A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change with Increased Investment in Instructional Time
- Christopher D. Shaffer ,
- Consuelo J. Alvarez ,
- April E. Bednarski ,
- David Dunbar ,
- Anya L. Goodman ,
- Catherine Reinke ,
- Anne G. Rosenwald ,
- Michael J. Wolyniak ,
- Cheryl Bailey ,
- Daron Barnard ,
- Christopher Bazinet ,
- Dale L. Beach ,
- James E. J. Bedard ,
- Satish Bhalla ,
- John Braverman ,
- Martin Burg ,
- Vidya Chandrasekaran ,
- Hui-Min Chung ,
- Kari Clase ,
- Randall J. DeJong ,
- Justin R. DiAngelo ,
- Chunguang Du ,
- Todd T. Eckdahl ,
- Heather Eisler ,
- Julia A. Emerson ,
- Amy Frary ,
- Donald Frohlich ,
- Yuying Gosser ,
- Shubha Govind ,
- Adam Haberman ,
- Amy T. Hark ,
- Charles Hauser ,
- Arlene Hoogewerf ,
- Laura L. M. Hoopes ,
- Carina E. Howell ,
- Diana Johnson ,
- Christopher J. Jones ,
- Lisa Kadlec ,
- Marian Kaehler ,
- S. Catherine Silver Key ,
- Adam Kleinschmit ,
- Nighat P. Kokan ,
- Olga Kopp ,
- Gary Kuleck ,
- Judith Leatherman ,
- Jane Lopilato ,
- Christy MacKinnon ,
- Juan Carlos Martinez-Cruzado ,
- Gerard McNeil ,
- Stephanie Mel ,
- Hemlata Mistry ,
- Alexis Nagengast ,
- Paul Overvoorde ,
- Don W. Paetkau ,
- Susan Parrish ,
- Celeste N. Peterson ,
- Mary Preuss ,
- Laura K. Reed ,
- Dennis Revie ,
- Srebrenka Robic ,
- Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield ,
- Michael R. Rubin ,
- Kenneth Saville ,
- Stephanie Schroeder ,
- Karim Sharif ,
- Mary Shaw ,
- Gary Skuse ,
- Christopher D. Smith ,
- Mary A. Smith ,
- Sheryl T. Smith ,
- Eric Spana ,
- Mary Spratt ,
- Aparna Sreenivasan ,
- Joyce Stamm ,
- Paul Szauter ,
- Jeffrey S. Thompson ,
- Matthew Wawersik ,
- James Youngblom ,
- Leming Zhou ,
- Elaine R. Mardis ,
- Jeremy Buhler ,
- Wilson Leung ,
- David Lopatto , and
- Sarah C. R. Elgin
Address correspondence to: Christopher D. Shaffer (E-mail Address: [email protected]).
Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Longwood University, Farmville, VA 23909
Chemistry Department, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO 63301
Science Department, Cabrini College, Radnor, PA 19087
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
Department of Biology, Linfield College, McMinnville, OR 97128
Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
Biology Department, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588
Biology Department, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA 01602
Department of Biological Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY 11439
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Longwood University, Farmville, VA 23909
Department of Biology, Adams State University, Alamosa, CO 81101
Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC 28216
Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131
Departments of Biomedical Sciences & Cell and Molecular Biology, Grand Valley State, Allendale, MI 49401
Department of Biology, Saint Mary's College of California, Moraga, CA 94556
Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514
Technology Leadership & Innovation Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549
Department of Biology & Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043
Department of Biology, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO 64507
Department of Biology, University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY 40769
Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002
Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke, South Hadley, MA 01075
Biology Department, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX 77006
Grove School of Engineering, New York, NY 10031
Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031
Biology Department, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074
Biology Department, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA 18104
Department of Bioinformatics, St. Edwards University, Austin, TX 78704
Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Department of Biology, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711
Department of Biological Sciences, Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, Lock Haven, PA 17745
Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052
Department of Biological Sciences, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
Biology Department, Luther College, Decorah, IA 52101
Biology Department, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707
Department of Biology, Adams State University, Alamosa, CO 81101
Department of Natural Sciences, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI 53217
Department of Biology, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT 84058
Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO 80639
Biology Department, Simmons College, Boston, MA 02115
Biology Department, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX 78209
Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, Mayaguez, PR 00680
Department of Biology, York College–City University of New York, Jamaica, NY 11451
Division of Biological Sciences, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
Department of Biology and
Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013
Biology Department, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN 55105
Department of Biology, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN 46556
Biology Department, McDaniel College, Westminster, MD 21157
Department of Biology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA 02108
Department of Biological Sciences, Webster University, Webster Groves, MO 63119
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Department of Biology, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Department of Biology, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA 30030
Department of Chemistry, Simmons College, Boston, MA 02115
Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Cayey, PR 00736
Department of Biology, Albion College, Albion, MI 49224
Department of Biology, Webster University, St. Louis, MO 63119
Department of Natural Sciences, LaGuardia Community College, Long Island City, NY 11101
Department of Biology, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM 87701
Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623
Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132
Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411
Department of Biology, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA 19038
Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
Department of Biology, William Woods University, Fulton, MO 65251
Science and Environmental Policy, California State University–Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA 93955
Department of Biology, University of Evansville, Evansville, IN 47722
Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87106
Department of Biology, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023
Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187
Department of Biology, California State University–Stanislaus, Turlock, CA 95382
Department of Health Information Management, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
Department of Psychology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112
Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
Abstract
There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit.