Improving Instruction
Learning difficulties are often attributed to characteristics of the learner. At the STAR Lab, we begin with a different question: how can instruction be refined to better support learning?
We seek to understand how features of the environment, along with learners' repertoires, affect learning. By asking this question, we aim to develop instructional practices that are effective, individualized, and preferred by learners.
Connecting Science and Practice
Our research interests span basic, translational, and applied behavior analysis, with a primary emphasis on applied research conducted directly with children.
Rather than viewing these as separate areas of science, we see them as directly related, working together to advance our understanding of behavior.
Engaging Learners
We believe that research doesn't have to be sterile. Rather than separate research from the typical educational environment, we embed rigorous scientific questions within engaging learning experiences.
Whether through picture books, tablet-based programs, or other gamified arrangements, our goal is to better understand learning while ensuring our findings translate into practical, engaging, and socially meaningful practices.
What do learners actually attend to during instruction?
When do pictures support reading, and when do they interfere?
How can we guide learners' attention to what we want them to see?
How can we make learning both effective and enjoyable?
How can we make individualization more feasible for educators and clinicians?
How can we improve our experimental designs?