Connecting Interdisciplinary Research and Place-Based Learning: Using a Local Ecosystem as the Focus for an Undergraduate Research Group

Association of College and Biology Educators. Web site: http://acube.org

Y

4

Scientific Research; Interdisciplinary Approach; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Undergraduate Students; Student Research; Marine Education; Ecology; College Faculty; Geography; Microbiology; Zoology; Laboratory Experiments; Teaching Methods; Science Instruction

1539-2422

Undergraduate research experiences benefit students' scientific skills, and recent trends in undergraduate research and education include focusing on interdisciplinary projects and on place-based learning. Here we describe a semester-long pilot interdisciplinary undergraduate research program focused on local aquatic ecosystems, discuss perceived benefits of this research approach, and show how this program's structure could be modified for use at other undergraduate institutions. The program included nine undergraduate students and five faculty from multiple scientific disciplines (geography, virology, ecology, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology) and involved approximately half a day of research per student per week and weekly hour-long lab meetings of the entire group, followed by end-of-semester poster presentations to the university. Student self-assessment data indicated that the program improved students' perceptions of their scientific ability, as well as their comfort level at performing scientific skills. We suggest that bringing together faculty from multiple disciplines with projects focused on the same local ecosystem is a valuable technique for providing undergraduate students with not only hands-on research experience, but also with (1) exposure to a diversity of research areas and methods and (2) a better understanding of the ecosystems in and around their campus.

As Provided

2022

EJ1339384