Ready Through Research
Ready Through Research
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Student-led research for student-led change.
Student-led research for student-led change.
Project Aim: to enhance Introductory Psychology students' research competence and STEM persistence through mentorship & project-based learning.
Project Aim: to enhance Introductory Psychology students' research competence and STEM persistence through mentorship & project-based learning.
I am partnering with AP Psychology teachers Kristie Winter & Amy Koch to design, implement & evaluate Ready Through Research (RTR).
I am partnering with AP Psychology teachers Kristie Winter & Amy Koch to design, implement & evaluate Ready Through Research (RTR).
For more details, see our Facilitator's Guide.
RTR Programming Description
RTR Programming Description
Research Workshops. Students participate in a series of “research workshops” occurring approximately once a month during a regular class period throughout the school year. During the first semester, workshops encourage AP Psych students to apply course consent to their school experiences, create research questions related to these experiences, explore multiple research methods/perspectives they could use to address their research question, and reflect on research topics and methods that interest them.
I am informing students of special ethical requirements they must include in their study designs when conducting research with minors.
Research mentor Emily Herry (NC State) sharing their qualitative research about how trans and gender non-conforming adults' experiences online share their identity.
Research Mentors. Local experts (e.g., graduate students) serve as research mentors during workshops. Guest mentors are recruited to highlight the diversity of field both in demographic backgrounds (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability status) and areas of expertise. Guest mentors are mostly graduate students at NC State and UNC-CH.
Research mentors Angelina Joy (NC State, centered) and Maria Maza (UNC, back left) advising students as they explore potential research topics and designs.
RTR students presented their projects in a conference-style poster session at their school.
Student Research Projects. During the second semester, research workshops prepare and guide students to design, conduct, analyze and present an original research project. These research projects focused on better understanding or improving student experiences or school conditions. AP Psychology students collaborated with AP Statistics students to analyze and interpret their results. Students present their work at a research expo in which mentors, parents, and school stakeholders (i.e., students, faculty, administrators, district personnel) were invited to attend.
Mixed Methods & Expected Results
Mixed Methods & Expected Results
Quantitative. Brief Qualtrics survey completed at pre- and post-intervention. Measures include research competence and orientation as well as STEM identity, persistence, and career interest.
Qualitative. Throughout the intervention, students will complete entries in their virtual research journal (i.e., running Google Doc) which encourage them to reflect on their research competence and connections to relevant experiences and course content. These reflections will be analyzed for the themes discussed below.
Expected Results. We expect the RTR to (1) enhance students’ research self-efficacy, (2) promote scientific research as a tool for community improvement and social justice, (3) foster students’ identity as a scientist, and (4) encourage students’ intentions to persist in STEM and their interest in a STEM career.
Our Team
My Role: RTR stems from a project that I developed and implemented when I was teaching AP Psychology from 2017-2020. During the 2022-2023 school year, I co-designed the Ready Through Research curriculum with Kristie Winter. I also recruited and coordinated all of the research mentors and facilitated all research workshops. After data collection concluded, I led program evaluation. During the 2023-2024 school year, we are implementing the second iteration of RTR and have expanded programming to Raleigh Charter High School in Amy Koch's AP Psychology classes.
My Role: RTR stems from a project that I developed and implemented when I was teaching AP Psychology from 2017-2020. During the 2022-2023 school year, I co-designed the Ready Through Research curriculum with Kristie Winter. I also recruited and coordinated all of the research mentors and facilitated all research workshops. After data collection concluded, I led program evaluation. During the 2023-2024 school year, we are implementing the second iteration of RTR and have expanded programming to Raleigh Charter High School in Amy Koch's AP Psychology classes.
Resulting Publications
Winter, K. & Cerda-Smith, J. How to get students “Ready Through Research”. In H. Scherschel & D. S. Rudmann
(Eds.) Teaching tips: A compendium of conference presentations on teaching, 2022-23. (pp. 60-64). Society for the Teaching of Psychology. https://teachpsych.org/ebooks/teachingtips8
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