Students' cognitions when using an instructional CD for introductory thermodynamics

We collected "think-aloud" protocols and questionnaire data in order to examine students' cognitions while using an instructional CD for introductory thermodynamics. Science majors, who had not previously taken a thermodynamics course, worked with the CD, and while doing so, provided spoken comments on what they were doing and thinking. The data were used to evaluate students' levels of background knowledge, their metacognitive abilities, and the usability of the CD. Furthermore, the students filled out a questionnaire in which they compared using the CD to using a textbook and notes, provided information about the comprehension strategies they used for the CD, textbook, and lecture notes, and made suggestions for improving the CD. Additional data from science students suggests a need to make the CD more effective in engaging metacognitive processing.