Virtually the Same? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Remote Undergraduate Research Experiences

Area of Science:

• Life science research education
• Undergraduate research experiences (UREs)

Background:

• In-person undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are crucial for integrating students into life science research careers.
• The COVID-19 pandemic shifted UREs to remote formats in 2020, raising questions about their effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if remote UREs promote scientific integration and affect perceptions of research benefits and costs.
• To compare outcomes of remote UREs with established findings from in-person UREs.

Main Methods:

• Examined indicators of scientific integration (self-efficacy, identity, career intentions) and perceptions of research benefits and costs.
• Analyzed data from students participating in remote life science URE programs during Summer 2020.

Main Results:

• Students showed pre- to post-URE gains in scientific self-efficacy, comparable to in-person UREs.
• Gains in scientific identity, career intentions, and perceived benefits were observed only for students starting at lower levels.
• Perceptions of research costs did not change overall, though students with initially low cost perceptions showed increases.

Conclusions:

• Remote UREs can effectively support the development of scientific self-efficacy.
• The capacity of remote UREs to foster broader scientific integration, such as identity and career intentions, may be limited, particularly for students already at higher levels.
• Remote UREs can be a viable alternative for maintaining research opportunities, though their impact on certain integration aspects warrants further investigation.