Undergraduate students’ perceptions and experiences of research in a New Zealand research university.

Abstract

The role of universities is to create graduates who have the knowledge, skills, and values to be lifelong learners and global citizens. However, universities of the world, including New Zealand, are falling behind in achieving the graduate profile outcomes that are desirable for the employers and higher education. This study developed out of the Spronken-Smith, Bond, McLean, Frielick, Smith, Jenkins and Marshall (2013) report, Kuh’s (2008) findings and the Boyer Commission Report (1998) on how universities should engage with the graduate profile outcomes through undergraduate research to ensure that graduates gain the required competencies for employment and lifelong learning.

This study aims to investigate undergraduate students’ perceptions and experiences of research in their programmes of study. It intends to offer a conceptual framework for understanding undergraduate students’ research learning experiences in New Zealand and suggests good research teaching and learning practices for universities which aim to support undergraduate students’ confidence and competence in research.

The research employed a mixed-methods design using questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. The study used traditional grounded theory for analysing the qualitative data and SPSS version 27 for analysing the quantitative data. The findings of the study confirm that undergraduate students experienced poor research-focused teaching and learning experiences in their faculties of study, which was associated with low self-efficacy and attitude towards research and their perceptions on low gains from research. A conceptual framework for teaching undergraduate research in New Zealand has been developed.

This research calls for a re-contextualisation of undergraduate teaching and research in New Zealand to strengthen the association between teaching and research through collaborative methods of inquiry where New Zealand university graduates are seen as competent and confident lifelong learners and global citizens prepared for the future workforce as well as higher studies.