Problem: There is a lack of awareness of the opportunities for Undergraduate Research (UR) and the benefits obtained from participating on the Lancaster campus.
A component of many academic positions is research or scholarly work. Even after professors move into their teaching jobs, they continue to conduct research that follows their passion. This is something that students do not see because a lot of this scholarly work is done outside of the classroom, on a professor’s own time, and rarely discussed with the students. On the first day of class, professors establish the rules, expectations, and talk a little bit about their life, but rarely ever their current studies. This also contributes to students not understanding how much their professors do outside of teaching and grading in addition to several other compounding factors. Students may feel overwhelmed and don’t think that they will be able to handle the added workload or the extra responsibility of participating in UR (Key Insight 1). They may not know that research is an option as an undergraduate or on their campus. Students also tend to not interact with their professors inside the classroom and rarely outside of the classroom which leaves them blind to options available to them (Key Insight 2). However, by becoming involved in research as an undergraduate, these students are exposed to life-long learners which helps encourage them to become one as well (Key Insight 3). At the same time, these experiences also benefit the students both academically and professionally.
Recommendations: Most students are unaware of how many of their professors are conducting research. This lack of awareness doesn’t allow students to participate or gain the benefits from UR. However, if faculty and staff were more open to discussing their current and past research endeavors students may become interested and begin to ask questions. Not only should faculty and staff become more open to discussing their research, but the students who worked under them should as well. Both parties should be more willing to discuss their experiences and how they felt it helped them as students and people. Students hear from their professors and parents enough about all the things they should be doing and it is often not effective. They need to hear firsthand accounts from others, like them, who were able to handle the added pressures.
My plan requires two steps for students to take and these steps fall directly in line with two of my key insights. I will help others recognize their Self-efficacy and understand just how capable they are and guide them towards opportunities they could Self-select themselves for in order to give them a sense of independence. I have also provided further solutions that are more geared towards faculty and staff involvement and promotion of undergraduate research on our campus. After students understand develop a sense of Self-efficacy they need others to see their drive and talent. In order to take advantage of opportunities set before them, they need to Self-select themselves. Students need to actively engage with professors and network with them in order to develop more connections to open up more doors full of opportunities and benefits. This is best done by developing relationships with professors because they are not going to push a student that does not push themselves to rise above the rest. Nor will they seek out a student whom they do not know. However, if a student were to actively engage with their professor by going to office hours, asking questions during class, participate during class lectures, and contribute in discussions; it is much easier for a professor to gauge how capable that student is. This recommendation comes directly from my personal experience described in Key Insight one. As a direct result of the relationships with my professors outside of the classroom, I was reminded of my Self-Efficacy allowing me to overcome my perceived barriers. My professors knew I was capable of handling the work load despite my doubts. Not only should students be more involved and active inside the classroom, they also need to be seen outside of the classroom devoting their personal time to demonstrate how serious they are. These skills are essential to being prepared and well-equipped for what lies ahead of them and institutes good habits for when they make the transition into the work world or graduate school. Transitioning from high school to college can be challenging for many students and the same can be said for when students transition into a graduate degree program because it requires a new set of skills. Their future is at stake and therefore should be given the highest priority.
Faculty and staff need to integrate their scholarly work with what they teach within the classroom. As previously stated, students here on the USCL campus do not realize how much research is being conducted. Professors typically conduct research that relates to the classes they teach. This makes it very easy to integrate their research with the material they teach about. A prime example of how this idea could have been used was during Evolution of Nursing Science (NURS 212). Over the course of this class we are given an entire lecture on research. My professor at the time was finishing up her DNP program by working on her dissertation. However, not once during the two days we went over the material did she bring up what she was doing for her dissertation. Later in the year when she presented at a Research Club meeting about what she had done her research project about. It struck me by surprise to learn she had been working on it the whole time we were in class. This would have a great time to expose students to research being conducted on our campus and how students may benefit from getting involved in UR now. I also attempted to talk about my research experience in my speech class in order to better prepare myself for Research and Scholarship Day but my professor did not allow me to speak. This would have been an exceptional time to discuss my research for two reasons. One I would have stood up in front of the class and presented my poster, talked about everything I did, how I benefited and how other students could get involved as well. This would have fallen right in line with the curriculum since it is a public speaking class. Number two it would have exposed students to research without needing to step foot outside of the classroom which may help entice them to begin self-selecting themselves.
Detailed Plan: My detailed plan is already being implemented but is still a work in progress. Areas I would like to address include:
Recommendations: Most students are unaware of how many of their professors are conducting research. This lack of awareness doesn’t allow students to participate or gain the benefits from UR. However, if faculty and staff were more open to discussing their current and past research endeavors students may become interested and begin to ask questions. Not only should faculty and staff become more open to discussing their research, but the students who worked under them should as well. Both parties should be more willing to discuss their experiences and how they felt it helped them as students and people. Students hear from their professors and parents enough about all the things they should be doing and it is often not effective. They need to hear firsthand accounts from others, like them, who were able to handle the added pressures.
My plan requires two steps for students to take and these steps fall directly in line with two of my key insights. I will help others recognize their Self-efficacy and understand just how capable they are and guide them towards opportunities they could Self-select themselves for in order to give them a sense of independence. I have also provided further solutions that are more geared towards faculty and staff involvement and promotion of undergraduate research on our campus. After students understand develop a sense of Self-efficacy they need others to see their drive and talent. In order to take advantage of opportunities set before them, they need to Self-select themselves. Students need to actively engage with professors and network with them in order to develop more connections to open up more doors full of opportunities and benefits. This is best done by developing relationships with professors because they are not going to push a student that does not push themselves to rise above the rest. Nor will they seek out a student whom they do not know. However, if a student were to actively engage with their professor by going to office hours, asking questions during class, participate during class lectures, and contribute in discussions; it is much easier for a professor to gauge how capable that student is. This recommendation comes directly from my personal experience described in Key Insight one. As a direct result of the relationships with my professors outside of the classroom, I was reminded of my Self-Efficacy allowing me to overcome my perceived barriers. My professors knew I was capable of handling the work load despite my doubts. Not only should students be more involved and active inside the classroom, they also need to be seen outside of the classroom devoting their personal time to demonstrate how serious they are. These skills are essential to being prepared and well-equipped for what lies ahead of them and institutes good habits for when they make the transition into the work world or graduate school. Transitioning from high school to college can be challenging for many students and the same can be said for when students transition into a graduate degree program because it requires a new set of skills. Their future is at stake and therefore should be given the highest priority.
Faculty and staff need to integrate their scholarly work with what they teach within the classroom. As previously stated, students here on the USCL campus do not realize how much research is being conducted. Professors typically conduct research that relates to the classes they teach. This makes it very easy to integrate their research with the material they teach about. A prime example of how this idea could have been used was during Evolution of Nursing Science (NURS 212). Over the course of this class we are given an entire lecture on research. My professor at the time was finishing up her DNP program by working on her dissertation. However, not once during the two days we went over the material did she bring up what she was doing for her dissertation. Later in the year when she presented at a Research Club meeting about what she had done her research project about. It struck me by surprise to learn she had been working on it the whole time we were in class. This would have a great time to expose students to research being conducted on our campus and how students may benefit from getting involved in UR now. I also attempted to talk about my research experience in my speech class in order to better prepare myself for Research and Scholarship Day but my professor did not allow me to speak. This would have been an exceptional time to discuss my research for two reasons. One I would have stood up in front of the class and presented my poster, talked about everything I did, how I benefited and how other students could get involved as well. This would have fallen right in line with the curriculum since it is a public speaking class. Number two it would have exposed students to research without needing to step foot outside of the classroom which may help entice them to begin self-selecting themselves.
Detailed Plan: My detailed plan is already being implemented but is still a work in progress. Areas I would like to address include:
- Research Club Meetings
- Promotion of UR Week
- Faculty and Staff Outreach
- Summer Orientation
- Future Plans
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1. I created an invitation that was sent to all faculty and staff, USC Connect, Palmetto College, as well as the Office of Undergraduate Research
2. Vanessa, a fellow Research Club member, developed posters and we posted them around campus two weeks before the Celebration.
3. I developed a PowerPoint slide to be shown on the screens around campus the week before celebration of (RPS).
4. I also developed a flyer for the pizza fundraiser we had during that week in advance of the event.
5. The week prior to the event we put the finishing touches on the tri-folds we created for students and faculty to view to have a greater understanding of how we research in our daily lives.
2. Vanessa, a fellow Research Club member, developed posters and we posted them around campus two weeks before the Celebration.
3. I developed a PowerPoint slide to be shown on the screens around campus the week before celebration of (RPS).
4. I also developed a flyer for the pizza fundraiser we had during that week in advance of the event.
5. The week prior to the event we put the finishing touches on the tri-folds we created for students and faculty to view to have a greater understanding of how we research in our daily lives.
This gave students plenty of time to plan accordingly in order to participate in the activities we had set up for them. It will be on the students to show up and join in on them. Students should not be pushed into participating outside of the classroom because this may set them up for failure if they do not have a genuine desire to get involved. Therefore, it should be faculty and staff to strongly advise students to become more involved but not make students.
Throughout the seven days I worked the event, I guided students through both our handmade posters on interesting topics and our professional posters about the research faculty, staff, and students had conducted. While showing two male students our professional posters they asked a question “So, why even do all this?”. I took advantage of this opportunity to tell them about all the benefits that comes from participating in UR. The look on their faces after I finished was priceless and I knew I had done my part. It was now on to them to take the next steps in order to gain those benefits.
Faculty and Staff Outreach: Professors are in need of student research assistants and sincerely want students to benefit from participating in research as an undergraduate. However, as previously stated, students do not realize this need. Beginning next year, I will ask faculty and staff to email the Research Club asking for student assistants including the area of study, what would be expected, and how much time they would require. Then at meetings I will announce this to the audience and provide flyers with the information provided by the professor on the email. Professors should still announce this in class to have a more well-targeted audience and allow for more people to be exposed in case some of their students are unable to make it to the Research Club meeting.
Some faculty and staff would prefer not to work with students because they can’t see the benefits or just aren’t aware of them. Some of the benefits include enhancing student learning, helping push professors to become better teachers, and increasing scholarly output. I will bring these benefits to the attention of faculty and staff by providing testimonials from faculty and staff who have worked alongside of students during Research Club meetings, when I am allowed to present my research for faculty and staff, as well as when I come into direct contact with a professor who is hesitant about working with students.
Summer Orientation: The Research Club sets up a booth every week when USCL holds summer orientation for incoming freshman. Starting next year, I will ask students who approach to fill out a form with their new school email or their personal one so that an email subscription can be sent out to them. Emails may include but are not limited to upcoming meeting or events, photos and testimonies from prior events, any announcements and recognition of a research assistant of the month. I also intend to make this newly developed subscription available to current Research Club members, faculty and staff, other interest clubs, as well as any other students who are interested. We need everyone to become more highly involved with research. At USCL we have Chemistry Club, Student Nurses Association, and the Lancaster Players who are capable of having the same action plan for their participants.
Future Plans: Involvement in research as an undergraduate is not common nor considered a norm on the Lancaster campus. The Research Club is striving to make it one. In order to do so, the Research Club members and mentors are working on developing a “Lancaster Ambassador Program”. This program will be similar to the one that the Columbia campus has in place but structured to meet the needs of our Lancaster campus. We have gathered a few ideas together and set some requirements in order to become an ambassador. Although the program itself may not be put in place for another year, our hope is to provide more awareness of what research is on our campus as well as in local high schools. As a part of this program, I will come up with the “Top Ten Reasons to Participate in Undergraduate Research”. This will be useful to provide incentive to students to become more involved outside of the classroom and be more engaged inside of the classroom. These reasons will be provided to the high schools we reach out to through the ambassador program, during summer orientation, as well as during our interest meeting the Research Club holds every year to try to recruit more valuable members.
Evaluation: In order to determine if these efforts were effective in increasing the awareness of, and the benefits from UR I would need to review several aspects. I would start with determining if there was an increase in the attendance of Research Club meetings by reviewing sign in sheets and comparing them to the current year and the one before. I would also compare fall semesters sign in sheets to spring semesters sign in sheet and address issues concerning drops from semester to semester. Increases in meeting attendance would correlate with increases in club membership as well.
To determine if there was a rise in membership I should see an increase in freshman members as a direct result of the ambassadors who have reached out to the local high schools exposing seniors to Undergraduate Research. This would mean that students were pursuing the Lancaster Ambassador program. A great way to see this would be in the production of the Celebration of Research and Productive Scholarship week (RPS). Currently there are six members who are going to help make RPS come together and be a successful event. If the majority of my detailed plan comes to fruition, then next year I hope to see at least a minimum of twelve members organizing RPS. The event itself would also be a great way to gauge if we are being effective enough at encouraging other students to partake in UR.
At the end of each day during RPS we offered a raffle. But the only way to enter the raffle was by signing in with your email, phone number, and name. This allows us to put them on the future Research Club email subscription. After they filled out their information, in the future I will request that they also fill out a quick survey with ten questions regarding the barriers, benefits, and other aspects of becoming involved in UR. This would help me as well as my mentors develop better strategies to reach out to even more students.
After all of this work and effort; one of my biggest hopes would be to see more students pursuing GLD in the research pathway. If students are becoming involved in research, they need to be striving towards getting GLD in the research pathway. We have wonderful faculty and staff here on campus that are ready and willing to help students achieve whatever they desire. GLD is the final step in this process. It helps sets students apart and forces employers and review boards to recognize their achievements and give them the consideration that they deserve.
Closing Thoughts: A student does not need to be exceptionally smart or have a background in statistics in order to do research as an undergraduate. However, they do need show an interest and a desire to learn and do more than just what is expected of them. Being intelligent does not guarantee anything in life until one uses that knowledge and utilizes it for the greater good. That’s when we begin to see changes in the world. Research is merely a stepping stone on this path which is why I hope to one day see Undergraduate Research become a norm.