Abstract:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities abruptly ended face-to-face classes due to physical distancing and other regulations. Students and faculty members alike have been concerned about the likelihood of being able to conduct research projects given current constraints. In light of the pressing concerns of final year undergraduate students to complete their studies, online seminars are currently being organized for students in one academic unit at a Caribbean university and the academic staff who will supervise them.

The seminars are motivated by three main reasons:
(1) the need for ongoing training to equip students and faculty with the skills and competencies to conduct investigative inquiry,
(2) the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic which has placed additional constraints on the methods and protocols typically used to conduct research projects,
(3) the desire to motivate students and staff (especially early career researchers) to foster an increase in research productivity.

Both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be used to garner feedback on several aspects of the research cycle, including the modifications to the methods in light of the pandemic. This paper intends to provide discourse on the challenges and opportunities that university students and their research supervisors face during this crisis. It also assesses the extent to which the online seminars help to mitigate the challenges being experienced. The observations and insights on the approach taken to support staff and students may assist other educators in enhancing the undergraduate research experiences even during the midst of a pandemic. The authors also provide practical recommendations that could transform the educational experiences of students and faculty in order to improve undergraduate project outcomes and research dissemination beyond the COVID-19 era.

Keywords:

Research, undergraduate projects, research projects, COVID-19, pandemic.