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National Reports about Undergraduate Research and Learning

The role and value of closer integration between undergraduate education and research has been examined closely in recent years. Below are citations to related reports, activities, and organizations.

National Science Foundation reports |  Reports from Non-Profit/Higher Education Organizations
Organizations/Projects involved in Curricular Innovation |  Press Reports
Conferences and Workshops

National Science Foundation reports
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  • Final Report of the Operations Working Group As specified in its July 1996 charge from the Senior Management Integration Group (SMIG), the Operations Working Group for the Recognition Awards for the Integration of Research and Education (OWG) submits this final report. This report transmits the lessons learned from the Recognition Awards competition concerning the integration of research and education.

  • "Shaping the Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology"
        In July, 1996, a committee chaired by Melvin D. George, President Emeritus, St. Olaf College, Minnesota submitted this report on its review of undergraduate education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology to the Advisory Committee to the Division of Undergraduate Education, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation.

  • "Shaping the Future, Volume II: Perspectives on Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology"
        The Advisory Committee to the National Science Foundation Directorate for Education and Human Resources prepared in 1998 this follow-up document to augment the first Shaping the Future report. (Currently posted only as a series of Microsoft Word files.)

  • "NSF in a Changing World"
        In 1994, the National Science Foundation adopted a strategic plan to guide the agencies activity. This plan outline several new directions for the agency, including mounting an effort to integrate research and education.

  • Recognition Awards for the Integration of Research and Education
        The National Science Foundation created this award to identify and recognize research-intensive universities that had been innovative and effective in promoting the integration of research and education at the highest level of the organization.

  • National Science Foundation programs that support integration of research and education.

  • Synergy, a publication about programs of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education and Human Resources, highlights progress in reforming the teaching and learning of science, mathematics, engineering, or technology, from prekindergarten through career entry. Past issues of interest:

    • Reforming Undergraduate Education (July 1996)   PDF | HTML
    • Shaping the Future of Undergraduate Education (December 1996)  PDF | HTML
    • Using Technology to Reform Teaching & Learning (April 1997)  PDF | HTML

  • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
        The National Science Foundation REU program annually funds universities across the country to offer undergraduate students opportunities to become involved in research. For the summer of 1998, the University of Michigan offered five REU sites, in atmospheric science, biology, chemistry, engineering and physics.

    National Reports from Non-Profit/Higher Education Organizations
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  • Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology, March 25, 1999
        To be better prepared for an increasingly technological society, all undergraduate college students in the United States -- regardless of their major areas of study -- should be required to take courses in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology, says a report by a committee of the National Research Council. In addition, two- and four-year colleges and universities should revise their admission requirements to ensure that they are consistent with national and state science and mathematics education standards.

  • Undergraduate Research, Research/Penn State, September, 1998.
        A series of articles describing undergraduate involvement in research and scholarship at Pennsylvania State University.

  • "Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities"
        In April, 1998, The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University issued this report under the auspices of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

  • "Beyond Bio 101: The Transformation of Undergraduate Biology Education"
        This report from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute describes new ideas and techniques for teaching biology to undergraduate students, which includes involving these students in research.

  • "Science in the National Interest"
        A policy document, released on August 3, 1994, that details the Clinton Administration's commitment to fundamental science.

  • Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
        The University of Michigan has been a member of this national professional organization dedicated to the promotion of undergraduate research; its emphasis has been activities by and for liberal arts institutions.

  • Links to Web Sites on Undergraduate Curriculum Innovation

    Conferences and Workshops
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    Jerome B. Wiesner Symposium
    NEW INTEGRATIONS OF RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP
    AND UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

    Sponsored by the
    Office of the Vice President for Research

    March 29, 1999
    University of Michigan
    Ann Arbor, Michigan

     

    INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE INSTITUTE

    American Association for Higher Education (AAHE)

    Program for the Promotion of Institutional Change

    "Targeting Institutional Change: Quality undergraduate science education for all students"
    1998 AAHE Conference on Institutional Change

    November 21-23, 1998
    Washington Hilton
    Washington, DC.
    Conference Website: http://www.aahe.org/ppic/inst_change.htm

    With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the AAHE is providing support and networking opportunities for colleges and universities that are working to institutionalize reform efforts in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education. The Institute that will bring together teams of individuals from a wide variety of campuses to communicate, collaborate, and learn from each other.

    Institute contact: Susan L. Ganter, Director, Program for the Promotion of Institutional Change; phone (202) 293-6440 X32, fax (202) 293-0073, email: sganter@aahe.org

     

    BUILDING AND SUSTAINING THE RESEARCH-RICH ENVIRONMENT
    The Perspective of Faculty and Administrators, Funding Agencies and Design Professionals, and Students

    A Project Kaleidoscope Workshop (PKAL)

    November 13 - 15, 1998
    University of Arizona
    Tucson, Arizona

    How can a research-rich environment enhance undergraduate science education for both science majors and non-majors? Research can enter the curriculum in many ways, including independent research in faculty laboratories, projects in laboratory courses, small-group independent student projects, and research-project courses for beginning students and non-majors. Effective research attitudes also characterize effective teaching strategies: collaboration, investigation, skepticism project-orientation, open-endedness, and continual learning of new skills and concepts as they are needed.

    This workshop will examine how different kinds of institutions have utilized a research-rich environment to enhance undergraduate education in various science disciplines. It will consider issues related to facilities and planning, student's needs and expectations, curricular integration of research, faculty attitudes and rewards, institutional support and funding opportunities. The goal will be to develop practical ways to improve the utilization of research in science education for all students.

    Workshop application procedures can be found on the PKAL Web Site [http://www.pkal.org/events/application.html]

     

    Research Universities and the Undergraduate:
    Designing Education for the 21st Century

    October 27, 1998
    Gerald R. Ford Library
    University of Michigan
    Ann Arbor, Michigan

    A faculty forum sponsored by Sigma Xi, the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA), the U-M Chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the Academic Women's Caucus.

    The forum is inspired by the controversial Boyer Commission report funded by the Carnegie Foundation, "Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities." A morning panel comprised of faculty members actively engaged with undergraduate education addressed the question: "Does the Carnegie Foundation/Boyer Commission report represent the best vision for undergraduate education at research universities?" An afternoon panel with representatives from the University administration and federal government discussed "How do we achieve the goals expressed for undergraduate education at research universities?"

    The keynote speaker was Shirley Strum Kenny, president of the State University of New York at Stony Brook and chair of the Boyer Commission study. The concluding speaker was F. David Mathews, president of the Kettering Foundation, and former U. S. Secretary of Education.

    Participants in the panels included: U. S. Reps. Lynn Rivers and Vernon Ehlers; Regent Olivia P. Maynard; President Lee C. Bollinger; National Science Foundation advisor James Lightbourne; Profs. Thomas Dunn (moderator), Bobbi Low, Ruth Scodel, Lewis Kleinsmith, Donald R. Deskins Jr., and J. David Velleman.

    Report on Forum

    Faculty Perspective on Issues Raised at Forum

     

    Send questions or comments to UMresearch@umich.edu

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