Piloting the Use of Research Coaches across Disciplines at UCF to Increase Curricular Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Location
Burnett Honors College
Start Date
2-10-2015 5:15 PM
End Date
2-10-2015 7:00 PM
Description/Abstract
Research-based courses providing undergraduates with hands-on research experience needed for post-graduation success remain limited at large universities. While studies suggest student research coaches facilitate richer course-based research opportunities to larger student bodies, an analysis of its effectiveness across disciplines is lacking. We implemented this model across four courses with discipline-specific research foci. Preliminary analyses indicate although students’ pre-semester research experiences differed, students across courses/experience-levels perceived this to offer “real” research exercises and increased confidence levels. We examine instructors’ versus coaches’ impact on increasing undergraduates’ research confidence levels, as findings suggest confidence as critical to persistence in field-related research tracks.
Piloting the Use of Research Coaches across Disciplines at UCF to Increase Curricular Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences
Burnett Honors College
Research-based courses providing undergraduates with hands-on research experience needed for post-graduation success remain limited at large universities. While studies suggest student research coaches facilitate richer course-based research opportunities to larger student bodies, an analysis of its effectiveness across disciplines is lacking. We implemented this model across four courses with discipline-specific research foci. Preliminary analyses indicate although students’ pre-semester research experiences differed, students across courses/experience-levels perceived this to offer “real” research exercises and increased confidence levels. We examine instructors’ versus coaches’ impact on increasing undergraduates’ research confidence levels, as findings suggest confidence as critical to persistence in field-related research tracks.