EXPLORING STUDENT EXPERIENCES ACROSS A LINKED SEQUENCE COURSE-BASED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This study reports the effect a linked Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) has on a students’ understanding of research and the associated experiences they encountered. CUREs offer an alternative path to authentic research which can increase student access and potentially increase the overall diversity in a laboratory setting. The institution in this study has recently developed a linked-CURE sequence that bridges a lower-division organic chemistry laboratory with an upper-division quantitative analysis laboratory. Focus groups consisting of 3-5 students each were conducted with students participating in two cohorts of the CURE sequence during the last week of the academic term. Through the analysis of survey and interview data three themes were developed: working towards a common goal, developing a deeper understanding of the science content, and addressing obstacles that were encountered.