Our research lies at the intersection of cognitive developmental psychology and education: we explore how children's curiosity manifests in classroom settings and how different instructional methods may influence its development. The student(s) will assist in processing and analyzing diverse data sources, contributing to our efforts to better understand curiosity in real-world educational contexts. We hope the student will take an active role in reviewing data and if interested, developing research questions to think critically about the findings and their implications.
This project investigates how children’s curiosity develops and is shaped within formal educational environments. Despite the strong links between curiosity, motivation, and learning, research suggests that students often show less curiosity in school than they do outside of it. Little is known about how curiosity develops in classroom contexts or how it can be supported through teaching practices. This work seeks to answer two overarching questions: (1) What does curiosity look like in children, and how does it support the development of character more generally? and (2) How is curiosity influenced by educational settings, and can it be promoted through specific instructional methods?
The student will contribute to ongoing research using behavioral tasks, classroom observations, surveys, and interviews with both teachers and students. Working closely with a faculty advisor and graduate students, the student will assist with data processing and analysis while also being encouraged to explore their own questions within the broader framework of the project. This research is part of a larger effort to better understand how to foster curiosity in school, with the goal of informing evidence-based educational practices that support deeper engagement and long-term learning.
Curiosity and interest in topics like education, psychology, or child development
Dependability and willingness to learn new skills
Attention to detail
Openness to collaboration and asking questions
No prior research experience required—all training will be provided
Experience working with a large, mixed-methods research project in a collaborative lab environment
Understanding of how curiosity is studied in educational psychology
Practice interpreting and thinking critically about data
Opportunity to develop and pursue individual research questions with guidance