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Seiji Isotani
Professor of Computer Science and Learning Technology
University of Sao Paulo
  • Email:
    sisotani@icmc.usp.br
  • Office:
    ICMC 4-135
  • Tel:
    +55 16 3373-6720
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Gamification in Education
AI in Education
Evidence-based Policy in Brazil
Ontology Engineering
CSCL

Seiji Isotani

Transforming research findings into social impact!

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About Me
15+
Years of Research Experience
35+
Completed Projects
200+
 Scientific Publications
30+
Honors and Awards

My Research

(Last updated: 2022)
I am a Professor of Computer Science and Learning Technology at the University of Sao Paulo, where I lead the Applied Computing in Education Laboratory. Since 2022, I hold the position of Visiting Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Faculty Associate of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
My scientific and social mission involves transforming research findings into social impact through the conception of educational practices, AI technologies, and policies. These aim to accelerate the benefits, adoption, and impact of evidence-based approaches on education,particularly in resource-constrained environments typically found in low- and middle-income communities.
To accomplish that, I focus on advancing the science concerning how people learn with interactive/intelligent educational technologies and on untangling potential mechanisms for ensuring that every student receives the personalized support that they need to engage in fulfilling and meaningful educational experiences.
My long-term vision is to unleash the enormous potential of technologies to help students, teachers and policymakers reach their maximum potential and to significantly contribute to our understanding of how to best personalize K–16 learning at scale for STEM domains with the objective of increasing equity, accessibility, and access to high-quality education, with particular interest in the Global South context.
Gamification in Education
Learning is not often easy, but it can be joyful! My group has worked to understand the mechanics of personalized gamification to improve students' engagement, motivation, and positive behavior change toward learning.
Artificial Intelligence in Education
I have leaded a group to imagine, investigate, and deploy AI to unravel the mechanisms of effective learning and understand how interactions with intelligent tutoring systems and peers affect learning outcomes.
Evidence-based Public Policy
I have served as a scientific advisor to governments on designing evidence-based education policies and creating technologies to manage their implementation as a means to address the challenges of democratizing access to high-quality education in Brazil.
Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
My group has studied the elements that make technology-mediated collaboration effective to create cutting-edge adaptive technologies that can help teachers design and orchestrate collaborative learning activities.
Ontology Engineering and Open Data
We have developed methodogies and tools to help the ecosystem of production and consumption of linked open data to address one of the great challenges of the Internet where knowledge is fragmented and in constant evolution.
Other Exciting Adventures
My group and I have developed several advanced learning technologies for STEM Education that support teachers, to create interactive materials, and students, to hone their knowledge and skills.

Academic Positions

Education

Ph.D. in Information Engineering
The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research
Osaka University, Japan
Sep 2009

Thesis: An Ontological Engineering Approach to Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

M.Sc. in Computer Science
Institute of Mathematics and Statistics                
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Apr 2005

Thesis: Developing tools in iGeom: Using Dynamic Geometry in Classrooms and Online Learning Environments

Best M.Sc. Thesis Award
B.Sc. in Computer Science
Institute of Mathematics and Statistics                
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Dec 2002

Thesis: Interactive Environment to Support Mathematics Education via Internet

Photos @ Work

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Seiji Isotani