Incorporating Student Research Experiences in FORL 2680 to Improve Student Learning and Retention

This proposal seeks funding to design and embed undergraduate-researchmodules in FORL 2680, a German Literature in Translation course bearing Global Diversity and Humanities credit that I teach annually to 200-250 undergraduates online (DE) and face-to-face (F2F). Incorporating research projects connecting our study of the Grimm Brothers and the European Fairy Tale Tradition to students' major fields of study will demonstrate that humanities research provides a beneficial, if often undervalued, complement to students' studies in professional and natural/social science degree programs. The research modules will guide students through the entire research process: from generating and narrowing relevant research questions about the histories and cultures of Western Europe under discussion, to formulating a thesis, and finally to engaging with primary and secondary literature effectively so that they may develop original insights (Armstrong, 2019). The module-driven, team-based projects will help students develop their ability to evaluate information and sources critically, a skill that course-based assessments have identified as a key area for improvement in student learning. Students will also gain experience working in diverse teams to seek answers to questions and tocommunicate their results orally and in writing effectively and professionally--competencies in high demand in today's economy ("Soft skills," 2019).

Scholars @ ECU