CUREs: Course-embedded Undergraduate Research Experiences Online
Facilitator: Sherry Krayesky-Self, Ph.D., Student Center for Research, Creativity, and Scholarship (SCRCS) Director
Members:
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Erika Caramillo-Hatch
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Tammy Hall
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Thomas Cline
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John Laudun
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Rachel Ellison
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Ismatara Reena
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Farzad Ferdowsi
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Scott Sittig
The purpose of this FLC was to build Student Research Experiences (SREs)/Course-Embedded Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) into online courses.
UL Lafayette defines a SRE as a sustained effort by a student to apply subject knowledge, skills, and abilities to a project that is valued by the discipline.
While there are a lot of virtual experiences that can provide a multitude of possible outcomes to a virtual experiment and teach students skills, authentic research experiences cannot be pre-recorded. They are harder to design in any class environment. Adding them to an online course presents unique challenges, such as engaging students and producing “teachable moments.”
The community met regularly from October-April, exploring effective tools and outlining specific plans in order to include SREs / CUREs in online or hybrid courses. The community read and discussed Course-Based Undergraduate Research: Education equity and High-Impact Practice (edited by Nancy Hensel), and actively worked toward the following goals:
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Formulated a list of best practices for faculty to use while participating in SREs while teaching or educating students in the online environment.
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Designed CUREs for the classes taught by each member of the FLC team.
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Produced a list of references and helpful links for faculty to use while teaching or educating using CUREs in an online environment.
In designing their CUREs, the community adhered to the following Course-Embedded SRE criteria:
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The SRE is embedded in the course curriculum.
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All students in the class engage in the SRE in some fashion.
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The specific outcomes of the SRE are unknown to faculty and students beforehand.
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Students work collaboratively as much as possible.
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SRE projects introduce students to the professional research methodologies of the discipline.
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Outcomes of the SRE are communicated to a stakeholder that is not the course instructor of record.
Results:
Summary of 2022-2023 FLC CUREs
CUREs Handbook of Best Practices
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