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Series:   Elements of Paleontology

Incorporating Research into Undergraduate Paleontology Courses

Or a Tale of 23,276 Mulinia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2018

Patricia H. Kelley
Patricia H. Kelley
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Wilmington

Summary

Research-led, research-oriented, and research-based teaching incorporate research into teaching to different degrees. Research-led teaching focuses on content and informs students about current research findings, while research-oriented teaching focuses on techniques and often occurs in research methods courses. In research-based teaching, students participate in research. Through this involvement, they benefit from improved content knowledge, research skills, and life skills, as well as enhanced personal development. Research-embedded courses can make such benefits available to a wide range of students. Best practices in experiential learning and the incorporation of research in teaching include intentionality, planning, authenticity, reflection, training, monitoring, assessment, and acknowledgment. In this Element, these principles of best practice are illustrated by courses with embedded student research. Guidelines are presented for how to plan and execute a semester-long course-embedded research project, as well as alternative and shorter-term approaches. Research-based teaching provides challenges for students and faculty, but the benefits for all stakeholders are strong.
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Keywords

research-based teachingexperiential learningresearch-embedded coursesCUREintentionalityreflection
Type
Element
Information
Series: Elements of Paleontology
Online ISBN: 9781108681643
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 15 November 2018

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