LEGITIMATE PERIPHERAL PARTICIPATION AS A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING LEARNING IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

The increasing focus on research experiences for undergraduates in many disciplines is a reflection of a growing recognition that student learning involves much more than the acquisition of factual knowledge in a classroom. By conceptualizing learning as a situated activity in which newcomers “move toward full participation in the sociocultural practices of a community,” Lave and Wenger (1991) provide a lens through which this learning can be viewed. Authentic research experiences at the undergraduate level have the potential to allow students to engage in the process of legitimate peripheral participation in a scientific community of practice. A review of the literature indicates that some researchers have applied these ideas to the study of “apprenticeship” relationships in science research environments. These findings have implications for undergraduate research in the geosciences. Recommendations from synthesis of the literature on this subject include: (1) mentors should increase their awareness of the informal learning that takes place, (2) assessments should focus more on intrinsic growth of students than on institutional gains, and (3) programs should allow for authentic participation in multiple aspects of research. Sociocultural practices of field-based research in the geosciences warrant investigation from a situated learning perspective in order to determine potential for legitimate peripheral participation by diverse groups of learners.