CSC News

Research Hopes to Raise Interest in Middle School Science

Dr. Jonathan Rowe, research scientist in the NC State Department of Computer Science, has been awarded $414,761 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support his research proposal entitled “Investigating the Role of Interest in Middle Grade Science with a Multimodal Affect-Sensitive Learning Environment.”

The award will run from July 15, 2020 to June 30, 2023. 

Abstract – The proposed project will see the design, development, and investigation of a multimodal affect-sensitive learning environment for generating student interest in middle school science. We will capture rich multi-channel data (eye gaze, facial expression, posture, interaction traces) on student problem solving with an inquiry learning environment. We will utilize multimodal machine learning to induce affect recognition models, which will drive run-time affect-sensitive interventions to trigger and sustain student interest. The project will culminate in a classroom experiment to evaluate the impact of the multimodal affect-sensitive learning environment on student learning and science interest.

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