Paula Myatt

Embedding undergraduate research experiences within the curriculum: a cross-disciplinary study of the key characteristics guiding implementation

Undergraduate research experiences provide students with opportunities to engage in high-impact experiential learning. Although prevalent in the sciences, there are now extensive banks of case studies demonstrating the use of undergraduate research as an educationally enriching activity across many disciplines. This study investigated the diversity of undergraduate research opportunities available across a wide range of disciplines at a large, research-intensive, Australian university. Through extensive interviews, 68 undergraduate research programmes across 26 discipline-based schools were characterised. A typology of undergraduate research models is proposed, revealing key characteristics underlying the ways in which research experiences are embedded in undergraduate curricula across a diverse range of disciplinary contexts. This provides guidance to academics, administrators and policymakers seeking to improve student access to undergraduate research experiences.

Telling tales: a narrative research study of the experiences of new international academic staff at an Australian university

As the transnational movement of academics continues to increase, some are arguing it is time to look more closely at the challenges faced by new international academic staff. This article reports on a narrative research study exploring the experiences and perceptions of eight international academic staff at a large, research‐intensive university in Australia. The findings suggest that the difficulties faced by the participants were resolved over time, albeit at great personal cost, and with varying costs to the institution in terms of the quality of teaching, student learning and research. The implications of these findings for academic developers are briefly considered.

Getting started in the scholarship of teaching and learning: A “how to” guide for science academics

SoTL stands for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. The acronym, said “sottle” or “sote—all,” describes research that involves rigorous examination of teaching and learning by faculty who are actively involved in the educational process. The number of natural‐science faculty engaged in SoTL is increasing, and their important work has broad implications for the measurement and improvement of college teaching and learning outcomes. The data show, however, that many faculty who conduct SoTL projects in science departments begin their education research careers with no training in SoTL research methodologies, and find they are working alone, with few colleagues who can nurture (or even understand) their efforts. In this article we provide a guide intended to help natural‐science faculty initiate SoTL projects while they negotiate the mechanics and politics of developing and maintaining a SoTL research program in a science department.

Reflecting on institutional support for SoTL engagement: developing a conceptual framework

Abstract This paper considers the support required to develop Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) capability across institutions. Rather than developing a checklist or a standardised audit approach, this paper describes the reflective journey taken by a group of academic developers who used strategies and structures previously identified in the literature to develop a conceptual framework for academic professional development. The framework was refined through an iterative process, including reflection on its use within diverse institutional contexts, combined with evaluative feedback from recognised experts in the field. The resulting framework is designed to facilitate and guide conversations to support institutional decision-making related to SoTL capacity building.

Mentoring the next generation of research scientists

The Advanced Study Program in Science provides an opportunity for high-achieving students to enhance their university experiences through an enriched study program which included individual mentoring by a scientist, access to research laboratories from first year and access to creative thinkers across many disciplines. This program was developed in the light of evidence accumulated through student surveys and focus groups indicating that very able students were often bored and underchallenged in their early years at university. The response to the program by both students and participating scientists has been very positive and the impact at an institutional level is evident.