You can help your students extend their classroom learning, build analytical skills, and prepare for graduate-level studies by involving them in research. Several Web-based technologies serve as powerful and efficient research tools, helping you and your students collaborate with colleagues, collect data, receive feedback, and present research projects.
Common Goals
- Support research as an opportunity for active and independent learning.
- Promote the sharing of ideas.
- Emphasize the importance of inquiry and investigation.
- Provide a connection between course material and current challenges in the discipline.
Options
Options for involving students in research are suggested below.
Course Web Site
Both students and instructors can present the results of their research on a Web site, by uploading or linking to their essays, projects, and presentations. Access to the Web site can be open to everybody or restricted with a password. By publishing their research papers on a Web site, students and instructors can share their work, provide examples for future classes, or contribute to scholarship in the area. There are numerous ways to go about creating a Web site. The Catalyst Web site offers step-by-step instructions for using a variety of Web page editors.
Wikis
Wikis are Web sites that can be browsed and easily edited by anyone with Internet access and a Web browser. They can be a very useful tool for student collaboration and cooperation. Not only can students easily collaborate on a project using a Wiki, they can also easily make it public and invite experts in the field to react to their contribution.