A Virtual Laboratory Model for Encouraging Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate students who perform research benefit greatly from the experience, yet achieving high levels of voluntary participation remains an elusive goal. This paper describes the implementation of an innovative laboratory model designed to encourage computer science undergraduates to actively pursue collaborative research with faculty and other students. As an extension of earlier research into team-based software engineering education, the Applied Computing Technology Laboratory was formed to provide an authentic and engaging experience in real-world computer science research. The model, which relies on a web site as its focus, is presented along with the results of one year of active research.

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