As instructors, we make pedagogical choices with the understanding that we may never see the full impact those choices have on students’ learning and growth. One exception I’ve found especially rewarding is integrating undergraduate research as a pedagogical strategy. Through this approach, I’ve been able to see students genuinely activate their curiosity, gain knowledge and understanding, think critically, and articulate their learning. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as “a mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seeks to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge.” WCU is known for offering undergraduate research opportunities through programming, funding, and conferences. For example, WCU’s Research and Scholarship Celebration (RASC), scheduled for March 25-26, 2026, provides the perfect venue for students to showcase their research and creative work. Have you been looking for ways to foster student curiosity and inspire deeper learning? The following assignment ideas invite students to take ownership of their learning and create projects they can proudly present at conferences such as RASC.
- Evidence-based policy brief or white paper: Ask students to address wicked problems in your discipline
- Creative artifact: Students design artifacts such as a digital exhibit, website, podcast, or short documentary grounded in research
- Community engaged research: Students partner with a local organization to solve a practical problem
- Computational or simulation-based research: Students compute a data set (or part of one) and analyze it
- Student-designed product: Students design a model, system, or tool (physical or digital) informed by research
- Cross cultural comparison project: Students compare issues/phenomena across cultures, countries, or global systems
- ePortfolio: Students build an ePortfolio over a semester or program, curating their work, reflecting on growth, connecting to future goals
- Traditional empirical research: Students analyze secondary data or open data sets
- Survey or interview research: Students design and administer a survey or interview protocol to explore aspects of the course that pique their interests
Certainly, the context of your courses, such as the number of enrolled students, will factor in whether undergraduate research as a pedagogical strategy works for you. For more information about undergraduate research as a pedagogical strategy, aligning your student learning outcomes with undergraduate research projects, or scaffolding and assessing research assignments, please stop by the Coulter Faculty Commons at Hunter Library 172, call us at 828.227.7196, or make an appointment. For questions about undergraduate research compliance and human subject compliance, contact the Office of Research Administration at irb@wcu.edu or 828.227.2921. For more information about RASC, contact Suzanne Melton at scmelton@wcu.edu or 828.227.2575.