How should we grow the sciences of adult learning and academic progress?

Research on algorithms and other technologies my lab develops are geared towards adapting pathways from high school through to employment. Interested in the partnerships that can be made through this seminar series and complexities that can be surfaced.

I have recently started (and in some cases completed) research projects related to microcredentialing and stackable credentials and am interested in the role these programs will play in bridging higher education and industry going forward. I also have previous research experience on the role and effectiveness of prior learning assessments on credential/ degree attainment.

I have expertise in cognitive science and educational psychology, with a focus on how people learn. I am particularly interested in the conditions under which people transfer their learnings from one context to another. This is a huge issue because it is very difficult for most learners to transfer their knowledge to novel contexts. It is also a huge issue in workplace learning because professional development and other trainings often do not transfer or transfer poorly to real-life work tasks. Right now I'm undertaking a study of early-career oncologists to explore whether and how they transfer and adapt principles from a course on learning sciences into their own teaching in the workplace.

I have two relevant interests: First, I regularly teach and mentor working educators who are seeking professional degrees in educational leadership. I plan to draw upon these conversations to help think about how I might help design programs and educational opportunities that better serve these students. Second, my research revolves particularly around K-12 education and the link between educational policy and practice and social inequality. I am very interested in learning more about the ways K-12 schools are engaging with working learners and developing research agendas to evaluate and advance that engagement.

My contributions will come from a perspective of holistic learning needs of adults, especially during times of transition and challenge. My research focus is on transformative learning, which I have used in studies with cancer survivors, military veterans, community college students from historically underserved backgrounds, and migrants. I also focus on holistic learning needs related to participation in democratic society.

I would like to learn from colleagues at other institutions about their approaches to support working learners. Where applicable, I would be interested in connecting on joint projects, research opportunities, etc.

I do research and writing on the Science of Workplace Instruction, blending what we know from the Science of Learning and the Science of Training to support better instructional processes in organizations. I also have interests in workforce development and the career development within organizations. A critical issue for the group to continually assess is the extent to which best practices in instructional design do and do not transfer across different research disciplines. As one example, many researchers have advocated for age-specific training principles for older (>50) workers, but there is more compelling evidence that sound instructional principles work are comparably effective for adult learners of all ages.

Identify cost reduction strategies in higher education: -Microcredentials -Degree transferability -Predictive Analytics for Degree Completion -Retention/Course persistence interventions

Want to understand and make connections between this work and other efforts- shared goals, divergent strategies, etc. Always trying to keep an eye on the big picture.

I am interested in empowering leaners to understand and use digital technology in ways that enrich their lives. This can include professional advancement - I've developed and taught a pro ed program for close to 20 years - as well as basic understanding of formerly "advanced" concepts like machine learning, cybersecurity. and web tracking and customization that affect many of us every day. (I'd be glad to frame some of these issues, contribute background CS, etc.) A second current interest is how the pandemic is changing individuals, society, and the world economy. This includes acceleration of digital transformation in many sectors, along with likely shifts in autonomy, power and wealth. (I'd be glad to help summarize how AI is advancing and changing the nature of work, how digital transformation affects various industries, what learners might want to learn to be successful in the future, etc.)

I'm especially interested in the final question around systems that could be built to observe, measure, and compare gains. I'm also interested in understanding how financial structures influence responses to the six big questions. Thank you for the invitation!

Finding clarity, a shared agenda, co-conspirators. My hope is that we can eliminate some of the duplication and waste of chasing down the same information that's already known, and focus our energies together on the most promising actions to be taken.

Translating science of learning, memory, and attention to real-world learning problems, including workforce learning and performance.