Author ORCID Identifier
Jan A. C. Vriezen: 0000-0002-3162-7020
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2025
Publication Title
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
Abstract
Differences in economic and social growth and academic equity, experi ences, and opportunities have left an achievement gap in STEM for underprivileged students. Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have attempted to answer these inequalities by leveling the playing field or by offering course-based research opportunities with minimal requirements for background knowledge. When we ask novel questions, more students get the experience of performing research, which lowers thresholds to pursue research and increases participation. Although the learning outcomes have been largely positive, there is a concern that many CUREs are still too scaffolded. In contrast, I propose to develop exploratory, hypothesis-driven CUREs that are integrated into ongoing research (riCURE). By using the opportunities created by the Tiny Earth CURE as a start, I designed exploratory courses that allow for interdiscipli nary hypothesis development, yielding both improved educational outcomes as well as ongoing research dividends.
Keywords
research-integrated, riCURE, nature of science, creativity, dissemination, learning outcomes, hypothesis development, confirmatory, exploratory
DOI
10.1128/jmbe.00114-25
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Rights
© 2025 Vriezen.
Version
Version of Record
Recommended Citation
Vriezen, J. A.C., "Breaking Confirmatory Spells by Implementing Research- Integrated CUREs" (2025). Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs/323