Challenges and outcomes in remote undergraduate research programs during the COVID-19 pandemic

TL;DR

This study explores the challenges and benefits of remote undergraduate research programs during COVID-19, revealing significant obstacles but also positive outcomes that support expanding access to research experiences.

Contribution

It provides a qualitative analysis of remote REU programs during COVID-19, highlighting challenges and benefits, and suggests remote research can increase access for undergraduates.

Findings

Students faced motivation and technology access challenges.

Despite difficulties, students found remote REUs highly beneficial.

Remote programs offer similar benefits to in-person research, like STEM integration.

Abstract

In the Summer of 2020, as COVID-19 limited in-person research opportunities and created additional barriers for many students, institutions either canceled or remotely hosted their Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs. The present longitudinal qualitative phenomenographic study was designed to explore some of the possible limitations, challenges and outcomes of this remote experience. Overall, 94 interviews were conducted with paired participants; mentees (N=10) and mentors (N=8) from six different REU programs. By drawing on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a framework, our study uncovers some of the challenges for mentees around the accomplishment of their research objectives and academic goals. These challenges included motivation, limited access to technologies at home, limited communication among REU students, barriers in mentor-mentee relationships, and differing expectations about doing research. Despite the challenges, all mentees reported that this experience was highly beneficial. Comparisons between outcomes of these remote REUs and published outcomes of in-person undergraduate research programs reveal many similar benefits such as integrating students into STEM culture. Our study suggests that remote research programs could be considered as a means to expand access to research experiences for undergraduate students even after COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.