Tracking Undergraduate Research in Texas: What Student and Institutional Characteristics Predict Participation in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences?

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research in Progress Roundtable Session Two
  In Roundtable Session: High-Impact Strategies for Retention and Success in Postsecondary Education (Table 8)

Abstract

Universities across the nation are increasingly using course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURs) as a mechanism to bolster retention of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. While CURs are widely accepted as a scalable learning environment that can increase access to research opportunities, there is limited research supporting this assertion. Given the recent push for universities to develop CURs, it is critical to understand which students are accessing such experiences, and whether there are any institutional characteristics that promote participation. Drawing on the Texas statewide longitudinal data, this study explores which student and institutional factors predict participation in CUR.

Author

• Jennifer A. Freeman, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author