Positions Available: 1

We aim to characterize the role of inner speech in students during mechanistic and structure elucidation problems. With the characterization of the role that inner speech plays, we hope to uncover what types of inner speech successful students employ while solving problems and determine if it differs from students who face challenges in solving these types of problems. We want to better understand how students use inner speech to reduce the switch cost associated with answering problems that cross the submicroscopic and symbolic domains in chemistry. Additionally, we want to gain insight into the developmental role of inner speech in organic chemistry students to determine if it mimics the developmental role of inner speech in children.

This project will be conducted under the guidance of Dr. Kaitlyn Towle, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Sciences at MacEwan University.

Phase 1 of this project will focus on developing and testing the research methodology that will be used to assess the level and types of inner speech in introductory organic chemistry students.

Throughout this project your duties and roles may include, but is not limited to:

• Literature searches to find analogous inner speech studies in children.
• Testing forms of experience sampling (may include creating audio recordings of your own thought process).
• Developing questionnaires and converting them to a digital format on Qualtrics

This phase of the project is expected to take 80-hours to complete over 6-8-weeks. This project will start as soon as a suitable candidate is found. The majority of project work in this phase can be done remotely.

The student will work closely with Dr. Kaitlyn Towle, who is available for questions. The research assistant will provide weekly progress reports (either verbally or written). Any problems or issues that arise will be addressed through collaboration with the student and Dr. Towle.

Types of supports that will be included

• access to examples of studies that monitor inner speech
• access to Qualtrics survey platform