I am an associate professor in the Learning, Design, and Technology program in the College of Education at the Pennsylvania State University. My program of research is predicated on the idea that higher-order collaborative processes are essential for learning and development, yet largely missing from traditional learning contexts. I believe that the development of collaborative expertise (i.e., the ability to understand, manage, and improve collaborative learning processes) is essential to academic and life-long success. However, this type of development does not come easily to students. For these reasons, I have used technology to develop students’ collaborative expertise alongside Human-Centered Design knowledge and practices. My aim is also to enhance learners’ ability to see themselves as problem solvers and designers so as to become more informed producers and consumers of technology.
Active Collaborators (over the last five years): Jasmine Mena, Emma Mercier, Rebecca Passonneau, Koraly Pérez-Edgar, Matthew McCrudden, Carolyn Rosé, Todd Shimoda, Brian Smith, Janet Van Hell, and Allan Wagner.
Areas of Interest and Expertise: Computer-supported collaborative learning, sociometacognition, multicultural collaborative competence, design-based research methods, human-centered educational design, the design and evaluation of technological tools to enhance collective thinking processes and support learning communities.