Assessing Student Learning Through a Student-Designed Research Project on Campus and Community Safety

• In Event: Teaching and Learning in Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 4: Mentorship and Student Engagement

Abstract

This paper assesses the efficacy of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in an upper-level undergraduate course on Violence and Victimization. Students enrolled in the course explore their peers’ perceptions of the likelihood of violence and victimization within and beyond campus boundaries using project-based learning. Students self-selected into groups based on methodological and communication preferences, and they rotated leadership roles across project components to foster collaboration and accountability. Half of the class developed questionnaires, while the other created semi-structured interview guides, with all students collectively refining instruments, recruiting participants, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing a presentation for an undergraduate research conference. My assessment emphasizes Project Participation Logs, self and group evaluations, and smaller milestones rather than research outcomes, which is designed to promote exploration and autonomy. An inductive qualitative analysis of coursework and contribution logs will examine engagement, skill development, and perceptions of research practice, providing insights for future experiential undergraduate courses grounded in UDL principles.

Author

• Ashley Colleen Feely Hutson, Butler University