Undergraduates as Researchers – the Impact of Active Participation in Research and Conference Presentation on Psychology Undergraduate Identity and Career Aspirations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14297/jpaap.v6i1.320Keywords:
Research-led teaching, staff-student research collaboration, conference presentation, qualitative interviewsAbstract
Although research-led teaching has been identified as an important part of psychology curricula in the United Kingdom, less is known about the impact of undergraduate research collaborations with academics, culminating in a conference presentation. The present study was a qualitative investigation into the experience of student-staff collaboration from a student perspective. We conducted semi-structured interviews with five psychology students who worked together with staff conducting research during their undergraduate degrees, disseminating the findings at an academic conference. The interviews were analysed using a thematic approach. We identified three themes, which were around the relationship with their tutor, career aspirations, and identity as a researcher/psychologist. Overall, the interviews indicated that undertaking research and attending academic conferences has a positive impact on future career aspirations, and helps students to feel that they are part of an academic community. Academic staff teaching in research-led psychology programmes should consider giving students opportunities to immerse themselves fully in the research process, ideally leading to a conference presentation for academic audiences.
References
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Robnett, R. D., Chemers, M. M., & Zurbriggen, E. L. (2015). Longitudinal associations among undergraduates’ research experience, self‐efficacy, and identity. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52, 847-867.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21221
Seymour, E., Hunter, A. B., Laursen, S. L., & DeAntoni, T. (2004). Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three‐year study. Science education, 88(4), 493-534.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.10131
Spronken-Smith, R., Brodeur, J., Kajaks, T., Luck, M., Myatt, P., Verburgh, A., & Wuetherick, B. (2013). Completing the research cycle: A framework for promoting dissemination of undergraduate research and inquiry. Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 1(2), 105-118.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2979/teachlearninqu.1.2.105
Zamorski, B. (2002). Research-led teaching and learning in higher education: a case. Teaching in higher education, 7(4), 411-427.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/135625102760553919
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21102
Adedokun, O. A., Zhang, D., Parker, L. C., Bessenbacher, A., Childress, A., & Burgess, W. D. (2012). Understanding how undergraduate research experiences influence student aspirations for research careers and graduate education. Journal of College Science Teaching, 42(1), 82-90.
Adler, P. A., & Adler, P. (2005). The identity career of the graduate student: Professional socialization to academic sociology. The American Sociologist, 36, 11-27.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12108-005-1002-4
Brewer, G., Dewhurst, A. M., & Doran, D. (2012). Undergraduate Research Projects: practice and perceptions. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 11(2), 208-217.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2012.11.2.208
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cousin, G. (2009). Researching learning in higher education. An introduction to contemporary methods and approaches. Routledge: New York
Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. London: Sage.
Curtin, N., Malley, J., & Stewart, A. J. (2016). Mentoring the next generation of faculty: Supporting academic career aspirations among doctoral students. Research in Higher Education, 57(6), 714-738.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-015-9403-x
Hill, J., Blackler, V., Chellew, R., Ha, L., & Lendrum, S. (2013). From researched to researcher: student experiences of becoming co-producers and co-disseminators of knowledge. Planet, 27(1), 35-41.
doi: https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2013.27010035
Hill, J., & Walkington, H. (2016). Developing graduate attributes through participation in undergraduate research conferences. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 40(2), 222-237.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2016.1140128
Gardner, G. E., Forrester, J. H., Jeffrey, P. S., Ferzli, M., & Shea, D. (2015). Authentic science research opportunities: How do undergraduate students begin integration into a science community of practice? Journal of College Science Teaching, 44(4), 61-65.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2505/4/jcst15_044_04_61
Gregerman, S. R., Lerner, J. S., von Hippel, W., Jonides, J., & Nagda, B. A. (1998). Undergraduate student-faculty research partnerships affect student retention. The Review of Higher Education, 22(1), 55-72.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.1998.0016
Healey, M., & Jenkins, A. (2009). Developing undergraduate research and inquiry. The Higher Education Academy, June 2009.
Hunter, A. B., Laursen, S. L., & Seymour, E. (2007). Becoming a scientist: The role of undergraduate research in students’ cognitive, personal, and professional development. Science education, 91(1), 36-74.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20173
Lent, R. W., & Brown, S. D. (2013). Social cognitive model of career self-management: Toward a unifying view of adaptive career behavior across the life span. Journal of counseling psychology, 60(4), 557.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033446
Lichtman, M. (2013). Qualitative research in education. A user’s guide (3rd ed.). London: Sage.
Linn, M. C., Palmer, E., Baranger, A., Gerard, E., & Stone, E. (2015). Undergraduate research experiences: Impacts and opportunities. Science, 347(6222), 1261757.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1261757
Lund, N. (2013). Ten Years of Using Presentations at a Student Conference as a Final Assessment. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 12(2), 185-188.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2013.12.2.185
Mantai, L. (2015). Feeling like a researcher: experiences of early doctoral students in Australia. Studies in Higher Education, 1-15.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1067603
McAlpine, L., Jazvac-Martek, M., & Hopwood, N. (2009). Doctoral student experience in education: Activities and difficulties influencing identity development. International Journal for Researcher Development, 1(1), 97-109.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/1759751X201100007
McCune, V. & Hounsell, D. (2005). The development of students’ ways of thinking and practising in three final-year biology courses. Higher Education, 49, 255-289.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-004-6666-0
Roberts, P., Ertubey, C., McMurray, I., & Robertson, I. (2012). Developing a Psychology Undergraduate Research Community in a New University. Psychology Teaching Review, 18(2), 82-93.
Robertson, I., Teoh, K., McMurray, I., Roberts, P., & Sochos, A. (2011). Research-Informed Learning in the Psychology Curriculum: an initial evaluation. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 10(2), 84-94.
https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2011.10.2.84
Robnett, R. D., Chemers, M. M., & Zurbriggen, E. L. (2015). Longitudinal associations among undergraduates’ research experience, self‐efficacy, and identity. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52, 847-867.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21221
Seymour, E., Hunter, A. B., Laursen, S. L., & DeAntoni, T. (2004). Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three‐year study. Science education, 88(4), 493-534.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.10131
Spronken-Smith, R., Brodeur, J., Kajaks, T., Luck, M., Myatt, P., Verburgh, A., & Wuetherick, B. (2013). Completing the research cycle: A framework for promoting dissemination of undergraduate research and inquiry. Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 1(2), 105-118.
doi: https://doi.org/10.2979/teachlearninqu.1.2.105
Zamorski, B. (2002). Research-led teaching and learning in higher education: a case. Teaching in higher education, 7(4), 411-427.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/135625102760553919
Published
2018-04-24
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