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Chris DiGiano

CTL Alumnus : Senior Research Computer Scientist

(1/7/1999-9/30/2007)

Chris DiGiano is a senior research computer scientist at SRI International. Dr. DiGiano is an expert in design processes for the creation of learning tools, with extensive experience in the design of pedagogical programming environments and mobile learning devices. His current research focuses on training university students in the design of educational software (the TRAILS project) and the affordances of wireless handheld devices in collaborative classrooms. Dr. DiGiano is the principal investigator for TRAILS and a new project aimed at rethinking how computer scientists can work with domain scientists in the age of the Cyberinfrastructure. He was a co-principal investigator of the ESCOT project focused on software reuse for educational applications. A central theme in Dr. DiGiano’s work is the development of abstractions, such as design patterns, to capture invariants in learning technology design, e.g., in the context of component technology or collaborative learning tools. Dr. DiGiano received a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an M.S. in computer science from the University of Toronto.

Education 

• Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1996
• Certificate, Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1996
• M.S., Computer Science, University of Toronto,1992
• B.S., Computer Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1990

Professional Experience 

• Senior Research Computer Scientist, SRI International, Boulder, CO (1997-present)
• Authoring Tools and Titles Group, Apple Computer, Inc., CA (1995)
• Graduate Research Assistant, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO (1992-1996)
• Human Interface Group, Apple Computer, Inc., CA (1991)
• Teaching Assistant, University of Toronto, Canada (1990-1991)

Research Areas at CTL

Learning Environments
Technology Development

Current Projects at CTL

• Wireless Internet Learning Devices (WILD) (former Member)

Past Projects at CTL

• ALASKA: Applet and Library Augmented Shared Knowledge Areas (Leader) ended 2006
• Educational Software Components of Tomorrow (ESCOT) ended 2001
• Information Technology Research and Education, Teaching and Learning Workshops ended 2003
• JOMA ended 2002
• LEGO MindStorms ended 1999
• Math and Science Partnership Assessment Resource Management Systems (MSP-ARMS) ended 2003
• MathLab (Math Insight) ended 2002
• Preparing for Cybercollaboration between Scientists and Software Developers (Leader) ended 2007
• ScribbleProv: Supporting disciplined improvisation during face-to-face discussion ended 2010
• Training and Resources for Assembling Interactive Learning Systems (TRAILS) (Leader) ended 2007
• Tuple Spaces as a Foundation for Collaborative Learning ended 2006

Selected Publications

• Brecht, J., DiGiano, C., Patton, C., Tatar, D., Chaudhury, R., Roschelle, J., & Davis, K. (2007). Coordinating networked learning activities with a general-purpose Interface. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning.
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• DiGiano, C. (2007). "TRAILS Final Report." Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. August 2007.
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• DiGiano, C., Bienkowski, M., Chorost, M., & Estrella, G. (2007). "Choosing Outreach Strategies to Increase Interest in IT Careers: An SRI International white paper from the TRAILS project." Distributed at SIGCSE, Covington, KY, March 2007.
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• Roschelle, J., Tatar, D., Chaudhury, R., Dimitriadis, Y., Patton, C., & DiGiano, C. (2007). Ink, improvisation, and interactive engagement: Learning with tablets. Computer, 40(9), 42-48.
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• DiGiano, C., Chorost M., Chung M., & Huang J. (2005). Helping instructors scaffold students’ design of educational technology projects. Paper presented at ED-MEDIA 2005, World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Montreal, Canada.
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• Roschelle, J., & DiGiano, C. (2004). ESCOT: Coordinating the influence of R&D and classroom practice to produce educational software from reusable components. Interactive Learning Environments, 12(1-2), 73-107.
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• Sabelli, N., & DiGiano, C. (2004). Information technology research and education, teaching, and learning report on two NSF-funded workshops. Menlo Park: SRI International.
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• Chung, M., & DiGiano, C. (2002). A primer on reuse. Journal of Online Mathematics and its Applications (JOMA), 2(1). Available at http://mathforum.org/joma/vol2/articles/escot21/chung-digiano1.html
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• DiGiano, C., & Patton, C. (2002). Orchestrating handhelds in the classroom with SRI’s ClassSync™. In G. Stahl (Ed.), Computer Support for Collaborative Learning 2002 (pp. 706-707). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
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• DiGiano, C., Yarnall, L., Patton, C., Roschelle, J., Tatar, D. G., & Manley, M. (2002). Collaboration design patterns: Conceptual tools for planning for the wireless classroom. In Proceedings of WMTE 2002 (pp. 39-47).
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• DiGiano, C., Kahn, K., Cypher, A., & Smith, D. C. (2001). Integrating learning supports into the design of visual programming systems. Journal of Visual Languages and Computing, 12, 501-524.
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• DiGiano, C., Roschelle, J., & Chung, M. (2001). The need for a coordinated engineering discipline for the production of educational software. Accepted for workshop paper, IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT).
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• Roschelle, J., Hand, V., & DiGiano, C. (2001). Towards a coherent on-line collection of tools for math learning. Journal of Online Mathematics and its Applications, 1(2). Available at http://mathforum.org/joma/vol1-2/articles/digiano/
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• DiGiano, C., & Roschelle, J. (2000). Rapid-assembly componentware for education. In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Advanced Learning Technologies at Palmerston North, New Zealand (pp. 37-40). Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society Press.
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• Roschelle, J. DiGiano, C., Chung, M., Repenning, A., Tager, S., & Treinen, M. (2000). Reusability and interoperability of tools for mathematics learning: Lessons from the ESCOT project. In Proceedings of Intelligent Systems & Applications at University of Wollongong, NSW Australia. ICSC Academic Press, Wetaskiwin, AB, Canada, pp. 664-669.
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• Roschelle, J., DiGiano, C., Koutlis, M., Repenning, A., Jackiw, N., & Suthers, D. (1999). Developing educational software components. IEEE Computer, 32(9), 50-58.
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• Roschelle, J., Pea, R., DiGiano, C., & Kaput, J. (1999). Educational software components of tomorrow. In M/SET 99 Proceedings [CD ROM], Charlottesville, VA: American Association for Computers in Education.
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• Baecker, R., DiGiano, C., & Marcus, A. (1997). Software visualization: From academia to the real world. Communications of the ACM, 40(4), 44-54.
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