Defining a Successful Undergraduate Research Experience in Engineering.

In recent years, there has been interest in broadening the participation of students in undergraduate research experiences in engineering disciplines. While there has been considerable study and analysis of the benefits achieved by high-achieving undergraduate students engaged in research activities, relatively little consideration has been given to the impact and benefits of research experiences on engineering students who are better described as "average". Yet, these are the students to whom undergraduate research opportunities need to be provided in order to achieve broader participation. Therefore, it is beneficial to understand how these experiences impact average students so that programs are not designed that will not meet the students' expectations or needs. The primary purpose of this NSF-sponsored work is to provide definitions of what constitutes a successful undergraduate research experience for a wide range of students. Particular attention is devoted to students whose academic background and performance is solid, but not outstanding. For such students, some of the benefits for high-achieving students, such as increased likelihood of graduate school attendance, may not be appropriate measures of a successful experience. Through surveys and interviews of students who have engaged in undergraduate research experiences in engineering, we have developed a preliminary definition of a successful research experience. Specifically, a successful research experience for these students should develop the skills necessary for these students to be practicing engineers, increase their confidence in what?, and be centered around an experience that allows students to learn how to conduct a research project. In addition to the preliminary definition of a successful undergraduate research experience, this paper also presents insights gained from the study with respect to what makes the experience more positive for the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]