Why use student research?

When students can spread the results of their research to a non-academic public or to other researchers :

• they can learn how to explain their research results in an understandable way for readers (outside their discipline); and in doing so they can understand the content better and learn more about concepts;
• students can develop their problem solving skills better than in simple and structured tasks, because authentic tasks are complex and unstructured;
• they can practice communication skills like presenting and writing of different types of papers and learn how to deploy different channels and media;
• they can learn to think about the usefulness of their research.

Furthermore, because of the authenticity of the task, students are more motivated than for regular ‘school assignments’. The transfer of what students learn in authentic tasks to new situations can be more effective than during regular assignments.

Finally, students’ research could benefit to enhancing academic knowledge in (understudied) areas, build up materials for teaching future students and support various parties, like NGO’s, who may lack research assistance.