Undergraduate Research in Australia
Search for helpful resources
| Search returned 26 results | |
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resources | |
| resource | Examples of community engaged undergraduate projects |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University |
| description | Undergraduate students at the California State University engage in a wide range of community based projects. The economic impact of the 32 million hours of service that students provide is claimed to equate to $624 million annually. |
| context | The types and scope of the work students do is publicised in a booklet "Walking the Paths of Progress" prepared by the Centre for Community Engagement. |
| keywords | Community-engaged learning |
| documentation | This document is a section of that booklet. It provides examples of a wide variety of community engaged projects at different institutions within California State University. It should be useful to people thinking of setting up a community-engaged project scheme or thinking about potential projects their students may engage in. For further information about the CatState scheme refer to the website. http://www.mq.edu.au/ltc/altc/ug_research/files/CalState_University.pdf http://www.calstate.edu/cce |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Cultivating Community |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University |
| description | Students' engagement and a strong sense of community are key aspects leading to success in their undergraduate degree. |
| context | The Centre for Excellence in Assessment in the Business School at Oxford Brookes University (ASKe) has emphasised the importance of creating community in terms of developing hospitable spaces, rethinking the curriculum and supporting co-curricula activities that engage students and staff, and enhancing students' 'pedagogical intelligence'. All of these aspects are important when thinking about the design of curricula for research and inquiry based learning. |
| keywords | Community-engaged learning |
| documentation | This pamphlet explores why cultivating community is important and presents three ways of developing it. For further information about the ASKe project, see the website. Cultivating community.pdfhttp://www.brookes.ac.uk/aske/ |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Exploring the Concept of Undergraduate Research Centres |
| author(s) | National Science Foundation Office of Special Projects, Division of Chemistry , |
| description | How can research opportunities be provided for students in large numbers and early in their undergraduate careers? |
| context | This is a report of a workshop organised by the National Science Foundation in the USA. which examined the challenges of providing undergraduate research within the context of chemistry. The report includes (page 5-6) a set of recommendations that have wider applicability. It also contains summaries of keynotes and information about the work of undergraduate research centres in many US universities. It should be of use to anyone involved in setting up undergraduate research centres or schemes. |
| keywords | Curriculum design Evaluating undergraduate research Research career development Student engagement Vacation scholarship schemes |
| documentation | The report is 66 pages. Please quote as follows: Pemberton, J. E. & Lee, M and associates. (2003). Exploring the concept of undergraduate research centres: A report on the NSF workshop. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, March 30- April 1. Pemberton NSF Workshop report.pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | High impact educational practices |
| description | Having analysed the results of the USA National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), George Kuh has defined ten educational practices which have substantial educational benefits for students. |
| context | These practices are set out in a booklet: Kuh, G. D. (2009). High Impact Educational Practices: What they are, who has access to them and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. One of the high impact educational practices is undergraduate research. |
| keywords | Student engagement |
| documentation | This document contains the annotated list of ten high-impact educational practices. The booklet is available for purchase from: https://secure.aacu.org/source/Orders/index.cfm?section=unknown&task=3&SKU=HIGHIMP&DESCRIPTION=&FindSpec=&CFTOKEN=32821325&continue=1&SEARCH_TYPE= HIGHIMPact.htm |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Research-based learning decision-making wheel |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University |
| description | This wheel is designed to represent the decisions that need to be taken by academics when thinking about implementing research and inquiry experiences for students. It is designed so that people can begin in the centre, decide on which students they want to engage in this manner and then work outwards. |
| context | The wheel was devised as a consequence of thinking about and attempting to integrate Beckman and Hensel's tensions in undergraduate research, Mick Healey's and Philippa Levy's frameworks for research-based, and/or inquiry-based learning. It is published in 53. Brew, A. (2013). Understanding the scope of undergraduate research: A framework for curricular and pedagogical decision-making. Higher Education. 66 (5) 603–618. |
| keywords | Curriculum design Engagement Inquiry-based learning Research experiences Research skills development |
| documentation | A one-page handout Brew wheel handout.pptx |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | National Teaching Fellowship Final Report |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University |
| description | ENHANCING UNDERGRADUATE ENGAGEMENT THROUGH RESEARCH AND INQUIRY |
| keywords | Engagement Evaluating undergraduate research Inquiry-based learning Research experiences Student engagement |
| documentation | final report ALTC Final Report.pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Guide for Undergraduate Research Mentors |
| author(s) | Adrian Lee |
| description | "Nature's Guide for Mentors": Having a good mentor early in your career can mean the difference between success and failure in any field. Adrian Lee, Carina Dennis and Philip Campbell look at what makes a good mentor. |
| keywords | Research experiences Research skills development Student engagement Undergraduate Research |
| documentation | Guide for Mentors Published .pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Report on Undergraduate Awareness, Experiences and Perceptions of Research at Macquarie University |
| author(s) | Ademir Hajdarpasic, Angela Brew and Stefan Popenici. |
| description | This report summarises the key findings of a study about undergraduate awareness, experience and perception of research undertaken at Macquarie University in 2011. The study involved a random sample of 200 undergraduate students completing a face-to-face survey which was designed to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. |
| keywords | Inquiry-based learning Research experiences Student engagement Undergraduate Research |
| documentation | Report on Undergraduate Awareness, Experience and Perception of Research at Macquarie University.pdf |
| contact | lilia.mantai@mq.edu.au |
| resource | VISION AND CHANGE |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University |
| description | Vision and Change IN UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION A CALL TO ACTION |
| context | In 2006, staff from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorates for Education and Human Resources (EHR) and for the Biological Sciences (BIO), prompted by changes in the discipline, formed a working group that recognized the need within the biology community to discuss a shared vision for undergraduate biology education and the changes needed to achieve that vision. This led to the idea of a series of conversations culminating in a large conference that could crystallize the vision and change(s) and give momentum to any community initiatives that would follow. The NSF asked the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) if they could implement the conversations and conference and develop related resources.... |
| keywords | Research experiences Student engagement Undergraduate Research Undergraduate research news |
| documentation | FINAL REPORT OF A NATIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE
WITH SUPPORT FROM THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Revised-Vision-and-Change-Final-Report(1).pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | The development of undergraduates’ awareness of, and engagement in, research |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University Lilia Mantai Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University Stefan Popenici Melbourne University |
| description | This Macquarie University project aimed to enhance performance and showcase excellence in curriculum practices specifically in relation to ensuring that the curriculum is informed by current research; further, to exemplify specified student learning outcomes and coordinated assessment practices in research-based learning. |
| keywords | Research experiences |
| documentation | This document is the Final Report of Macquarie University Learning and Teaching Priority Grant Project 2013. 8 pages Final Report Priority Grant Brew.pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Stimulating strategic teaching and learning initiatives through enhanced familiarity with undergraduate research and inquiry |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University Lilia Mantai Learning and Teaching Centre, Macquarie University |
| description | This project aimed to: add value to the Priority Grant project: The development of undergraduates’ awareness of, and engagement in research by extending staff and student engagement, disseminating across Macquarie and externally, findings of investigations into and critical reflections on best practices and identified challenges into 2013. |
| keywords | Research experiences Report |
| documentation | The final report of this Macquarie University Learning and Teaching Competitive Grant project. 10 pages. competitive grant 2012 Final Report.pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Ten easy ways to put research and inquiry into units |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Office of PVC (Learning and Teaching), Macquarie University |
| description | Perhaps you’re thinking about engaging your students in some form of research and inquiry but don’t know where to begin. For people who haven’t thought of courses in this way before, here are some hints about how you can change your units or parts of your units to develop students’ research skills and competencies. There are ten simple suggestions to get you going that you can adapt to suit your particular context. Of course, these are not the only ways to engage students in research and inquiry. Sometimes knowing where to start is the difficult bit particularly for students’ early years. The examples here are not new and they are not intended to be exhaustive. But hopefully they will give you some ideas to start with and stimulate you to think of other things you can do that are appropriate to your disciplinary context. At the end of the examples there are some frequently asked questions and suggestions about where further information and help can be found. |
| keywords | Student engagement |
| documentation | A Ten page document designed to provide further information on a Teche blog post in January 2017 Ten easy ways (1).pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
| resource | Forms of engagement in undergraduate research |
| author(s) | Angela Brew Macquarie University Lilia Mantai The University of Sydney |
| description | In an interview study of academics who were engaging their students in research-based experiences it appeared that how academics defined undergraduate research determined what they thought was possible or desirable. This led to the specification of a number of forms of engagement in undergraduate research. These forms differ in the kinds of activities that students engage in, how the activities are related to each other, and in their implications for students’ outcomes. Different colours are used to differentiate levels of engagement: undergraduate learning/competency; atomistic approaches to undergraduate research development and wholistic undergraduate research. Importantly, these forms each have different implications for the spread of research engagement across the undergraduate curriculum and in co-curricular activities. These are discussed following the diagram. Typical quotes are given following brief descriptions. |
| keywords | Evaluating undergraduate research Internships Learning design Research experience programs Research experiences |
| documentation | A one-page flyer and 2 pages of descriptions Forms of engagement in UGR.pdf |
| contact | angela.brew@mq.edu.au |
references | |
| reference | Healey, M., & Jenkins, A. (Eds ). (2009). Developing undergraduate research and inquiry. York, UK: Higher Education Academy. |
| description | This book explores key issues around the nature of undergraduate research and inquiry, considers the potential of opportunities for and strategies to support student engagement in research, looks at different national policy approaches to this area, and draws upon extant evidence of impact. The authors provide a useful range of case studies and exemplars that may be usefully adapted and applied, together with suggestions for further research in this large and important element of students’ learning experiences. It is written for: Academic staff (or faculty in North America) who are interested in engaging their students in research, either as part of the curriculum or as co-researchers; —— Course leaders, department heads and staff with faculty and institutional responsibilities for research and teaching and learning who wish to develop strategies and practices to support undergraduate students undertaking and understanding the nature of research; —— Staff engaged in educational and research development in universities, including Academy staff in the Subject Centres and in Academy York, who support staff in developing linkages between research and teaching; —— Institutional and national higher education policy makers, including professional bodies and those giving research grants, who are concerned to develop policies to encourage undergraduates to become involved with research [quoted from pp 2-3 of the booklet]. It is available on line at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/publications/DevelopingUndergraduate_Final.pdf |
| category | General |
| reference | Taylor, P., & Wilding, D. (2010). Rethinking the values of higher education: the student as collaborator and producer? Undergraduate research as a case study. Gloucester, UK. Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. |
| description | This paper arises from discussions in the UK surrounding notions of engagement. It argues for undergraduate research as a key aspect of meaningful engagement and 'the student as producer'. At the University of Warwick, students - undergraduate and postgraduate - are engaging in a research project to examine provision for the development of graduate attributes across the curriculum. The paper also includes further information about the undergraduate research journal: Reinvention. |
| category | General |
| reference | "Broadening Participation in Undergraduate Research: Fostering Excellence and Enhancing the Impact", edited by Mary K. Boyd and Jodi Wesemann |
| description | Engaging undergraduate students in research, scholarship, and creative activity is a proven and powerful practice for enhancing educational outcomes and expanding frontiers of knowledge. This book is a rich collection featuring institutions that are maximizing the impact of this practice by including: · underrepresented ethnic and racial minorities, · students with disabilities, · females, · students of lower socioeconomic status, · first- and second-year students, and · others not traditionally involved in the development of new knowledge. Examples of high-quality, inclusive programs from community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, minority-serving institutions, comprehensive universities, and research universities will help faculty, staff, and administrators enhance: · the lives of their students, · the direction of their scholarship, and · the impact of their disciplines and institutions. |
| keywords | Non-traditional students Research experiences Research skills development Student engagement |
| category | General |
| reference | Undergraduate Research at Community Colleges Edited by Brent D. Cejda National Council of Instructional Administrators |
| description | In 2006, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and the National Council of Instructional Administrators (NCIA) received a two-year planning grant from the Advanced Technological Education program (ATE award #0603119) of the National Science Foundation. The key component of this planning grant was a series of regional conversations about undergraduate research at community colleges. This chapter describes the process of conducting the conversations and provides a summary of those discussions. The primary goal of our CUR/NCIA planning grant was to develop a basic understanding of the status of undergraduate research in community colleges. In the process of developing this understanding, we wanted to identify potential partners from community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, business and industry, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. We also wanted to develop resources that will broaden the involvement of community college students in undergraduate research. To accomplish our goal, we worked with a steering committee to organize and develop a series of regional conversations. Six conversations were held between October 2006 and October 2007. In chronological order, discussions were convened at Harold Washington College (Chicago, IL), Georgia Perimeter College (Lawrenceville, GA), Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, CA), Redlands Community College (El Reno, OK), North Seattle Community College (Seattle, WA), and Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, MA). For each conversation we identified a facilitator, an individual knowledgeable about undergraduate research, and a local contact—someone to assist with the identification of potential participants for the conversation, as well as the logistical aspects necessary to conduct it. Our goal was to have between 20 and 25 individuals at each conversation. Within each group, the ideal was to include faculty members and administrators from at least four community colleges and two four-year institutions, as well as two "outside" individuals. The outside individuals were drawn from business and industry, governmental agencies, and other non-profit organizations such as museums. In total, the conversations involved participants from 27 community colleges, 13 four-year institutions, and 8 outside entities. After each conversation, the facilitator, the local contact, the Executive Officer of CUR and the Executive Director of NCIA held a debriefing. As a result of the initial debriefings, we made a number of logistical changes. The initial conversations were two days in length, and a number of participants were not able to attend both days. As a result, we shortened the schedule for three of the conversations to facilitate attendance of the participants throughout the entire event. Based on feedback from the participants at the earlier events, we included in the final three conversations current or former community college students who had participated in research activities. In each instance, the students made brief presentations about their research and commented on the importance of participation in undergraduate research to their educational growth and development. At each conversation, the facilitator guided large- and small-group discussions focusing on three broad questions related to student research: •What is currently happening regarding undergraduate research at community colleges? •In what kind of research activities would community colleges like to involve undergraduates? •How could CUR and NCIA help community colleges realize their goals for students’ participation in undergraduate research? The facilitator summarized primary points from large-group discussions and gained consensus regarding the importance of these points among the participants. Recorders did the same for each small-group discussion, and a sharing session at the end of each small-group session created opportunities for expanded discussion among the total group of participants. All points were captured using laptop computers, and the files were then combined to prepare a report for each conversation. The participants received the report and had the opportunity to provide additional comments. |
| keywords | Evaluating undergraduate research Non-traditional students Student engagement |
| category | General |
| reference | Reading, Writing, & Research: Undergraduate Students as Scholars in Literary Studies Edited by Laura L. Behling |
| description | This book documents multiple methods and procedures that could be adapted for all students to become engaged in the essential questions of our fields. Reading, Writing, and Research: Undergraduate Students as Scholars in Literary Studies is essential reading for beginning campus discussions for bringing a research-based teaching methodology to all our undergraduate courses in community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and undergraduate programs in research universities |
| keywords | Curriculum design Engagement Evaluating undergraduate research Student engagement |
| category | General |
| reference | Transformative Research at Predominately Undergraduate Institutions Edited by Kerry K. Karukstis and Nancy Hensel |
| description | A report on a June 2009 summit on transformative research held by CUR and funded by the National Science Foundation, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, and the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund. A monograph from the summit with examples of transformative research. |
| keywords | Engagement Research experiences Student engagement |
| category | General |
| reference | Wei, C. A., & Woodin, T. (2011). Undergraduate research experiences in biology: alternatives to the apprenticeship model. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 10(2), 123-131. |
| description | This is the first in a series of articles exploring some of the approaches advocated in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) Vision and Change in Un- dergraduate Biology Education (AAAS, 2011a), an effort within the biology community to address the needs of undergrad- uate education in the life sciences (Woodin et al., 2009, 2010) in response to the dramatic and rapid transformations in bi- ology in recent decades (National Research Council, 2009). The Vision and Change report describes a number of ways to meet the needs of the 21st-century undergraduate. Here, we address one of the changes advocated in that report— the call to “introduce the scientific process to students early, and integrate it into all undergraduate biology courses.” We review a representative sampling of recent innovations inte- grating scientific research experiences within the biology cur- riculum. |
| keywords | Engagement Publications Research experiences Undergraduate Research |
| category | General |
| reference | Hajdarpasic, A., Brew, A., & Popenici, S. (2015). The contribution of academics’ engagement in research to undergraduate education. Studies in Higher Education. Vol. 40, No. 4, 644–657. |
| description | An Australian study of responses of 200 undergraduates discusses the effects of implementing undergraduate research and shows that students believe that academics’ engagement in research deepens student understanding, increases enthusiasm for learning and teaching, encourages postgraduate study, develops skills useful for employment and enhances undergraduate research activities. The article argues that academics’ engagement with research is a key contributor to making higher education ‘higher’ and effectively increases the value of education to the student. |
| keywords | Evaluating undergraduate research |
| category | General |
| reference | Brew, A. & Mantai, L. (2017). Academics’ perceptions of the challenges and barriers to implementing research-based experiences for undergraduates. Teaching in Higher Education. |
| description | This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study exploring academics’ perceptions of the challenges and barriers to implementing undergraduate research. Academics were asked about perceived constraints and enablements, how they defined undergraduate research, the forms of undergraduate research used, and they were encouraged to provide examples. Perceived constraints included particular institutional policies and structures, academics’ mindsets and lack of skills and questions of time and money. It was found that different definitions of undergraduate research lead to different practices and varying opportunities for further development. This paper presents different forms of engagement in undergraduate research allied to these different definitions and it draws on interviewees’ ideas about what has been enabling in their context to suggest possible strategies for institutions to move forward. |
| category | General |
| reference | Kuh, G. D. (2009). High Impact Educational Practices: What they are, who has access to them and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. |
| description | Having analysed the results of the USA National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), George Kuh has defined ten educational practices which have substantial educational benefits for students. This booklet sets out these practices and then provides evidence from his analysis. One of the high impact educational practices is undergraduate research. In the context of the introduction of the Australian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE), this booklet should be of interest to anyone seeking to maximise students' experiences. |
| category | Engagement |
| reference | Krause, K. L. , & Coates, H. (2008). Students' engagement in first-year university. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(5), 493-505. |
| description | Based on a study of first year students in Australian universities, this paper argues that student engagement should be understood in broad terms and that these should be included in any measurement of it. Efforts to improve levels of engagement in first-year must take account of its multifaceted nature. This article provides an interesting Australian perspective to inform the use of undergraduate research in the improvement of student engagement. |
| category | Engagement |
websites | |
| website | Ethics approval for student research http://culturematters.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/ethics-approval-for-student-research-projects-to-use-in-teaching/ |
| description | Blog by Lisa Wynn, Macquarie University, which provides useful information, guidelines and examples of ethics application forms for research projects that involve students. |
| keywords | Ethics and institutional review Research experiences Student engagement Students at risk Undergraduate Research |
| category | General |
| website | Online Conference for Undergraduate Research in Australia https://www.cqu.edu.au/about-us/structure/schools/mas/research/the-motivation-of-health-behaviours-mohb-lab/online-conference-for-undergraduate-research-in-australia |
| description | The Online Conference for Undergraduate Research in Australia (OCURA) allows undergraduate research students an opportunity to gain experience and present their work in a virtual online space. OCURA 2020 is all about ‘Rising to the Challenge’ and moving forward in life regardless of the hurdles we face. OCURA 2020 has no registration fee and is open to all schools of undergraduate research (including honours*) across all Australian universities. The conference will be held online (via Zoom) with multiple virtual sessions across two days – Thursday, 17 and Friday, 18 September 2020. |
| keywords | Student engagement Undergraduate Research Conference |
| category | General |
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