Department of Psychology

---

The Academic Quality (TAQ) Lab

Director: Dr. Lisa C. Duffin

One’s beliefs – or conclusions made about varying states of expectancy – are part of an integrated cognitive system that highly influence behavioral change. However, not all beliefs are equally important and those that are most central to a person are the most resistant to change. In the context of teaching and learning, one’s beliefs can help or hinder the outcome. Thus, my research explores people’s beliefs within a variety of P-16 teaching and learning contexts to help mitigate problem beliefs while strengthening beliefs through targeted intervention to help improve outcomes (e.g., motivation, learning, teaching quality, performance). 

The research agenda of the TAQ Lab is diverse, and I am always interested in new project ideas from students interested in completing CE/Ts, independent studies, and/or graduate theses. Below are some examples of recent projects students in the TAQ Lab have completed:  

• “TGNC Victimization and teacher response: The role of beliefs and policy.”  
• "Educational Psychology in teacher education: Are we reducing beliefs in VAK learning styles?” 
• “An experimental test of an online growth mindset intervention: Challenging college students’ beliefs about VAK learning styles.”  
• “Why do you want to teach? Interpreting STEM pre-service teachers’ motivations through a semantic lens.” 
• “Studying the perceived outcomes of college students who believe they learn in only one way.” 

• “The practice of inquiry instruction in STEM and the power of teacher beliefs.” 
• “Developing the Teacher Sense of Efficacy for Secondary Literacy Instruction Scale.”  
• “Supporting Kentucky Teachers in their Implementation of the Standards: The Power of Teacher Beliefs.”  
• “Beyond information: Building pre-service teachers’ PTSD self-efficacy through PD.”  
• “How do pedagogy and teacher rapport impact college mathematics?” 

• “How does a professional development effect teachers’ beliefs on inquiry instruction in mathematics?” 

If you are interested in working with us or have questions about what we do, please contact Dr. Lisa Duffin at lisa.duffin@wku.edu.