Lorna Quandt, Gallaudet University

“Two of my students did dissertations connected to the RETTL project, so it is fair to say the awards were impactful for them as well. Last year, I started chatting with a CIRCLS colleague about a potential idea for a grant proposal, and cut to one year later–we are now funded Co-PIs on a new RITEL award!”

“The CIRCLS community has changed the trajectory of my career in exciting and unexpected ways. The first federal grant I won was an EAGER award funded by Cyberlearning, and winning that award launched my career in the world of emerging technology and educational tech. From that EAGER, I wrote and won a RETTL award, which allowed me to fund and train several incredible students. Two of my students did dissertations connected to the RETTL project, so it is fair to say the awards were impactful for them as well. Last year, I started chatting with a CIRCLS colleague about a potential idea for a grant proposal, and cut to one year later–we are now funded Co-PIs on a new RITEL award! That would not have happened without the CIRCLS community, and the CIRCLS convenings.

The work enabled by these awards, and supported by the CIRCLS community, is making a real difference in the world of accessible emerging technology. With this work, my team has built a virtual reality tool to teach American Sign Language, built largely by deaf students, researchers, and technicians. We have made huge strides in showing that equitable and accessible work in this space is possible, and I hope that our work can serve as a model for others in the accessibility and learning tech world.”

Yangming Shi, Colorado School of Mines

“The support from the researchers in CIRCLS helps me navigate challenges in my early academic career, guiding me toward impactful research and personal growth.”

CIRCLS is an inclusive and supportive community. These group mentoring sessions in CIRCLS have helped me a lot as a junior faculty member. These interactions not only offer me insights into different research approaches but also help me refine my own ideas and methodologies, setting a strong foundation for future projects and collaborations with other researchers. The support from the researchers in CIRCLS helps me navigate challenges in my early academic career, guiding me toward impactful research and personal growth.

Ryan Watkins, George Washington University

“CIRCLS transformed my perspective, helping me see connections between my work and NSF funding opportunities, opening up new pathways for interdisciplinary research, and sparking ideas that continue to shape my work today.”

“CIRCLS transformed my perspective, helping me see connections between my work and NSF funding opportunities, opening up new pathways for interdisciplinary research, and sparking ideas that continue to shape my work today.

After two years of limited collaborations due to COVID, participating in the CIRCLS Summer 2022 Incubator brought renewed energy and valuable connections to my research. This interactive program introduced me to colleagues nationwide working at the intersections of learning science, computer science, and the future of work. These conversations continued beyond the Incubator, and although our group didn’t submit a joint proposal, the experience inspired me to collaborate with a computer science faculty member at a nearby university. Together, we submitted a RITEL proposal in January 2024, and though it wasn’t initially funded, positive feedback encouraged us to submit a revised version later in the year. We’re now exploring an additional ER2 proposal for early 2025.”

Drew Olsson, Agua Fria Union High School District

“CIRCLS exposed me to a network of exceptional educators that continue to be a source of mentorship and has provided tangible resources that have directly benefited my school community.”

CIRCLS exposed me to a network of exceptional educators that continue to be a source of mentorship and has provided tangible resources that have directly benefited my school community. The world of education needs more Tech Integration experts to be leading the way in the age of AI. The intersection of learning science and computer science is the core of how we as educators can navigate any emerging technology, and the educators involved in CIRLCS are an example for all.

This past summer I was able to co-create a webinar on using generative AI to transform learning experiences. We went through a framework on how we can move beyond using AI for efficiency, to design rich, equitable learning experiences for all. I recently presented this PD to my local ISTE/COSN chapter and will use it for future trainings to safely and effectively integrate AI in our schools.

Collins Moga, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

“Many in the community were willing to continue discussions beyond in-person events. CIRCLS members continue to generously share resources such as funding opportunities and expert advice.”

“My journey with CIRCLS began when I was introduced to the community by Judi and Pati during a time when I was completing course work for my doctoral studies in STEM Education. At the time, I was also teaching internationally in Beijing, China. I was invited to support a research initiative related to emerging technologies alongside other educators. Joining CIRCLS offered me a space to share my experiences and learn from fellow educators particularly on aspects dealing with integrating technology tools to enhance student engagement. Meeting Judi Fusco was instrumental because she facilitated connections with teachers and researchers. These connections helped me expand my network and knowledge of emerging technologies.

The most impactful aspect of my CIRCLS experience has been the connections formed and collaboration opportunities that sprung up after our in-person networking at the CIRCLS Convening. Engaging with the broader community was enriching. There were lots of discussions around the potential for future research collaborations. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to network with individuals deeply invested in education and technology. Many in the community were willing to continue discussions beyond in-person events. CIRCLS members continue to generously share resources such as funding opportunities and expert advice. This support has been crucial for the development of my Ed Tech projects, as well as for exploring pathways to make projects more equitable.

Personally, I think the most impactful aspect of my involvement with the CIRCLS community has been the dialogues on shaping equitable EdTech projects. These dialogues have significantly influenced the trajectory of my work and commitment to equitable educational opportunities using technology.”

Hengtao Tang, University of South Carolina

“Each CIRCLS convening since has left me with unforgettable memories, and I am grateful to carry this experience with me. CIRCLS isn’t just an event; it’s a journey that continues to inspire.”

The CIRCLS Convening was the first NSF conference I attended since I was a graduate student. I felt incredibly lucky to be part of CIRCLS ’17. It was a spectacular experience. I still remember the excitement of stepping into a space buzzing with groundbreaking innovations in technology and learning. It wasn’t just the advancements that amazed me but also the diversity of perspectives, the community was deeply interdisciplinary, bringing together minds from so many different fields. The convening’s dedication to equitable, co-designed learning was palpable, with spaces intentionally created for each attendant to share unique perspectives and co-constructing the agenda at expertise connections sessions. Each CIRCLS convening since has left me with unforgettable memories, and I am grateful to carry this experience with me. CIRCLS isn’t just an event; it’s a journey that continues to inspire.

Andrew Fenstermaker, Iowa City Schools

“My experiences with CIRCLS truly propelled my district ahead at a pace that would have been unattainable without CIRCLS.”

Participating in CIRCLS equipped me with an expanded network of thought leaders from across the United States as well as tools, resources, and knowledge to lead the charge on emerging technologies in the Iowa City Community School District. By attending the Convenings and virtual working groups, I was able to establish working groups in Iowa City to update board policies around generative AI (genAI), craft student and teacher guidelines around the responsible use of genAI, and develop AI student curriculum that equipped learners with an understanding to safely navigate AI in education. Furthermore, I was able to lean into new connections from CIRCLS and lead a summer webinar series to share work we had done in Iowa City as well as tools and resources for others charting their own courses. My experiences with CIRCLS truly propelled my district ahead at a pace that would have been unattainable without CIRCLS.

Arun Balajiee and Lekshmi Narayanan, University of Pittsburgh

“The things people could gather from the convening and apply towards working with an industrial and research collaboration. The seeds for long term contact and interactions were sown.”

“Attending CIRCLS was among the top events in my journey as a PhD student. I met several like-minded scholars, who work on domains and topics that are quite different from my current path. I got a perspective on the kinds of changes I could bring to my current research to make the topic more relevant to the trends in research — equitable educational opportunities and supporting people who need the benefits of these technologies more than others. I learnt several things — firstly about the projects / research interests of various scholars, and research faculty. I met postdoc researchers working on this topic and their future career trajectory which may become my trajectory. Several eminent researchers were present in one spot and that was quite useful. This is something that seemed once in a lifetime to me.

I also tried to network as much as possible to benefit in the process towards writing publications or work together towards a common goal that can be written as a grant proposal. I met several practitioners and researchers who work closely with the people in the field, so that they could bring important and improvements to their current status quo in the educational domain.

I also learnt that some successful outcomes were that people found ideas that matched each others interests. The topics that various researchers could work on then is available as written proposal for grant submissions. The research showcase as well as the roundtable topic discussions among the various faculty researchers + scholars was suitable for ideation, brainstorming and writing better proposals. The things people could gather from the convening and apply towards working with an industrial and research collaboration. The seeds for long term contact and interactions were sown.

Kip Glazer, Mountain View High School

“The experience has pushed me to think more critically about my practice. The people I met have encouraged me to think deeply about the future of learning technologies and the impact of learning science.”

Since 2015, I have met so many brilliant researchers and practitioners as a result of participating in CIRCLS and EducatorCIRCLS. The experience has pushed me to think more critically about my practice. The people I met have encouraged me to think deeply about the future of learning technologies and the impact of learning science. I have been inspired to continue reading and writing to stay engaged in the learning science field. I can’t thank the researchers enough for providing me with many opportunities to access the latest learning technology tools and other cutting-edge science research on topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). The learning science community has opened so many doors for me to continue to grow as a practitioner, and I am so grateful to have received support from researchers who value practitioners.

Yangming Shi, Colorado School of Mines

“It has deepened my understanding of how innovative educational tools and technologies can support learning in my field.”

One of the most impactful outcomes of my NSF EXP project has been the ability to translate theoretical concepts into practical, real-world applications, specifically within the civil engineering domain. It has deepened my understanding of how innovative educational tools and technologies can support learning in my field. In addition, it also has enhanced my skills in interdisciplinary collaboration, where I’ve learned to integrate diverse perspectives from education, technology, and engineering. Another valuable outcome has been the collection and analysis of data that informs evidence-based practices, enabling me to make meaningful contributions to both the academic community and industry practices. These insights have shaped my approach to teaching, research, and future projects.