Insertion of non-STEM Students in Research Projects in a Biological Sciences Course within the General Education Component
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29197/cpu.v23i45.780Keywords:
CURE, non-STEM, general education, scientific literacy, active learningAbstract
Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) constitute an innovative strategy for strengthening science education by integrating authentic research projects into undergraduate courses. The objectives of this study were to assess whether incorporating authentic research projects into the laboratory component of an introductory biology course increases scientific conceptual knowledge among non-STEM students and to explore their levels of satisfaction with and interest in the biological sciences following the pedagogical intervention. The study was conducted in CIBI 3025 at the Faculty of General Studies of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. As part of the project, students conducted research on the antibacterial activity of extracts from medicinal plants commonly used in Puerto Rico. Of the 21 students enrolled, 19 completed both the pretest and posttest. A multiple-choice test assessing knowledge across five scientific domains was administered, and the magnitude of the effect was estimated using Cohen’s d. In addition, students completed an interest and attitudes questionnaire with a Likert-type scale at the end of the semester. The results revealed improvements in four of the five domains assessed and a statistically significant increase between pretest and posttest scores (t = ?3.32, p = .0038). Students also reported high levels of interest in and satisfaction with the biological sciences. These findings suggest that CURE models promote meaningful scientific learning and strengthen engagement with science among non-STEM students, supporting their implementation in undergraduate general education courses.
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References
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