The paper titled "Developing Research Skills among Undergraduate Students by Student-centered Active Learning Approaches" primarily focuses on investigating how student-centered and activity-based learning approaches can enhance the research skills of undergraduate students. The study aims to explore the effectiveness of these pedagogical strategies in making research methods courses more engaging and beneficial for students, particularly in terms of developing their research skills and motivating them to perform better.
The purpose of the study is to determine whether implementing student-centered active learning approaches can address the challenges faced by both teachers and students in research methods courses. The research seeks to assess if these approaches can increase student engagement, improve understanding of research concepts, and ultimately lead to better outcomes in terms of research skill development.
The methodology involved collecting data from 60 participants, consisting of 15 teachers and 45 students, who were either teaching or studying research methods. The data was collected through two questionnaires with 14 items each, using a 5-point Likert scale. The responses were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods in SPSS, with a focus on identifying patterns that support the study's hypothesis.
The key findings of the research indicate that both teachers and students find the research methods course challenging but essential. Teachers reported that activity-based and student-centered approaches significantly improved students' performance and engagement. Students echoed this sentiment, noting that these approaches made the course more interactive and helped them better understand research processes. However, both groups also highlighted challenges, such as the limited time available to cover extensive material and the need for more diverse teaching resources.
The study concludes that student-centered active learning approaches are effective in developing research skills among undergraduate students. It emphasizes the importance of these methods in making research courses more accessible and engaging, thereby reducing instances of plagiarism and enhancing the originality of student research. The findings suggest that these approaches should be more widely adopted, with adjustments made to address time constraints and resource limitations. The study underscores the need for experienced teachers to guide students through the research process and for universities to provide adequate support and resources to facilitate active learning in research methods courses.