Lead Department
Physical Sciences
Coordinated by
Eileen O'Leary (EileenM.OLeary@mtu.ie )
Active Members
5-10 staff members, 25-50 students
Purpose
The purpose of the Chemistry, Physical Sciences Learning Community is to enhance research skills among students, improve collaboration between staff and students, and develop resources to support research-related learning. This initiative aims to create a structured approach to teaching research methodologies, enabling students to critically engage with academic sources, evaluate information, and present findings effectively.
Additionally, the project seeks to foster a culture of research excellence by equipping students with essential tools such as referencing software and active reading strategies. Through collaboration with the library and faculty members, we aim to streamline research support across departments, ensuring a consistent and high-quality learning experience for all students.
The long-term goal is to integrate these research practices into the curriculum at an earlier stage, empowering students to develop essential research competencies progressively throughout their academic journey.
Summary
In Semester 1, 2023/24, we worked on enhancing student research skills by collaborating with the library and providing structured workshops on the library toolkit. We focused on supporting fourth-year projects and improving staff-student communication regarding research expectations.
Students found the library resource helpful but wished they had been introduced to it earlier in their academic journey. Staff were also unaware of the resource and expressed interest in learning more. Challenges persist in reading comprehension, paraphrasing, and referencing, requiring further resource development.
Looking ahead, we plan to continue our work, engage with colleagues from other institutions, and establish better research learning structures. This year, we will also host the SURE Student Undergraduate Research Conference at MTU, where we aim to showcase student-created resources and conduct workshops.
