Mary Roberts Student Learning Support Service Learning and Teaching Strategy Committee Grant Research and Enquiry Skill Project: Undergraduate Research Skill Development

Key points: The current situation University required to integrate teaching and research Learning and Teaching Strategy committed to revitalisation 2009 audit called for revitalisation of discussion

Key roles in UG research skill development The teacher The undergraduates The support team The researcher

SLSS role Part of academic support team Asked to look at Undergraduate research skill development What a VUW UG research skill development framework would look like What a VUW UGRSD mapping tool would look like What support could be offered

Lit review findings: Benefits of UG research courses = improved Confidence Competence Satisfaction with study Technical skill Team work Ability to deal with ambiguity and obstacles Communication skills Critical thinking skills Integration & retention of under-represented minority group students

Lit review findings: Generic nature of “research skills” Communication: – written – oral Search Strategies Critical thinking/analysis Lab and field skills Understanding how research is done in the discipline Developing a research question Becoming independent Becoming part of a research community Understanding research processes and methods Developing teamwork skills Understanding the primary literature Persistence and tolerance for obstacles

Research Skill Development Framework

Next steps: Mapping links between teaching and research at Victoria Develop clear guidelines for strengthening teaching /research link Explore recognised potential of UG research skill development as technique for developing this link Identify what support would be useful to staff wishing to incorporate new UGRSD into teaching

Current sources of support Main research related skillsRelevant academic support services CommunicationSLSS - WrittenSLSS/WRIT 121, 151, OralSLSS Search strategiesLibrary Critical thinking/analysisSLSS/Philosophy Lab and field skillsSLSS (where maths/stats support is relevant) Understanding how research is done in the discipline Developing a research question SLSS (limited role but can act as sounding board and give feedback on logical structure) Becoming independentSLSS Understanding the primary literatureSLSS (in limited ESOL situations) Becoming part of a research community Understanding research processes and methods Developing teamwork skills SLSS (through student leaders programme); VicPlus/VILP Persistence and tolerance for obstaclesSLSS

Follow up Anyone interested in participating in ‘research skills mapping exercise’ (on line questionnaire), please contact