
Raquel Coelho
Assistant Professor, SCI ​
Research Scientist, LRDC
​r.coelho [at] pitt [dot] edu
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Brief bio
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My research - grounded in learning sciences principles and human-centered frameworks - is focused on theorizing about, supporting learning with, and learning about emerging technologies.
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I hold a joint appointment as Assistant Professor of Emerging Technologies and Learning Sciences at the School of Computing and Information (SCI) and University of Pittsburgh Research Scientist at the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC). Prior to joining Pitt, I was a postdoctoral researcher at the University College London's Knowledge Lab, UK, and later at the Centre for the Science of Learning & Technology (SLATE), University of Bergen, Norway. I have also advised MA students at the Learning Sciences Research Institute (LSRI) at the University of Nottingham, UK. I'm still affiliated with SLATE as Senior Researcher and Research Fellow at the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab (TLTL), Columbia University. I am a founding member of the Learning Sciences Brazil Affiliate of the International Society of the Learning Sciences.
I received my PhD in Learning Sciences and Technology Design, along with Education Data Science, from Stanford University. My academic mentor is Roy Pea and here you can learn more about my intellectual lineage.
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Prospective students
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Should you become interested in applying to do a PhD with me, I encourage you to apply to the ISP or IS PhD program and share your interests in relation to my research program. I also welcome master's and undergraduate students in my lab. If you are interested, please feel free to send me an email.​​​
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Teaching
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I welcome PhDs, MAs, and undergraduates with any experiences and backgrounds in my classes. I do not expect technical expertise, only a desire to learn, to pursue your own goals, and to be comfortable with uncertainty, inherent in any design process. My classes tend to be project-based, collaborative, ungraded, with no exams or busy work. I work hard to create a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and growing as whole learners. I enjoy helping students build the practical skills researchers and professionals use every day, from finding information through database searches to communicating ideas clearly and giving effective presentations, so they can confidently apply these skills beyond the classroom. At the same time, I value practices such as deep reading of texts and engaging in meaningful conversations about big ideas. I especially enjoy seeing how ideas take shape and evolve through discussion and writing, both in my own work and in the work of my students.
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Courses
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I am teaching a doctoral seminar in Fall 2025 covering learning, technology, and design (INFSCI 3350), and Human-Centered Systems in Spring 2026 (INFSCI 0410). The first focuses on learning sciences readings and research-oriented writing, with an emphasis on the design and study of technology-mediated learning environments. The second centers on human-centered interface design, with students applying design thinking tools to create interfaces in an application area of their choice.