VISUAL-SPATIAL REASONING
Individual differences in cognitive skills such as spatial thinking and relational reasoning can serve as barriers to STEM learning and may contribute to gender differences in STEM learning. How do students visualize and represent scientific concepts in their mind? What processes do we use to understand visualizations? How can classrooms support spatial thinking?
CURIOSITY
Intrinsic motivations such as curiosity and interest are critical for sustained inquiry in science and mathematics. What neurological and physiological changes take place when students are curious? How does curiosity develop? Why are some individuals more curious than others?
Links to Articles About Our Research
Current Studies
Impact of
Question-Asking on Curiosity in Middle School Students
This study explores the impact that curiosity has on learning among middle school students. When students ask more questions about the natural world, do they notice more details or achieve deeper levels of understanding? This study also uses an eye tracker in order to gain empirical data about how visual information seeking changes when students ask more questions. Click the link below to sign up!
Science Reasoning
in Middle School
in Middle School
This study explores middle school students’ reasoning in science. The goal of this project is to understand how students think about science problems to advocate for equitable science education that builds on students’ strengths to support their learning. Please fill out our interest form to see if your child is eligible!