About Me

I am currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Montana Western in Dillon, MT. When I'm not teaching or working on research projects I enjoy traveling and going on adventures with my dogs, family, and friends.

I earned my Ph.D. through the Cognitive Psychology program at the University of Illinois Chicago working under Dr. Susan Goldman. I graduated with minors in Statistics and Learning Sciences and was affiliated with the Learning Sciences Research Institute (LSRI) at UIC. I completed my undergraduate work at the University of Memphis with Dr. Roger Azevedo and Dr. Art Graesser.

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Research Interests

Detection and resolution of contradictions between multiple representations

Ironically, there is conflicting evidence about whether or not, and to what degree learners detect contradictions in educational materials. I am specifically interested in under what conditions learners detect when a text and graph don't match. Current studies involve various manipulations of aspects of complexities and the roles in contradiction detection

Integration of multiple representations and multiple documents

Learners often fail to effectively integrate between multiple representations and multiple text documents. I am specifically interested in the processes involved in integration between aspects of multiple documents, the resulting representation, and how those processes relate to products of comprehension.

Science text comprehension

There are different processes and norms involved with comprehending information in the different disciplines. The discipline of Science, for example, requires a specific set of skills with collecting, depicting, and analyzing data with multiple representations. My interest is in how learners engage with these representations in ways that are authentic with the ways scientists engage with materials.

Construction of literary interpretations and engagement in literary reasoning about authentic works of literature

The interpretation of works of literature (arguably) comes easily to experts in the field. Despite everyday experiences with interpreting the non-literal (e.g., understanding song lyrics), novices are often lacking in their interpretive skills. I am specifically interested in the processes literary novices engage in while interpreting works of literature and what can be done to facilitate those process.

Education

Ph.D. (2020)

Major: Cognitive Psychology

Minors: Statistics, Methods and Measurement; Learning Sciences

 Advisor: Susan R. Goldman, Ph.D.

University of Illinois Chicago

MA in Psychology (2015)

Major: Cognitive Psychology
Advisor: Susan R. Goldman, Ph.D.

University of Illinois Chicago

BA in Psychology (2011)

Magna Cum Laude

 Honors in Psychology

 Advisors: Roger Azevedo, Ph.D.; Arthur Graesser, Ph.D.

University of Memphis