The mission of the Center for Educational Informatics (CEI) is to design, develop, and investigate next-generation learning technologies. With a focus on personalized learning for K-12 STEM education, CEI creates adaptive learning technologies for classrooms, homes, and museums.

CEI projects span a wide spectrum of advanced learning technology research and development. They range from foundational research on technology-enabled learning to creating innovative personalized learning technologies and investigating the impact of technology-rich learning at scale.

  • Learning Technology Innovation: We design and develop next-generation adaptive learning environments. With a focus on personalized learning, we create innovative enabling technologies for learner-adaptive education. Research thrusts range from intelligent game-based learning environments and affective computing to virtual humans for learning and teaching, computational models of interactive narrative, and natural language tutorial dialogue.
  • Technology-Rich Learning Research: We conduct foundational research on technology-rich learning. With a focus on K-12 STEM education, we conduct both lab-based and classroom-based studies to understand 1) how students learn with adaptive learning technologies, and 2) how to design the next generation of learning technologies that create the most engaging learning experiences with the highest levels of achievement.
  • Learning Environment Development & Implementation: We create advanced learning environments for a broad array of student populations, content areas, and target applications. With curricular coverage including the physical and biological sciences, computer science, literacy, and healthcare, we develop learning environments and support multi-platform implementations in K-12 schools, colleges, universities, museums, as well as health clinics.

CEI research is driven by the vision of ubiquitous, adaptive learning environments that tailor learning interactions to the abilities and interests of individual students. We investigate advanced learning environments for a wide array of student populations, content areas, and applications. With a portfolio of broadly interdisciplinary projects, we pursue an R&D program with the overarching objective of making transformative advances in technology-rich learning.