Education

Ph.D. in Learning, Design, & Technology,  The University of Georgia

Biography

Lucas Vasconcelos earned his Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology from The University of Georgia, where he participated in several research projects and taught courses on technology-enhanced learning. His research agenda is at the intersection of educational technology, computer science education, and science education. Specifically, he researches technology-enhanced designs for STEM teaching and learning. One of his current research efforts focuses on designing professional learning to support preservice teachers’ learning to code science simulations and to integrate coding into scientific modeling lessons. Alongside that, Vasconcelos investigates the impact of educational robotics on preservice teachers’ STEM learning and attitudes towards pursuing STEM careers.  

Expertise

Technology-enhanced STEM teaching and learning, block-based coding/programming, scientific modeling, science simulations, educational robotics, instructional scaffolding, preservice teacher education.

Selected Publications

Vasconcelos, L., & Kim, C. (2020). Preparing teachers to use block-based coding in scientific modeling lessons. Instructional Science, 48(10), 765-797. https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.20201132

Vasconcelos, L., Arslan-Ari, I., & Ari, F. (2020). Early childhood preservice teachers’ debugging block-based programs: An eye tracking study. Journal of Childhood, Education & Society, 1(1), 63-77. https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.20201132

Vasconcelos, L., & Kim, C. (2020). Coding in scientific modeling lessons (CS-ModeL). Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(3), 1247-1273. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09724-w

Kim, C., Yuan, J., Vasconcelos, L., Shin, M, & Hill, R. (2018). Debugging during block-based programming. Instructional Science, 46(5), 767-787. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-018-9453-5

Barreto, D., Vasconcelos, L., & Orey, M. (2017). Motivation and learning engagement through playing math video games. Malaysian Journal of Learning & Instruction, 14(2), 1-21.

Araújo, J., & Vasconcelos, L. (2011). Web 2.0 and linguistic practices: New genres? Free Text: Language and Technology, 4(2), 7-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.17851/1983-3652.4.2.7-19

Vasconcelos, L. (2010). The internet user’s perspective for the construction of the hypertext concept. Education & Technology, 15(2), p. 49-61.

Selected Presentations

Vasconcelos, L., Arslan-Ari, I., & Ari, F. (2020, November). Preservice teachers’ eye movements and cognitive strategies during debugging. Paper presented at the Association of Educational Communications and Technology Annual Convention. [Online conference].

Fegely, A., Tang, H., Ari, F., & Vasconcelos, L. (2020, November). Preservice teachers’ motivation towards programming. Paper presented at the Association of Educational Communications and Technology Annual Convention. [Online conference].

Vasconcelos, L., & Kim, C. (2020, April). Using block-based coding to promote preservice teachers’ epistemological understanding of scientific models and modeling. AERA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Conference canceled).

Kim, C., Belland, B., Vasconcelos, L., & Hill, R. B. (2020, April). Reaction to bugs during robot programming. AERA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Conference canceled).

Grant, M. M., Arslan-Ari, I., Ari, F., Morris, W. S., Vasconcelos, L., & Tang, H. (2020, April). Experiences of scholarly practitioners becoming action researchers, users of theory and research literature, and academic writers in an online educational doctorate. AERA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Conference canceled).

Vasconcelos, L., Arslan-Ari, I., Ari, F., & Tang, H. (2020, February). Block-based programming for preservice teachers with Scratch. Workshop presented at the University of South Carolina Educational Technology Showcase, Columbia, SC.

Vasconcelos, L., & Kim, C. (2019, April). Integrating block-based coding into scientific modeling lessons. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada.

Vasconcelos, L., & Kim, C. (2018, October). Preparing teachers for scientific modeling instruction using coding. Paper presented at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology International Convention, Kansas City, MO.