The Effect of Undergraduate Biology Research Experiences and Mentoring Structures on Student Self-Efficac

Collaborative inquiry within undergraduate research experiences (UREs) is an effective curriculum tool to support student growth. This study seeks to understand how collaborative inquiry within undergraduate biology student experiences are affected within faculty mentored experiences and non-mentored experiences at a large private southeastern university. Undergraduate biology students engaged in UREs (faculty as mentor and non-mentor experiences) were examined for statistically significant differences in student self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was measured in three subcomponents (thinking and working like a scientist, scientific self-efficacy, and scientific identity) from student responses obtained in an online survey. Responses were analyzed using a nonparametric equivalent of a t test (Mann Whitney U test) to make comparisons between faculty mentored and non-mentored student groups. The conclusions of this study highlight the statistically significant effect of faculty mentoring in all three subcomponents. Faculty and university policy makers can apply these findings to develop further support for effective faculty mentoring practices in UREs.