CURE for Undergraduate Education: How Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) can scale innovative practices in STEM education and assessment

As part of a large effort to study educational innovation, we developed, implemented, and assessed the effectiveness of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) across five large universities in the USA. We developed five semester-long STEM courses to offer undergraduates the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge and team-based original research projects. To assess the effectiveness of the CUREs in meeting overarching teaching and learning objectives, we conducted paired pre- and post- surveys of >2,500 undergraduate participants (including students in non-CURE control courses). We found statistically significant increases in interdisciplinary thinking, confidence in scientific skills, sense of science identity, intention to pursue STEM careers, and teamwork satisfaction. These gains were greater in CURE courses than in non-CURE control courses - and greater still for underrepresented minority and first-generation college student. We highlight the value of CUREs for increasing student engagement, belonging, and retention in STEM fields.