CUREcasts: An Innovative Mechanism to Increase Communication of Scientific Outcomes to Novice and Expert Audiences within the Context of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences

• Main Authors: Jeffrey T. Olimpo, Ruth Rodriguez, Vanessa L. Lougheed, Craig E. Tweedie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Society for Microbiology 2018-05-01
• Series: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
• Subjects: field biology; scientific thinking; course-based undergraduate research experience; video podcast; arctic science; polar science
• Online Access: http://jmbesubmissions.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/1426

The recent advent of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) has provided a unique platform for immersing students in the process of scientific discovery. Inherent of this process and of the CURE paradigm is the expectation that the data obtained from such investigations have broader applications beyond the boundaries of the classroom. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms for dissemination of CURE student-generated results aside from in-class poster and/or oral presentations. In this article, we describe the creation of CUREcasts, which harness the power of video podcast media to effectively and succinctly capture the types of research upper-level Arctic/Polar science CURE students are engaged in and the methodologies used to conduct their investigations. We likewise illustrate how the EdPuzzle platform can be used to create educational tools for instructors and scientists alike. Lastly, Student Perceptions of Learning Gains (SPLG) data are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the CUREcast initiative in enhancing CURE student knowledge and affect in the domain.