Learning Trajectory of a Science Undergraduate Working as an Intern in a Research Laboratory: A Science Practice Lens

Abstract

Internship attachments to research laboratories as part of undergraduate science courses offer opportunities for students to be engaged with authentic scientific research. The term “authentic research” refers to the opportunities to work under the supervision of practicing scientists. Such experiences differ vastly from typical laboratory sessions, where undergraduates complete a predetermined set of activities within a duration of between three and six hours every week during the semester. In comparison, students who participate in authentic scientific research work with faculty and research staff engage with the activity over an extended period of time, ranging from months to years. The authentic research experiences aim to expose students to the field of science practice and to gain insights about the nature of science. However, these internships programmes are both labour and resource intensive. Using an in-depth case study, consisting of observations and interviews, of a third-year undergraduate (Tom) majoring in the life sciences, this study re-examines this time-proven mode of learning from the theoretical lens of science epistemic practices. Analysis of Tom’s experiences revealed that while Tom was cognizant about the demands of science practices such as the need for rigorous data collection and analysis in the scientific process, he was unprepared for the highly repetitive nature of the experiments he conducted. Additionally, the unpredictable nature of the experimental results as well as the need for attention when experiments were in-progress meant that Tom was unable to make concrete plans outside his laboratory engagements and this resulted in low-grade anxiety.