About me
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). My research group (CoDeS Lab) conducts research to understand how children learn in a complex and dynamic digital media environment.
My work focuses on four aspects including (1) examining the impact of media on learning, (2) characterizing individual and contextual differences that moderate or mediate media effects, (3) identifying cognitive mechanisms underlying media-based learning, and (4) connecting computational modeling, data analytics, and digital technology to describe and predict this learning. To tackle these questions, I employ multiple methods such as experiments, individual difference measures, eye-tracking, and computational and machine learning approaches. My goal is to connect cognitive development and media technology to explain and support children’s learning. My current research focuses on children’s curiosity and exploration in the context of interactive media technology.