Perspectives column by Rachel Thompson & Greg Hanley: Developing students’ understanding of the facets of research: Undergraduate research exposure
Students in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science (ABS) choose a specialty area that provides concentrated study relevant to a population of interest. Within the early childhood education specialty area, students have the option of selecting a research sub- specialty. Majors who choose this area complete two research practica following a methods course in which students learn important scientific concepts and research strategies as they are applied to the assessment and remediation of diverse social problems (e.g., developmental delays, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse).
Students enrolled in the research methods course who choose to participate in ongoing research and those enrolled in the early childhood research practica work directly with department faculty and masters and doctoral students on one or more research projects. Students first become familiar with the research questions, measurement strategies, study rationale, and systems for analysis and data depiction through initial meetings and reviews of written research protocols. Next, students are given the opportunity to practice observing and collecting data until reliability criteria have been met. Students then learn additional skills including how to summarize, analyze, and graphically depict data, as well as how to conduct sessions as the experimenter, teacher, or therapist. All students are active members of their respective research teams such that they have input into decisions regarding the ongoing progress of the project. Some students present projects and the resultant data to the research group, and a subset of students receive co-authorship on presentations at local, national, and international conferences.
Students’ understanding of research tactics, strategies, processes, and communities is evident in two ways: products of their work and direct observation of their skills. Work products, such as observer agreement percentages, accuracy of analyzed data, working and finished graphs are evaluated (and often celebrated) at least weekly. Students in the research methods course also generate two products that display a synthesis of research knowledge:
a written research proposal which addresses a socially and personally important problem, and a poster presentation of that proposal.
However, some of the most important measures of understanding are only apparent by directly observing the students engaged in the actual conduct of research. Therefore, a list of approximately 40 skills has been identified, and the graduate and undergraduate students work as teams to develop each skill throughout the semester. Feedback is provided daily, and ratings are provided for each skill at least every four weeks. In essence, students’ understanding of the many facets of research are evident in their ability to generate accurate research products, apply the tactics and strategies to an area that is important to them, and display competency in a set of agreed-upon skills of successful behavioral researchers.
Undergraduate students participating in these courses often develop research skills and understanding that meet or exceed expectations for many graduate students. Students seem to benefit from and enjoy the opportunity to observe systematic behavior change with our participants and to have frequent, positive, educational interactions with graduate students and faculty members. In the past three years, several undergraduates who experienced this program have sought additional clinical and research experience by gaining employment with some of the premier university-affiliated programs, including the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Marcus Institute. Several others entered graduate programs that will help them continue their preparation as contributing members of the behavioral science community.
Thus, our students are exposed to philosophical foundations of a behavioral science and the existing knowledge in the field; however, interested students also may choose to become intricately involved in creating new knowledge by participating as active members of a research team. This experience provides students with an understanding of the scientific process and puts them in direct contact with some of the important outcomes that can be achieved through applied research.
