research interests

I study Human-Computer Interaction and more specifically, designing and evaluating intelligent tutoring systems that facilitate student learning and provide insight into how students learn. I am particularly interested in applying instructional principles like self-explanation to new and novel domains. Other research interests include student motivation, designing technological tools for teachers and applications of Data Mining and Machine Learning in Education.

education

Ph.D., Human-Computer Interaction, expected graduation 2011
Human-Computer Interaction Institute, School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Advisors: Kenneth Koedinger, Teruko Mitamura

M.S., Human-Computer Interaction, Spring 2008
Human-Computer Interaction Institute, School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University

B.A. (Highest Honors) Cognitive Science, Spring 2003
University of California, Berkeley
Cognitive Psychology Concentration
Minors: Computer Science, Education

professional experience

Graduate Research Assistant. Human-Computer Interaction Institute. Carnegie Mellon University. Advisors: Kenneth Koedinger, Teruko Mitamura. Fall 2005 – present

Teaching Assistant. Carnegie Mellon University. Cognitive Modeling and Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Fall 2008.

Teaching Assistant. Carnegie Mellon University. Human-Computer Interaction Methods.
Fall 2007.

High School English as a Foreign Language Teacher. Shima High School. Isobe, Japan. Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (JET). August 2003 – August 2005.

Intern. Sun Microsystems. Professional Services Global Training. June 2001 – June 2003.

Undergraduate Research Assistant. Shimamura Memory Lab. University of California, Berkeley. Fall 2002 – Spring 2003.

Undergraduate Research Assistant. Disability Studies at Cal. University of California, Berkeley. 
Fall 2001.

Volunteer Teaching Assistant. Washington Elementary School. Berkeley Unified School District. 
Spring 2000.

service

Conference Organizing Committee Member. Inter-Science of Learning Center 2009.
Spring 2008 – Spring 2009.

Student Representative to the Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center Executive Committee.
Fall 2006 – Fall 2008

Ombudsman. Human-Computer Interaction Institute.
Fall 2007 – Fall 2009

Mentor. Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center Summer School.
Summers 2007, 2008, 2009

Member of Student Leadership Team for the Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center.
Fall 2006 – Fall 2008

Member of Women in School of Computer Science. Carnegie Mellon University.
Fall 2005 – present

Mentor. Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Berkeley, California.
October 1999 – May 2000.

publications

Refereed Conference Papers

Wylie, R., Koedinger, K., and Mitamura, T. (2010) Analogies, Explanation, and Practice: Examining how task types affect second language grammar learning. Tenth International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems. pdf

Wylie, R., Koedinger, K., and Mitamura, T. (to appear) Extending the Self-Explanation Effect to Second Language Grammar Learning. International Conference of the Learning Sciences. pdf

Wylie, R., Koedinger, K., and Mitamura, T. (2009) Is Self-Explanation Always Better? The Effects of Adding Self-Explanation Prompts to an English Grammar Tutor. Cognitive Science. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. July 29 – August 1, 2009. pdf

Wylie, R., and Shih, B. (2009) Active vs Passive Training for Educational Software. Cognitive Science. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. July 29 – August 1, 2009. pdf

Refereed Workshop/Student Papers

Wylie, R., Koedinger, K., and Mitamura, T. (2009) Self-Explaining Language: Effects of Adding Self-Explanation Prompts to an ESL Grammar Tutor. European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). August 25 – 29, 2009.

Hallinen, N., Walker, E., Wylie, R., Ogan, A., and Jones, C. (2009) I was playing when I learned: A Narrative Game for French Aspectual Distinctions. Workshop Proceedings on Intelligent Educational Games at the 14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Brighton, England. July 6-10, 2009.

Ogan, A., Roll, I., Walker, E., and Wylie, R. Using CTAT (the Cognitive Tutor Authoring Tools) to Develop Intelligent Tutoring Systems through Example-Based Demonstration. Second Annual. Second Annual Inter-Science of Learning Center Student and Post-Doc Conference. February 5-7, 2009.

Wylie, R., Koedinger, K., and Mitamura, T. (2008) Putting a/the stake in the ground: Making a priori predictions of student learning. Accepted to Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Young Researchers Track. Montreal, Canada. June 23 – 27, 2008. pdf

Wylie, R., Mitamura, T., Koedinger, K., Rankin, J. (2007) Doing more than Teaching Students: Opportunities for CALL in the Learning Sciences. Proceedings of SLaTE Workshop on Speech and Language Technology in Education. Farmington, Pennsylvania. October 1-3, 2007. pdf

Wylie, R. (2007) Are we asking the right questions? Understanding which tasks lead to the robust learning of English grammar. Accepted as a Young Researchers Track paper at the 13th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Marina del Rey, California. July 9 – 13, 2007. pdf

Ogan, A., Wylie, R., Walker, E. (2006) The Challenges in Adapting Traditional Techniques for Modeling Student Behavior in Ill-Defined Domains. Workshop Proceedings on Ill-Defined Domains at the 8th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Jhongli, Taiwan. June 26 – 30, 2006.

Ogan, A., Wylie, R., Walker, E. (2006) Defining the Ill-Defined: Modeling student behavior in making aspectual distinctions. Student Track paper at the 8th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Jhongli, Taiwan, June 26 – 30, 2006.

Conference Presentations

Wylie, R., Koedinger, K. and Mitamura, T. (2009) Practice makes Perfect? Structuring Practice Opportunities for Learning in an ESL Grammar Tutor. Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO). Phoenix, Arizona. March 10-14, 2009.

Wylie, R. (2008) The Assistance Dilemma and the English Article System: Developing Intelligent Tutoring Systems for English as a Second Language. Google Scholars Retreat. Mountain View, CA. April 3 – 5, 2008.

Wylie, R., Mitamura, T., Rankin, J., Koedinger, K. (2007) Developing Tutoring Systems for Classroom and Research Use: A look at two English Article Tutors. Presentation at the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium (CALICO). San Marcos, Texas. May 23 – 26, 2007

Wylie, R., Mitamura, T., Rankin. J. (2006) From Practice to Production: Developing Tutoring Systems for English Article Use. Presentation at the Three Rivers Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (3RTESOL) Conference. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. October 28, 2006.

Walker, E., Ogan, A., Wylie. R. (2006) A Tense Situation: Applying Cognitive Tutor Methodology to Ill-Defined Domains. Presentation at the European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL) Conference. Granda, Spain. September 4 – 7, 2006.

Poster Presentations

Wylie, R. (2009) Does Self-Explanation Always Help? Second Annual. Second Annual Inter-Science of Learning Center Student and Post-Doc Conference. February 5-7, 2009.

Wylie, R. (2008) Making a priori predictions about English as a Second Language grammar learning. IES Research Conference. Washington DC. June 10 – 12, 2008.

Wylie, R. (2008) Development and Evaluation of Two Tutors for Teaching the English Article System. First Annual Inter-Science of Learning Center Student and Post-Doc Conference. Pittsburgh, PA. February 8 – 10, 2008.

Wylie, R. (2007) Small Words, Big Challenges: Identifying the Difficulties in Learning the English Article System. IES Research Conference. Washington DC. June 7 – 8, 2007.

Wylie, R., Mitamura, T., Rankin, J., Koedinger, K., MacWhinney, B. (2006) Developing Intelligent Tutoring Systems for Language Learning. Science of Learning Center Symposium at the Society for Neuroscience conference. Atlanta, Georgia. October 13, 2006.

Thesis

Wylie, R. (2003) The Effects of Computers on Cognitive Assessment. Undergraduate Honors Thesis, University of California, Berkeley. Advisors: Mark D’Esposito, Jennifer Mankoff

Awards and Fellowships

Program in Interdisciplinary Education Research (PIER) Fellow. Carnegie Mellon University.
Five year pre-doctoral fellowship.

Google Anita Borg Scholar Finalist. 2008.

Insightful Brain Cognitive Science Workshop Scholarship Recipient. Center for Visual Sciences, University of Rochester. June 2002

Emerging Leaders Alumni Scholar. University of California, Berkeley. 2000, 2001, 2002

Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society