Three-layer funnel taxonomy for designing high-impact undergraduate research experiences¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 design), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article presents a three-layer taxonomy used primarily by practitioners during the design of high-impact undergraduate research experiences. The first layer consists of universal HIP quality conditions applicable to any high-impact experience; the second and third layers, research breadth and research depth elements, are specific to undergraduate research and progressively narrower in scope. As the authors state, "By funneling the design of a learning experience through the three tiers, a research mentor can create a +IP undergraduate experience with high levels of student involvement."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• The research mentor intentionally filters the experience through all three tiers, considering level of student engagement across criteria including the mentor-mentee dynamic and selected segments of the research process

Constraints¶

• The taxonomy addresses the working components of a research experience and design choices for the research processes, while the full tool elaborates the universal quality conditions

Target Learners¶

• undergraduate students across disciplines and institution types

Target Learning Objectives¶

• disciplinary knowledge and inquiry skills
• student engagement in research
• scholarly identity development

Claims¶

• Mentoring relationships in undergraduate research are highly influential in students' campus connection, retention in their major, and persistence to graduation [+W]
• Students who generate their own research question are apt to be more invested and more engaged [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Three-dimension taxonomy of active learning course design: location, percentage of time dedicated to activities, and goal of the activity

Examples¶

• Research depth taxonomy: seven research-process elements with Milestones 1-4, at least one at Milestone 2 for high impact
• Research breadth taxonomy: six structure-focused elements, each at minimum Milestone 2 for high impact
• Use the taxonomy to self-evaluate an implemented research experience and level up milestones

Key Sources¶

• Fischer, A. E., Immel, K. R., Wilkum, K., & Lee, L. (2021). A Taxonomy for Developing Undergraduate Research Experiences as High-Impact Practices. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v21i1.30564