Researchers Seeking Clues to Learning Find a Tool in CRESMET lab

As an interdisciplinary center where scientists, mathematicians and engineers collaborate with researchers in the STEM education sciences, CRESMET conducts both basic research into the processes of learning and teaching STEM subjects and applied research and development to create, test and refine new teaching approaches, curricula and tools for supporting instruction.

CRESMET’s lab/classroom is one of the venues where research groups carry out their work. The clinical observation and research facility contains a controlled-setting, observational classroom and a separate interview room. To accurately capture the precise data the researchers require during a three-hour exploratory or inquiry teaching lesson, both facilities are fully microphoned and offer full-room video coverage. 

Both rooms are also equipped with wireless Internet access, multiple video projectors and detachable whiteboards. From an adjoining observational control room, CRESMET technicians can manage displays of multiple multimedia presentations simultaneously from MAC or PC computer sources, as well as presentations on DVD, VHS and CD sources.  

These tools allow CRESMET researchers to record the detailed behaviors of teachers, up to 30 students, and all interactions that occur between teacher and students.
 
Once a recorded classroom session is completed, all collected research video and audio is transferred to a secure intranet server where researchers can access and analyze their collected data. 

CRESMET’s lab/classroom exemplifies a drive over the last decade to ground education research firmly in the methods of the empirical clinical disciplines. The CRESMET group’s research philosophy posits that basic research investigations of human cognition in teaching and learning situations should begin with a deep understanding of the subjects being taught, and proceed to develop theory and hypothesis through close observation of students learning and teachers teaching those subjects.

Researchers interested in having access to CRESMET’s facilities should contact Research Director Pat Thompson at pat.thompson@asu.edu.