Cognitive Development Lab at UWEC
Cognitive Development Lab at UWEC
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About Us
About Us
In the CogDev Lab, we study questions related to cognition, learning, and instruction, with a particular focus on math learning in children and adults. The lab generally includes 3-6 undergraduate researchers who work collaboratively on one primary project each semester. Research apprentices who are interested may also pursue more independent projects with guidance from me.
Are you a UWEC undergrad? Join us!
Are you a UWEC undergrad? Join us!
We are often developing new studies and looking for undergraduate research apprentices to participate for upper-level Psychology course credit. It is also possible to participate in independent projects. Students in the CogDev Lab come from a wide range of educational backgrounds and experiences. If you are interested in becoming an undergraduate research assistant with the CogDev Lab, please email Prof. Viegut at viegutaa@uwec.edu!
Current Lab Members
Current Lab Members
Emilija Durdevic
Emilija Durdevic
Emilija is a 4th year Psychology major with a minor in Family Studies and a certificate in Organizational Communication. After graduation, she plans on getting her PhD in Individual Differences and Evolutionary Psychology (IDEP) or Industrial Organization (IO) Psychology. Emilija works at the McIntyre Library as a Senior Student Assistant and is a student caller, raising funds for the University on behalf of the Foundation. She was recently appointed as the new President of the UWEC Psychology Club. Outside of lab, she loves to play tennis and enjoys going to live music performances. She also enjoys traveling and learning new languages.
Olivia Turks
Olivia Turks
Olivia is a 3rd year Neuroscience major with a minor in French and a certificate in Mental Health and Well Being. She plans on going to medical school and becoming a child psychiatrist. Olivia is graduating this spring and plans to take a gap year working as an EMT, for which she got a certification for at CVTC this past summer. At UWEC she also participates in the Blugold Marching Band and Blugold Athletic Band, where she plays clarinet. In addition, Olivia is an SAA for BIOL 221 lab. Outside of lab, she likes to swim and go thrifting with friends. She also likes to read and watch movies.
Maddie Podolinsky
Maddie Podolinsky
Maddie is a 3rd year Psychology major with a Spanish minor. After graduating from UWEC, she hopes to continue her education and eventually work in counseling. Maddie is part of both the Psychology and Neuroscience clubs on campus, and she is also the UWEC mascot coordinator. She enjoys hanging out with her friends, drinking coffee, and listening to new music.
Zoe Eineichner
Zoe Eineichner
Zoe is a 3rd year student with a double major in Psychology and Organizational Communications and a certificate in Analytical Reasoning. She plans on attending graduate school for Industrial Organizational Psychology. She is the Co-President of the Honors Student Council, the UWEC Concert Choir Vice President, and the Secretary for Campus Ambassadors. In addition to her academic endeavors, Zoe loves to sing in the UWEC concert choir, work with the UWEC Cosby Honors College, help student engagement in the Communications and Journalism Department, and gather content for the UWEC social media team. In her free time, she likes to explore the wonderful Eau Claire community with her friends.
Derek Arcand
Derek Arcand
Derek is a 4th-year Psychology major with a minor in Sociology and Family Studies with a certificate in Mental Health and Wellness. He plans to continue his education to attain a Doctorate in School Psychology. After graduation, Derek is planning on taking a gap year after his undergraduate studies to work as a substitute teacher and develop his professional portfolio. Outside of the lab, Derek plays on the UWEC men's rugby team and works as a Mental Health Advisor for other students attending UWEC. Derek likes to spend his free time watching movies, playing piano, and reading.
Current Research
Current Research
During the 2025-2026 academic year, CogDev Lab members are working on the following:
A collaboration with the University of Delaware funded by the National Science Foundation involving early fraction learning where three 1st and 2nd grade math textbooks are being analyzed for fraction words and concepts. This is being paired with teacher interviews and an intervention with 1st and 2nd grade students to explore how they are being exposed to fractions prior to formal instruction.
Last academic year, lab member Zoe drafted a proposal to the UWEC Office of Research and Special Projects to receive a grant for her own independent project, longitudinally studying math motivation in college students' first college math class. Her study further explores whether these students display different motivational trends over one college semester depending on whether the students are high- or low-math achieving. After receiving grant funding, Zoe spent the 2025 summer developing materials, obtaining IRB approval, and beginning her study. In the current Fall 2025 semester, Zoe is continuing to collect data on students and instructors from four UWEC math classes. She aims to develop a manuscript by the end of Spring 2026. Zoe has also enlisted the help of lab member Emilija this semester to work on instructor interviews and in-class observations, as well as data cleaning.
Past Research
Past Research
During the 2024-2025 academic year, CogDevLab members worked on the following:
Explored new questions about the data collected for Viegut et al., 2023 (Tracking Informal Fraction Knowledge and Its Correlates Across First Grade). These questions involve investigating children's spontaneous use of fraction words (e.g., half, third, quarter) when solving equal sharing problems (e.g., two bunnies share six carrot sticks) at three time points across first and second grade. We presented a poster on this work at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) national conference in Minneapolis on May 3rd.
Collected data for our study entitled Development of Children's (Mis)Understandings of Half (referred to in shorthand as CHUM). Since the Fall 2024 semester, we have been going into elementary schools in Eau Claire and Altoona to work with kids from 4K to 2nd grade on various math activities to measure their understandings and misunderstandings of fraction words like "half." Children complete four different activities, three on a computer and one on paper. On the computer, kids are first asked to choose which picture matches a description (e.g., which picture shows half of the circle shaded in gray?); then they help two characters share items equally; and finally they are asked to judge the "cleverness" of fictional definitions of half. On paper, children complete a numeracy screener with two parts: one symbolic part, in which they have to compare numbers to see which number is bigger; and a nonsymbolic portion, in which they have to compare boxes of dots and determine which box has the most dots. We have finished collecting data for this study, and we presented our preliminary findings at CERCA.
Due to other commitments, lab member Zoe was unable to work with us on our CHUM study during the fall semester. So she could still be involved in lab, she worked on an alternative project involving doing a literature review of research articles and creating an independent research proposal based on her findings. Zoe's longitudinal study will examine changes in undergraduate students' math self-efficacy, math task value, math anxiety, and math motivation across one semester while taking their first college math course. Additionally, she will examine whether high- and low-math achieving students show different motivational trends. Zoe was awarded a Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates grant to fund her research during Summer 2025. Her research design will be carried out at UWEC during the Fall 2025 semester.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, CogDevLab members worked on the following:
Collaboratively designed an experimental study investigating college students’ sense of fractions, including developing the experimental design, preparing materials for IRB approval, collecting data in person with undergraduate participants through the SONA system, and conducting preliminary data analyses at the end of the school year.
Read and discussed peer-reviewed research articles about "math talk", math anxiety, whole number bias, shared book reading to support early math development, and the home math environment.
Developed data analysis skills using SPSS, Jamovi, and/or R by exploring an existing dataset of 8th grader's cognitive and mathematical skills.
Co-wrote and co-presented a poster analyzing the relation between 8th grader's math anxiety and performance on three different math tests (3-minute basic arithmetic fluency, 12-minute fraction arithmetic, 45-minute algebra) at UWEC's Center for Excellence in Creative Activity (CERCA). See pictures below!
SRCD 2025-Minneapolis, MN
CogDevLab at CERCA - UWEC's annual research celebration
Alumni & Past Lab Members
Alumni & Past Lab Members
Audrey Wood
Audrey Wood
Audrey worked in the CogDevLab 2024-2025. She is a Psychology major with an Organizational Communication certificate. She plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and practice as a clinical psychologist as well as becoming an adjunct professor of psychology at a University.
Kiera Rosenberg
Kiera Rosenberg
Kiera graduated UWEC in Spring 2025 with a Psychology major & Japanese minor. She is pursuing a masters degree in psychology at University of Minnesota. Her long-term goal is to become a professor and continue research into improving math curriculum in low-income school areas.
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