“Collective Undergraduate Research: A Teaching / Learning Tool For MSE Students”

Abstract

ABSTRACTA new experiment to implement and collectively publish undergraduate students' research was started at the School of Technology, Eastern Illinois University in the Fall of 1998. A summary of the procedures followed in this experiment, its assessment and its progress are presented. Collective research publications, authored by undergraduate engineering students and edited by their faculty can be used as an effective teaching / learning tool that benefits students/authors, their peers, faculty/editors, local and other institutions, and industry at large, particularly when this research is interactively posted on the Internet. Through a research study format, undergraduates learn the subject matter much better, become familiar with research methods and techniques early in their careers, and polish their technical writing abilities. As the experiment also fosters teamwork and peer collaboration and evaluation, undergraduates sharpen their oral communication skills through group discussions and in-class presentations. The experiment provided an opportunity for students to independently select and research a particular topic and helped them discover the research resources and reference materials available on the subject matter. As one of the few creative opportunities offered in a class, this experiment presented a variety of learning environments to undergraduates and helped promote their creativity and self-directed learning. It was confirmed that most undergraduate students hold unlimited potential for success as researchers, and that enthusiasm, hard work, self-motivation, and dedication of students are likely to constitute better indicators of success than the conventional grades they earned in the past.