Research

Research Lab
Advanced Learning Technologies Lab: Link
ALTLab focus: Personalized Learning; Affect and Motivation; Metacognition; Active Physical Learning; Educational Games; Open-Tutor Platforms; Intelligent Pedagogical Agents; and Learning Technologies for the Developing World.

Sponsored Research Projects

  • Sloan Faculty Fellowship Link
    • Grant of $499,972 from the Sloan Foundation to expand and diversify pathways from undergraduate to graduate degrees in computer science and engineering by starting a partnership between UMass Amherst and UMass Boston.
  • Computational Thinking Funds of Knowledge: A Culturally-Relevant Assessment for Early Elementary Students Link 
    • Co-PI: NSF 2122701: Awarded: 09/01/2021; Amount: US$$499,999.00.
  • Fostering Interest in Computer Science & its Applications in Middle School Students Link
    • REBLS Seed Grant; Awarded: 05/10/2021; Amount: US$10,000.
  • Early Research Scholars Program (ERSP) Link
    • Sub- Award from University of California San Diego: NSF 17-590; Awarded: 02/06/2021; Amount: US$20,000.
  • Collaborative Research:CyberTraining: Implementation: Medium:Broadening Adoption of Parallel and Distributed Computing in Undergraduate Computer Science and Engineering Curricula
    • Co-PI: NSF 2017427: Awarded: 07/22/2020; Amount: US$160,006.
  • Collaborative Research:CyberTraining:Conceptualization: Planning a Sustainable Ecosystem for Incorporating Parallel and Distributed Computing into Undergraduate Education
    • Co-PI: NSF 1924023: Awarded 08/17/2019; Amount US$31,765.
  • Collaborative Research:CyberTraining:CDL: Preparing Instructors to Offer Experimental Courses in an Updated PDC Curriculum, and Broadening Participation
    • Co-PI: NSF 1730527: Awarded 06/28/2017; Amount US$367,260.
  • Promotion of Science in Schools: E-Gadget Workshops for Junior High School Students
    • PI: FDCT (Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Ciencias e da Technologia), Macau; Project (No. 039/2013/P; 2012-2013. Amount MOP 243,820.

Other Research Projects

  • Promoting Outreach and Participation in Computer Science (POPinCS)
    • Professional Improvement Fellowship (Fall 2020)
  • ABoLTCS
    • Al Baha Optimizing Learning and Teaching in Computer Science Collaborative project between Uppsala University, Sweden and Al Baha University, Saudi Arabia (2014-2015).
  • CSIICSiS
    • Chinese Students Intercultural Interactions in Computer Science in Sweden, Uppsala University, Sweden. 2011-present.

Research Collaborations

  • ITiCSE working group 2022 – Making Visible and Modeling the Underrepresented: Teachers’ Reflections on Their Role Modeling in Higher Education.
  • ITiCSE working group 2020 – High Performance Computing Education: Current Challenges and Future Directions.
  • ITiCSE working group 2019 – Pass rates in introductory programming and other STEM courses.
  • ITiCSE working group 2017, 2018 – Student engagement in CS courses.
  • Research Collaboration Network (RCN) UMass 2017- Multi-institution research-practitioner network .
  • UMass Institute of Diversity Sciences 2017- Diversity & Disparities in Learning Group.
  • International multi-institutional working group 2016-2017- Achievement goals and study strategies in CS.
  • International multi-institutional working group 2017 – POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning in Introductory CS).
  • International multi-institutional working group 2012-2016 – Research on MOOCs.
  • Koli Calling Working Group, Finland 2011-2014 – Research on CS in schools.

Other Research Interests

  • Computing Education Research
    • How novice students learn introductory object-oriented programming; teaching computing; intercultural interactions, student engagement.
  • Educational Technologies
    • Computing augmented learning management systems, learning objects, visualizations, Web 2.0 tools, MOOCs.
  • Learning and Assessment Taxonomies
    • SOLO, Bloom’s digital taxonomy, matrix taxonomy.
  • Methodological Frameworks for Research
    • Action research, mixed methods, personal construct theory, paradigm pluralism.
  • Pedagogic Theories
    • Variation theory, connectivism, constructive alignment