TY - JOUR
T1 - Academics' perceptions of the purpose of undergraduate research experiences in a research-intensive degree
AU - Wilson, Anna
AU - Howitt, Susan
AU - Wilson, Kate
AU - Roberts, Pam
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - The inclusion of research experiences as core components of undergraduate curricula implies that students will be exposed to and situated within the research activities of their university. Such experiences thus provide a new prism through which to view the relations between teaching, research and learning. The intentions and actions of academics supervising these activities will be strongly influenced by their beliefs regarding the nature of research, and the relation between research and learning in the undergraduate context. Surveys of academics supervising such experiences reveal a range of intentions, only some of which address the higher order and critical thinking skills associated with research or independent learning. This may indicate a lack of deep reflection on the purpose of exposing undergraduates to research, but may also be due to the predominance of a hierarchical view of the process by which one makes the transition from student to researcher.
AB - The inclusion of research experiences as core components of undergraduate curricula implies that students will be exposed to and situated within the research activities of their university. Such experiences thus provide a new prism through which to view the relations between teaching, research and learning. The intentions and actions of academics supervising these activities will be strongly influenced by their beliefs regarding the nature of research, and the relation between research and learning in the undergraduate context. Surveys of academics supervising such experiences reveal a range of intentions, only some of which address the higher order and critical thinking skills associated with research or independent learning. This may indicate a lack of deep reflection on the purpose of exposing undergraduates to research, but may also be due to the predominance of a hierarchical view of the process by which one makes the transition from student to researcher.
KW - academic staff
KW - educational intention
KW - research training
KW - research-teaching nexus
KW - undergraduate research experiences
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863834984&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03075079.2010.527933
DO - 10.1080/03075079.2010.527933
M3 - Article
SN - 0307-5079
VL - 37
SP - 513
EP - 526
JO - Studies in Higher Education
JF - Studies in Higher Education
IS - 5
ER -