A typology of undergraduate biology research experiences in Ontario

Abstract

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have long been integrated into the landscape of undergraduate education, and the typical, one-on-one model has been associated with several positive student outcomes. Newer models of URE, aimed at improving scalability and promoting access for larger cohorts of students, have proliferated. However, due to the absence of a systematic classification of the models of UREs, comparisons across model types are limited, particularly in Canada. Therefore, it is unclear if these scalable models have achieved the aim of providing a more accessible, but equally impactful URE. We used principal component analyses of key variables derived from the course syllabi of 76 UREs to generate a typology of curriculum-based biology UREs, categorized into the following: Type A (apprenticeship-style research), Type B (field courses), and Type C (high enrollment, course-based research). Analysis of the course characteristics of these three course types revealed that Type C courses were the best positioned to provide an accessible learning environment and to include students who would otherwise not participate in research. The development of a typology of UREs provides a foundation to extend previous research on undergraduate research courses—which primarily focuses on the apprenticeship model—to include the other course types characterized in this study.