RCN-UBE Incubator: Engaging Novice Undergraduates in Scientific Discovery Through Research Deconstruction

This RCN-UBE incubator project will begin building a network of STEM educators at 2- and 4-year colleges employing research deconstruction, a pedagogical strategy developed by the investigators to teach undergraduate students the process of scientific inquiry. As research deconstruction requires no laboratory infrastructure, it offers a low-cost, scalable approach that may be accessible to a wide variety of institutions, including community colleges. Engaging students in scientific inquiry is an important strategy for reducing attrition of students from STEM majors, a national problem that threatens the future of the U.S. as a global leader in science and technology. Providing educators with sustainable options for inquiry-based instruction, particularly at 2-year colleges, may help to increase the number and diversity of future STEM professionals.

External assessment and STEM retention data from implementation over a 10-year period at suggest the approach is effective in teaching students the process of science and increasing persistence in STEM. To determine the extent to which these educational benefits can be reproduced at a 2-year campus and identify adaptations necessary for implementation in a community college setting, the investigators will work with partner community colleges to develop a pilot research deconstruction course. Formative assessment will be used to evaluate affective and cognitive learning gains and, in consultation with an advisory team of community college faculty, identify necessary adaptations for a second course offering. These findings and those of network participants implementing research deconstruction at research universities will be shared at a workshop to identify best practices. To increase awareness of the pedagogy, local STEM faculty will be invited to the workshop, and video recordings of the presentations will be posted on a website for distribution to the broader education community. Outcomes from this incubator will inform future efforts as the network is expanded to include more 2- and 4-year colleges.

This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action.