UROP - Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program

Submitted by noah on 5 November 2007 - 4:13pm.

Practice Type:

Portfolio: Teaching & Learning

Purpose of Practice:

Facilitate integrative learning and curriculum alignment while demonstrating the intellectual gains of research for undergraduates. In this year-long program, 800 + undergraduate students work on hundreds of research projects with individual faculty and research mentors. Students work on research projects weekly and attend highly structured discussion/reflection seminars every other week facilitated by peer advisors. The UROP site consists of a matrix used as a workflow guide and 20+ forms used to guide reflection, and align feedback and evaluation from peer advisors and faculty.

More Details

Goals:

Students

Assess their progress regarding specific research-related learning outcomes throughout their learning in UROP
- before they begin their UROP learning (pre-assessment form)
- throughout the UROP program (at least every other week) (in seminar reflection forms)
- After completing the UROP program (post-assessment form)
Identify & reflect upon learning goals as they progress through UROP program (e.g. in the Learning Agreement & Evaluation; Fall Reflection; Research Abstract & Evaluation; Final Reflection & Evaluation forms)
Connect research-based experiences with seminar activities & UROP learning outcomes as they progress
Complete a digital version of their final presentation that can be viewed by others

Faculty

provide specific & targeted feedback re: students goals, learning & development of specific knowledge & skills over time

Peer Advisors

Support students in developing & working toward specific learning goals
Give specific input & feedback to students re: their goals, reflections, & progress over time
Help students build

Tools Used:

Forms - Structured Forms provide targeted prompts and reflection guides during the year-long research project

Matrix - The UROP Matrix provides a workflow guide through the process of using the various Forms and participating in the weekly seminar discussions

Portfolio Templates - Once the Matrix interaction has been completed, a web-based presentation is created from the materials submitted within the Matrix

Lessons Learned:

The incredible value gained from a planning & design process that focused on enhancing programmatic practices re: reflection, goal-setting, giving feedback, & demonstrating learning through OSP.
The importance of using the OSP evaluations tool to guide faculty to give specific feedback on a specific form, presentation or learning object difference between having to evaluate an entire portfolio (replete with many learning objects)

Screenshot:

Login or register to post comments
Printer-friendly version

Related Supporting Materials


UROP Matrix	OSP Matrix
UROP Portfolio Template	OSP Template	1 2 3 4 5

UROP - Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program

Related Supporting Materials

Meet the Contributor