PURE Research Report

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https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/107683
Program in Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) undergraduate award holders work with University of Calgary researchers to pursue an area of inquiry over the course of a summer term. In doing so, they learn how research projects are developed and conducted, and how research results can contribute to new knowledge and solve problems in a field of research and in society. PURE Research Reports demonstrate the power of inquiry and innovation in undergraduate student work, and provide insight into the exciting work of the next generation of emerging researchers from every program of study on campus. https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/students/undergraduate/pure-awards

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Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 5 of 61
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    Open Access
    A Review of the Literature on Online Collaborative Learning in K- 12 and Post-Secondary Education During COVID 19
    (2022) Tay, Sharmaine; Friesen, Sharon
    The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges to familiar instructional practices as the national and international response to a global pandemic precipitated a shift to online teaching and learning. This en masse transition offered a novel opportunity to examine the benefits and challenges of the now more widespread context of technologically mediated education and its impact on collaborative group learning. This conceptual review of the literature reports the findings on the impact of COVID-19 on collaborative learning in Education between the years 2020-2022. Twenty-nine of the 54 published articles from K-12 to post-secondary education contexts met the criteria established for this review and were included in the review. Three themes emerged from the review: 1) impacts of online learning on collaboration; 2) student responsibility; and 3) collaborative knowledge building. The literature on online learning and student responsibility described widely varied results with collaborative learning while the literature on online Knowledge Building learning environments indicated many of the issues had been anticipated and reported learning gains were maintained in the shift to online learning. Our review of the studies conducted during COVID-19 indicates a need for increased proactive intentional design to support learners in online learning environments.
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    Open Access
    A BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS INVESTIGATION OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE USE AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING
    (Program for Undergraduate Research Experience, 2019-09-23) Pavelka, Chloe
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    Open Access
    The Translation of Trauma: Trauma and Language Acquisition in the ELL Classroom
    (2019-09-25) Tighe, Caitlin
    Consequently, focused on the practice of teachers, this research project endeavored to look closely at trauma informed practice (TIP) in schools and those methods and strategies teachers use when working with trauma inflicted youth who are English Language Learners (ELLs). Uncovering the effectiveness of these strategies and the successes and challenges teachers encounter in working with this unique group of students was among the objectives of this research. In undertaking this work, this research aimed at articulating effective pedagogical practices that Alberta educators can adopt when utilizing TIP with ELL students and what barriers prevent these practices from being universally integrated. The specific research questions that guided this study were as follows: What challenges mitigate the teaching and learning of refugee students? What are the intersections between traumatic experience and language acquisition? And, what practices are teachers using to navigate trauma, learning and language acquisition?
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    Open Access
    Adaptive Radiation Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer
    (2019-09-23) Harjai, Nabhya
    Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide with 350 000 deaths reported annually (1). Radiotherapy is one of the most common treatment modalities for head and neck cancer patients. Although head and neck cancer (HNC) survival is steadily increasing, the close proximity of tumor volumes to organs at risk (OARs) makes radiotherapy planning and delivery challenging for these patients. We hypothesize it will not only further reduce the incidence of treatment-related toxicities and improve post-treatment quality of life of patients with cancer but also improve the allocation of essential clinical resources.
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    Investigating Proton Conduction using Guest-Loaded Metal-Organic Frameworks
    (2019-09-23) Lin, Giselle
    Two Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), ZIF-65 and ZIF-90 were loaded with phosphate esters and investigated for their abilities as proton conductors at temperatures ranging from 23ºC to 200ºC, with the goal being the achievement of superprotonic conduction at increased temperatures. Polybenzimidazole, a conductive polymer, was synthesized and incorporated with the MOFs to aid in proton transport. The following results do not achieve superprotonic conduction at high temperatures, but are promising for future investigation.