International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, Mar 30, 2016
Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulat... more Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulate student understanding of the practice of science. We propose that such experiences not only play an important role in student acquisition of skills and understanding of scientific processes, but also encourage broader learning outcomes. However academics may not be fully aware of these more generic gains. In this study within a science department at a large metropolitan research intensive university, we interviewed academics and surveyed students to examine the learning gains from undergraduate research opportunities as perceived by the two groups. Interviews with academics highlighted a strong culture of integrating research and inquiry into teaching, with intended gains being research skills and encouraging students to think like scientists. Students reported learning gains to be problem solving skills, data collecting, and working collaboratively. These later "personal gains" reported by students were not identified by academics. We believe the difference between students and academics could reflect an under-valuing by academics of the broader impacts of research and inquiry on student learning. The findings of this study have implications for the ongoing support of undergraduate research and inquiry, and its growth as a valuable learning experience in the tertiary science curriculum.
Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good r... more Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good reasons to join HERDSA 2014
Guide to the Professional Standards Framework for applicants in an Australian context. Advance HE
Advance HE, 2020
The guide provides details of interpreting the Dimensions of the Professional Standards Framework... more The guide provides details of interpreting the Dimensions of the Professional Standards Framework in an Australian context, with references to appropriate legislation and regulations. In particular, the guide looks at how Fellowship applicants can consider the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and reflect on how this shapes the learning environment within higher education in Australia
Undergraduate research can be defined and experienced more broadly than the traditional model of ... more Undergraduate research can be defined and experienced more broadly than the traditional model of a student research project situated in a single laboratory. The Boyer Commission Report (1998) set in motion an international educational movement placing a new emphasis on the role of undergraduate research within higher education. Today the education literature continues to report the variety of ways students engage with research (Beckman and Hensel 2009; Brew 2010a; Healey 2005; Robertson and Blackler 2006) and the potential benefits they gain (Goodlad 1998; Seymour et al. 2004; Hunter, Laursen, and Seymour 2007; Lopatto 2007; Myatt 2009). Here we describe undergraduate research within the context of an Australian research-intensive institution, reviewing the key findings from a study we conducted and providing some examples that characterize the nature of, and student benefits from, undergraduate research experiences across a broad range of disciplines. The diversity of models for th...
is an Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experience. An ALURE offers the opportunity fo... more is an Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experience. An ALURE offers the opportunity for large numbers of students to engage in an authentic research project within the curriculum. Authenticity is central to the ALURE experience and is achieved by providing students with the opportunity to think and act as they would in the real world, perhaps through designing their own research questions, contributing to a larger research project, or producing assessment items of an authentic nature. The research question itself underpins the ALURE. In an ALURE students are often working in groups. They work on a real project with an unknown answer.
International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 2016
Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulat... more Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulate student understanding of the practice of science. We propose that such experiences not only play an important role in student acquisition of skills and understanding of scientific processes, but also encourage broader learning outcomes. However academics may not be fully aware of these more generic gains. In this study within a science department at a large metropolitan research intensive university, we interviewed academics and surveyed students to examine the learning gains from undergraduate research opportunities as perceived by the two groups. Interviews with academics highlighted a strong culture of integrating research and inquiry into teaching, with intended gains being research skills and encouraging students to think like scientists. Students reported learning gains to be problem solving skills, data collecting, and working collaboratively. These later “personal gains” report...
Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good r... more Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good reasons to join HERDSA 2014
Over 1000 bacteria were isolated from rhizospheres of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and evaluated... more Over 1000 bacteria were isolated from rhizospheres of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and evaluated for their potential as biological control agents of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. medicaginis root rot of chickpea in vitro. Following in vitro plate assays for fungal antagonism, initial pot assay results showed 31 isolates with the ability to limit or delay chickpea seedling disease in a pasteurized soil. The most promising isolates were identified as Pseudomonas cepacia (seven strains) and P. fluorescens (two strains). No relationship was observed between biological control activity of the bacteria and the soils, chickpea cultivars or the methods used in their isolation.
KEYWORDS: undergraduate, research experience, course integrated, implementation, case study, scie... more KEYWORDS: undergraduate, research experience, course integrated, implementation, case study, science This study investigated the implementer experience of introducing an Authentic Large Scale Undergraduate Research Experience (ALURE) into 7 science courses in three Australian tertiary institutions. The results will be of value to tertiary science educators who are interested in giving the opportunity to experience the benefits of research participation to a larger number of their undergraduate students. BACKGROUND The integration of research experiences into undergraduate curricula is of special importance in the fields of STEM. Engaging undergraduate students in research is considered essential for a tertiary science education, informing students future career course and increasing student retention. Our project is supporting the introduction of an ALURE (Authentic Large Scale Undergraduate Research Experience) practical into several undergraduate science courses. These ALURE pract...
This paper explores the benefits that undergraduate science students perceive as a result of part... more This paper explores the benefits that undergraduate science students perceive as a result of participating in an undergraduate research experience (URE) and explores the possible influences that UREs have on the future career directions of students. Authentic undergraduate research experiences in science play an important role in providing context to student learning and providing a sense of being a 'scientist'. There has been, however, some concern over the validity of the claims made relating to the extent of the impact that research experiences have on undergraduate students. This paper focuses on a new Summer Research Scholarship experience and reports on some of the findings from a 2008/2009 pilot study that investigated student perceptions of their undergraduate research experiences as 2nd year students studying within science.
It is widely believed that authentic research experiences in science are pivotal in providing con... more It is widely believed that authentic research experiences in science are pivotal in providing context to undergraduate student learning and providing a true sense of what it means to be a 'scientist' (Boyer Report, 1998, Healey & Jenkin,s 2009). Research intensive universities might be expected to have the greatest potential for involving students in authentic research (Turner, Wuetherick & Healey, 2008), however, their students often feel alienated from the research culture (Zamorski, 2002), and frustrated when their participation in the authentic research activities of the university are delayed (Robertson & Blacker, 2006). Therefore universities, and research-intensive universities in particular, are being expected to develop strategies for welcoming students into their research culture during the early undergraduate years. An innovative model for introducing first year undergraduate science students to the research culture of a large research-intensive university has bee...
Journal of university teaching and learning practice, 2018
This research examines the design and delivery of a new Foundations of University Teaching Practi... more This research examines the design and delivery of a new Foundations of University Teaching Practice (FUTP) program delivered through asynchronous online modules. The freedom to choose defines the new momentum of openness in distance and open learning. University teaching staff expect quality resources to support their professional development within the reality of limited time for learning and a desire for increased accessibility. Openness and increased access bring both opportunities and challenges. This paper uses mixed methods to examine the FUTP from the perspectives of both the designers and the academic staff who participated in the program. Using personal reflections, focus groups, a survey, and interviews, we explore those opportunities and challenges within the context of the design and delivery of the program and report on the findings. Our research confirmed the value of openness and increased access to professional learning in higher education
Enhancing students’ learning experience through mLearning; using VODcasts to motivate and engage students?
A recent survey of undergraduate students in the Health Sciences revealed that a substantial prop... more A recent survey of undergraduate students in the Health Sciences revealed that a substantial proportion of physiotherapy students, occupational therapy students and speech pathology students at The University of Queensland do not prepare themselves for laboratory classes, and a substantial proportion of students fail to attend some laboratory classes. Recent studies (Krause et al 2005) have reported that today’s full-time students are likely to have an enormous workload based on full-time study and part-time (or full-time) work. Students tend to have individual coping mechanisms that rely on prioritising. Adequately preparing for laboratory classes becomes a low priority resulting in a diminished quality of the student learning experience and poor student outcomes may result. This project will develop Video on Demand broadcast (VODcast) ‘snapshots’ of the laboratory classes for students to access via mobile phone technology or the internet just prior to laboratory sessions. These VO...
AUSTRALIAN BIOCHEMIST Undergraduate research experiences have enormous benefits for our students,... more AUSTRALIAN BIOCHEMIST Undergraduate research experiences have enormous benefits for our students, but the numbers of students who participate are tiny. Over the past two years our team has been working with the Australian Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) to increase the numbers of Australian undergraduate students engaging in scientific research. We call our communal effort ‘ The ALURE Project’. ALURE stands for Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experience. In this article we report on our progress and discuss some of our findings as we work with ALURE implementers across Australia. Why Bother with Undergraduate Research Experiences? Providing undergraduate students with meaningful research experiences is not easy, so it is important to ask why we should do it. In the traditional, apprenticeship-style undergraduate research model, a single student works in a professional research laboratory on their own project. This model provides a powerfully authentic research exp...
Undergraduate students’ experiences of research: findings from a cross-disciplinary analysis of students’ perceptions
Engagement in research has become increasingly recognised as a ‘high impact’ tool for undergradua... more Engagement in research has become increasingly recognised as a ‘high impact’ tool for undergraduate engagement in learning. A cross-disciplinary study of 151 students at a research-intensive university, using an established framework and survey instrument, explored students’ perceptions of research in undergraduate programs. It identified high levels of student awareness of research, experience of research, and a range of positive and negative impacts of staff research on learning. Statistically significant differences in students’ perceptions across disciplines were identified. Engagement in research was seen to be a valuable and effective way to learn, with students appreciating the ‘teachingresearch nexus’ and the benefits to learning of their teachers’ research activity.
International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, Mar 30, 2016
Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulat... more Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulate student understanding of the practice of science. We propose that such experiences not only play an important role in student acquisition of skills and understanding of scientific processes, but also encourage broader learning outcomes. However academics may not be fully aware of these more generic gains. In this study within a science department at a large metropolitan research intensive university, we interviewed academics and surveyed students to examine the learning gains from undergraduate research opportunities as perceived by the two groups. Interviews with academics highlighted a strong culture of integrating research and inquiry into teaching, with intended gains being research skills and encouraging students to think like scientists. Students reported learning gains to be problem solving skills, data collecting, and working collaboratively. These later "personal gains" reported by students were not identified by academics. We believe the difference between students and academics could reflect an under-valuing by academics of the broader impacts of research and inquiry on student learning. The findings of this study have implications for the ongoing support of undergraduate research and inquiry, and its growth as a valuable learning experience in the tertiary science curriculum.
Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good r... more Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good reasons to join HERDSA 2014
Guide to the Professional Standards Framework for applicants in an Australian context. Advance HE
Advance HE, 2020
The guide provides details of interpreting the Dimensions of the Professional Standards Framework... more The guide provides details of interpreting the Dimensions of the Professional Standards Framework in an Australian context, with references to appropriate legislation and regulations. In particular, the guide looks at how Fellowship applicants can consider the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and reflect on how this shapes the learning environment within higher education in Australia
Undergraduate research can be defined and experienced more broadly than the traditional model of ... more Undergraduate research can be defined and experienced more broadly than the traditional model of a student research project situated in a single laboratory. The Boyer Commission Report (1998) set in motion an international educational movement placing a new emphasis on the role of undergraduate research within higher education. Today the education literature continues to report the variety of ways students engage with research (Beckman and Hensel 2009; Brew 2010a; Healey 2005; Robertson and Blackler 2006) and the potential benefits they gain (Goodlad 1998; Seymour et al. 2004; Hunter, Laursen, and Seymour 2007; Lopatto 2007; Myatt 2009). Here we describe undergraduate research within the context of an Australian research-intensive institution, reviewing the key findings from a study we conducted and providing some examples that characterize the nature of, and student benefits from, undergraduate research experiences across a broad range of disciplines. The diversity of models for th...
is an Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experience. An ALURE offers the opportunity fo... more is an Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experience. An ALURE offers the opportunity for large numbers of students to engage in an authentic research project within the curriculum. Authenticity is central to the ALURE experience and is achieved by providing students with the opportunity to think and act as they would in the real world, perhaps through designing their own research questions, contributing to a larger research project, or producing assessment items of an authentic nature. The research question itself underpins the ALURE. In an ALURE students are often working in groups. They work on a real project with an unknown answer.
International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 2016
Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulat... more Undergraduate research, inquiry and problem solving experiences are increasingly used to stimulate student understanding of the practice of science. We propose that such experiences not only play an important role in student acquisition of skills and understanding of scientific processes, but also encourage broader learning outcomes. However academics may not be fully aware of these more generic gains. In this study within a science department at a large metropolitan research intensive university, we interviewed academics and surveyed students to examine the learning gains from undergraduate research opportunities as perceived by the two groups. Interviews with academics highlighted a strong culture of integrating research and inquiry into teaching, with intended gains being research skills and encouraging students to think like scientists. Students reported learning gains to be problem solving skills, data collecting, and working collaboratively. These later “personal gains” report...
Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good r... more Seeding future research into teaching and learning in higher education By Iris Vardi 4 Six good reasons to join HERDSA 2014
Over 1000 bacteria were isolated from rhizospheres of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and evaluated... more Over 1000 bacteria were isolated from rhizospheres of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and evaluated for their potential as biological control agents of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. medicaginis root rot of chickpea in vitro. Following in vitro plate assays for fungal antagonism, initial pot assay results showed 31 isolates with the ability to limit or delay chickpea seedling disease in a pasteurized soil. The most promising isolates were identified as Pseudomonas cepacia (seven strains) and P. fluorescens (two strains). No relationship was observed between biological control activity of the bacteria and the soils, chickpea cultivars or the methods used in their isolation.
KEYWORDS: undergraduate, research experience, course integrated, implementation, case study, scie... more KEYWORDS: undergraduate, research experience, course integrated, implementation, case study, science This study investigated the implementer experience of introducing an Authentic Large Scale Undergraduate Research Experience (ALURE) into 7 science courses in three Australian tertiary institutions. The results will be of value to tertiary science educators who are interested in giving the opportunity to experience the benefits of research participation to a larger number of their undergraduate students. BACKGROUND The integration of research experiences into undergraduate curricula is of special importance in the fields of STEM. Engaging undergraduate students in research is considered essential for a tertiary science education, informing students future career course and increasing student retention. Our project is supporting the introduction of an ALURE (Authentic Large Scale Undergraduate Research Experience) practical into several undergraduate science courses. These ALURE pract...
This paper explores the benefits that undergraduate science students perceive as a result of part... more This paper explores the benefits that undergraduate science students perceive as a result of participating in an undergraduate research experience (URE) and explores the possible influences that UREs have on the future career directions of students. Authentic undergraduate research experiences in science play an important role in providing context to student learning and providing a sense of being a 'scientist'. There has been, however, some concern over the validity of the claims made relating to the extent of the impact that research experiences have on undergraduate students. This paper focuses on a new Summer Research Scholarship experience and reports on some of the findings from a 2008/2009 pilot study that investigated student perceptions of their undergraduate research experiences as 2nd year students studying within science.
It is widely believed that authentic research experiences in science are pivotal in providing con... more It is widely believed that authentic research experiences in science are pivotal in providing context to undergraduate student learning and providing a true sense of what it means to be a 'scientist' (Boyer Report, 1998, Healey & Jenkin,s 2009). Research intensive universities might be expected to have the greatest potential for involving students in authentic research (Turner, Wuetherick & Healey, 2008), however, their students often feel alienated from the research culture (Zamorski, 2002), and frustrated when their participation in the authentic research activities of the university are delayed (Robertson & Blacker, 2006). Therefore universities, and research-intensive universities in particular, are being expected to develop strategies for welcoming students into their research culture during the early undergraduate years. An innovative model for introducing first year undergraduate science students to the research culture of a large research-intensive university has bee...
Journal of university teaching and learning practice, 2018
This research examines the design and delivery of a new Foundations of University Teaching Practi... more This research examines the design and delivery of a new Foundations of University Teaching Practice (FUTP) program delivered through asynchronous online modules. The freedom to choose defines the new momentum of openness in distance and open learning. University teaching staff expect quality resources to support their professional development within the reality of limited time for learning and a desire for increased accessibility. Openness and increased access bring both opportunities and challenges. This paper uses mixed methods to examine the FUTP from the perspectives of both the designers and the academic staff who participated in the program. Using personal reflections, focus groups, a survey, and interviews, we explore those opportunities and challenges within the context of the design and delivery of the program and report on the findings. Our research confirmed the value of openness and increased access to professional learning in higher education
Enhancing students’ learning experience through mLearning; using VODcasts to motivate and engage students?
A recent survey of undergraduate students in the Health Sciences revealed that a substantial prop... more A recent survey of undergraduate students in the Health Sciences revealed that a substantial proportion of physiotherapy students, occupational therapy students and speech pathology students at The University of Queensland do not prepare themselves for laboratory classes, and a substantial proportion of students fail to attend some laboratory classes. Recent studies (Krause et al 2005) have reported that today’s full-time students are likely to have an enormous workload based on full-time study and part-time (or full-time) work. Students tend to have individual coping mechanisms that rely on prioritising. Adequately preparing for laboratory classes becomes a low priority resulting in a diminished quality of the student learning experience and poor student outcomes may result. This project will develop Video on Demand broadcast (VODcast) ‘snapshots’ of the laboratory classes for students to access via mobile phone technology or the internet just prior to laboratory sessions. These VO...
AUSTRALIAN BIOCHEMIST Undergraduate research experiences have enormous benefits for our students,... more AUSTRALIAN BIOCHEMIST Undergraduate research experiences have enormous benefits for our students, but the numbers of students who participate are tiny. Over the past two years our team has been working with the Australian Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) to increase the numbers of Australian undergraduate students engaging in scientific research. We call our communal effort ‘ The ALURE Project’. ALURE stands for Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experience. In this article we report on our progress and discuss some of our findings as we work with ALURE implementers across Australia. Why Bother with Undergraduate Research Experiences? Providing undergraduate students with meaningful research experiences is not easy, so it is important to ask why we should do it. In the traditional, apprenticeship-style undergraduate research model, a single student works in a professional research laboratory on their own project. This model provides a powerfully authentic research exp...
Undergraduate students’ experiences of research: findings from a cross-disciplinary analysis of students’ perceptions
Engagement in research has become increasingly recognised as a ‘high impact’ tool for undergradua... more Engagement in research has become increasingly recognised as a ‘high impact’ tool for undergraduate engagement in learning. A cross-disciplinary study of 151 students at a research-intensive university, using an established framework and survey instrument, explored students’ perceptions of research in undergraduate programs. It identified high levels of student awareness of research, experience of research, and a range of positive and negative impacts of staff research on learning. Statistically significant differences in students’ perceptions across disciplines were identified. Engagement in research was seen to be a valuable and effective way to learn, with students appreciating the ‘teachingresearch nexus’ and the benefits to learning of their teachers’ research activity.
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Papers by Paula Myatt