Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences Research Articles

A Process for Scaling an Independent Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Lessons Learned From Expansion of the Tigriopus CURE to Diverse Institutions

A Process for Scaling an Independent Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Lessons Learned From Expansion of the <i>Tigriopus</i> CURE to Diverse Institutions

"DNA at the whim of the water": Environmental DNA as a course-based undergraduate research experience.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) increase student access to high impact research experiences. CUREs engage students in the scientific process by learning how to pose scientific questions, develop hypotheses, and generate data to test them. Environmental DNA (eDNA), is a growing field of research that is gaining accessibility through decreasing laboratory costs, which can make a foundation for multiple, engaging CUREs. This manuscript describes three case studies that used eDNA in an upper year undergraduate course. The first focusses on a systematic literature review of eDNA metadata reporting. The second describes the biomonitoring of brook trout in southern Ontario using eDNA. The third involves eDNA metabarcoding for freshwater fish detection in southern Ontario. Undergraduates were involved in the development and execution of experiments, scientific communication, the peer review process, and fundraising. Through this manuscript, we show the novel application of eDNA CUREs and provide a roadmap for other instructors interested in implementing similar projects. Interviews with seven students from these courses indicate the benefits experienced from taking these courses. We argue that the use of eDNA in CUREs should be expanded in undergraduate biology programs due to the benefit to students and the increasing accessibility of this technology.

Development of an Undergraduate Cell Biology Laboratory to Assess Pigmentation and Cell Size in a Zebrafish Model of Uveal Melanoma.

This study outlines a 2-week laboratory module for an authentic cell biology undergraduate research experience that uses zebrafish (Danio rerio), a popular model organism for research. Previous research has indicated that course-based undergraduate research experiences such as this one increase student confidence, active learning, and retention. During this research experience, students investigate variations in pigmentation in the caudal fins of wild type (WT) and transgenic fish [Tg(mitfa:GNAQQ209L)]. The transgenic fish express a hyperactive Gα protein, GNAQQ209L, under the melanocyte-specific mitfa promoter, offering insights into uveal melanoma, a common eye cancer. Students specifically analyze the black pigmented cells, melanophores, within the caudal fin. We determined that the transgenic zebrafish have increased pigmentation in their caudal fins, but smaller melanophores. These results suggest there are more melanophores in the Tg(mitfa:GNAQQ209L) fish compared to the WT. Future undergraduate research could investigate these cellular differences. This research experience imparts microscopy and image analysis skills and instills the ability to grapple with large datasets, statistical tests, and data interpretation in alignment with biology education principles. Post-laboratory surveys reveal students attain confidence in the above skills and in handling animals, along with a deeper appreciation for model organism research and its relevance to cancer cell biology.

Let's talk posters: a novel role-playing activity to prepare undergraduate researchers for poster presentations.

Calls to increase undergraduate involvement in research have led to a significant increase in student participation via course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). These CUREs provide students an authentic research experience, which often involves dissemination of research by public speaking. For instance, the First-year Research Immersion (FRI) program at Binghamton University is a three-semester CURE sequence that prepares students for scientific research and effective communication of their findings. After one semester of research, students from the FRI program are tasked with presenting their research to hundreds of faculty members, staff, friends, and family at the annual FRI poster session. However, our students, and undergraduates in general, report high anxiety and fear around public speaking such as this. To better prepare our students for public speaking at a research poster session, we developed a workshop that includes a novel role-play activity to mimic a fast-paced poster session or conference in order to address students' fears and increase confidence levels. The role-play activity gives students iterative practice such that they are prepared for the realities of a poster session including variation of poster attendees. During the activity, students switch roles between presenter and audience member. In the role of an audience member, students are given Pokèmon-like role-playing cards that explain the traits and abilities of various types of poster-goers that students might come across (faculty in and out of discipline, staff, family, friends, etc.). Students improvise and enact their card-assigned role as they engage with their classmates who are practicing their poster presentations. To assess student outcomes, students were given three surveys: pre-activity, post-activity, and post-poster presentation. Immediately following the activity, 64% of students reported the highest level of confidence, and following the poster session, 93% of students reported extreme confidence in their poster presentation abilities. These data show that this role-play activity can help address student confidence and better prepare students to communicate their research.

A Grounded Theory of Early Preservice Music Teacher Identity Development

The purpose of this grounded theory was to discover the process of undergraduate students’ music teacher identity development in the first 2 years of their preservice music education program. Participants in this study were 21 undergraduate students from an introduction to music education course. We collected multiple types of data, including interviews and written artifacts, from a course-based undergraduate research experience that focused on music teacher identity development. Consistent with Charmaz’s approach, data collection and analysis were grounded in a constructivist paradigm. We analyzed participants’ music teacher identity development in a cyclical, three-phase process during the early years of their undergraduate teacher education programs. The three phases involved (a) outer experiences and interactions, (b) inner reflective processes, and (c) actions based on their reflections. The phases were situated within the context of participants’ developing sense of self. Central to this process was the students’ personal development, particularly as individuals in the stage of late adolescence.

Outcomes and Experiences of Students in Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

Research is a pivotal element of music therapy education. Finding, interpreting, and integrating research into clinical practice are required in the professional competencies (American Music Therapy Association, 2013, 2021). Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) have been identified by the National Science Foundation to increase access to underrepresented student populations in STEM programs. Fewer studies have been seen in humanities. To develop competency in a cohort of music therapy students, a CURE was developed with student research collaborating on all parts of the study. Elements of the CURE were guided by Dvorak and Hernandez-Ruiz (2019); one of the first publications in music therapy using this approach with students. However, in the present CURE each student developed their own research question within a larger project, modeled after a lab-based approach. Students who wished to present their research as a poster for the regional or national conference were prepared to do so. Significant improvements in were found (p&lt;.0001) three categories on the Research Skill Development Questionnaire (RSDQ: Dvorak et al., 2021) including knowledge of research-related content, research skills, and research dispositions. Student reflections share a growth in comfort with and accessibility of conducting research as something “not just for scientists and doctors” but that was “a lot less stressful, and really fun!” Others reported a motivation to identify questions and conduct research in the future. The outcome was a fully immersive educational experience and functional a resource for members within the School of Music to educate on hearing loss prevention.

Using Unity for Scientific Visualization as a Coursebased Undergraduate Research Experience

Using Unity for Scientific Visualization as a Coursebased Undergraduate Research Experience

Abstract 1788 An entirely virtual, protein-focused, course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE): expanding the benefits of research activities beyond the laboratory

Abstract 1788 An entirely virtual, protein-focused, course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE): expanding the benefits of research activities beyond the laboratory

A tailored innovative model of “research internship” aimed at strengthening research competencies in STEM undergraduates

PurposeResearch internships are integral components of undergraduate programs that nurture students' skill sets. However, the current trend of these internships adopting a direct apprenticeship model, often termed “cookbook” laboratory sessions, falls short of cultivating 21st-century skills. Therefore, this study proposes an innovative Outcomes-directed Research Internship Model (ODRIM) designed to enhance research competencies.Design/methodology/approachThis study introduces a pioneering research internship model by integrating the course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) framework with principles rooted in outcomes-based education (OBE). To evaluate its effectiveness and compare it with traditional research internship models (TRIMs), a two-group pretest-posttest design was utilized. Statistical analysis was performed on data collected from 66 participants to assess their research competencies.FindingsThe results revealed a significant positive difference in utilizing the tailored innovative ODRIM track (pre-mean = 17.525, post-mean = 19.875; p = 0.009) compared to the TRIM track (pre-mean = 19.769, post-mean = 19.615; p = 1.000) in enhancing overall student research competency. Specifically, this innovative internship model notably enhanced students’ abilities in conducting research, showcasing technical skills, collaborating within teams, and disseminating research outcomes, encompassing the composition of research articles and reports.Originality/valueThis tailored approach to the “Research Internship” encourages a harmonious blend of hands-on, inquiry-based learning and clear, measurable learning goals. It not only cultivates an immersive and thorough research experience to improve students’ research competencies, but also guarantees a concentrated alignment with predetermined research learning objectives.

CURE on yeast genes of unknown function increases students' bioinformatics proficiency and research confidence.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) can reduce barriers to research opportunities while increasing student knowledge and confidence. However, the number of widely adopted, easily transferable CUREs is relatively small. Here, we describe a CURE aimed at determining the function of poorly characterized Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes. More than 20 years after sequencing of the yeast genome, nearly 10% of open reading frames (ORFs) still have at least one uncharacterized Gene Ontology (GO) term. We refer to these genes as "ORFans" and formed a consortium aimed at assigning functions to them. Specifically, over 70 faculty members attended summer workshops to learn the bioinformatics workflow and basic laboratory techniques described herein. Ultimately, this CURE was adapted for implementation at 34 institutions, resulting in over 1,300 students conducting course-based research on ORFans. Pre-/post-tests confirmed that students gained both (i) an understanding of gene ontology and (ii) knowledge regarding the use of bioinformatics to assign gene function. After using these data to craft their own hypotheses, then testing their predictions by constructing and phenotyping deletion strains, students self-reported significant gains in several areas, including computer modeling and exposure to a project where no one knows the outcome. Interestingly, most net gains self-reported by ORFan Gene Project participants were greater than published findings for CUREs assessed with the same survey instrument. The surprisingly strong impact of this CURE may be due to the incoming lack of experience of ORFan Project participants and/or the independent thought required to develop testable hypotheses from complex data sets.

A framework for leveraging network course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) faculty to develop, validate, and administer an assessment instrument.

Over the last several years, nationally disseminated course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as an alternative to developing a novel CURE from scratch, but objective assessment of these multi-institution (network) CUREs across institutions is challenging due to differences in student populations, instructors, and fidelity of implementation. The time, money, and skills required to develop and validate a CURE-specific assessment instrument can be prohibitive. Here, we describe a co-design process for assessing a network CURE [the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment (PARE)] that did not require support through external funding, was a relatively low time commitment for participating instructors, and resulted in a validated instrument that is usable across diverse PARE network institution types and implementation styles. Data collection efforts have involved over two dozen unique institutions, 42 course offerings, and over 1,300 pre-/post-matched assessment record data points. We demonstrated significant student learning gains but with small effect size in both content and science process skills after participation in the two laboratory sessions associated with the core PARE module. These results show promise for the efficacy of short-duration CUREs, an educational research area ripe for further investigation, and may support efforts to lower barriers for instructor adoption by leveraging a CURE network for developing and validating assessment tools.

Pairing a bioinformatics-focused course-based undergraduate research experience with specifications grading in an introductory biology classroom.

Introducing bioinformatics-focused concepts and skills in a biology classroom is difficult, especially in introductory biology classrooms. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) facilitate this process, introducing genomics and bioinformatics through authentic research experiences, but the many learning objectives needed in scientific research and communication, foundational biology concepts, and bioinformatics-focused concepts and skills can make the process challenging. Here, the pairing of specifications grading with a bioinformatics-focused CURE developed by the Genomics Education Partnership is described. The study examines how the course structure with specifications grading facilitated scaffolding of writing assignments, group work, and metacognitive activities; and describes the synergies between CUREs and specifications grading. CUREs require mastery of related concepts and skills for working through the research process, utilize common research practices of revision and iteration, and encourage a growth mindset to learning-all of which are heavily incentivized in assessment practices focused on specifications grading.

Contrasting Tick Species Behaviors: A Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

Contrasting Tick Species Behaviors: A Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)

Writing a literature review as a class project in an upper-level undergraduate biochemistry course.

A literature review is an important part of conducting academic research. Knowing how to conduct a literature search and write a high-quality literature review is a valuable skill. Herein, the authors describe the method of introducing a literature review writing exercise in an upper-level biochemistry course. Since 2020, authors have collaborated with numerous undergraduates writing literature reviews on topics in biochemistry that resulted in peer-reviewed publications. Authors believe that this unique idea of providing a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) to many undergraduates, especially those who otherwise do not receive collaborative research experience through traditional research paths, must be shared with other instructors.

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences for Laboratory Learning in the Life Sciences

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences for Laboratory Learning in the Life Sciences

The Power of Place: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Studying Urban Ecology, Local Apple Trees and Disease Susceptibility

The Power of Place: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Studying Urban Ecology, Local Apple Trees and Disease Susceptibility

Student Perceptions of Community-Engaged Scholarship Courses: Developing a Sociolinguistic Corpus on the U.S.–Mexico Border

Community-based sociolinguistic corpora are collections of informal interviews with community members who comprise an important dataset in sociolinguistics. Although some scholars have involved students in developing sociolinguistic corpora, few studies have examined students’ perspectives on these projects. Furthermore, very few studies examine the perceptions of underrepresented college students who are themselves members of the surrounding community. The present study analyzes the perceptions of students involved in community-engaged scholarship (CES) courses at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on the U.S.–Mexico border. In these CES courses, predominantly Mexican American students contribute to the documentation of language in South Texas through the Corpus Bilingüe del Valle (Christoffersen &amp; Bessett, 2019). A qualitative analysis of 38 student responses reveals six significant themes: a greater knowledge of transcription, increased connection with one’s own community, enhanced understanding from experiential learning and research experience, development of professional skills, a heightened appreciation of local language varieties, and pride in participating in a large-scale research project. These responses demonstrate the benefits of CES and serve to encourage sociolinguists to incorporate community-based corpora development in linguistics and language classes. More broadly, the results highlight the importance and impact of CES experiences for underrepresented college students, especially those incorporating course-based undergraduate research experiences.

Upper-level inter-disciplinary microbiology CUREs increase student's scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and self-assessed skills.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in authentic research and generally increase the participation rate of students in research. Students' participation in research has a positive impact on their science identity and self-efficacy, both of which can predict integration of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), especially for underrepresented students. The main goal of this study was to investigate instructor-initiated CUREs implemented as upper-level elective courses in the Biomedical Sciences major. We hypothesized that these CUREs would (i) have a positive impact on students' scientific identity and self-efficacy and (ii) result in gains in students' self-assessed skills in laboratory science, research, and science communication. We used Likert-type surveys developed by Estrada et al. (14) under the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence to measure scientific identity, self-efficacy, and scientific value orientation. When data from all CUREs were combined, our results indicate that students' self-efficacy and science identity significantly increased after completion. Students' self-assessment of research and lab-related skills was significantly higher after completion of the CUREs. We also observed that prior to participation in the CUREs, students' self-assessment of molecular and bioinformatic skills was low, when compared with microbiological skills. This may indicate strengths and gaps in our curriculum that could be explored further.

Measuring undergraduates' understanding of the culture of scientific research as an outcome variable in research on CUREs.

Researchers who work on course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and issues related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) retention have begun exploring changes in student thinking about what it means to be a scientist. To support this effort, we developed rubrics to score answers to three open-response prompts: What does it mean to think like a scientist? What does it mean to do science? and Did you do real research in your coursename labs? The rubric development process was iterative and was based on input from the literature, experienced researchers, and early-career undergraduates. A post hoc analysis showed that the rubric elements map to 27 of 31 statements in the Culture of Scientific Research (CSR) framework, suggesting that scored responses to the three prompts can assess how well students understand what being a science professional entails. Scores on responses from over 400 students who were starting an introductory biology course for majors furnish baseline data from the rubrics and suggest that (i) undergraduates at this level have, as expected, a novice-level understanding of CSR, and (ii) level of understanding in novice students does not vary as a function of demography or academic preparation. Researchers and instructors are encouraged to add CSR to their list of learning objectives for CUREs and consider assessing it using the rubrics provided here.

Preparing Teaching Assistants to Facilitate Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) in the Biological Sciences: A Call to Action.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) offer an expanding avenue to engage students in real-world scientific practices. Increasingly, CUREs are instructed by graduate teaching assistants (TAs), yet TAs may be underprepared to facilitate and face unique barriers when teaching CUREs. Consequently, unless TAs are provided professional development (PD) and resources to teach CUREs effectively, they and their students may not reap the assumed benefits of CURE instruction. Here, we describe three perspectives - that of the CURE TA, the CURE designer/facilitator, and the CURE student - that are collectively intended to inform the development of tentative components of CURE TA PD. We compare these perspectives to previous studies in the literature in an effort to identify commonalities across all sources and offer potential insights for advancing CURE TA PD efforts across a diversity of institutional environments. We propose that the most effective CURE TA PD programs will promote the use of CURE-specific instructional strategies as benchmarks for guiding change in teaching practices and should focus on three major elements: 1) enhancement of research and teaching acumen, 2) development of effective and inclusive mentoring practices, and 3) identification and understanding of the factors that make CUREs a unique learning experience.