Hillary Swanson

Biography

Hillary is an assistant professor of Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences and Director of the Learning Dynamics Lab at Utah State University. She studies how technological tools and instructional activities can be designed to support students' development of scientific knowledge and practices by drawing on and refining their everyday thinking. She is interested in studying this development in scientific domains focused on issues related to sustainability, including renewable energy, air quality, and global climate change. Hillary's research challenges deficit views of students and makes a foundational contribution to efforts to honor and build on the diversity of perspectives and experiences students bring to their learning. She works closely with classroom teachers to codesign technology and activities that meet their authentic needs and help them gain confidence with teaching in ways that elicit and build on student thinking. Hillary earned a Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education from the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.A. in Physics from Colorado College.