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How do students perceive research?
How do students perceive research?
These observations are drawn from a cross-discipline survey of over 400 students participating in questionnaires and focus group conversations within the College of Health, Wellbeing & Life Sciences between 2019 and 2021.
Headline Statements
Headline Statements
Research and applied practice are important to students as it demonstrates that their teaching is current.
It is important that academics conduct research as it keeps the teaching up to date and interesting.
Research being undertaken is not a driver for enrolment.
Prior to study, students have had little exposure to research.
Students would like to be more involved in active research where possible and do not feel part of the research or best practice community.
Exposure to current theory and research gives students confidence in practice situations. However, research outputs can be made more accessible to students.
Online questionnaires targeted towards students and academic staff members were used to collect data around research and evidence-based teaching. The research questionnaires were adapted from an original design by Healey (2005) to suit the requirements of a cross-College study and gained 418 responses. To gain a deeper understanding of the analysed data, we followed up the questionnaire with focus groups held in the departments of Nursing and Midwifery, Biosciences and Chemistry, and Sport and Physical Activity. Thematic analysis was used to identify and report on patterns within the focus group transcripts whilst maintaining the rich detail of the qualitative data.
Key themes elicited from the surveys and focus group data
Key themes elicited from the surveys and focus group data
Student understanding of research is an emergent property.
Student understanding of research is an emergent property.
Students in the early years of study at university have very little knowledge or exposure to research. As students move through their degrees their understanding of research and research skills develops through practice.
“It's like an emergence of awareness about what it's all about the more you're going through the process.” [Bioscience]
“I don’t think I grasped the importance of research until my final year.” [Sport]
Students value staff involvement in research.
Students value staff involvement in research.
Research and evidence-based practice are essential to students as it demonstrates that the teaching is current. All students value staff involvement in research and report that it aids in their learning. Focus group data highlights that staff being enthusiastic about research would mean they have more knowledge of the subject area and they would be passionate about what they were teaching.
Student Quote: “I think it’s important to be taught by lecturers involved in research.”
Student Quote: “If lecturers haven’t done research, they’re just interpreting information rather than having the experience, you want them to be passionate about the topic they’re teaching you rather than just reading from slides, relaying the information.”
Student Quote: “Academics need to be up to date need evidence to practice nursing” [Focus group]
Question: How important to you is it that those who teach you are involved in research or consultancy?
[Likert Scale - 1 Not at all important to 5 Very important]
Research is not a driver for recruitment.
Research is not a driver for recruitment.
Undergraduates are unaware of the research undertaken in the College before starting the course and research activity is not a strong driver for recruitment. Many students commented that it was the course design and the interactions with staff at open days that made them apply.
Student Quote: “I didn’t know much about the academic side before I applied, I looked more at the course structure.” [Focus group]
Question: The research undertaken in my Department/Research Centre had?
[Likert Scale - 1 No influence on my decision to study at SHU to 5 a very strong influence on my decision to study at SHU]
Research enriches learning.
Research enriches learning.
Students felt that it was important that they were taught by lecturers involved in research. Exposure to research was felt by the students to increase understanding of the subject material. Research-informed teaching was not deemed to improve problem-solving abilities in first-year cohorts however this link was seen with final year students. This reflects the student experiences at the point of asking. First year students have typically experienced research in a passive manner (in that they hear about research but do not do it). Final year students are more actively involved, through projects and other work.
Question: What impact, if any, has your exposure to the research and/or consultancy in your course, Department or Research Centre had on your learning? [Check all that apply]
Students do not feel part of a research community.
Students do not feel part of a research community.
Students are aware that staff undertake research or are actively involved in discipline specific research and practice but do not feel a part of those communities. The vast majority said they would like to have been more involved in through their course if they had the opportunity.
Student Quote: “Through our projects I feel more involved in research I know with my project tutor what I am doing is relevant to their research so I do feel like I am helping towards something, it would be nice if we could experience that throughout the course.”
Question: Do you feel part of a research community
Importance of research-informed teaching from a staff perspective.
Importance of research-informed teaching from a staff perspective.
Over 30 members of academic staff from the College of Health, Wellbeing & Life Sciences were interviewed to gain a working perspective of the importance of research-informed teaching. Clear links to employability skills and research skills were highlighted alongside the development of evidence informed practices.
Content - provides context and applied nature of a course, move away from learning facts to critical thinking. Gives a unique experience to the student.
Course – RIT helps students develop evidence-based practice, apply their knowledge and develop an inquiring mind.
Engagement - bring in that element of interest to keep students engaged, enthusiasm to learn more and giving an awareness that learning can be furthered.
Future Career – highlights potential career options, exposure to cutting edge ideas, technology, and practice. Placements give students soft skills that employers want. Gives students an insight into how to deal with and think about evidence.
“Research skills are prime employability skills”
Critical thinking – how to think and analysis data and recognise good quality information, how to develop questions. Using evidence to inform practice. To be able to appreciate alternative interpretations and viewpoints and form one’s own opinion.
Practitioners view Research Differently
Practitioners view Research Differently
Within nursing and the allied health professions, there is a perceived disconnect between research and practice and the two are seen as distinct activities. It is recognised that evidence-informed practice comes from a research base and informs guidance. There is an inherent trust in the system that this is done correctly and robustly. For the individual, there is a clear recognition that practice is based on robust research, but the practitioner is not inherently involved in that research, for example, those interventions like vaccinations.
Student Perspective
Students perceive research to primarily occur at a high level, through multi-site clinical trials and large-scale national studies. There is an expectation that staff are involved in these large clinical trials when, they are more likely to be involved in professional behaviour and values, to enhance care. Most have not experienced research directly.
Students recognise that practice is often research based with evidence informed guidance coming from agencies such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It is not seen as the role of the practitioner to write this guidance. There is also a theory practice gap, and it is unclear to the students how one directly relates to the other. The applied nature then is to understand and implement the guidance. Students report that they are unaware of the research undertaken in the discipline.
Staff Perspective
From an academic or practitioner point of view research practices are often seen to occur at a local level with activities around a service enhancement or care delivery on a ward or department. An understanding of research skills is required to be built into the students such that they can use research to aid in practice in each of the service groups. The ethos is to train practitioners to identify a problem or issue and know how to do address it based on evidence or the collection of evidence.
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