Principal Investigator
Prof. Adam Dubé
Adam Kenneth Dubé is an Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and Associate Dean — Academic Programs for the Faculty of Education at McGill University. He is the McGill Faculty of Education Distinguished Teacher award recipient, the head of the Technology, Learning, & Cognition Lab (mcgill.ca/tlc), and a joint Fellow of the American Educational Research Association and the Society of Research in Child Development in middle childhood education and development. He investigates and teaches how educational technology augments the learning process and collaborates with industry leaders (Ubisoft) to design educational technologies as well as guides for their use. His work on the use of tablet computers in education is published in the book “Understanding tablets from early childhood to adulthood: Encounters with touch technology.” His work on the use and design of effective educational technology informs his contribution to the UNESCO-MGIEP “Industry guidelines on digital learning.” When he is not in the lab, he can be found cycling around Montréal, kayaking the canal, walking up Mount Royal, or attending a festival in the city.
Graduate Students
Chu Xu
I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology (ECP), Learning Sciences program at McGill University. I am interested in using digital games to facilitate learning, especially for the influences of complex simulation/adventure games on the cognitive strategies/processes during learning. My long-term goal is to explore the full potentials of digital games in learning and to contribute to a more beneficial gaming world for young students.
Degree(s):
Master of Science, Fundamental Psychology, Beijing Normal University (China)
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Beijing Normal University (China)
Contact:
chu.xu2 [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, Twitter
Armaghan Montazami
I am a PhD candidate in Learning Sciences Program at Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University. My research interest is to investigate and understand how educational apps aimed at young children are designed and created; through studying the pedagogical approaches app developers use to design their apps and comparing how these approaches are manifested in the actual apps.
Degree(s):
M.A. in Learning Sciences Program at Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University
B.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) at Tehran Azad University
Contact:
armaghan.montazami [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, Twitter
Robin Sharma
I am a PhD candidate in Learning Sciences program. I am interested in curricular integration of video games as learning tools. My research revolves around the design of digital games to enhance adolescents’ understanding of mathematics, specifically geometry. I recently collaborated with Ubisoft to create teacher curriculum guides for their award-winning Discovery Tour games. Previously, I have taught high school mathematics, developed curriculum guides, and designed learning experiences around commercial and serious games.
Degree(s):
M.Sc. Mathematics Education, University of Delhi and Jamia Millia Islamia
B.Sc. (Hons) Mathematics, University of Delhi
Contact:
robin.sharma [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), LinkedIn, Website
Heather Pearson
I am a PhD candidate in the Learning Sciences program at the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University. My research interests include parents’ and educators’ selection and use of educational apps, enhancing digital literacy skills in elementary students, and how 3D printers can be leveraged as a tool to support self-directed learning skills in adolescents. I am interested in conducting school-based research with educational technology to enhance student learning outcomes.
Degree(s):
M.Ed. in Learning Sciences Program at Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University
B.A. in Psychology, McGill University
Contact:
heather.pearson [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, Twitter, LinkedIn
Chengyi (Tania) Tan
I am a PhD candidate in the Learning Sciences program at Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University. I got my Master's degree in Educational Psychology (Learning Sciences) in the same department in 2021. I am currently co-supervised by Dr. Adam Dubé, and Dr. Susanne Lajoie. My research interests include examining the monetization mechanisms of video games (e.g., Roblox) and how it relates to the popularity of games. Further, I am interested in exploring medical students' emotions with multimodal data in simulated learning environments.
Degree(s):
M.Ed. in Educational Psychology (Learning Sciences), McGill University
B.A. in English Literature, Northwest A&F University (China)
Contact:
chengyi.tan [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), LinkedIn
Nandini Asavari Bharadwaj
I am a PhD candidate in the Learning Sciences program at the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University. My research interests are in educational technology, digital learning environments and artificial intelligence in education. My interdisciplinary research investigates the impact of digital assistant (E.g. Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri) use on children’s theories of artificial minds. Specifically, how children interact and learn with digital assistants, how they perceive the affordances of these technologies and how these perceptions impact understanding of intelligent technologies. Previously, I have professional experience in secondary school teaching and organizational learning in Bangalore, India.
Degree(s):
M.A. in Learning Sciences Program at Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Canada
B.A. (Hons) in Cognitive Science, York University, Canada
B.A. (Hons) in English Literature, Lady Shriram College, University of Delhi, India
Contact:
nandini.bharadwaj [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), Twitter, LinkedIn
Jie Gao
I am a PhD student pursuing the Learning Sciences Program in the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University. My research focuses on educational technology (data science & artificial intelligence), e-learning, and adaptive learning. I have been an educational data specialist for 5 years, supporting many education companies & organizations (McGraw Hill, Read to Lead, Moonshot Academy, LingoAce, etc.) in the U.S. and China. Beyond that, I founded Data Science and Education Association in Teachers College, Columbia University. I also founded an EdTech community named TizEdTech (a member of AWS EdStart) to support 1500+ educators and 5000+ followers.
Degree(s):
M.S in Learning Analytics at Teachers College, Columbia University, U.S.A
Contact:
jie.gao3 [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), Twitter, LinkedIn
Rasel Babu
I am a PhD student of Learning Sciences program at the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology of McGill University. Use of educational technology in classrooms is my area of interest. Particularly, I will explore the readiness of secondary level teachers to integrate educational technologies in their teaching-learning activities within the school system. My recent publication focuses on university teachers’ readiness of online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have over ten years’ experience of conducting education research in the primary and secondary education sectors of Bangladesh. My research had been published in the form of journal articles, reports, and book chapter. Additionally, I have taught the B.Ed and M.Ed students in universities in Bangladesh.
Degree(s):
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in English Language Education, University of Dhaka
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instructional Technology, University of Dhaka
Bachelor of Education (Hons) in Science Education, University of Dhaka
Contact:
rasel.babu [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate
Emma Liptrot
I am an MA student in the Learning Sciences program at the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology. I am interested in understanding how educational games can be used effectively in a classroom environment. I want to improve students’ learning outcomes in school by exploring how students learn from educational games and helping teachers to implement them effectively in their classroom.
Degree(s):
B.A in Psychology at Queen’s University, Canada
B.Ed at Queen’s University, Canada
Contact:
emma.liptrot [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), Twitter, LinkedIn
Alumnus
Dr. Run Wen
I completed my PhD in Educational Psychology (Learning Sciences) at McGill University.My research focuses on the use of emerging technologies to improve individual's learning experience and learning outcomes. My doctoral thesis investigated the impact of educational games on children’s math performance and attitudes towards math. Through systematic reviews, meta-analysis, measurement development, and empirical studies, my research provides important insights and practical guidance for designing effective educational games that promote better learning outcomes. My future research aims to continue explore the impacts of emergent technologies on math learning with a focus on digital educational games, AI-supported learning, and learning analytics.
Degree(s):
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, McGill University, Canada
M.Ed. in Information and Communication Technology in Education, The University of Hong Kong
B.A. in Public Relations & Advertising, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College
Contact:
run.wen [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, Twitter
Dr. Gulsah Kacmaz
I hold a PhD in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Learning Sciences from McGill University and currently involved as an assistant professor to the Bartin University. During my PhD, I developed and validated a scale designed to examine teachers' usage of scaffolding strategies in the context of game-based learning (GBL). Additionally, my research also explored the potential relationship between teachers' familiarity with games and their implementation of scaffolding strategies in GBL. Further, I conducted a meta-analysis to gain insights into the impact of different types of educational math games on students' math learning outcomes. My forthcoming research goal is to create targeted professional development programs for pre/in service educators, focusing on enhancing their proficiency in integrating and effectively utilizing educational technology tools in their classrooms. These initiatives aim to augment teachers' technological knowledge and skills, ultimately fostering more effective technology-driven teaching practices.
Degree(s):
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, McGill University, Canada
M.Ed. in Educational Psychology, McGill University
B.A. in Education, Gazi University, Turkey
Contact:
gulsah.kacmaz [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, Twitter
Daniel Gomez
I completed my M.Ed. in Educational Psychology (Learning Sciences) at McGill University. My interests are in digital game-based learning and the design and user experience (UX) of different edtech. I investigated teachers’ UX of curriculum guides for Ubisoft’s Discovery Tour games, developed by our lab. I collaborated with lab colleagues to study teachers’ previous knowledge of game-based learning, digital-self efficacy, and UX of the curriculum guides, examining their impact on acceptance of digital game-based learning with Discovery Tour. Previously, I have taught secondary social studies, created educational content for edtech companies, and worked for Indiana’s Migrant Education Program in supporting migrant students close the achievement gap between migrant and non-migrant students.
Degree(s):
M.Ed. Educational Psychology: Learning Sciences, McGill University
B.Sc. Social Studies Education, Indiana University
Contact:
daniel.gomez2 [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), LinkedIn, Twitter
Dr. Sabrina Shajeen Alam
I completed my PhD in Educational Psychology (Learning Sciences) at McGill University. My research interest is to find out the impact of educational technology on numerical understanding. During my graduate study, I proposed a conceptual model of home numeracy which includes the digital aspects of the home mathematics environment. I also constructed and validated a scale "the digital home numeracy practice inventory or DHNP-i", a unique measure of home mathematics practices that aid children’s mathematics learning. Furthermore, I have experience on designing and developing a theoretically driven educational app. My future research goal is to explore the technological devices as learning tools for children’s fundamental mathematical concepts and processes, both in formal and informal settings.
Degree(s):
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, McGill University, Canada
MS in Psychology, University of Chittagong (Bangladesh)
B.Sc. in Psychology, University of Chittagong (Bangladesh)
Contact:
sabrina.alam [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, Twitter, LinkedIn
Dr. Aishwarya Nair
I completed my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (Human Development) from the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill University. My doctoral thesis explored the effect of reading comprehension intervention in improving math word problem performance in elementary grade children. My interests lie in academic support for students, as well as curriculum development and pedagogical support for teachers & instructors. I have experience as an academic support TA, reading specialist, and wellness & learning strategies specialist in India and Canada. Currently, I work with the Pedagogical Support & Innovation (PSI) team at Vanier College, Montreal, as a Pedagogical Counsellor (Research Analyst & Academic Programs).
Degree(s):
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, McGill University, Canada
M.A in Applied Psychology, University of Delhi (South Campus), India
B.A (Hons) Psychology, University of Delhi, India
Contact:
aishwarya.nair [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), ResearchGate, LinkedIn
Dr. Courtney Denton
I completed my PhD in Educational Psychology (Learning Sciences) at McGill University. During my doctoral research, I developed and implemented trainings to help adults evaluate the quality of information on the internet. I have a background in program evaluation, and I enjoy designing learning experiences for learners of all ages. Currently, I lead skill-building workshops and support students as a Learning Success Facilitator at University Canada West.
Degree(s):
PhD in Educational Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
MA in Cognitive Studies in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
BA in Sociology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA, USA
Contact:
courtney.dentonhurlbut [at] mail.mcgill.ca (Email), LinkedIn
Yang Lu
I was a graduate student studying in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology (ECP), Educational Psychology program at McGill. I worked on a project to develop a math game application which is both fun and challenging. As an enthusiastic psychology student working in the educational field, I am highly interested in developing educational games for math learning and the intervention methods for building resilience. In short, I believe every student should have the opportunity to learn in a positive climate and technology has so much potential to make it possible!
Degree(s):
B.A. in English Literature& Language Education at Hangzhou Teachers College
Contact:
Yaxi Zhao
I am an M.A. graduate in Educational Psychology at McGill University, currently designing and developing an educational video game to teach 5th-7th graders basic algebra using Area Model. This project aims to investigate educational game creation process, and inform educators, game designers, and other stakeholders for future ed-game development. Personally, I have a passion in serious games, educational technologies, and learning/user experience. Learning should be fun, so do many other facets of life.
Contacts: