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