Searle Teaching-As-Research (STAR) is a classroom-based research program designed to improve learning and teaching in STEM and social science disciplines.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Location Online
Size & Format In-person: <10 participants
Dates & Times STAR is a two quarter-long program which runs in both winter and spring quarters.
Audience Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Trainees
Overview
STAR participants identify a research question focused on improving student learning prior to applying to the program. The classroom context for the research question may include a full course, a laboratory section of a course, or a module of an online course. Projects should take place at Northwestern Universityand can address any IRB-approved question about student learningthat supports a participant's pedagogical and future career goals. Ideally, program participants will be teaching as a teaching assistant or instructor of record, co-teaching, or otherwise involved in a course concurrently with program participation. This program has been re-imagined to guide participants through an IRB-approved TAR project.
A great place to start is reviewing examples of past participants' STAR projects.
Interested and want to learn more?
Join our virtual Teaching-as-Research Workshop: Applying Research Principles to Improve Learning on Wednesday, January 3rd from 2-4 pm CT. Event details found on the calendar.
Eligibility
The STAR program is open to any graduate student or postdoctoral fellow who has a project context and is a current or past participant of ONE of the following programs:
Reflective and Effective Teaching or its former iteration, the Teaching Certificate Program
Mentored Discussions of Teaching (MDT)
STEM MOOC-Centered Learning Community (MCLC)
Application
STAR will launch in winter 2024.
To apply, please completethis application form(links to external site) byFriday, December 15th, 2023. Participants will be notified in late December about their acceptance.
The STAR program online application includes:
Identification and description of the project context (e.g., classroom) in which your STAR project will take place; traditionally participants implement their projects in the spring quarter
Preliminary description of STAR project research question(s) that will be addressed
Indication of faculty member with whom the participant will work, if known or applicable
A faculty mentor is not required but suggested if you are implementing your project in their class.
Objectives
Participants will
Develop research questions in a classroom context
Build awareness of human subject research
Review literature to inform the project design
Engage with Human Subjects Research training content
Discuss the importance of Human Subjects Research ethics in the context of a classroom-based research project
Select and implement appropriate research methods
Collect, analyze, and interpret research data
Reflect and present on research findings and implications
Participant Expectations
STAR runs for two consecutive quarters. The program begins in winter quarter and runs through spring quarter. Participants are expected to engage in both quarters.
During winter quarter, participants attend monthly seminars with Searle Center staff to design their research projects and to iteratively work through their projects both synchronously and asynchronously.
During spring quarter, participants implement their projects, attend monthly STAR meetings, and present findings at a poster/presentation session in June (see examples of past participants’ STAR projects below.)
Planning ahead?
Meeting 1 will take place the week of January 22nd
Meeting 2 will take place the week of February 12th
Meeting 3 will take place the week of March 4th
Meeting 4 will take place the week of April 1st
Meeting 5 will take place the week of April 29th
Faculty Mentors
Expectations
Hold at least one mentor-mentee meeting in the Winter and Spring quarters. If you are on the IRB*, we suggest meeting more frequently.
Suggested meetings:
Attend Meeting 1 to discuss project as well as the teaching context for the project, and planned involvement of Faculty Mentor (e.g., will you be on the IRB?)
Attend Meeting 2 to discuss components of IRB application (i.e., IRB protocol) prior to submission; IRB must be approved before project implementation
Attend Meeting 3 to discuss data collection
Attend Meeting 4 to discuss findings and final presentation
*Please note that being on the IRB-approved protocol for the STAR project is optional. All study team membersmust complete theHuman Research Participants Training prior to IRB protocol submission. Faculty mentors interestedin serving as the PI for the IRB-approxved project, can visit Northwestern’s IRB office flowchart for eligibility.
This year, the STAR program is newly re-imagined with an emphasis on flexibility and research ethics. We are provided with abundant resources and are encouraged to tailor the research project based on our own pace and goal. Moreover, the frequent group and individual meetings facilitate collaboration and provide invaluable support and efficient feedback from mentors and peers, greatly enhancing the overall quality of our projects.”