Amy Ogan

I look at how culturally-relevant technology can aid student learning and teacher practice (and also how virtual learning environments can be used for learning in the domain of intercultural communication!). Generally, development and evaluation of artificial intelligence-based systems has been limited to WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) places. However, the implicit values and practices embedded in these systems may not conform to the cultural norms of other contexts. Given the opportunities for cheap dissemination of software worldwide, it is important that these systems are designed appropriately to be maximally effective across cultures and socioeconomic status. My lab investigates the deployment of ed tech in sites including schools in Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, the Philippines and Belgium, working with local researchers and school districts. Through observation, interviews, learning assessments, and log data, we explore perceptions and use of these systems. This research identifies key design and operational attributes of educational systems designed for a global scale. Our goal is to re-imagine these technologies to respond to diversity in cultural and socioeconomic contexts.

Virtual agents can put a "human touch" on educational technology through conversation that supports learning. A carefully designed agent can create an experience that is engaging, meaningful, and social - qualities that students rarely use to describe today's computer-aided learning systems. However, a truly effective agent must do more than just present appropriate educational feedback. As with a teacher or peer, developing a personal connection through the understanding and expression of social behaviors is of chief importance. By understanding how humans do this, we can develop digital learning companions with accurate models of behavior to sustain long-term interpersonal and pedagogical relationships with learners.

Every year millions of Americans attend college in pursuit of a better life. For years, research has shown that moving away from large lectures and increasing student engagement and participation in classrooms significantly improves learning and broader learning outcomes. However, most colleges still rely on lectures where students passively receive information from a professor. My lab addresses this systemic problem through the development of a new genre of technology: smart professional development tools. This suite consists of an interconnected set of systems that support instructors in acquiring new, beneficial teaching practices that will support student engagement and learning through the provision of near-real-time classroom data. Our system draws on technical and socio-technical advances in sensing, computer vision, machine learning, intelligent environments, and personal informatics, as well as frameworks of professional development in higher education.