Projects
I explore how to design media to fit how children actually learn--through curiosity, play, and discovery. No matter the medium, I study what turns screen time into learning time.
STEM Learning through VR
Exploring children's learning through community-centered, engaged scholarship
I brought my research to the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity, turning the museum floor into a lab space. As children explored a virtual world designed to help build spatial skills, museum guests got a front-row seat to the scientific process in action.
Free Choice + Learning
Testing preschool learning through choice-driven play
In an eight-week study with LingoKids and a local preschool, we tested a simple question: does giving children choice in educational games support school readiness? The short answer--yes!
Teens, Feeds, and Feelings
How executive function shapes teens' responses to distressing content online
In a three-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study, funded by the Susan Crown Exchange, teenagers reported on their social media use and well-being. We explored how executive functions predict exposure and response to upsetting content. Here we take a closer look at how cognitive control shapes digital vulnerability during adolescence.
