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Undergraduate Research Experiences:

Increasing Student Engagement

Jeffrey A. Knapp*(Reference & Instruction Librarian, Penn State University Libraries, Penn State Altoona)

Nicholas Rowland*(Associate Professor of Sociology, Faculty, Penn State Altoona)

* While the errors are our own, we’d like to thank Dr. LA Wilson for release time to prepare the National Science Foundation grant proposal that helped to generate this presentation (and others), Dr. Lori Bechtel, Dr. Ken Womack, and Dr. Tim Slekar for their ongoing support of the Integrated Social Science Research Lab for our undergraduate students, and Dean Barbara Dewey for supporting our National Science Foundation grant proposal and “letting Jeff play in the sandbox with the rest of us.” These ideas have been presented at the 2013 PA Forward Information Literacy Summit and Library 2.012, Worldwide Virtual Conference.

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Introduction1. Working definitions.2. Why embedded librarianship (EL) now?3. Why embed in undergraduate research

experiences (UREs) now?4. How does embedding work?

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Definition: EL• Shift to Embedded Librarianship (EL)1:– Away from “Q&A” reference model– Toward collaborative responsibility for outcomes

• This implies actively: – Building specific relationships– Providing highly-customized services

1. Shumaker, D., & Talley, M. (2009). Models of Embedded Librarianship Final Report (p. 195). Alexandria, Va.: Special Libraries Association. Retrieved from http://hq.sla.org/pdfs/EmbeddedLibrarianshipFinalRptRev.pdf

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Definition: UREs• Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs):– Experiences involving “inquiry or investigation

conducted by … undergraduate student[s] that make an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.”1

1. About CUR. (n.d.). Council on Undergraduate Research. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from http://www.cur.org/about_cur

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Why EL now? • Historical Gloss:– 1970s “Informationist;” medical librarians1

– 2000s Expansion to academic librarians2,3

– 2010s What’s the next practical step?

• Contemporary context for embedding:– Emphasis on student-centeredness and retention – Pressing financial realities for higher education– Proliferation of assessment culture

1. Kho, N. D. (2011). Embedded Librarianship: Building Relational Roles. Information Today, 28(3), 1, 35–36.2. Dewey, B. I. (2006). The Embedded Librarian: Strategic Campus Collaborations. Resource Sharing & Information Networks, 19(1), 5–

17. doi:10.1300/J121v17n01_023. Siess, J. (2010). Embedded Librarianship: The Next Big Thing? Searcher, 18(1), 38–45.

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Why EL now? • So, why should librarians embed now?• External Rewards:– Maximize impact, visibility, and recognition.– Examples to illustrate related to retention:

• Not ephemeral, but tangible and visible outcomes.

• Builds reputation (the currency of higher education).

reference transaction?

≠ student retention

request fulfillment?

≠ student retention

Resource support and archival training for the African American Heritage Undergraduate Research Project?

= student retention

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Why EL now? • So, why should librarians embed now?• Internal Rewards: – Access to student achievement agenda setting.• Example, “That’s good; it’s just not good enough.”

– Avoid librarian “alienation.” • Marxist use of the term; to be estranged from the

products you help to produce on an assembly line.• Personal satisfaction of seeing reference help through

to project fruition.

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Why embed in URE now?1. URE is iconic of the liberal arts education.1

2. URE is part of move to student-centeredness.2

3. URE produce visible contributions.1,2

1. Everett, H. L., Nairn, K., & C. A. Stoch. (2011). Putting Undergraduate Research on the Map for Women. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 32 (2), 2-9. Web edition, available at: http://www.cur.org/quarterly/dec11/EverettWeb.pdf Accessed May 16, 2012.

2. Estes, Cheryl. (2004). Promoting Student-Centred Learning in Experiential Education. Journal of Experiential Education, 27(2), pp. 141–161.

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Our vision of UREs and EL?1. Project-focused.2. Student-involvement at all stages.3. 50/50 faculty-/student-driven projects.1,2

1. Epstein, A. W., Bras, R., Hodges, K., & Lipson, A. (2007). Team-Oriented, Project-Based Learning as a Path to Undergraduate Research: A Case Study. Pp. 69-86 In Developing & Sustaining a Research-Supportive Curriculum edited by Karukstis, K. K., & Elgren, T.E. Washington, D.C.: Council of Undergraduate Research.

2. Firmage, D. H., Tiegtenberg, T. H., & Cole, F. R. (2007). Pp. 87-111 (same book as above).

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How does embedding work? • How Jeff got embedded, slowly, but surely;

1. Casual networking1

2. Regular referrals2

3. Guest lecturing1,2

• Other strategies:1. Attending Undergraduate Research Fair2. Willingness to collaborate3. Asking “Did you ask for the business?” 4. Following through (7 touches)

1. Boise, Robert. 2000. Advice for New Faculty Members. Pearson; 1 edition (January 31, 2000). ISBN-10: 0205281591 .2. Knapp, Jeff., Eric Charles, and Nicholas Rowland. 2014. ““Retaining Students by Embedding Librarians into Undergraduate Research

Experiences” Reference Services Review.

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Conclusion1. What is an embedded librarian?– Active librarian; the librarian of the future?

2. What is undergraduate research?– Part of broader shift to student-centeredness.

3. Why is undergraduate research ripe for embedded librarianship?– Librarians can provide broader context of

knowledge as it is made1

1. Knapp, J. A. (2012). Plugging the “whole”: Librarians as interdisciplinary facilitators. Library Review, 61(3), 199–214. doi:10.1108/00242531211259328

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Let’s Discuss!• Strategy:

1. Which strategies work?2. Which strategies don’t?

• Engagement: 1. How do you engage students for UREs?2. How do you engage faculty for UREs?

• Expectations: 1. What barriers do we expect?2. What benefits do we expect?