Learning Sciences Programs?

[McPsychy]

What is the general consensus with Learning Sciences (LS)? I will be attending an Educational Psychology/Human Development Ph.D. program in the fall and in the department there is a Learning Science "track" (similar to my Human Development track). Is anyone on the forum in a Learning Sciences program? What are your experiences?

 

I ask this because I have an interest in games and learning, esp. in younger children, which is a focus of a couple faculty in Learning Sciences at the school where I mostly likely will accept an admissions offer from. After speaking to some of the professors, it seems to be a great way to combine my interest in child development/parenting with a focus on how children learn and improving the methods and resources to facilitate learning (I come from a school psychology program). I didn’t know about these types of programs and after doing some research sounds like an awesome field. I feel this is a great avenue to focus on with the increase of technology usage by children in and out of the classroom. I have thought of possible careers outside of academia also after my Ph.D. if I don't become a professor, like as a user researcher with a toy company or toy development in industry. Thoughts?

[RandiZ]

You're speaking my language here. I'm attracted to, and was just accepted by a program in Learning Sciences for many of the same reasons you list. And yes, they all seem to take on a slightly different personality. Some are more design oriented. Some focus on qualitative research. Others are very quantitative. While still others are more into literacy/language.

 

Based on my interests and strengths, I focused on departments that have more than one person doing Learning Sciences and people with science ed backgrounds, even better if someone was in the Earth sciences. I also wanted someone who had already started and received funding for their research, as nascent as it may be. After that, I focused on who funds their students and immediately crossed Teacher's College of the list. Then it was located near a major airport, which dropped U of Wisconsin off the list, but I'm totally going to follow Kurt Squire around online and hopefully at conferences. Etc, etc.

 

I'm thinking the same as you on life after PhD. University, think tank, publisher, government agency, toy company, whatever. I kind of don't care as long as I'm researching and helping to develop fun technology for kids to learn science. And, I'm not talking about what I think is fun, but what real kids think is fun.

[McPsychy]

Awesome to hear someone with similar interests!!! My school psych background really lead to this area of interests as I felt I really wasn't helping children learn with interventions and all the testing I did (or impacting the way I thought I would).

 

I've found my interests really are more toward helping improve the "tools" educators use and items in and out of school that helps learning (toys, games, etc.). What program are you attending next year RandiZ? You can PM me if you would like.

[renforu]

What departments offer such a program and what are leading programs in this field?

[RandiZ]

What departments offer such a program and what are leading programs in this field?

As with all other graduate level research, look at the references in the papers that most move you intellectually. Where those researchers are or have been is where you want to be. That is the most specific I can be because the names of the departments and in which schools they are in varies widely by school. As for the leading programs in the field, that will again be determined by your interests.

[renforu]

thanks to you for your response. Do you have familiarity with this field? I looked on APA website but it seems to not have information in that field of Learning Sciences but I would hope to have an understanding of what type of jobs exist in industry. Do you know what is the main source for information in Learning Sciences? THANKS

[renforu]

As with all other graduate level research, look at the references in the papers that most move you intellectually. Where those researchers are or have been is where you want to be. That is the most specific I can be because the names of the departments and in which schools they are in varies widely by school. As for the leading programs in the field, that will again be determined by your interests.

thanks to you for your response. Do you have familiarity with this field? I looked on APA website but it seems to not have information in that field of Learning Sciences but I would hope to have an understanding of what type of jobs exist in industry. Do you know what is the main source for information in Learning Sciences? THANKS

[wildviolet]

LS is an exciting field. Even though I'm not technically in a LS program, I'm interested in LS and anything could count as LS as long as the focus is on learning. If you browse through Journal of the Learning Sciences, you'll see lots of different topics. In my opinion, since it's still an emerging field (albeit with some well-established folks and programs, like the one at Northwestern), I think there's still room for junior scholars to carve out a niche.

[wildviolet]

thanks to you for your response. Do you have familiarity with this field? I looked on APA website but it seems to not have information in that field of Learning Sciences but I would hope to have an understanding of what type of jobs exist in industry. Do you know what is the main source for information in Learning Sciences? THANKS

 

This is a good place to start.

 

http://www.isls.org/index.html?CFID=62943736&CFTOKEN=92416731