ERIC Number: EJ1411356
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1935-7877
EISSN: EISSN-1935-7885
Fly-Cure, a Multi-Institutional Cure Using "Drosophila," Increases Students' Confidence, Sense of Belonging, and Persistence in Research
Julie A. Merkle; Olivier Devergne; Seth M. Kelly; Paula A. Croonquist; Cory J. Evans; Melanie A. Hwalek; Victoria L. Straub; Danielle R. Hamill; Alexandra Peister; David P. Puthoff; Ken J. Saville; Jamie L. Siders; Zully J. Villanueva Gonzalez; Jacqueline K. Wittke-Thompson; Kayla L. Bieser; Joyce Stamm; Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer; Jacob D. Kagey
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, v24 n3 2023
The Fly-CURE is a genetics-focused multi-institutional Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) that provides undergraduate students with hands-on research experiences within a course. Through the Fly-CURE, undergraduate students at diverse types of higher education institutions across the United States map and characterize novel mutants isolated from a genetic screen in "Drosophila melanogaster." To date, more than 20 mutants have been studied across 20 institutions, and our scientific data have led to eleven publications with more than 500 students as authors. To evaluate the impact of the Fly-CURE experience on students, we developed and validated assessment tools to identify students' perceived research self-efficacy, sense of belonging in science, and intent to pursue additional research opportunities. Our data, collected over three academic years and involving 14 institutions and 480 students, show gains in these metrics after completion of the Fly-CURE across all student subgroups analyzed, including comparisons of gender, academic status, racial and ethnic groups, and parents' educational background. Importantly, our data also show differential gains in the areas of self-efficacy and interest in seeking additional research opportunities between Fly-CURE students with and without prior research experience, illustrating the positive impact of research exposure (dosage) on student outcomes. Altogether, our data indicate that the Fly-CURE experience has a significant impact on students' efficacy with research methods, sense of belonging to the scientific research community, and interest in pursuing additional research experiences.
Descriptors: Student Research, Undergraduate Students, Hands on Science, Genetics, Test Construction, Self Efficacy, Student Attitudes, Intention, Student Characteristics, Science Laboratories, Animals
American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE); National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (DHHS/NIH), Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity Initiative (BUILD)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 2021146; UL1GM118982; TL4GM118983; RL5GM118981