Inventory, Review and Development of REU Modules for the Ethical Conduct of Research

University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR

Investigators

Abstract

This award to the University of Arkansas will allow the PIs, Marty Matlock and Robyn Hannigan, to develop readily available resource for ethical and responsible conduct of research (ERCR) training of undergraduates participating in the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The PIs plan to 1) Inventory and review at least 40 existing ERCR educational materials; 2) Evaluate their appropriateness and completeness for application in the NSF REU program; 3) Develop new modules for specific use of the BIO REU Program; 4) Pilot test modules at three REU programs; and 5) Develop and implement assessment tools to evaluate effectiveness of the pilot modules. Intellectual Merit: Teaching ethics to undergraduate students is an integral part of the NSF REU program. This requirement for ethics training provides an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of delivering directed curricula to large and diverse students. The modules and assessment tools will represent new knowledge. Broader Impacts: This project will benefit all NSF REU programs by providing standardized educational materials to support training in research ethics, and will provide assessment of the effectiveness of developed new modules. Instruments for assessing student learning will be published through the NSF REU program. The results of the project will be posted at the http://www.bioreu.org website.