A cooperative model for orienting students to research groups

The affinity research group model provides students with opportunities to learn, use, and integrate the knowledge and skills that are required for research with the knowledge and skills that are required for cooperative work. Membership in affinity groups is dynamic, i.e., members graduate and new members join, and students come to the groups with different levels of knowledge and skills. Because of this, an annual orientation is needed for new members to facilitate their understanding of the philosophy and goals of the affinity model, understanding of the research goals of the projects to which they are assigned, learning of the basis of the cooperative paradigm, and awareness of group expectations. More importantly, the orientation develops new members´ basic understanding of the research process and provides information about available resources. The orientation also is important for established members. It provides them with an opportunity to renew their commitment to the group, improve their research and cooperative group skills, and process within the group with the goal of improving the group´s effectiveness. The orientation also allows faculty mentors to become aware of members´ misgivings and expectations of the affinity group experience and to process among themselves with the goal of reevaluating the model and its success. The orientation, which is the topic of this paper, consists of five components that provide a cooperative platform for meeting these objectives.