Statement of Research

Computer science is the study of processes that people use to solve problems. While much of the discipline examines this problem-solving when it is embedded in a machine, my research interests focus instead on when people perform computational problem-solving. Although required on a daily basis, people often struggle with such problem-solving—such as when interacting with large complex systems (e.g., human impact on the environment), or even when designing computer programs to solve further problems! However, games represent a context in which people eagerly and successfully solve problems. Good games are intrinsically motivating activities that can provide effective scaffolding for learning problem-solving skills. Thus my research primarily explores how computational game dynamics can be used to support education.