Abstract:
Experiential learning increases undergraduate student success. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are a form of experiential learning in which a course becomes research intensive, such that students participate in discipline-specific research in a classroom setting. While some evidence suggests that CUREs promote student learning, additional research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of CUREs in biology courses. Here, I describe a CURE in a non-majors biology course in which students conducted a semester-long study at the Tennessee Aquarium to quantify flashlight fish behavior. In this presentation, I provide details of how students engaged in all aspects of the scientific method.
Keywords:
Experiential Learning, Course Design, Research Experience
Outcomes:
Define course-based research experience.
Describe an example of a course-based research experience in a biology course.
Explain how a course-based research experience can improve student success in a non-majors science course.
Hear it from the author:
Audio Transcript:
Experiential learning increases undergraduate student success. Course-based undergraduate
research experiences (CUREs) are a form of experiential learning in which a course becomes
research-intensive, such that students participate in discipline-specific research in a classroom
setting. While some evidence suggests that CUREs promote student learning, additional
research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of CUREs in biology courses. In this
poster, I describe a CURE in a non-majors biology course in which students conducted a
semester-long study at the TN Aquarium to quantify flashlight fish behavior. I provide details of how students engaged in all aspects of the scientific method. Quantitative assessments
revealed that students’ knowledge of the scientific method improved after participation in the
CURE. CUREs can be a valuable tool in biology courses.
References:
Bangera, G., & Brownell, S. E. (2014). Course-based undergraduate research experiences can make scientific research more inclusive. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 13(4), 602–606. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.14-06-0099
Brownell, S. E., & Kloser, M. J. (2015). Toward a conceptual framework for measuring the effectiveness of course-based undergraduate research experiences in undergraduate biology. Studies in Higher Education, 40(3), 525–544. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1004234
Dolan, E. L. (2016). Course-based undergraduate research experiences: Current knowledge and future directions. Natl Res Counc Comm Pap, 1, 1–34.