This branch of my research develops and evaluates pedagogical frameworks that use diary studies and focus group discussions as central methods for teaching human–computer interaction. A key outcome of this work is the PCAR (Plan–Collect–Analyze–Reflect) diary study framework, introduced and refined through classroom implementations and published at SIGCSE TS 2025. PCAR provides a structured process not only for students to document and analyze their technology use and engage in collaborative reflection, but also for educators to integrate diary studies into course design and assessment, and for researchers to plan, manage, and analyze diary-based studies systematically. I also design, build, and assess software tools (e.g., DiaryQuest, DiaryLib) that operationalize these methods and make them scalable within HCI curricula.

This branch of my research examines how students develop metacognitive awareness—how they understand and regulate their own learning processes—when engaging in reflective practices. In HCI contexts, I have emphasized changes in empathy as a measurable outcome, using instruments such as the Empathy in Design Scale to track growth across individual and group learning stages. Looking ahead, I aim to extend this work beyond design courses to coding and related computing curricula, using diary study as a framework to investigate how students monitor, reflect on, and adapt their approaches to programming. This line of research seeks to capture a broader set of cognitive and affective factors that shape students’ ability to critically evaluate problems, strategies, and user needs in both design and coding contexts.

This branch of my research connects classroom learning to professional contexts, emphasizing how computing students develop the skills needed to succeed in industry. In addition to professional competencies such as collaboration, communication, and ethical awareness, I am also interested in how students can be better prepared to engage with the technical realities of software development in practice—for example, how large teams divide responsibilities across modules, how APIs are designed and interpreted across groups, and how organizational structures shape coding practices. Drawing on my own industry experience and ongoing exchanges with computing professionals, I am interested in exploring educational practices that integrate both technical and professional dimensions, helping students bridge theory and practice as they prepare for the complexities of real-world computing work.

Here are some additional areas I am interested in exploring:

• Games as a medium for HCI education and reflection, particularly how playful contexts can scaffold empathy, collaboration, and critical thinking.
• The integration of artificial intelligence into computing education in ways that are pedagogically meaningful, ethically responsible, and supportive of students’ learning rather than replacing it.
• Emerging modalities in immersive learning environments, such as VR with olfactory interfaces, and their potential to expand sensory dimensions of educational experiences.

• CS3604: Professionalism in Computing, Virginia Tech — Fall 2023, Fall 2024

• CS1114: Introduction to Software Design (Leading Code Lab Sessions)
• CS2114: Software Design & Data Structures (Leading Code Lab Sessions)
• CS3114: Data Structures & Algorithms
• CS3724: Introduction to HCI
• CS4094: Computer Science Capstone
• CS5714: Usability Engineering
• CS5724: Models & Theories of HCI

I have mentored undergraduate and graduate students on research projects that resulted in publications, posters, and student research competition papers at major venues.

• SIGCSE TS 2025 Student Research Competition
  DiaryQuest: A Web-Based Learning System Utilizing Diary Study
  ACM Digital Library Link
• CHI 2025 Student Research Competition
  Boosting Diary Study Outcomes with a Fine-Tuned Large Language Model
  ACM Digital Library Link