Learning and Development
Innovative Instruction for All
Our contributions to learning and development are rooted in understanding developmental
processes, innovative new technologies and platforms, and investigations into the
sociological applications needed to serve all students. Instructor understanding and preparation for intersectional communities is paramount to meeting our shared values
of equity and inclusion, and leveraging of AI, XR, and other new technologies is guided
by the same commitments. Below is a rotating selection of our standout investigators in these fields.
○ Recent News and Highlights
○ Related Strength: Artificial Intelligence
○ Related Strength: Emancipatory Education
Selected Publications
Europa, E., et al., (2020). Diagnostic Assessment in Primary Progressive Aphasia: An Illustrative Case Example. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(4).
Felton, M., Middaugh, E. and Fan, H. (2023). Facts don’t speak for themselves: Community norms, dialogue and evidentiary practices in discussions of Covid-19 on Reddit. Public Understanding of Science.
Kulkarni, S., Parmar, J. (2017). Culturally and linguistically diverse student and family perspectives of AAC. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 33(3).
Krishnan, S., (2024). Reframing Teacher Candidates’ Views on Disability through the Writings of Disabled Authors. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities.
Megwalu, A., (2015). Academic social networking: a case study on users’ information behavior. Current Issues in Libraries, Information Science and Related Fields (39).
Sella, F., Slusser, E., Odic, D., Krajcsi, A. (2021). The emergence of children’s natural number concepts: Current theoretical challenges. Child Development Perspectives, 15(4).
Award Highlights
Krishnan, “Project Mosaic” — Department of Education, 2023
Kulkarni, Kim, Powell, “Playing together: Using learning labs to reduce exclusionary discipline for children of color with disabilities” — Spencer Foundation Racial Equity Special Research Grants, 2021
Liu, Eirinaki, Wu, Adair, Burch, "SpartanAI: Elevating Course Design with Faculty and Student-Centric AI Agent" — California Learning Lab AI FAST, 2025
Liu, Wu, Eirinaki, "CollaborAIte: Empowering Faculty to Enhance Belonging, Retention, and Collaborative Learning Skills through AI Literacy Education" — NSF, 2024
Middaugh, Felton, "Enfranchised: Fostering Civic Empowerment in a Digital World." — Dept. of Education, 2023
Rivera, Liu, Stafford, "Virtual Reality-Mediated Representational Tools for Enhancing Mathematical Understanding of Linear Algebra" — NSF, 2023
Slusser, "Lurie College of Education Early Educator Preparation Program" – The David & Lucile Packard Foundation, 2017
Affiliates
CSU Social Science Research and Instructional Center
Healthy Development Community Clinic
Featured Faculty
Li Shen (Jesslyn) Chong
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology, Biological Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Health Psychology,
Health Service Psychology Training
ORCID: 0000-0001-7000-4347
Eduardo Europa
Assistant Professor of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Primary Progressive Aphasia, Dementia, Aphasia, Speech-Language Pathology, Neuroimaging,
Neuroscience, Language, Cognition, Aging, Cultural/Linguistic Diversity, Multilingualism
ORCID: 0000-0003-1226-3193
Mark K. Felton
Professor of Teacher Education
Argumentation, Dialogue, Reasoning, Deliberation, Civic Reasoning and Civic Engagement
ORCID: 0000-0002-6302-2448
Sudha Krishnan
Assistant Professor of Special Education
Inclusion for Individuals with Significant Disabilities, Intersectionality in Inclusion
Factors
ORCID: 0000-0002-5892-1123
Saili S. Kulkarni
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Disability Studies, Teacher Education, Disability Studies Critical Race Theory (DisCrit),
Humanizing/Restorative Practices for Young Children of Color with Disabilities
ORCID: 0000-0001-8133-7980
Yingjie Liu
Director of Digital Learning Strategies
AI in Education, Generative AI, Extended Reality (XR), AI Literacy, Educational Technology
Integration, Digital Learning Innovation, Faculty Development, Inclusive Pedagogy,
Online Learning Quality Assurance, Higher Education, STEM
Emily Slusser
Professor of Child and Adolescent Development
Early Childhood, Conceptual Development, Numerical Reasoning, Program Evaluation,
Math Education, Language Development
ORCID: 0000-0002-9422-8393
Potential collaborators and members of the media may contact us at officeofresearch@sjsu.edu.
