Bogdanic Dea M, Schober Jenna, Fraley Gregory, Karcher Elizabeth L
Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Poult Sci. 2025 Aug 14;104(11):105686. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105686.
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide hands-on opportunities for students to engage in relevant research, which can lead to increased student intent to persist in science. Poultry-focused CUREs not only provide general research experiences but expose students to the critical role that poultry science plays in the global agricultural industries. Five second-year undergraduate students in animal science were selected to participate in Fall 2024 CURE program. Selection was based on their involvement in a campus program designed to support students of diverse backgrounds while promoting awareness of careers in poultry science. The objectives of this mixed-methods study were to examine the impact of the CURE on the following: scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, challenge, frustration, meaning making, individual and situational interest, and persistence intentions. Participants completed surveys and reflections at five time points throughout the Fall 2024 semester. A descriptive analysis of the results show that self-efficacy and scientific identity increased over time, which aligned with participants' growing confidence and skills development. However, challenge and frustration peaked mid-semester as the students dealt with more complex research tasks. Written reflections highlighted how overcoming challenges contributed to a sense of accomplishment and reinforced persistence in scientific research. While individual interest and perceived value in the scientific community remained stable, reflections suggested that peer support and strong mentorship played key roles in maintaining engagement. Situational interest remained consistently high throughout the CURE. These findings demonstrated that while challenges can affect confidence in the moment, productive struggle contributes to motivation and long-term persistence. Our results support the concept that CUREs can improve self-efficacy and foster a sense of belonging in science. Future CUREs should balance challenging tasks with structured support to enhance student retention and self-efficacy in STEM fields.
基于课程的本科研究经历（CUREs）为学生提供了参与相关研究的实践机会，这可能会增强学生坚持从事科学研究的意愿。以家禽为重点的CUREs不仅提供一般的研究经历，还让学生了解家禽科学在全球农业产业中所起的关键作用。五名动物科学专业的二年级本科生被选中参加2024年秋季的CURE项目。选拔基于他们参与的一个校园项目，该项目旨在支持不同背景的学生，同时提高对家禽科学领域职业的认识。这项混合方法研究的目的是考察CURE对以下方面产生的影响：科学自我效能感、科学身份认同、挑战、挫折感、意义建构、个人兴趣和情境兴趣，以及坚持的意愿。在整个2024年秋季学期，参与者在五个时间点完成了调查和反思。对结果的描述性分析表明，自我效能感和科学身份认同随着时间的推移而增强，这与参与者不断增强的信心和技能发展相一致。然而，在学期中期，随着学生们处理更复杂的研究任务，挑战和挫折感达到了顶峰。书面反思强调了克服挑战如何带来成就感，并强化了在科学研究中的坚持。虽然个人兴趣和在科学界的感知价值保持稳定，但反思表明同伴支持和强有力的指导在维持参与度方面发挥了关键作用。在整个CURE过程中，情境兴趣一直保持在较高水平。这些发现表明，虽然挑战可能会在当下影响信心，但富有成效的努力有助于激发动力和长期坚持。我们的结果支持这样一种观念，即CUREs可以提高自我效能感，并培养在科学领域的归属感。未来的CUREs应该在具有挑战性的任务和结构化支持之间取得平衡，以提高学生在STEM领域的留存率和自我效能感。
