Yuxin Chen, Ph.D.

Education

Ph.D., Learning Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 2023
M.A., Educational Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 2015
B.A., English, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China, 2013

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching takes place through a dynamic and reciprocal interaction between students and teachers via a growing, creative, and communicative process. I believe that pedagogy should be guided by theories and adapted via reflective teaching practices. I see myself taking the role of facilitator to provide guidance, stimulate thinking, promote democratic discourse, and gradually withdraw my assistance when students become self-directed and responsible learners. I see each student as an independent thinker and competent learner who comes from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, may provide unique views and insights, and will become responsible citizens, educators, researchers, and future leaders of our society.

Research

My research explores student learning in technology-enhanced settings across K-12 and medical education, emphasizing the fostering of inquiry-based learning, facilitation of small group collaborations, and enhancement of teacher facilitation and orchestration skills through pedagogical innovation and the use of visualization presentations. As a mixed-methods researcher, I employ a variety of methods to examine the multifaceted aspects of learning and teaching. For instance, I employ interaction analysis to examine group dynamics and social knowledge construction, along with utilizing trace data for analyzing user behavior patterns in digital learning environments. Beginning my new career in the south, I am committed to advancing design-based research and design-based implementation research, targeting practical, localized challenges, and fostering collaborations with diverse stakeholders. My aim is to not only contribute the university but also bridge the divide between research and practice, serving the broader southern community.

Outreach

I am a reviewer for the American Educational Research Association, the International Society of the Learning Sciences, and Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal.

Biography

Originally from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China, my journey in education started at Tianjin Normal University. There, amidst the rise of MOOCs in the early 2010s, I found myself drawn to the potential of technology in education. This interest led me to the United States, where I earned a master’s in educational psychology from the University of Iowa. In my Ph.D. studies at Indiana University, under the mentorship of Dr. Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver, I focused on using learning theories to inform and design innovative learning experiences, fostering multi-level interactions among people, tools, and environments in complex learning contexts. Outside of academia, I have diverse interests. I am an avid podcast listener, often with EarPods in, day and night. My musical tastes lean towards indie music that blends rock, electronic, and jazz elements. Additionally, I enjoy adventures with my dog, Chubby, and we have encountered a variety of wildlife here in the South, ranging from frogs and armadillos to lizards and foxes. Life is short but enriching, and I try to make sense of it each day.

Courses

EPY-351 Human Growth and Development
EPY-502 Psychological Principles of Learning
ISD-641 Performance Systems Technology