About this Research Topic
Research competence, an essential competency in higher education, helps students develop clinical reasoning and an increased understanding of reality. Research competency is formed by criticality and basics of science, epistemic understanding, research skills, evidence-based reasoning, and contextual understanding. Traditionally, scientific thinking is emphasized in the natural sciences but is necessary for success in social sciences, also. Since the Bologna process and the European Higher Education Area in 1999, all university grades must include a module on research competence; ‘research methods’ is a core topic, embedded in all educational programs, regardless of field or education level. Additionally, secondary schools require activities that foster students' scientific thinking, such as the completion of a research project in 12th grade (ISCED level 3). Given the need for students to achieve research competency, more work is needed to develop best practices for fostering research skills in the classroom at all levels.
Based on the relevance of scientific reasoning for the improvement of current and future societies, we are interested in deepening the best practices for teaching and learning research competence through research methods courses. While there are resources such as books, blogs, websites, infographics, and posts that explain how to teach research competence, there is not sufficient scientific literature based on empirical evidence about how teachers can help students develop research competence. Additionally, most available literature is focused on higher education students forgetting that research competence must be fostered before students reach the university setting. In the case of secondary or primary education, research competence is typically addressed through natural sciences and teaching pedagogies include experiential and/or face-to-face exercises, such as lab assignments. However, the current environment - a globalized world, using remote and emergency education due to public health concerns - has forced us to design virtual teaching and learning activities that are expected to foster the same amount of research competence without the opportunity for hands-on learning.
This Research Topic aims to gather contributions that help us to know more about how research competence can be fostered among students, whether as a whole or on one of its components.
We accept empirical contributions but systematic literature reviews as well as meta-analyses about the topic are welcome. Questions that can be covered but are not limited to are:
• How research methods are taught in different contexts? and educational levels?
• What teaching and learning approaches work best to foster the research competence?
• What is the impact that specific teaching and learning activities have on students' research competence?
• What emotions are involved when facing research methods activities?
• What motivational elements are involved in developing the research competence?
• What are the conceptions about scientific reasoning and development?
• What is the role of self-regulation on research competence?
• What are the best teaching and learning strategies during emergency times?
• What are the effects of fostering research competence remotely?
• How can technology help educators to foster research competence?
• What are teachers' perceptions of the research competence of their students?
• What is the research competence level of the teachers that foster research competence?
• How does the curriculum change to ensure that research competence is fostered?
Based on the relevance of scientific reasoning for the improvement of current and future societies, we are interested in deepening the best practices for teaching and learning research competence through research methods courses. While there are resources such as books, blogs, websites, infographics, and posts that explain how to teach research competence, there is not sufficient scientific literature based on empirical evidence about how teachers can help students develop research competence. Additionally, most available literature is focused on higher education students forgetting that research competence must be fostered before students reach the university setting. In the case of secondary or primary education, research competence is typically addressed through natural sciences and teaching pedagogies include experiential and/or face-to-face exercises, such as lab assignments. However, the current environment - a globalized world, using remote and emergency education due to public health concerns - has forced us to design virtual teaching and learning activities that are expected to foster the same amount of research competence without the opportunity for hands-on learning.
This Research Topic aims to gather contributions that help us to know more about how research competence can be fostered among students, whether as a whole or on one of its components.
We accept empirical contributions but systematic literature reviews as well as meta-analyses about the topic are welcome. Questions that can be covered but are not limited to are:
• How research methods are taught in different contexts? and educational levels?
• What teaching and learning approaches work best to foster the research competence?
• What is the impact that specific teaching and learning activities have on students' research competence?
• What emotions are involved when facing research methods activities?
• What motivational elements are involved in developing the research competence?
• What are the conceptions about scientific reasoning and development?
• What is the role of self-regulation on research competence?
• What are the best teaching and learning strategies during emergency times?
• What are the effects of fostering research competence remotely?
• How can technology help educators to foster research competence?
• What are teachers' perceptions of the research competence of their students?
• What is the research competence level of the teachers that foster research competence?
• How does the curriculum change to ensure that research competence is fostered?
Keywords: research methods, teaching research, learning research, research competence, scientific thinking
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
