Complex Systems Research and Design of Learning Environments
The CRADLE Lab–located at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education–applies complex systems approaches for teaching in order to design learning environments and curricula for science classrooms and professional development (PD) for science teachers. The CRADLE Lab was founded by Dr. Susan Yoon, and the lab comprises a diverse team of researchers, instructional designers, and K-12 educators. We are regularly designing and implementing new publicly available PD programs, so we encourage you to sign up for our mailing list if you would be interested in participating in future PD programs.
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Current Projects
CRADLE Lab is currently engaged in two large-scale NSF-funded research projects. “Developing Teachers' Epistemic Cognition and Teaching Practices for Supporting Students' Epistemic Practices with Scientific Systems” (DeTECT) aims to support the development of teachers’ epistemic instructional repertoires to support growth in students’ epistemic knowledge and practices using models of complex systems. “Professional Development Supports for Teaching Bioinformatics through Mobile Learning” aims to promote computational and scientific action in local urban communities through the collection and analysis of bioinformatics data.
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Past Projects
CRADLE Lab has conducted a wide range of research projects funded by NSF, the Milken Foundation, the Lenovo Foundation, and other institutions. These projects include (among many others): BioGraph—Graphical Programming for Constructing Complex Systems Understanding in Biology; BioGraph 2.0—Professional Development for High School Biology Teachers for Teaching and Learning About Complex Systems; App Inventor for Socioscientific Issues to Build Engagement in STEM, and Nanotechnology and Bioengineering in Philadelphia Public Schools; and SPARK—Igniting Interest and Achievement in STEM through Engineering Design.
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Meet the CRADLE Team
Our team is comprised of a motivated group of researchers, K-12 educators, and scientists. We believe that designing the next generation of science curricula and teaching methods relies on centering the voices of practitioners working in diverse real-world contexts. We have partnered with teachers from more than 20 different countries, and we have collaborated with researchers and scientists from MIT, Rutgers, the Philadelphia Zoo, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, among many more. Our team is continuously evolving, and we are always in search of new collaborators.
