Meeting Abstract
Undergraduates involved in independent research receive a competitive edge so that at graduation they can boast having technical expertise, transferable oral/written communication skills, and confidence in themselves and their abilities. However, most universities do not have enough faculty to mentor all students one-on-one. One alternative that I have adapted is creating a classroom where all students participate in authentic research and communicate their findings to both scientific and K-12 public school audiences. Students in my upper-division, elective Marine Biology course showcase what can be achieved. In this 25-person class, all individuals collaborated on research projects over the course of the semester. Students selected from topics that were feasible within time and budget constraints, and would add to the current literature. Results were presented at our university-wide Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence. As part of the class’s service-learning pedagogy, students were connected with public school educators. UCF students developed a plan to visit the classroom where they shared information on their topic (i.e. invasive species) and how their research fit into better understanding this topic. A novel, related hands-on activity was also developed and presented at the school. Their final product was presented at our University’s annual Service-Learning Showcase.
