Bringing your Research into the Classroom

The significant growth of research in universities did not occur until the early twentieth century; and there is still a gap between research and teaching in many universities (Hattie and Marsh 1996). Even if being an outstanding teacher does not make one a great researcher, that does not mean research and teaching are not linked. That is why NYU Abu Dhabi is a liberal arts college, teaching global leaders, and still taking part in cutting edge research in the UAE. Research and teaching can be incorporated in two different ways.

By bringing your research into the classroom
By using evidence-based teaching methods to enhance learning experience or Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Four was to bring your research into the classroom

Students are taught research findings within their field of study (mostly their professor’s research). Students are not direct contributors to the research so they are an audience like figure. Example: If a teacher brings their own research for students to reflect on the findings.
Students learn research processes and methodologies. Example: There are many Method courses for majors in the social and natural sciences solely teaching the methods of research (In NYUAD there are classes such as Data Analysis for Economics or Statistics for Engineering). You can look up some of these Method courses on the NYUAD Bulletin.
Students learn through critiquing and discussing peer or teacher research. Example: A student presents their research and asks peers to be critical about it.
Students learn as researchers by partnering with professors or faculty. Example: In NYUAD, professors give the opportunity for students to research by posting research assistantship positions on Handshake. There are also summer research internship opportunities, visiting undergraduate research programs, research participation within class, and conference presentations. Look into how NYUAD students engage in these research programs through NYU Abu Dhabi Undergraduate Research.

Figure 1: Different ways one can bring research into the classroom. Source: Healey and Jenkins 2009

The value of bringing your research into the classroom

Creates fruitful student-teacher relationships beyond the classroom which can lead to future projects and collaborations University of Portsmouth
Improves performance more than just having average classroom instruction Nottingham Trent University
Enhances student learning and employability in ever changing fields of study (e.g. design) Kingston University London

For more details visit What does Research-Informed Teaching look like?

Bringing Research into the Classroom

Students are integral partners in the classroom, and engaging them with our research encourages them to become active learners. This video examines how educators can engage students as learning partners through the liberal arts model.

Our teaching-related support videos are currently only available to the NYU/NYU Shanghai/NYU Abu Dhabi Faculty via login.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Students’ experience of research in the classroom

Jay Lee, Class of 2022
History Major with a Minor in Psychology

Falconry with Professor Anne-Lise Tropato (CCEA)

The research that was integrated with the course was actually the professor's own project. She wanted to develop a database of artistic representations of falconry around the world across various time periods...Personally, being part of this research project has been immensely helpful. It really taught me to think outside the box of finding new sources and integrating them into the research. For example, I've only understood falconry in a European context, but I took the contents of the class and applied it to the research process. I began looking for artworks of falconry in the Middle East, the Americas, and even to my home country Korea. As I found a lot of sources that show falconry represented in Korea, I got more in touch with my country's culture and history, so it was even more meaningful for me”

Yusril Nurhidayat, Class of 2022
Social Research and Public Policy Major with a minor in Economics, Theater, and Political Science

Bringing Research into the Classroom

"When you ask students to do research in a non methods class, introduce the topic in the beginning of the course and gradually teach them the skills needed to conduct in. " change it to "When you ask students to do research in a non methods class, introduce the topic in the beginning of the course and gradually teach them the skills needed to conduct it."
"Engage them by giving them assignments of what the research presentation was about or the methods used. If you want students to have personal discussion, invite you fellow researchers to class or make students schedule an interview with them personally then make them write a report." to "Engage them by giving them assignments on what the research presentation was about or the methods used. If you want students to have personal discussions, invite you fellow researchers to class or make students schedule an interview with them personally then make them write a report."

Practical ways of adding your research to the classroom

Course Design

Begin with sharing personal experiences of doing research and how that relates with the class you are teaching. It would be great if you showed solid examples so students can truly be engaged.
Update the course design in order to add recent research on the course topic. You can also encourage the students to come up with recent research and engage with it (e.g. presentations).
Apart from discussing the topic and results of the research, introduce the methodology and process of knowledge.
Design the course for students to look at different research on and off campus. There are many ways researchers within and out of NYUAD present their research such as NYUAD Institute.
There are also Capstone presentations by senior students in the fall and spring that would give students a look on how they will do their capstone in the future.

Assignments

Hone students’ skills by giving them projects that allow them to use different research methods. Since small research projects might be daunting in a non methods class, group work would be more preferred.
When you ask students to do research in a non methods class, introduce the topic in the beginning of the course and gradually teach them the skills needed to conduct in.
Engage them by giving them assignments of what the research presentation was about or the methods used. If you want students to have personal discussion, invite you fellow researchers to class or make students schedule an interview with them personally then make them write a report.
Research assignments should include essential aspects of a research process such as collecting/analysing data, finding references for literature review, and challenging former research.
Incentivise students by promoting their research on NYUAD website or publications. This puts a responsibility on students to perform better and give them a solid reason to do research. You can also set a presentation for an end of class research where students present their work to those outside of class.

Sources: Stanford integrating Research and Teaching in Practice and National College of Digital Skills’ Research Informed Teaching Strategy

Sources

Healey, M., 2005. Linking research and teaching to benefit student learning. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 29(2), pp.183-201.

Marsh, H.W. and Hattie, J., 2002. The relation between research productivity and teaching effectiveness: Complementary, antagonistic, or independent constructs?. The Journal of Higher Education, 73(5), pp.603-641.