Summary of research activities
Completed and planned research, as of November 2026
Research groups and teams
2026–present
LINKer research group, Florida State UniversityMember. LINK (Learning, Inquiry, and Networked Knowledge) is a research-practice partnership that brings together university researchers, graduate students, and K-12 educators to study problems of practice together.
2024–present
Supporting Inclusivity Strategic Team, The POGIL ProjectCo-leader since 2025. Builds learning communities, affinity groups, and professional development for faculty at institutions serving historically marginalized groups.
2023–2026
CUE-T research team (NSF)Co-PI on a multi-institution team studying active learning in online synchronous computing courses
2024
FAMU Scholarship of Teaching and Learning AcademyCohort member
Completed
Scenario-based mastery exams for object-oriented design thinking in CS2
CompletedScholarship of teaching and learning study, Florida A&M University
Developed and studied scenario-based exams that assess object-oriented design thinking in CS2, grounded in schema theory, constructivism, situated cognition, and cognitive load theory.
Active learning in multi-institution online synchronous computing courses (CUE-T)
Completed role2023–2026. NSF, $219,873. PI: Edward Jones. Role: Co-PI.
Studied how active learning strategies can broaden participation in computing when courses are taught synchronously online across institutions. I served as Co-PI through July 24, 2026, when I left FAMU.
Towards AI-enabled tutoring for critical CIS courses
Completed role2023–2026. Northrop Grumman. PI: Mark Weatherspoon. Role: Senior Personnel.
Contributed to a funded project developing AI-enabled tutoring for critical computer and information sciences courses.
Facilitating success: Learning Assistant reflections in POGIL classrooms
PresentedCo-authored poster, National Conference to Advance POGIL Practice, Atlanta, GA, June 2025
Examined what Learning Assistants noticed and learned while supporting student teams in POGIL computer science classes.
Participation analysis for POGIL professional development
Completed2026. The POGIL Project, Supporting Inclusivity Strategic Team
Compared Pop-In attendance by faculty from institutions serving historically marginalized groups with attendance from other institutions. Attendees tended to return, which pointed to recruitment, rather than retention, as the main gap.
Specifications grading: A shift towards mastery-focused assessment
PresentedFAMU EMPOWER Virtual Conference, May 2024
Shared the design and use of specifications grading in my computer science courses.
In progress
AI tasks embedded in POGIL-style computer science activities
In progress2026–2027. With FAMU computer science faculty. Role: co-author.
Studies how students engage with AI tasks placed at designated points in team inquiry, and how those tasks shape reasoning and collaboration. Planned submissions to ACM ICER and the AERA Annual Meeting.
Literature review: self-efficacy, motivation, and AI mediation
In progress2026–2027. Dissertation groundwork, with my advisor, Dr. Secil Caskurlu
Synthesizes research on how AI-mediated support relates to learners' self-efficacy and motivation, to refine research questions and select measures for my dissertation.
Planned
AI & Inquiry Learning: Cultivating Critical Thinkers in an AI-Augmented Classroom
Planned2027. Workshop, University of Florida AI Summit
Introduces faculty and instructional designers to POGIL-style activities that build AI tasks into the inquiry process.
AI-assisted coding of Community of Inquiry presences
Planned2027
Compares how a large language model and trained human coders identify social, cognitive, and teaching presence in online discussions, using agreement statistics such as Cohen's kappa.
ISLT research apprenticeship
PlannedSummer 2027 – Summer 2028. Supervised research (EDF 5910) with an ISLT faculty member
An empirical study, completed as first or second author, leading to a full paper accepted at a peer-reviewed conference or journal before I enroll in dissertation hours.
AI across the inquiry cycle in introductory programming
Planned2027–2028. Action research with FAMU faculty in COP3014C
Examines how students engage with AI across the inquiry cycle and how the instructor redesigns activities and her own role in response.
Dissertation: AI mediation, self-efficacy, and motivation in CS1
Planned2029–2030. In partnership with FSU Department of Computer Science faculty (COP3014)
Investigates how AI-mediated support relates to novice programmers' self-efficacy and motivation.
Submissions in preparation
| Work | Venue | Target | My role |
|---|
| AI tasks in POGIL-style CS activities (paper) | ACM ICER | 2027 | Co-author |
| AI tasks in POGIL-style CS activities (paper or poster) | AERA Annual Meeting | 2027–2028 | Co-author |
| AI & Inquiry Learning (workshop) | UF AI Summit | 2027 | Presenter |
| AI-assisted Community of Inquiry coding (paper) | To be selected with advisor | Late 2027 | Lead author |
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