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Virtually the Same? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Remote Undergraduate Research Experiences.

ABSTRACT: In-person undergraduate research experiences (UREs) promote students' integration into careers in life science research. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted institutions hosting summer URE programs to offer them remotely, raising questions about whether undergraduates who participate in remote research can experience scientific integration and whether they might perceive doing research less favorably (i.e., not beneficial or too costly). To address these questions, we examined indicators of scientific integration and perceptions of the benefits and costs of doing research among students who participated in remote life science URE programs in Summer 2020. We found that students experienced gains in scientific self-efficacy pre- to post-URE, similar to results reported for in-person UREs. We also found that students experienced gains in scientific identity, graduate and career intentions, and perceptions of the benefits of doing research only if they started their remote UREs at lower levels on these variables. Collectively, students did not change in their perceptions of the costs of doing research despite the challenges of working remotely. Yet students who started with low cost perceptions increased in these perceptions. These findings indicate that remote UREs can support students' self-efficacy development, but may otherwise be limited in their potential to promote scientific integration.

SUBMITTER: Hess RA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10228262 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Virtually the Same? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Remote Undergraduate Research Experiences.

Hess Riley A RA Erickson Olivia A OA Cole Rebecca B RB Isaacs Jared M JM Alvarez-Clare Silvia S Arnold Jonathan J Augustus-Wallace Allison A Ayoob Joseph C JC Berkowitz Alan A Branchaw Janet J Burgio Kevin R KR Cannon Charles H CH Ceballos Ruben Michael RM Cohen C Sarah CS Coller Hilary H Disney Jane J Doze Van A VA Eggers Margaret J MJ Ferguson Edwin L EL Gray Jeffrey J JJ Greenberg Jean T JT Hoffmann Alexander A Jensen-Ryan Danielle D Kao Robert M RM Keene Alex C AC Kowalko Johanna E JE Lopez Steven A SA Mathis Camille C Minkara Mona M Murren Courtney J CJ Ondrechen Mary Jo MJ Ordoñez Patricia P Osano Anne A Padilla-Crespo Elizabeth E Palchoudhury Soubantika S Qin Hong H Ramírez-Lugo Juan J Reithel Jennifer J Shaw Colin A CA Smith Amber A Smith Rosemary J RJ Tsien Fern F Dolan Erin L EL

CBE life sciences education 20230601 2

In-person undergraduate research experiences (UREs) promote students' integration into careers in life science research. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted institutions hosting summer URE programs to offer them remotely, raising questions about whether undergraduates who participate in remote research can experience scientific integration and whether they might perceive doing research less favorably (i.e., not beneficial or too costly). To address these questions, we examined indicators of ...[more]

PMID: 37058442

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Project description:IntroductionAcademic institutions have a duty to equip health professional students with the requisite research skills to ensure the implementation of evidence-based practice. This study aims to determine the perceptions of pharmacy students and alumni toward research after completing Undergraduate Research in Pharmacy Courses (URPCs) at the College of Pharmacy-Qatar University (CPH-QU).MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted. All CPH-QU alumni (n = 238), and all third- and fourth-year professional students who had completed at least one URPC at the time of conducting the study (n = 42) were approached. The questionnaire contained items relating to research experience and perceptions of significance, confidence in conducting research, actual and anticipated outcomes, and motivation for future research. A Theoretical Domains Framework informed the development of selected items.ResultsThe response rate was 72.1% (202/280); however, the usable rate was 95.5% (193/202). The participants gave positive responses relating to their perceptions of research significance {Median = 5.0 [Interquartile range (IQR) = 1.0], Minimum-Maximum = 1-5}, confidence in conducting research [Median = 4.0 (IQR = 1.0), Minimum-Maximum = 1-5], actual and anticipated outcomes [Median = 4.0 (IQR = 1.0), Minimum-Maximum = 1-5], and motivation for future research plans [Median = 4.0 (IQR = 1.0), Minimum-Maximum = 1-5]. The majority of participants perceived non-confidence in using data analysis software [72 (39.4% non-confidence)] and a high proportion of participants were non-confident in conducting data analysis [45 (24.6% non-confidence)]. More than half reported publishing at least one peer-reviewed article [99 (54.4% agreement)] from their courses and were highly motivated to consider post-graduate degrees in pharmacy [132 (73.3% agreement)].ConclusionsIncorporating URPCs into CPH-QU curriculum has potentially improved students and alumni's perceptions of research. Action is needed to improve confidence in different aspects of research.

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Virtually the Same? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Remote Undergraduate Research Experiences.

Publications

Virtually the Same? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Remote Undergraduate Research Experiences.

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