Faculty team receives FaCE grant to explore cognitive science/transfer

A project led by five faculty members from Ripon College has received funding through a FaCE Grant Award from Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM).

“Using Cognitive Science to Build a Problem-Solving Core Curriculum at Ripon College” is being developed by project leaders Kristine Kovack-Lesh, associated professor of psychology and chair of the department; Travis Nygard, assistant professor of art, chair of the department, and registrar of the College Art Collection; Joshua Filler, assistant professor of philosophy; Steve Martin, associate professor of communication and chair of the department; and Mark Kainz, associate professor of biology.

Cognitive science research suggests students have difficulty using skills developed within a discipline to address problems in a different context (“transfer”). Studies also show that transfer is improved when students explicitly link learning expectations across courses (metacognition) and intentionally apply skills to open-ended problems (meaningful learning).

The project leaders will build their expertise in using cognitive science-based strategies to improve transfer, metacognition and meaningful learning, and then help faculty colleagues develop seminars for the College’s Core Curriculum that effectively increase students’ skill-transfer.

Grant funds come from the Faculty Career Enhancement (FaCE) program, supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and designed to foster collaborative projects among faculty and staff at ACM colleges.

Posted February 3, 2016 in Faculty.

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