Professional Background
Assistant Professor of Technology and Education
Educational Background
M.A., Ph.D. Stanford University
Scholarly Interests
Dr. Okita's current research interest is focused on the learning partnership between individuals and technology, and how technology intersects with learning and instructional processes. One characteristic of Dr. Okita’s work is the use of technological boundary objects as a threshold to learning, instruction, and assessment. Here, Dr. Okita defines boundary objects as computational artifacts where animate and inanimate features overlap between fantasy and reality (i.e. robots, agents in virtual reality environments, mixed-reality). Dr. Okita’s interest in boundary objects is due to their strong social component that enables students to build a peer-like relation with technology that reveal new insights to the role of social relationships in learning.
Other interests include designing technology assisted learning/intervention in formal/informal settings, and children's interpretation and conceptual development in relation to technological boundary objects. Theoretical research interest areas include self-other monitoring, learning by teaching, learning by observation and its influence on behavior in the domain of biology, math, and agency.
Selected Publications
Okita, S. Y., Bailenson, J., Schwartz, D. L., (under review) Learning from Avatars and Agents in Virtual Reality: Why the Belief of Social Interaction Improves Learning.
Schwartz, D. L., Okita, S. Y., (under review) Production Feedback and Learning: Two Studies on the Context of Learning by Teaching.
Sandra Okita
Assistant Professor of Technology and Education
Phone: 212-678-4165
Email:
Office Hours: Fri: 4:30-6
Office Location: 322 Thompson