract can be found in the accompanying PDF file, while the original article, “Bacterial Calligraphy: A Memento for Undergraduate Research Students”, is available in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 172-174 as an open access article, URL http://www.asmscience.org/content/journal/jmbe/10.1128/jmbe.v13i2.414 .

scholarly journals Bacteria as “ink” for writing the initials of names on agar

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenfa Ng
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Surface Patterning ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Purple Pigment ◽  
Patterning Technique ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Planar Substrates ◽  
Open Access Article

Mementos encapsulate memories and serve as triggers for their recollections. By using a purple pigment producing bacterium as “ink” for writing on agar, a picture memento depicting the initials of students’ names was created, to help them remember the strong friendships that they had fostered with their fellow course-mates during their final year research projects. Besides the fun activity of “Bacterial Calligraphy,” the surface patterning technique can also serve as a simple and relatively low-cost tool for testing the feasibility of research ideas; for example, depositing cells in both straight and curvilinear lines on planar substrates for investigating possible interactions between different microbial species. A synopsis of the work and a structured abstract can be found in the accompanying PDF file, while the original article, “Bacterial Calligraphy: A Memento for Undergraduate Research Students,” has been published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 172-174, and is available at http://jmbe.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/414 as an open-access article.

scholarly journals Bacteria as “ink” for writing the initials of names on agar

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenfa Ng
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Surface Patterning ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Purple Pigment ◽  
Patterning Technique ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Planar Substrates ◽  
Open Access Article

Mementos encapsulate memories and serve as triggers for their recollections. By using a purple pigment producing bacterium as “ink” for writing on agar, a picture memento depicting the initials of students’ names was created to help them remember the strong friendships fostered during their final year research projects. Besides the fun activity of “Bacterial calligraphy”, the surface patterning technique can also serve as a simple and relatively low cost tool for testing the feasibility of research ideas; for example, depositing cells in both straight and curvilinear lines on planar substrates for investigating possible interactions between different microorganism species. A synopsis of the work and a structured abstract can be found in the accompanying PDF file, while the original article, “Bacterial Calligraphy: A Memento for Undergraduate Research Students”, is available in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 172-174, as an open access article http://www.asmscience.org/content/journal/jmbe/10.1128/jmbe.v13i2.414

Undergraduate Research: A Pedagogical Experiment

1988 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 490-494
Author(s):  
Troy J. Ziegler ◽  
David M. Koch
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Psychology Course

Students cooperatively conducted research experiments in an upper division cognitive psychology course in the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department at the United States Air Force Academy. The pedagogical structure of the course was modified to emphasize teaching cadets how to think versus what to think through the process of conducting research. Students were expected to cooperate in pairs to design and conduct their research. Cooperative research projects were used in the attempt to develop critical thinking skills and intrinsic motivation to excel. This paper presents the authors' views on the rationale and perceived benefits of cooperative research projects in upper division courses to develop critical thinking skills and intrinsic motivation.

scholarly journals PSV-21 Assessment of Undergraduate Research Students in the Animal Science Department

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 223-224
Author(s):  
Shana M Winkel ◽  
Lisa Karr ◽  
Thomas Burkey
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Science Department ◽  
Animal Science ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Knowledge Reasoning ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Strongly Agree

Abstract An assessment of undergraduate involvement in research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln using participant surveys has shown the benefits of knowledge gained and given insight for design and success of undergraduate participation in research in the animal science department. Current undergraduate students who had participated in some form of animal science research were surveyed with both demographic questions and ones based on intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting research were evaluated. On the survey, students were asked rank statements on a 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) Likert-type scale to analyze the impacts of completing undergraduate research and the effects it has on one’s knowledge and ability to use and apply what was taught. A total of 30 students completed the survey. Ten percent of students that participated in the survey were male and the other 90% were female. Students ages ranged from 18-23 with the majority being 20-21 (46%) and seniors (33.3%) as well as a Nebraska resident (78%). Students expressed that they mostly heard about the undergraduate research opportunity from their professor (48%) or an outside source such as pre-vet or class presentations (36%). Sixty percent of individuals indicated that pre-veterinary medicine was their current career choice with only 4% indicating they did not plan to continue a higher degree post undergraduate. Interestingly, undergraduate students felt graduate students had a greater impact on their research compared to the professor (43% vs 36%) while 21% of participants said neither had an impact on their research as an undergraduate. Students felt many benefits from participating in undergraduate research from educational opportunities, such as feeling more prepared/competitive for graduate school to life skills, including greater knowledge, reasoning and problem-solving. In conclusion, from participating in undergraduate research, participants are able enhance their scientific learning skills that will help them in their future.

scholarly journals Bacteria as “ink” for writing the initials of names on agar

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenfa Ng
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Surface Patterning ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Purple Pigment ◽  
Patterning Technique ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Planar Substrates ◽  
Open Access Article

Mementos encapsulate memories and serve as triggers for their recollections. By using a purple pigment producing bacterium as “ink” for writing on agar, a picture memento depicting the initials of students’ names was created to help them remember the strong friendships they fostered with their fellow course mates during their final year research projects. Besides the fun activity of “Bacterial calligraphy”, the surface patterning technique can also serve as a simple and relatively low cost tool for testing the feasibility of research ideas; for example, depositing cells in both straight and curvilinear lines on planar substrates for investigating possible interactions between different microbe species. A synopsis of the work and a structured abstract can be found in the accompanying PDF file, while the original article, “Bacterial Calligraphy: A Memento for Undergraduate Research Students”, is available in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 172-174, at http://jmbe.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/414 as an open access article.

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