Education

What is Learning Informatics?

Learning Informatics as an interdisciplinary area is situated at the intersection of the Learning Sciences, Cognitive Science, Information Science, and Computer Science.

Broadly speaking, Learning Informatics is interested in two fundamental areas:

  1. The investigation of information processes in today’s learning ecologies. Examples include computational research of digital trace data generated by teaching and learning; embodied cognition in games or mixed reality; and personal and collective sense-making in social media environments.
  2. The design and engineering of information systems to support learning in formal and informal settings. Examples include learning analytic tools that provide information to augment instructor decision-making; digital platforms for students’ collaborative sense-making; and new media for algorithmic bias detection in today’s information landscape.

Graduate Certificates

While conducting ground-breaking research in these areas, the Learning Informatics Lab is offering two graduate certificates in its affiliated departments to introduce graduate students into the exciting area of Learning Informatics.