View in EDS

Legitimate Peripheral Participation in Observational Astronomy: Insights from an Ethnography of Undergraduate Research Experiences

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Legitimate Peripheral Participation in Observational Astronomy: Insights from an Ethnography of Undergraduate Research Experiences
Language: English
Authors: Brendan H. O'Connor (ORCID 0000-0001-8422-3305)
Source: Science Education. 2026 110(3):895-910.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Student Research, Observational Learning, Astronomy, Ethnography, Science Education, Scientific Research, Socialization, Science Process Skills, Sense of Belonging, Cultural Capital
DOI: 10.1002/sce.70043
ISSN: 0036-8326
1098-237X
Abstract: A robust body of literature supports the value of undergraduate research experiences (UREs) for improving undergraduates' understanding of science, increasing their confidence to conduct research, and encouraging their graduate school aspirations, among other benefits. However, most of this work is survey- and interview-based and very few studies have directly examined students' experiences with UREs from an ethnographic perspective including observational methodology. In this article, I report findings from an ethnographic study of undergraduates' long-term involvement with research in two different university-based astronomy research groups. I focus on undergraduates' emic, or insider, understandings of the process of socialization they undergo as they move from peripheral to more central forms of participation in the research community of practice. Undergraduates identified four main stages of socialization: getting connected, starting out, improving one's skills, and doing "science." I examine the behaviors and dispositions associated with each of these stages in detail, documenting undergraduates' trajectory from "getting thrown in the deep end" of group meetings to generating publishable findings. Almost without exception, the undergraduate participants reported uniformly positive experiences within the research groups and a high sense of belonging; they credited the UREs with giving them the knowledge and cultural capital required to gain acceptance to, and succeed in, graduate school. Given the profound impact of longer-term UREs on undergraduate researchers, it is imperative to consider how to extend their benefits to a larger and more diverse student population.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502344
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1502344
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Legitimate Peripheral Participation in Observational Astronomy: Insights from an Ethnography of Undergraduate Research Experiences
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brendan+H%2E+O'Connor%22">Brendan H. O'Connor</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8422-3305">0000-0001-8422-3305</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Science+Education%22"><i>Science Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 110(3):895-910.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 16
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Research%22">Student Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Observational+Learning%22">Observational Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Astronomy%22">Astronomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnography%22">Ethnography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Research%22">Scientific Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socialization%22">Socialization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Process+Skills%22">Science Process Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Capital%22">Cultural Capital</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1002/sce.70043
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0036-8326<br />1098-237X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: A robust body of literature supports the value of undergraduate research experiences (UREs) for improving undergraduates' understanding of science, increasing their confidence to conduct research, and encouraging their graduate school aspirations, among other benefits. However, most of this work is survey- and interview-based and very few studies have directly examined students' experiences with UREs from an ethnographic perspective including observational methodology. In this article, I report findings from an ethnographic study of undergraduates' long-term involvement with research in two different university-based astronomy research groups. I focus on undergraduates' emic, or insider, understandings of the process of socialization they undergo as they move from peripheral to more central forms of participation in the research community of practice. Undergraduates identified four main stages of socialization: getting connected, starting out, improving one's skills, and doing "science." I examine the behaviors and dispositions associated with each of these stages in detail, documenting undergraduates' trajectory from "getting thrown in the deep end" of group meetings to generating publishable findings. Almost without exception, the undergraduate participants reported uniformly positive experiences within the research groups and a high sense of belonging; they credited the UREs with giving them the knowledge and cultural capital required to gain acceptance to, and succeed in, graduate school. Given the profound impact of longer-term UREs on undergraduate researchers, it is imperative to consider how to extend their benefits to a larger and more diverse student population.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1502344
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502344
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/sce.70043
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 895
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Observational Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Astronomy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethnography
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socialization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Process Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultural Capital
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Legitimate Peripheral Participation in Observational Astronomy: Insights from an Ethnography of Undergraduate Research Experiences
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brendan H. O'Connor
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0036-8326
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1098-237X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 110
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Science Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1