My research has focused on using novel technologies for education and understanding how people use media and technology to learn and teach. Collaborating with PhD prepared researchers, I have explored teaching and learning practices across all age groups (children, adolescents, middle-school, high-school, and adults). Concurrent to my teaching role at the CDM, I had 3 postdoctoral fellowships. These fellowships focused on innovative technologies for education within virtual spaces. I have continued to work with these researchers. Recently, we conducted a study with BC technology education teachers and the pedagogical shift to remote teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, I have been awarded a SSHRC Insight Development Grant as a co-applicant. This study is about creating a serious game in STEM for middle school students to evaluate formative assessment practices.
With a focus on applied research, I continue to explore the role of curriculum and pedagogy across various media and technology educational settings.
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My current research interests include: storytelling; media studies; entertainment; immersive technologies (virtual/augmented/mixed/extended reality); digital learning and curriculum; design studies; design and technology; agile methodolgoies; educational technologies; film studies; research design and method; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM); curriculum studies research; and pedagogical approaches to instruction.
Awards
| SSHRC: Agency for Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments [435-2022-0880] Investigator | 399,003 | 2022-2027 |
| SFU Teaching and Learning Grant (Primary Investigator) | 5,000 | 2021 |
| Designing for People student showcase – Highest impact award (Supervisor) | 300 | 2021 |
| Bard on the Beach Volunteer of the Year | n/a | 2019 |
| SCORE: Strengthening the Core fund for innovation (SFU) (Primary Invesitgator) | 5,000 | 2019 |
| Niantic Developer Contest | 75,000 | 2019 |
| Vancouver UX awards Student Division (Co-Supervisor) | n/a | 2018 |
| Mitacs Accelerate Postdoctoral Grant | 15,000 | 2018 |
| Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WWEST) (Co-Investigator) | 2,500 | 2017 |
| UBC Michael Smith Laboratories (Co-Investigator) | 2,500 | 2017 |
| Wendy K. Sutton Early Childhood Literacy Award | 1,500 | 2017 |
| UBC Curriculum and Pedagogy Department Travel Grant Award | 250 | 2017 |
| UBC Graduate Student Travel Grant Award #6579 | 500 | 2016 |
| UBC Faculty of Education Graduate Award #6438 | 13,354 | 2014-2016 |