Stimulating Research Skills in Undergraduate Computing Students: An Experience Report

Research skills are directly related to studying a problem thoroughly, investigating possible solutions, critically analyzing how to solve them, discussing, testing possibilities collaboratively, and adapting or creating new solutions. An undergraduate computing student with these competencies needs to understand and use different research methods, have a business vision, investigate technological alternatives, understand innovation models and their viability and, above all, know how to solve a problem systematically and collaboratively. Considering that these competencies are essentials in computing professionals, the following research question was defined: "How to stimulate research skills of undergraduate computing students?". Regarding answering that question, this Research Full Paper describes the design and implementation of an exchange program in the Research Laboratories of a public university in 2018 and 2019, aiming to foster research skills in undergraduate computing students. These experiences showed real benefits regarding students' performance in research, development, and innovation activities, besides improvement points for better management and execution. As the main contribution, it is possible to highlight the proposal for an exchange model between research laboratories, in which undergraduate students in Computing participate in research activities conducted in the PBL modality, learning through complex problems resolution under continuous monitoring and feedback.