Physics Colloquium: Impacts of a remote undergraduate research experience in physics

Physics Colloquium
Searching for a CURE? The impacts of a remote, high-enrollment, course-based undergraduate research experience in physics

Dr. Alexandra Werth
Post-Doctoral Researcher
University of Colorado Boulder

Register here for Zoom Link
This seminar may be attended in person in A300 Gosnell Hall or online via Zoom.

Dr. Werth will present on how the CURE was specifically designed to emphasize teamwork as a scientific practice and how students achieved their goals in the course through socially-shared regulations of their learning.

Abstract:
Over the last decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been recognized for improving undergraduate STEM education by engaging students in authentic discovery. CUREs have been shown to have positive benefits similar to traditional undergraduate research experiences; further advantages are that they can reach a larger number of students and are open to all who enroll. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we re-designed and implemented the introductory physics lab at CU Boulder as the first high-enrollment, remote-learning physics CURE. In this presentation, I detail our motivations and how we addressed challenges when designing the CURE, as well as an overview of the course. I report on the positive impacts that this course had on student development of research skills and building motivation to stay engaged with the course despite the remote environment. In addition, we found that students overwhelmingly enjoyed their teamwork experience in the course and the majority of students felt that teamwork played an essential role in their research experience. To this end, I present on how the CURE was specifically designed to emphasize teamwork as a scientific practice and how students achieved their goals in the course through socially-shared regulations of their learning.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Alexandra Werth is a post-doctoral researcher at University of Colorado Boulder studying how undergraduate physics students develop research skills during instructional labs. Prior to joining the physics education research team at CU Boulder, she attended Swarthmore College, a small liberal arts college outside of Philadelphia, for undergrad where she received dual degrees in Physics and Engineering in 2014. After graduating, Alex returned to her hometown for graduate school at Princeton University where she received a Ph.D. developing a non-invasive, mid-infrared, quantum cascade laser glucose sensor for diabetes management.

Intended Audience:
Beginners, undergraduates, graduates, experts. Those with interest in the topic.

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