7/24/2019 Excelenta in Educatia Universitara Rolul Cercetarii Stiintifice

1/2

REVISTA DE POLITICA TIINTEI I SCIENTOMETRIE SERIE NOU Vol. 1, No. 1, Martie 2012, p. 67 - 68

Excelena n educaia universitar: rolul cercetrii

tiinifice

(Excellence in University education: role ofundergraduate research)

ANA-NICOLETA BONDARFreie Universitaet Berlin, Departamentul de Fizica, Arnimallee 14, Berlin-14195, Germany

Undergraduate research is being recognized as key part of the University education [1,2]. Here we reviewbriefly current topics pertaining to the nature and importance of undergraduate research. By immersingthemselves into scientific research, the undergraduate students learn to ask specific scientific questions anddesign the experiment to answer the questions [2]; importantly, by doing research the students can understandthe nature of the scientific research and appreciate its importance for economical development. Undergraduateresearch must be not just a repetition of known experimental observations or theories, but original, creativecontributions to science that have the potential to be published in peer-reviewed journals [1-4]. To besuccessful, undergraduate research requires commitment and support from the University: there is a need of acurriculum that prepares students for research and nurtures their talents [2,5], support for research-activefaculty who engage in undergraduate research, and infrastructure.

Cercetarea la nivel predoctoral (undergraduateresearch) este recunoscut ca parte integrant a

educaiei universitare. Halstead [3] a fcut o analogiefoarte sugestiv ntre pregtirea juctorilor de tenis icea a tinerilor cercettori: juctorii de tenis devinjuctori de tenis lund parte activ n competiii, nudoar la cursuri despre tenis. Cercetarea la niveluniversitar este ns esenial pentru toi studenii, nudoar pentru cei care aspira la o carier tiinific.Lund parte activ n activiti de cercetare, studeniipot s i dezvolte spiritul critic i s gndeascindependent, s i descopere i s-i dezvolte talente,s neleagnatura cercetrii tiinifice i s apreciezeimportana cercetrii tiinifice pentru prosperitateaeconomic a rii.

Dar ce anume nelegem prin cercetareatiinifica la nivel predoctoral? Council onUndergraduate Research (http://www.cur.org), acrui misiune este promovarea colaborrii ntreuniversitari i studeni predoctorali, la instituiipredominant predoctorale [4], a definit undegraduate

research (cercetarea predoctorala) astfel:Undergraduate research is an inquiry or

investigation conducted by an undergraduate that

makes an original intellectual or creative

contribution to the discipline[3]. Conform ghiduluiSocietatii Americane de Chimie, research projectsrepresent original work, develop new knowledge, and

are envisioned and undertaken with the intent to

contribute toward a peer-reviewed publication[2,6].

Importanteste sublinierea c investigaia trebuies fie original[3], o explorare a ceva nou [2] nudoar o repetiie a unor experimente sau calcule alcror rezultat este deja cunoscut i c se pornetede la ideea c rezultatele cercetrii, atunci cnd suntncununate cu succes, sunt prezentate la conferinetiinifice i publicate n jurnale de specialitate (peer-reviewed)[2,5].

Un program de cercetare la nivel predoctoralimplic studeni, cercettori, universitari i suport dinpartea instituiei. Instituia i profesorii/cercettoriitrebuie s recunoasc importana cercetrii ca parteintegrant a actului educaional i s furnizezecurricula, infrastructura i mediul academic n carepoate avea loc o cercetare predoctoral valoroas.Cercetarea fcut de studenii predoctorali devinerecunoscut drept o modalitate eficient depedagogie [1,2], o experien prin care studenii sepot dezvolta profesional i personal [2].

Raportul summitului pentru cercetarepredoctoral n chimie, desfasurat in SUA, la BatesCollege, Lewiston, 2003, a definit o curricul caresprijincercetarea predoctoraldrept o curriculcare

integrates research and research-like experiencesthroughout, and culminates with a capstone research

experience [7]. Includerea n curricula pentrustudenii predoctorali de laboratoare n care studenii

7/24/2019 Excelenta in Educatia Universitara Rolul Cercetarii Stiintifice

2/2

68 Ana-Nicoleta Bondar

pot testa ipoteze i pune la punct propriileexperimente pe care s le interpreteze, i pregtetepe studeni pentru viitoare activiti de cercetare [2].Pentru aceasta este, ns, nevoie de infrastructur,

dispozitive experimentale, calculatoare, etc., personaltehnic calificat care s ntrein aparatura i s iiniieze pe studeni n folosirea dispozitivelorexperimentale i ncorporarea cercetrii tiinifice,sau a cursurilor/laboratoarelor pregtitoare, dreptactiviti obligatorii n timpul studiilor universitare.Participarea activ n cercetare poate fi rspltit cuun anumit numr de puncte de credit pentru student;spre exemplu, ghidul Societii Americane de Chimiemenioneaz 180 de ore de cercetare tiintific iscrierea unui raport pentru patru ore de credit [2].

Sprijinul din partea instituiei apare extrem de

important n domenii interdisciplinare, ca deexemplu: biofizic, chimie computaional, tiinananoparticulelor. Studenii, interesai de domenii noi,interdiciplinare, au nevoie de o anumit libertate nalegerea cursurilor pregtitoare i a laboratoarelorpentru activitatea de cercetare, astfel nct s poatopta pentru cursuri/stagii de cercetare oferite de

departamente diferite, sau chiar de universitidiferite. Organizarea periodic de workshop-uri i deseminarii inute de universitari activi n cercetare irecunoscui internaional sunt modaliti prin careinstituia poate asigura meninerea studenilor lacurent cu cercetarea n astfel de domenii noi, extremde dinamice.

Implicarea n cercetare a studenilor predoctoralinecesit timp i efort din partea universitarului careofer proiectul de cercetare i supervizarea necesarca proiectul s duc la rezultate publicabile. Orecunoatere formal a acestei contribuii de timp iintelectuale poate fi fcut, spre exemplu, prinechivalarea cu un anumit numr de ore din activitateadidacticobligatorie.

O cultura cercetrii n campusul universitar nupoate dect s duc la o nalt calitate a actuluieducaional. n societatea tehnologizatde astziesteesenial ca populaia s recunoasc importanacercetrii i a rezultatelor ei [3]. Implicarea direct ncercetare n timpul studiilor universitare poatecontribui semnificativ la modul n care studentul vapercepe actul tiinific i impactul acestuia asuprasocietii din care face parte.

Referine

[1] K. K. Karukstis, Starting a successful research

program at a predominantly undergraduate

institution, Journal of Chemical Education85,343 (2008).

[2] T. J. Wenzel, C. K. Larive, K. A. Frederick,Roleof undergraduate research in an excellent and

rigorous undergraduate chemistry curriculum,Journal of Chemical Education 89, 7 (2012).

[3] J. A. Halstead,Association report: Council on

Undergraduate Research. What is

undergraduate research?Journal of Chemical

Education 74, 1390 (1997).[4] K. K. Karukstis,Association report: CUR.

Reinvigorating the undergraduate experience

with a research-supportive curriculum, Journalof Chemical Education 81, 938 (2004).

[5] K. K. Karukstis, T. J. Wenzel, Enhancingresearch in the chemical sciences at

predominantly undergraduate institutions.

Recommendations of a recent undergraduate

research summit, Journal of ChemicalEducation 81,468 (2004).

[6] Undergraduate Research ACS-CPT Supplement

http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/about/governance/committees/training/acsapproved/degreeprogram/CTP_005616.

[7] K. K. Karukstis, Showcasing successfulpractices that enhance a research-supportive

undergraduate curriculum, Journal of ChemicalEducation 82,1440 (2005).

__________________________

Autor correspondent: nbondar@zedat.fu-berlin.de