About CIRCLE

The mission of the Center for Integrative Research on Cognition, Learning, and Education (CIRCLE) is to provide a bridge between Washington University faculty and researchers in the psychological sciences, learning sciences, and discipline-based education research, in order to facilitate collaborative projects to improve student learning, attitudes, and engagement.

We conduct research and collaborate with faculty with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of classroom teaching innovations, and use the findings of our research to further inform and refine classroom practices, resulting in a full circle approach. Specifically, the center connects the psychological sciences, learning sciences, and discipline-based education research with classroom practices by

• Fostering and supporting implementation of innovations in teaching across the university, including innovations that apply research from the psychological sciences, learning sciences, and discipline-based education research.
• Conducting research in collaboration with faculty to evaluate the effectiveness of these innovations in enhancing student learning, attitudes, and engagement.
• Conducting research to better understand the effects of student characteristics on learning, attitudes, and engagement.
• Disseminating the results of these classroom-based evaluations using scientific methods to the Washington University community as well as to the national and international teaching and learning communities.