Effectiveness of a Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Anne-Barrie Hunter, University of Colorado Boulder

In order to offer more students an opportunity for a first research experience, in particular those students who may not have access to a traditional undergraduate research experience or don't know whether they will enjoy research, a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) was offered in the department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) at the University of Colorado Boulder three times between 2021 and 2024, funded by a NSF-CAREER award. The topic of all research projects was focused on Arctic Ocean related research questions, in alignment with the instructor's area of expertise and the CAREER award's scientific focus. The CURE class was designed to consist of the semester devoted to developing research skills, in particular python coding and data analysis skills, as well as to gaining basic knowledge about Arctic Sea ice and climate models. The remaining semester was devoted to the research project, with most of the class time devoted to work on the research project in small groups, with only short lecture segments on how to interpret data and present results from the study. To guide the students through the research project, targeted assignments were developed. The final project for the course was the presentation of the research project at a local poster conference, to allow the students to gain real-world experience in presenting research outside the classroom. The CURE course effectiveness and impact on student learning was assessed using in-depth focus groups with students as well as through Qualtrics surveys, specifically the evidence-based Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG), Persistence in the Sciences (PITS), and Laboratory Course Assessment Survey (LCAS). Here we present both the design of the ATOC CURE as well as results from the CURE assessment. We show that the CURE class was effective as an authentic research experience and allowed students to gain skills related to research. Overall, students highly preferred the CURE's structure and pedagogy compared to traditional lecture-based STEM courses. 

Bio URL: https://www.colorado.edu/instaar/alexandra-jahn

Poster URL: https://www.colorado.edu/csl/media/1199