March Discussion Question 2
The article details the students’ experiences in the two
research courses. After reading what this particular university provides in
regards to research curriculum…..and reflecting on your own experiences with
research courses/experiences.....what recommendations do you have for Illinois
State University’s DI/MS program to improve the research experiences for
students?
posted by Julie @ 8:32 AM
28 comments
28 Comments:
I think modeling a course after this would be a great idea. I do see the value in doing a thesis in retrospect. I came in without much research experience though. Doing a thesis seemed pretty intimidating. I didn’t really understand what would be entailed, and I really struggled with the research methods class in the beginning. None of my struggle was related to Dr. Ma’s capabilities. She is one of my favorite instructors from the program. Including this type of project as the alternative to the thesis option could help students with less of a research background (who aren’t really ready to commit to a thesis from the get go) to get a more thorough and less overwhelming research experience.
It’s not a guarantee that there would be enough students every year to support this course happening, but with our class 9/10 chose the non-thesis option, and remember the mention of a trend (somewhere along the line) toward more students choosing the non-thesis option. A project like this would provide a good transitional learning experience into research. I do understand research much better and feel more comfortable reading and applying it in the field. I also feel that I may have had more of an interest in pursuing research opportunities if I had a less overwhelming introduction to actually performing the research process. I think having this as a primary route with the option for more independent students to pursue a thesis would be a good addition. As an alternative plan, if there are not enough students, you can always fall back on the current non-thesis route.
While our program specifically has the option of a non-thesis option, this project may need to include an alternative such as an introduction to thesis project or something similar that is done in our research methods class. This course seems like it would be beneficial in many areas. Above all, I am in favor of the idea of doing a thesis project in a group. Health professionals, even if they are not conducting research, are still collaborating with others about patients and the best way to go about caring for them. As stated in the last question, using critical thinking and professional communication while talking with group members, even disagreements will provide more experience and skill sets to use in one's career.
I agree with Gina about this program being a good transitional learning experience, especially those that may not have as much experience with reading/conducting/analyzing research. Working alongside fellow interns as well as guidance from faculty can help any of that uncertainty and/or intimidation from research.
I feel that a year-long course for research methodology would be beneficial to ISU's curriculum. It was interesting to see that the program focused on a group research project instead of individual thesis projects. While we all have a diverse range of interests, I feel a group research project could be beneficial to ISU's program. Jumping straight into a thesis track was daunting, especially since it can be a nebulous concept to someone fresh out of undergrad. I feel that more students would be open to research if they knew they didn't have to conduct the research alone. I especially like that survey designs and IRB protocol writing are written in as part of their year-long curriculum. We wrote out our IRB protocols in Dr. Ma's class, but I felt that it would have been beneficial to do more revisions if time allowed.
I like Gina's use of the phrase "transitional learning experience." I feel that this is exactly what a group research project would provide. I was fortunate enough as an undergraduate student to have two opportunities for large independent research projects. I feel that this experience gave me the confidence to pursue a thesis track. I also like how Nikki ties the benefits of research back to the core competencies of communication and critical thinking.
I like the idea of a one-year research development course; however, from a student perspective I appreciated covering this curriculum over a 1 semester course as opposed to drawing it out. I like how our program split the research methods class and statistics course into two sequential courses that built off of one another.
Particularly based off of some of the comments that Gina and Nikki have stated, I feel that creating a foundation in research methods and statistics would be imperative before cutting students loose on a year-long research project with limited group meeting opportunities for instruction.
As a recommendation for future improvement in our program, I do think that a group research project would be beneficial to meet other core competencies in addition to experiencing the research process. This may be a good way to offer the Outcomes Study assignment in 402!
I like how the year-long coarse is set up and would agree with Gina that modeling a coarse after this one would be beneficial to the program. I also love the idea of a group research project as well. I think this would be a good alternative for those who are not interested in the individual thesis option. Working in a group on research would also be a way to develop the competencies discussed in the previous question.
As Gina, Niki, and Jenn highlighted, creating the foundation in research would be the most important part before beginning a class like this. Although I decided to go the thesis route, I was nervous and hesitant to because I do not have a lot of research experience.
I understand where Holly is coming from that coming straight out of undergrad and being offered to do a thesis is daunting. I did not have very much exposure to research throughout my undergrad which played a major role in why I chose not to do a thesis. I think had I been exposed to more research and had more of an understanding of where to start with a thesis, I would have been likely to have taken the thesis route.
I am actually do not see the group research project being as beneficial as independent work. Group projects create a great learning environment to brainstorm together and feed off one another, however with the end product being a paper, I don't see that working to the students' advantage to obtain a good learning experience. I foresee the group dividing up the sections of the research paper and the students would not learn how to properly complete the sections that they were not assigned to. I see a master's student benefitting more from the way ISU is currently doing things. I think including our outcomes study we complete 3 research papers of some kind and I feel 10 times more confident reading, analyzing, and understanding research after these two years than I did after my undergrad research exposure.
I currently feel our program’s research curriculum is set up well. We have two semesters covering research methods, almost making it a yearlong research development course. I personally feel that undergraduate programs need to improve on their research curriculum. For the previous question relating to program competencies, I agreed with several others that undergraduate education is where we learn the facts and basic knowledge needed for a career in nutrition and dietetics. Master’s programs are where we apply and critically think about what we previously learned in our undergraduate curriculum. I believe if I had more research experience in my undergraduate course work I would have been more prepared for doing a Master’s thesis. Perhaps an optional introductory research methods course would be something to consider adding to our Master’s curriculum. Going over basic things required for research, like how to read and interpret academic articles, may be useful for those who had little undergraduate experience in research.
I agree with Stephanie, I also do not see a group research project as being beneficial. ISU’s undergraduate Food Science course has what I would consider a group research project. I did not have the best experience with this project, and still felt inexperienced with research after the project. Instead of learning from each other, I felt my research project group was relying on each other instead. I see the benefits of doing a group research project when faculty time is limited, but I would be worried the students would not gain very much, depending how the course is set up. If there was a way to ensure the students learned from each other, I would be more open to a group research project. Otherwise, I feel that it can looked at as just another project students are trying to get done, not learn from it.
The current research class at ISU was very beneficial in my opinion. I think it would be great to have two semesters to divide learning the research process because there is so much information to learn. However, I agree with Jenn that I do not like to prolong a class over two semesters. I also agree with Jenn that the flow from the research class to the statistics class was very beneficial and seemed similar to the two semester structure suggested in the article. For students who do not plan on completing a thesis I think one semester of a research class is sufficient. I also had trouble motivating myself in the research class because I knew I would not be writing a thesis. However, looking back, I think taking some class time to explain why learning the research process is important for people not completing a thesis would have been beneficial to reiterate why research is so important in our field. An additional research class might be beneficial for those completing a thesis to go into more depth.
I agree with Holly that a group thesis option at ISU might be a great way to encourage more people to complete a thesis. Only 1 person in our intern class completed a thesis, but I think more people might have if a group thesis option was offered. I would be interested to learn about what a group thesis project entails and the difference between a group thesis and an individual thesis process.
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I was very interested in the details of the research courses described in the article. The courses seem like a well-developed and well-executed educational experience. I feel that throughout my undergraduate career and graduate experience to date, that I have developed many of the competencies targeted by the courses described. However, I did not establish these competencies through one extensive experience as the students enrolled in the course did. At UW-Stevens Point, we did a semester-long group research project that included the entire research process from lit reviews to data collection to poster presentations. The combination of group and individual work towards a common research question made the research process less intimidating. My group members and I were able to help each other, discuss goals and strategies for research, and provide support to each other during the project. Concurrently, we were able to demonstrate our individual competencies in research by completing our own literature reviews and final research papers. I further developed my research competencies in FCS 497 at ISU, but did not conduct actual research for this class.
It sounds like the courses from the article combine the highlights from both of the research classes that I have taken, but in a more comprehensive and seamless way. The year-long length is a definite strength of the courses, because it is very difficult to accomplish a research project in the length of an academic semester. The group aspects of the research courses in the article are also a strength since collaboration is facilitated while maintaining intensive individual work requirements. I think a similar research course at ISU for the DI could be beneficial. These courses sound like a combination of FCS 497 and an individualized thesis project. So far, I do believe that the research experiences offered to the MS/DI students at ISU are very strong and provide many opportunities for individualization and access to high-quality faculty members. While I am not pursuing a thesis track, I feel that my class projects in Research Methods, Advanced Nutrition and Metabolism, statistics, and elective courses have developed my research abilities significantly. Further, I anticipate additional development in my research competencies as I begin my independent study project with gleaning at the Bloomington Farmers Market that will include program assessment survey administration.
It sounds like many people are supportive of the idea of a group thesis option. I do also see potential value in this option. If this were an option, I think I would still pursue a non-thesis track but it is a unique opportunity for research. An individual thesis project is an excellent option at ISU since the faculty resources are available, which was a main limitation for the school in the article. However, just because we do not need to have a group thesis year-long research course project due to resource limitations does not mean that it could not be an enriching educational opportunity. As mentioned by several others, this type of experience could be a rewarding transitional learning experience before entering the field or continuing on in pursuit of a PhD.
When looking at the article, I can see both sides to having a one year research development course. For one, I agree with what Gina initially stated about the importance of creating a foundation in research and the benefits it would provide. On the other hand, I would also have to agree with Jenn in that I don’t particularly like the idea of drawing out the course. In retrospect, I enjoyed the faster pace of setting up our research proposal in Dr. Ma’s Intro to Research Methods class. I also enjoyed how she had portions of the paper due at different times. I felt as if those deadlines helped keep my paper moving forward. When I was an undergrad student at SDSU, I was involved with a personal research mentorship with a graduate professor. Comparing the paper I wrote for that particular professor to the literature review papers I have written in graduate school, I think I personally have benefitted more from having consistent deadlines. My research at SDSU never seemed to have set due dates and therefore was drawn out much longer than was necessary.
As most have already agreed upon, I also see the benefit of working together on a group project. I think that is something that ISU could benefit from adding to their program. As Jenn mentioned, that might be a good addition to the 402 Outcome study.
I agree with Tessa and Stephanie on this one. I thought the idea of a group research project was interesting and I am glad that it has worked for Sage College, but I disagree that it is a better approach than individual projects. At the master's level, I see value in conducting individual research projects and getting intimate experience with the process as a whole. It is overwhelming and challenging, yes, but that is what makes it fit for a master's program in my opinion. I like the way ISU is set up where we all have the option to pursue a thesis and have each other there for support and fielding questions, but I think it is a quest that would have more benefit as an individual project than a group.
After reading the article, I feel that a group research project would better suit undergraduates. Depending on where you complete your undergrad, there is little to no exposure to conducting research. It is a lot to take on at any level, so maybe introducing a course like this at the junior or senior level would be advantageous. It would allow faculty to proceed with some of their research goals and give students and introduction to what doing research entails. That being said, I think it still is important to teach and practice critical reading of research articles and evaluating published literature, but being able to put it into practice as an undergrad would add a whole new level to understanding research that I think would be invaluable in graduating competitive students.
As many others have mentioned, I also feel that while a year-long course would be very beneficial and provide students with more confidence in their research, I can see how drawing out the process is unnecessary. At the start of Dr. Ma’s Research Methods class I was still shaky with my understanding of the research process as a whole. Although by one semester of coursework I felt that I would have been prepared to tackle a thesis if I had chosen to do so. I think that Amanda brings up a great point with having selected due dates for each part of the research project. I also really enjoyed the structure of Dr. Ma’s course at Illinois State where we broke the project up into more manageable chunks to focus on. It helped me to ease into the research process more easily.
As for the research experience for Illinois State University’s DI/MS program, I feel that students are provided with the education and resources they need to successfully publish their research materials. It is the undergraduate coursework that creates barriers or limitations when it comes to a student individually conducting research. After the completion of Dr. Ma’s research methodology course, I felt like I was given the education and support to produce research of my own if I desired. Not all the information taught was new to us students but the application of was. This is where undergraduate courses could improve by incorporating more research opportunities for students who know they will be conducting research or wanting to complete a thesis in their future. It wasn’t until the end of Dr. Ma’s class that I felt confident enough to contemplate completing a thesis or not. Without that experience and seeing the support and guidance from ISU staff members, I would have been too intimidated to even attempt a thesis.
I agree with the handful of others when they announce that group research projects will not be much of a benefit for the MS/DI program. It was brought up from a past ISU undergrad student that the Food Science course allowed students to participate within a group to complete a research project. I, a past ISU undergraduate who has taken Food Science as well, can admit that the group project opened my eyes to the world of research and allowed me to practice my research and writing skills. But with that being said, the class did not allow me to practice much on my own which I think is needed for one to grow and become a successful researcher. I have nothing against the Food Science research project and I find it crucial to our education at that point in undergrad courses. Working as a group then, at a time when research is still so new, I felt fit well into the curriculum and allowed students to gain confidence in research. I do, however, think students should be able to gain that individual experience of research whether that be through a different class offered or with the opportunity to work alongside a professor or grad. student to get that hands on experience prior to entering a master's program.
I liked the idea of the research courses described in the article. A similar yearlong course at ISU would allow every MS/DI student to gain experience in all aspects of the research process. The addition of a group thesis path to the curriculum would help make the thesis process fell less daunting and insure a timely completion of a thesis by finishing much of the work prior to starting rotations, relieving some of the pressure thesis students face during the internship. However, for students who are comfortable with the research process or already have a thesis direction, the yearlong research course would probably not be of benefit. Overall, I feel that yearlong research course could be a valuable option that would increase the proportion of thesis seeking MS/DI students and improve students’ critical thinking skills.
Nikki made a good point about how health professionals continuously collaborate to provide the best care possible for their patients and I imagine that a group thesis can be an effective way to improve students’ critical thinking and communication skills which are critical to be successful in the healthcare profession.
I also thought Justine made a good point about the suitability of incorporating this type of research course into the undergraduate curriculum. I think that if more students entering a MS program had taken a course similar to the one described, they would be well prepared to carry out a thesis (streamlining the process and feel more confident in their MS/DI studies).
One thing I liked about the Sage College approach to research courses is that all of the students were working on the same topic. When it came time for class meetings and group collaboration each of the students and the professor were on the same page. As they worked together to build the final survey and other research documents with the faculty member they were all learning based off of the same scenario which means they could learn and apply concepts by discussing their challenges and ideas with their peers.
On the other hand one huge benefit of the ISU research course approach was that we were all allowed and individualized topic, which means we were much more likely to be interested and engaged in the assignment because we were the ones who selected it.
Although it would be more work for the students (and professors because it would would mean more grading/ instruction) I think completing mini-versions of assignments for each research topic (lit reviewing, survey creation, IRB forms) on a uniform topic as homework assignments would be beneficial for initial learning of concepts, and then having students apply what they've learned to their own personal research topics would help reinforce lessons and increase engagement.
I think the pros and cons of the "group" aspect of the research course brought up by Carly, Stephanie, and many others are quite interesting. Many have stated their lack of support for a group research paper project for a class. But when I think about the many journal articles I have come across in my academic career, more often than not, there is a long list of authors who have contributed to the research paper. So perhaps group research papers, or a group thesis option as Holly proposed, would be a good way to introduce students to the group work norms of academic literature.
As I reflect on my graduate career at ISU I believe I have been given plenty of opportunities to gain experience with the research process. The research course we took helped me better understand the steps to research and the intricacies that need to be addressed. One aspect I really enjoyed about that course was that we were able to pick an area that we specifically wanted to learn more about, as Desiray mentioned as well. I believe that being able to focus on what your passionate about makes the outcomes better in the end.
One recommendation would be trying a group research course like the study, as others have mentioned. I think that is a great option and is more realistic to the professional world where you are continually collaborating with others. Being able to effectively communicate and complete tasks with others is a skill that would be focused on in a group research course during a graduate program.
I think ISU's program does a good job at providing basic research principles to it's interns through the requirement of FCS 497: Research Methods, which the option to build upon research principles with the thesis option if you so choose. Overall, what I think the biggest limitation to our program's research experience is that we are not as involved in the work of our professor's research, either because of lack of research currently being conducted or students are unaware of what our professors are actually doing with their own research. I think it would be beneficial for our students to work maybe in small groups, of 2-3 and be assigned to a professor to do research on a topic they are currently working on. That way students would have support during their research from their peers, but also guidance from a professor or faculty member that is more of an expert in that topic. With the ability to choose our own topics, we need to become the experts which can be difficult in the limited time we have to conduct our thesis.
Looking back, I agree with Holly and Jenn’s idea of a one-year research development course. If the student can find a topic that they are passionate about, it could really be beneficial to dive into the research. I think it is very overwhelming and intimidating to take on a thesis, but having a yearlong research project included in the non-thesis option would help gain the research experience firsthand. It could be beneficial if the more of the professors had research GA positions because that could present a different research opportunity and you can learn from someone who has experience in what works/what doesn’t work when doing research.
I agree with Steph and Tessa that I think working independently on research projects is more beneficial that group research projects. In my opinion, I like to work on papers and projects on my time and schedule instead of trying to work with group members. I also take full responsibility for the entire paper/presentation instead of splitting projects up. After my (almost) 2 years at ISU, I have gained a lot of confidence in reading/analyzing research articles. I no longer find research intimidating and I have a lot of respect for researchers.
I am in support of ISU DI's current research program of individual thesis projects. I believe many of the decision making and feasibility decisions made by faculty in group research projects feature the most valuable learning experiences for students conducting research. ISU DI may further improve their research program by offering a current issues in dietetics/ local ISU community seminar to inspire thesis topics. Also, maintaining an up to date printed or website linked library of all current FACS professor published research would assist students in selecting committee members. The graduate research methods course itself was dramatically helpful in pursuing thesis research. I would only add further review of data collection methods both quantitative and qualitative, perhaps explored through published research evaluation or small scale observational research.
I agree with Tessa's concept of an optional introductory research review course, perhaps offered as an online module over the summer pre-internhip commencement. It could be for non-credit. Such a course would prep students with varied prior research experience to conduct a thesis at ISU.
I agree with Gina's idea of a transitional research experience. I had some research experience in undergraduate and I knew I didn't have a lot of interest in research, so I appreciate the non-thesis option. However, I think that a group research project course may spark some interest and make a thesis project less intimidating for many like Holly mentioned. Additionally, having to make the decision relatively early to make good progress on a thesis makes it even more intimidating to choose the thesis option. The only problem I can think of with a group research project is that the group members may not be all equally interested and invested into the research project together, making the research project feel more like a chore which may discourage them from further research experience. I also really like Rachel's idea of having a seminar to inspire thesis topics. One of the trickiest part of starting a research project is to come up with an appropriate topic. Having a discussion to learn about what current trends there are and what topics need more of what types of research can make starting a thesis much less intimidating as well.
As touched upon in the article, “Identifying Components of Advanced-Level Clinical Nutrition Practice”, communication with both patients and a healthcare team is highly essential to the dietetics profession. I would like to see a shift in Illinois States DI/MS program to have a more interdisciplinary research approach. With the addition of nutrition focused physical assessments, our profession is entering untouched territory (pun intended…). I see potential future collaboration between the ISU DI/MS program and Mennonite College of Nursing Master’s students and other masters programs at ISU. This could include research opportunities, resource allocation, and more.
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