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Course-Based Research: Part 2



  Last time, I described in detail what is course-based research. In this post, I will outline the REB process and provide some example of projects. As a reminder course-based research is a focus of Goal 4 of the Academic Plan (Objective 4.2) and refers to research endeavours that are undertaken by students within a particular course. It must be no greater than minimal risk and the course must include at least one CLO related to research and research ethics.

All course-based research must be approved by the college’s Research Ethics Board (REB) prior to commencing, but the form is different and the process deviates from the standard REB application process. The faculty teaching the course and assigning course-based research will fill out the course-based research form (Course-Based Research- Form A) well before the semester begins. Typically, this occurs in April or May for the following year. Once the course-based research activity is approved by the REB, each student in the course will fill out the Course-Based Research- Form B, which is submitted to the teacher for approval. In this way, the faculty becomes a delegated REB for student research activities. All student forms (Form B) are then submitted to the REB at the end of the semester to complete the file. The REB has put together a document of FAQs which provides more details on the points I have made here.
Here are three examples of course-based research projects that have been approved at Durham College.
In our dental hygiene program, students engage in a needs assessment in the community as part of their Community Health (DENT 4512) course. Students engage in a pre-post design where they assess participants’ oral health and then implement an oral health lesson to see if there is an impact on oral health habits in a post-intervention survey 2 weeks later.
As part of the business administration marketing program, students in the Advanced Market Research (MKTG 4204) course develop a survey based on a current business problem. They select a product and identify the related marketing problem (e.g., brand awareness, declining sales, etc). Their survey includes questions about respondents’ likelihood to buy the product, suggestions for improvement, etc. Students present this and tie the outcomes to the marketing literature.
In the massage therapy program, students in their last semester conduct a mini research project in their culminating Research Projects (RESR 1502) course. Small groups of students execute the projects they proposed and developed in previous year’s course, investigating the effectiveness of weekly massage treatments on various issues.  Recent topics have included treating stress in frontline healthcare students and support students (PSW, DSW, SSW, ECE), improving sleep quality for shift work students on placement (nursing, PSW, DSW), and reducing headaches and insomnia in post-concussion student athletes.
In each of these examples, course-based research met the criteria I identified in my previous post on this topic. I hope these examples have given you some food for thought and inspired you to think about how you might be able to include course-based research in one of your courses.
If there is anything I can do to support your research or if you have suggestions for me in my role as Research Coordinator, please reach out via email or pop into my "office hours" on Fridays from 12:30-1:30 on Whereby.

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