Examining a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience in a Food Systems Course

Recent reforms in undergraduate education have encouraged the use of high-impact and student-centered approaches to teaching and learning over teacher-directed approaches. The use of Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs) has gained in popularity and research has indicated many positive learning outcomes associated with their use. However, prior research has also suggested unequal student access to these opportunities. One solution to provide broad access to UREs is through the use of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) within traditional academic courses. This paper provides an example of a semester-long CURE within a food systems course. Students’ perspectives toward the structure of the CURE and impacts from participating in the CURE were explored through a qualitative study. A focus group was implemented with students at the end of the course and data were analyzed using a multi-cycle coding method. Three themes were identified: (1) structured choice with mentorship; (2) research challenges; and (3) learning outcomes. Findings from this case study support the use of CUREs in agricultural systems courses to foster students’ interest, motivation, and development of technical and soft skills.