Engineering Cognition Lab

Research has shown that undergraduate students frequently do not have a clear understanding of what it means to do science. We aim to address this knowledge gap by introducing inquiry-based learning modules that include metacognitive aspects into several courses in our program. This investigative approach works by approximating the scientific method in guided student activities. We will build on previous results that have shown that the inquiry-based approach not only improves student understanding of the scientific method, but also of the underlying fundamental concepts. We will focus specifically on our atmospheric chemistry program, where learning is currently inhibited by a lack of accessible computer-based model systems; however, our approach would be readily adaptable to other fields of study. Our specific objectives are fourfold: 1) to develop student-accessible modeling tools for atmospheric chemistry; 2) to create and implement inquiry-based learning modules for using the new modeling tools throughout the atmospheric science program at WSU; 3) to assess the impact of this approach on student conceptual understanding of non-linear system dynamics in science and engineering; and 4) to disseminate these new learning tools to the broader community.