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My
research bridges the domains of cognitive development and educational psychology.
In
particular, I focus on using models of cognitive skills, such as program
debugging or
creating
a research report, to design instruction and assessment that will facilitate
skill
acquisition
and transfer in school contexts. Cognitive theories, such as ACTR
and
cognitive
apprenticeship, form the basis for the modeling and design efforts, and
cognitive
methodologies, such as task analysis and protocol analysis, are the
foundation
for my acquisition and transfer studies.
In
prior research, I collaborated with teachers in an urban school to design
an
innovative
curriculum and learning environment for middle school. The curriculum
was
interdisciplinary, via extended projects and presentations. The learning
environment
consisted of essentially self-contained classes working collaboratively
with
adults (teachers, industry volunteers and researchers) who served as facilitators
and
coaches. Macintosh computers were used as tools for learning and as the
primary
presentation
medium. Within this context, we conducted longitudinal studies of the
learning
and transfer of research and communication skills using observation, interview,
and
protocol analysis techniques.
As
director of the Carnegie
Mellon Children's School, I am currently combining cognitive
modeling,
instructional design and focused assessment to explore how young children's
developing
problem solving skills can be enhanced to promote general transfer.
The
teachers and I are redesigning our three-year early childhood curriculum
and
assessment
framework to focus more directly on the cognitive processes and rich
knowledge
base that provide an essential foundation for academic success after
kindergarten.
These studies of complex skill acquisition and transfer in realistic contexts
help
to refine cognitive theories of learning and transfer. In addition, these
and other direct
applications
of cognitive psychology to education are particularly important in the
face of
increasing
difficulty experienced by even the youngest children in America's schools.
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