Dr. Jenny Knight, a specialist in education research at the University of Colorado, Boulder, will speak about her research on how students solve problems.  Open to the public. No registration required. Hosted by the Center for Teaching Innovation.

Summary: We are studying how students independently solve complex genetics problems through written documentation of their problem-solving processes. We analyze their answers for correctness, use of reasoning, and other cognitive and metacognitive processes, and also measure whether giving students content “hints” improves their performance.  We are particularly interested in whether certain processes correlate with correct answers, and whether the sequence of thinking a student engages in influences their problem-solving ability. Ideally, this work will lead to an understanding of how to better help students become life-long problem-solvers.