Claire Oberg, Julianne Mori, Dr. Sherry Dismuke
Background
We wanted to better understand the effects of undergraduate research on our lives because we see now research as a part of teaching.
Methods
- Memory Work: SU-2019
- Code: FA-2019
- Critical Friends: FA-2019
- Memory Work: Sp-2020
- Code: SP-2020
- Critical Friends: Sp-2020
- Analysis
Teacher = Researcher
“We realized that we had been thinking of teaching and research as two separate things… the two [are] not, should not, be separate” (JournalJ, Shift, p.1)
Pre-Shift
“[This] resulted in almost no sleep, and if I was sleeping it was really just because my body was crashing from stress. All of this sounds horrible, but even when I knew that I was crumbling, I saw the importance in doing it all and I knew in myself that this is what I was meant to be doing and I didn’t want it to stop” (JournalC, Phase 2, p.1)
Shift
“This means that [research] needs to be talked about, explained, worked through in our teacher prep program. Just as teaching us how to teach math/writing/literacy etc.” (JournalC, Shift, p.1)
Post-Shift
“that’s where having [research] built into the program comes in because if people don’t have to chose to take it on as some crazy extra thing that’s making them lose sleep everyday then it’s something that they will be able to do and they will have this experience built in and they’ll gain these skills, guaranteed” (CF, Phase 2, p.11)
Conclusions
The data shows that our perceptions of what it means to be a teacher has shifted to include researcher. Our future goals as educators have shifted through our engagement with research. We demonstrated clear growth in the ability to balance our lives while working towards incorporating into undergraduate teacher preparation programs at our university.
Additional Information
For questions or comments about this research, contact Claire Oberg at claireoberg@u.boisestate.edu.