Undergraduate research, scholarly, and creative work (RSCW) has a positive influence on student persistence, degree completion, integration of course content, development of analytical skills, and personal development.
Several problem-, inquiry-, or project-based courses exist within the curriculum, which allow students to gain knowledge and skills by solving open-ended problems, questions, or projects. The goal of including RSCW in Writing through Engagement is to expand the number of opportunities students have to experience this type of deep-learning that connects classroom content to real world issues, concerns, etc. As with internships and service-learning, the ability to standardize the evaluation of and capture the learning outcomes of these experiences will allow the institution to effectively assess the impacts of this type of engagement on student learning and personal development.