Computer-Based and Bench-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Produce Similar Attitudinal Outcomes

Abstract

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have the potential to improve undergraduate biology education by involving large numbers of students in research. CUREs can take a variety of forms with different affordances and constraints, complicating the evaluation of design features that might contribute to successful outcomes. In this study, we compared students' responses to three different research experiences offered within the same course. One of the research experiences involved purely computational work, whereas the other two offerings were bench-based research experiences. We found that students who participated in computer-based research reported at least as much interest in their research projects, a higher sense of achievement, and a higher level of satisfaction with the course compared with students who did bench-based research projects. In open-ended comments, similar proportions of students in each research area expressed some sense of project ownership as contributing positively to their course experiences. Their comments also supported the finding that experiencing a sense of achievement was a predictor of course satisfaction. We conclude that both computer-based and bench-based CUREs can have positive impacts on students' attitudes. Development of more computer-based CUREs might allow larger numbers of students to benefit from participating in a research experience.

FIGURE 1.

Mean interest (A), sense of achievement (B), and course satisfaction (C) scaled scores by ACT bins (Low ACT = students who scored below the mean ACT score for survey participants across all three semesters; High ACT = students who scored above the mean ACT score for survey participants across all three semesters). Error bar is standard error of the mean for the survey item. (n = 616; *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001.)

FIGURE 2.

Mean interest (A), sense of achievement (B), and course satisfaction (C) scaled score by research area. Error bar is standard error of the mean across students. (Statistical comparisons were each wet-bench research area against the computer-based research area; n = 616; *, p < 0.05; ***, p < 0.001.)

FIGURE 3.

Common themes in students’ positive comments about their course-based research experience. Percentage of students whose comments included at least one of the six common themes is shown for each research area; responses could include multiple themes, so percentages sum to greater than 100%. N = 327 students (57 Bioinformatics, 185 Pseudomonas, 85 Zebrafish).

FIGURE 4.

Common themes related to ownership from students’ positive comments about their course-based research experience. Percentage of student responses about ownership that included at least one of the four ownership themes is shown for each research area; responses could include multiple themes, so percentages sum to greater than 100%. N = 174 students (22 Bioinformatics, 106 Pseudomonas, 46 Zebrafish).