Computing Education Research Lab @ MSU

The Computing Education Research Lab (CERL) at Michigan State University studies how undergraduate students learn to use computation as a tool for doing science — and what shapes their experience along the way. Our work sits at the intersection of computing, disciplinary learning, and student affect, with a particular focus on students who encounter computation for the first time outside of traditional computer science courses.

Our research draws on a range of methods, including qualitative interviews, social network analysis, natural language processing, and assessment development, to investigate questions about how students think, problem-solve, and develop confidence with computational tools. We also work directly on curriculum design, bringing research findings back into the classroom to improve student outcomes and promote more equitable and inclusive learning environments.

CERL is housed in the Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, but is an interdisciplinary collaboration spanning the College of Natural Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Education at MSU. The lab includes faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates working together on projects that range from foundational questions about student cognition to applied curriculum development and community outreach.