Supporting Undergraduate Education with Realistic Laboratory Exercises and Research Experience

Abstract

AbstractHigher education programs can offer hands‐on experiences in the form of laboratory or field exercises, experiential learning, and undergraduate research opportunities to students, though at an increased cost in terms of financial, material, and personnel requirements. In a climate where institutions seek to streamline their dwindling budgets, it could be tempting to eliminate some of these programs to focus on more traditional classroom‐based education. This outcome, if combined with the traits of the typical “millennial generation” student, raises the possibility that current and future student cohorts will lack practical experience in core areas. We argue that despite the challenges of garnering funding and institutional support, it is both possible and beneficial to provide undergraduates with the hands‐on experiences, experiential learning, and exposure to research and management topics that enrich their education and better prepare them for entry‐level positions or graduate school. We describe a multitiered approach for doing so and include examples from successful programs at Colorado State University and Florida Gulf Coast University.