Reciprocal elucidation: a student-led pedagogy in multidisciplinary undergraduate research conferences

Kneale, Pauline E.; Walkington, Helen; Hill, Jennifer; Kneale, Pauline

Abstract

© 2016 HERDSA. There is no previous study of the benefits of attending a national multidisciplinary conference dedicated to undergraduate researchers, despite the growing number of such conferences internationally. This paper addresses the gap in knowledge of the learning gains from these conferences, and reveals a student driven learning process, a multidisciplinary signature pedagogy. It presents the results of 90 in-depth interviews with student conference participants conducted over three consecutive years of a multidisciplinary National Conference of Undergraduate Research (2012–2014). This paper uniquely captures the student voice on their perceived learning gains from this experience. The results reveal that some students co-create a pedagogy of Foucauldian reciprocal elucidation, through a sense of ‘unfinishedness’, allowing them to reflect on their own learning in the light of divergent perspectives, questions and frames of reference. Bidirectional exchange of ideas and insights enabled students to ask and answer questions that transformed each other’s thinking, allowing them to arrive at understandings they could not have achieved by themselves. The opportunity to present research in an authentic setting beyond disciplinary and institutional contexts developed students’ skills and confidence, giving additional value over and above the recognised benefits of engaging in research. The undergraduate research conference is framed as a threshold experience for the development of self-authorship. Significant implications for practice include supporting constructive dialogues between students and the creation of authentic and professional multidisciplinary contexts for sharing research.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 16, 2016
• Publication Date: Feb 23, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jun 30, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 18, 2018
• Journal: Higher Education Research and Development
• Print ISSN: 0729-4360
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-8366
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 416-429
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1208155
• Keywords: undergraduate research conference, self-authorship, empowerment, transformation, reciprocal elucidation, pedagogy, quality enhancement, student experience
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/909635
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1208155
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Higher Education Research and Development on 18 July 2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/07294360.2016.1208155
• Contract Date: Jul 3, 2016