"A frequently stated benefit of research [is] the enthusiasm for their discipline/ research that some lecturers convey when they refer to their own work and the positive impacts on [students'] motivation to learn."
Jenkins, A., Blackman, T., Lindsay, R. & Paton-Salzberg, R. 1998, "Teaching and research: students' perspectives and policy implications", Studies in Higher Education, vol. 23, no. 2, p. 132.

"[S]tudents asked to perform research activities in their assignments have expressed surprise and excitement at the challenge of doing something different from a conventional assignment; at the same time, they reported that the work was stimulating and enjoyable." McInnis, C. 2003, "Exploring the nexus between research and teaching", in R. Freestone, A. Bagnara, M. Scoufis & C. Pratt (eds), 2003, The Learning Community: First Explorations of the Research-Teaching Nexus at UNSW, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, p. 9.