We are a multi-disciplinary research laboratory, incorporating cognitive developmental science with various educational disciplines, including science, mathematics, and literacy lead by Prof Michelle Ellefson. We conduct laboratory experiments that document various developmental constraints of learning disciplinary and non- disciplinary materials. The results from our experiments are used to inspire the development or advancement of theoretical accounts of learning both within and across educational domains. Our classroom studies evaluate whether these theoretical accounts can be applied effectively to classroom instruction. The results of our classroom studies are used to evaluate the effectiveness of our developmental theories, which in turn inspire more classroom interventions, continuing our iterative process of laboratory and classroom based research.
We hope that you'll check out our current experiments and people to learn more about what keeps us busy!
Open Science
We are committed to transparency in our research practices. As such,
All new projects conducted by INSTRUCT members are submitted as registered reports (see https://cos.io/rr/ ) or pre-registered (see https://osf.io/prereg/) .
New secondary data analyses conducted on existing databases are pre-registered (see https://osf.io/prereg/).
Data files, materials, and data analysis scripts (mostly using R) are uploaded to OSF (https://osf.io/) by the end of the project. Initially, these data files are restricted access amongst the INSTRUCT team, but once ready for wider dissemination, then those files are shared more widely. Exceptions are made when sharing information violates ethical principles or intellectual property rights.
We are uploading preprints to the Psych-Archive (https://psyarxiv.com/discover).
New posters and conference talks are being uploaded to OSF as well (e.g., https://osf.io/74n5r/ and https://osf.io/9b3th/).
We are sharing thesis/dissertations and new manuscripts through Cambridge Apollo (although with some embargoes)
Diversity and Inclusion
Our world, university, and research field are a long way from being perfect examples of diversity and inclusion. There is a real need to mentor early career researchers from all backgrounds. Prof Ellefson is committed to improving that diversity and sees it a strength that INSTRUCT includes researchers from diverse backgrounds that represent a variety of socioeconomic, national, linguistic, ethnic, religious, gender identities, sexualities and more.
