CURE Research
Students will blog about the CURE research project. Consider writing about the process of doing this research in a team.
What do students need to know about doing undergraduate research in online classes?
What did you learn through this process?
What needs to happen next?
How did this experience change what you thought you knew about research, living, and people?
Today, I am reflecting on the remarkable kindness and support my classmates in Group 6 showed me during a challenging time, as well as the valuable lessons that were gained from this experience. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, I was without power or internet for several days, which made it impossible for me to take part in the early stages of the CURE Research Project. I felt an overwhelming sense of stress and anxiety—not only from the sudden devastation around me but also from the fear of letting my group down.
ReplyDeleteDespite my situation, my group went above and beyond to ease my worries once I was able to inform them of my predicament. They quickly reassured me that everything would be fine and urged me not to stress about my absence. They kept me updated on their progress, ensuring I wouldn’t fall behind when I was able to rejoin the project. Their understanding and encouragement made me feel valued and supported, even while I couldn’t participate. The patience and flexibility they provided to me meant so much. I am incredibly grateful to be working alongside such thoughtful, compassionate individuals who truly understand that life can bring unexpected challenges.
I've always struggled with the fear of falling behind or disappointing others, but I now realize the importance of allowing others to help when needed and being open about challenges. Life isn’t something we navigate alone—we depend on each other more than we realize. Developing strong connections and becoming a part of a community can serve as an incredible source of strength and resilience, whether in research or daily life. This encounter further confirmed that people are not just colleagues or classmates —they are individuals with lives, challenges, and emotions. This realization made me reflect on how I engage with people: Am I giving others the same level of care and understanding they’ve given me? Am I fostering a sense of trust and connection within the teams I’m part of? Moving forward, I plan to be more intentional about cultivating these kinds of positive and supportive relationships in all areas of my life.
This experience has also reshaped how I think about research, life, and people. Research, much like life, is not always linear; it requires patience, compromise, and a willingness to embrace unexpected challenges. Life is unpredictable, but with a supportive community, we can navigate even the most challenging situations. I’m grateful for the lessons learned from this and feel more prepared to approach both academic and personal challenges with a renewed sense of purpose and compassion.
Powerful! Way to go Group 6. The goal is empathy and kindness in this one wild life we get to live. When we show this to others in all spaces and places, this is where the true self shows up. And it's so beautiful.
DeleteSummer, this was such a wonderful thing to read; thank you for sharing! The long-lasting implications that can come from those feelings of being seen and heard when a situation like this happens can't be overstated. Someday, you'll be on the other side. It may be in a workplace instead of a classroom, but you'll be able to draw on this experience and extend that grace to someone else. Very powerful!
DeleteI'm very grateful for group 5 and all the hard work they did! I would say to those wanting to work on an undergraduate degree online, that they need to be prepared to have to work with others via online. It's much easier doing projects with classmates when you're in person. Communication is key when doing an online course. That is communication with with your classmates and your professor. I learned more about poverty and the different between poverty and financial instability.
ReplyDeletecommunication is definitely the key to all things group work- nice job!
DeleteI am really appreciative of group 5 through this group project, I feel like I am not up to my full potential right now with the current state of North Carolina and Florida and they continued to offer support and guidance and leadership that I would have typically given rather than received and I can't express enough gratitude to have people and piers that are willing to step it up and help get the job done!
ReplyDeleteYes Group 5! I agree, the kindness of our HEA 447 students is unmatched. Thank you all, for being good relatives!
ReplyDeleteWorking with group 5 was fairly easy as my members were all very responsive and we were able to openly communicate about the good, bad, and roles. We used teams chat so we could work on the document at the same time as well as get notified when others responded.
ReplyDeleteGlad teams is working and folks are responsive!
DeleteI am of two minds about this project. I don't enjoy research as a team; I guess that I don't necessarily trust that everything will run smoothly or on schedule (see: Hurricane Helene). I barely trust myself to get these things right; I tend to overcorrect and steamroll, or shut down and just play doormat. That said, Group 6 was amazing to work with. I feel like everyone in the group was able to find ways to work together. There was so much agreement and partnership, with members taking on tasks and engaging in useful conversation. I have a little more faith in the process now, but especially more faith in this group!
ReplyDeleteAny group that you work in has one great team member, I am always grateful for our classes together and the opportunities we were given to be in the same group.
DeleteFor the CURE research project, I've never had optimistic views on group projects, especially as an online student. I love hand-on projects and I enjoy being in complete control over things that affect my GPA. This project requires trust, communication, and teamwork, which due to my past as a DV victim is hard to accept and welcome. I like to keep my walls up. I learned through this process that there are good people in this world that are worth letting in. I've been very blessed to be apart of Group 6. They are kind, caring, patient, communicative, understanding, and more. They don't judge and they help whenever it's needed. The project isn't simple, but at least I know I'm not facing it alone. I don't think I would've made it through this class without Group 6. They changed my view on people and life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being open and sharing this. It takes bravery to be vulnerable in a healthy way in group settings. I always believe people are doing their best. And the second belief is that the world is loving and kind. I am so glad they have impacted you in such a positive way. I hope you all can maintain these connections beyond UNCG and CURE. Life is about connections and building a web of support and hope for the good times and the bad.
DeleteBest Practices from HEA 447 Students on CURE
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of strong personalities, but people don’t have to be the star.
It’s building on peoples strengths. Sometimes a strong personality can be a strength. Let them be them. In a subtle way, let them know that it is inclusive of everyone. It’s an art when you have type A personalities and working around that. It’s important to keep everyone included.
Being easy to work with is the key!
Everyone has been helpful!
Group me is the best text platform. One person is really hard to get a hold of. We can’t get a hold of her. She is contributing. She took the first crack at the research question. But everyone has been willing to jump on when they can. There has been a lot of respect for everyone else’s lives. We are all in different places. We cannot hang out at a coffee shop together. We have a lot of respect and care. To get a hold of the difficult to reach students, we sent multiple emails, Group Me’s etc. We keep trying.
Group work has been fun.
I had a bad experience last fall. This has been so much better.
I have completed a number of group projects over my academic career, including the CURE research project. My group this semester is the most well-organized and understanding group I have ever been a part of. Everyone is willing to lend a hand when necessary. Naturally, everyone has different schedules, which makes organizing the project a little more difficult. Group 6 has, however, been incredibly accommodating to each person's particular circumstance and ready to lend a hand when needed. Because I take the quality of my work extremely seriously and make an effort to meet deadlines, I have never been particularly fond of group projects. I am grateful because my previous experience was not as convenient as this one. My preconceived notions about people and research were altered by this project. Even with regard to academic assignments, we frequently hear about circumstances that do not turn out as intended. In the past, I could identify with this situation, but not now. In addition to having a fantastic crew, this project has introduced me to some wonderful classmates. I am grateful of that.
DeleteGratitude is always the path.
DeleteI feel really blessed to be part to group 6. In the beginning I was a little stressed about working on the Cure Project in team .But my group members are so kind, and I can feel the desire to work and do everything for the success of this project in each of them.
ReplyDeleteThey are so king and patient. Despite my busy schedule they are willing to support and communicate whenever you need them. I am trying to my best so we can have a great final project. For those wanting to work on undergraduate degree online, I will encourage them to be patient, communicate and support each other's when they have a group project online.
Way to go Group 6!
DeleteSo much good press for Group 6! You all sound like people I'd want to meet and hang out with! Great job!
DeleteI agree with what has posted! Group projects in an online setting are definitely intimidating and often do not go smoothly. I am so grateful to be in Group 5, everyone has been communicating well and in my opinion working great together. I have really loved working through Teams. I am doing another group project right now in a different class and it is honestly been much more of a struggle to get everyone on the same page and working together....it makes me appreciate this class and my group here that much more!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to be apart of the Teams communication. I have yet to receive anything. I would be so grateful is you could point me in the right direction.
DeleteI am sorry Fallon, I never saw this. Hopefully you and your group were able to come up with a solution!
DeleteDoing group projects in an online course can be challenging, especially since everyone has their own schedule and communicating online takes significantly more time. I have found that utilizing teams works the best to allow for communication between group members and everyone call read and response whenever it works best for them. Also, having the document or powerpoint uploaded so that everyone can contribute their work and it's visible to each member in real time helps ensure that the assignment criteria are met. Doing research can be challenging in a group project or solo assignment, but approaching it with a new method is always helpful.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a challenge. I look forward to seeing your group's presentation!
DeleteGlad you have someone in your group who is positive and helpful. It just takes one person is what I know.
ReplyDeleteCURE is about addressing the human conditions that prevent us from working well together as people in public health with a shared vision of wellness.
I will be honest, this group project has been difficult. It is difficult to come up with times to meet and to meet deadlines promptly. I'm feeling discouraged, and I honestly am unsure of where to go from here. Had a PowerPoint, which was helpful for everyone to publish their portion, and we tried to discuss our topics through group chat. Challenges did arise towards the end. Doing the research portion was difficult. I imagine it would be easier in an in-person setting. Different life schedules made it challenging as well.
ReplyDeleteI am not really accustomed to working with groups as long as we have with the CURE project. I initially did not even realize this was a group project and found it difficult to coordinate with everybody in my group. I think we did the best that we could and attempted to work with each other even with our different schedules and issues that arose with that. I honestly prefer individual work, but I did learn a lot from working with a group for this specific project.
ReplyDeleteI have never been opposed to group projects, however relying on others in order to complete a project and receive a grade has always been a slight concern. As it turns out, despite my attempts to communicate with my group, I was unsuccessful in meeting with them, thus, with permission from our professor, I created my own CURE research project. I will say that being in an online program and having group projects can present difficulties, much like my experience. I assume the majority of us are registered in the online program as a matter of convenance because we have different schedules, jobs, families, multiple obligations, etc.. so trying to find a day and time that works best for multiple individuals can become problematic. I have not been able to think of a solution for this, but I am sure one exists.
ReplyDeleteSomething that future students should focus on when working in a group setting while participating in an online program is communication. Communication is imperative in life, but especially when you are not in a face to face environment and have deadlines that must be met. I am not a huge fan of group texts, but email chains work really well in my opinion. I do not have access to Canvas on my phone, however I do have my email linked to all my devices. Figuring out what type of communication works for you and your group should be clarified from the beginning.
I found this assignment to be both challenging and eye opening. Once I doubled down and started really paying attention to those living in poverty and the effects on their health, it made me incredibly sad. There are so many people who suffer who shouldn't have to. How are other counties able to implement universal health care, but for some reason we frown upon it here in the United States and make so many excuses as to why "it is not possible". There are so many things we could do to combat this issue, but it seems that our priorities lie in other areas and I just do not understand. This experience has only furthered my intrigue in regards to poverty, public health, universal health care and mental health access. I love research and I research just about everything in my life. I trust basically nothing I am told (until I educate myself as much as possible) and I always follow the money - this assignment just further solidified my perspective on this and I am grateful. I think we have a lot to learn as a society (in regards to poverty and its effects on Public Health) and I pray that through better education, more access to education and open communication we can start the process to get there.
Fallon, I am so sorry you ran into these difficulties. I agree that group projects are difficult, but especially in an online setting, and communication is key. I was grateful that someone in our group established the teams page, which really allowed for open communication. I am glad you made the best of the situation and were able to complete the assignment and ended up learning and discovering a lot in the process!!
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DeleteThat was unfortunate you had to create your own project. However, now you know what you are capable of achieving.
DeleteFallon,
DeleteI am sorry that you had to create a project on your own and that you were not able to get in touch with your group. I hope you are feeling proud of yourself for moving forward and completing the project anyway! I agree that working as a group in an online classroom setting comes with many difficulties. Finding an effective way to communicate and a time/day to get together that works for everyone is difficult, especially when all of your peers have varying schedules and obligations outside of school.
Hi guys! It’s Leah Zanzoul here and I was a part of Group #4! Dealing with online group projects become difficult at times due to everyone’s personal schedules and needing to align free time according to that as well. Our group consisted of Scott Cob, Jennifer R Cruz and I. I agree with Fallons perspective and how the absence of a face to face environment creates challenges in against to the best possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThe process of the project was well and I got work alongside with a couple of good students in this class! Collecting sources, creating an outline for the PowerPoint and presenting the project went with ease! My group and I utilized TEAMS chat to communicate which works well with everyone’s availability.
I was also sick with the flu the last week of the project but I made sure to be as responsive and effectively focused! Overall, I personally think the process of this major assignment went fairly well
This is my first blogging experience. The trick was to get in. I was in group 1. I think it started off a little rough. However, towards the end, I told myself to calm down. I realize there is no perfect time that will fit everyone's schedule. Group projects require you just make time. We had to use all available communication platforms.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone, this is Jennifer Rosas. I wanted to share my experience with the CURE presentation. While we faced some challenges due to miscommunication and a lack of clarity at times, my team and I were able to thrive by focusing on our specific tasks and responsibilities. I also resonate with Fallon’s point about the challenges of working online, especially when it comes to group projects—it certainly complicates communication and collaboration.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal note, balancing a full-time job along with other commitments made it difficult to dedicate the time and effort I would have liked to this project. Although I was able to complete the work, it wasn’t to the standard I had hoped for. That said, the project itself ran smoothly overall, and there were no major disagreements regarding our findings or resources.
We primarily used TEAMS chat to communicate and collaborate on our work, which was submitted last week. This class has really deepened my understanding of health disparities and has sparked a greater interest in exploring health equity. I’m now even more motivated to find ways to contribute to improving access to healthcare for underserved communities.
I think that it can be a daunting task to have group assignments or projects in an online classroom setting. This makes it more difficult to communicate, stay organized, and meet with your classmates (group). Whereas in a traditional classroom environment, we would see our peers in person on a regular basis. My group members and I all have varying work schedules, familial obligations, and lead busy lives. In my opinion, this was the biggest potential obstacle working on a group research project in an online class.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I am not typically a fan of group projects and never have been. Partially due to the negative experiences of group work I have had in the past and partially due to my personality. I like doing things myself, in my own time, and in my own way. It is just the way that I am. I have to say that I am grateful that all my group members (in Group 1) were active participants throughout the process and that we were able to work together as a team. It took some time, but we found effective ways to communicate with one another and began a group chat to discuss the progress and plans for the project. Every single member of my group jumped in and contributed when and where they could. Together we were able to keep our project on track and complete everything that we needed to do for the final presentation. I am also thankful for my group’s patience, understanding, and the kindness they had for me when I got sick so close to the completion of our presentation. Something I learned through this project is that group projects in an online class take more time to complete and it is important to find effective ways to communicate with everyone early in the process. Throughout the research process I put more thought into finding potential sources, and I had to consider or establish the criteria for the types of sources I wanted to use. Overall, I think that this project made me think about the research process on a deeper level. I would tell future students to utilize the resources that they have available to them. That they should not avoid using resources like the library, they have many tools and tips on research, finding good sources, and how to properly use citations. It is also important to start working on assignments as early as possible, because they may take more time than you think.
After reflecting on the CURE project, I do not feel like I have much to say or reflect on. My group didn’t work out the way that it was intended to and I ended up doing the project solo. I do believe that if the project was done with a collaborative group, I would’ve both enjoyed it more and also had more success with it. It was difficult to do all that research by myself while ensuring I provided quality resources with a decent quantity of them. The topic I worked with was great and full of detail. I wish I had more time to dive into it and get a better understanding of incarceration and health care/mental health of incarcerated persons. Overall, I think this project is a great idea, my group just poorly executed it.
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