> hi :)_
I'm an Assistant Professor of Computer Science in the College of Business and Technology at Northeastern Illinois University.
I design and implement learning ecosystems that use scalable models to foster self-directed learning and promote broader access to quality mentorship.
Teaching and mentorship are an integral part of my research career. Whether I am reading literature on design education and metacognitive practice, investigating questions on how to design learning ecosystems that scale effective training, or applying my learning to redesigning the learning environments in which I teach -- it is time spent toward a central goal of mine:
I aspire to foster the skills students need to tackle the problems of tomorrow, and perhaps more importantly, the skills they need to grow into more self-directed learners, driven to improve themselves and the communities around them.
I direct the moliri lab, where our mission is to design learning ecosystems that enhance and extend the natural ways in which we practice, learn, grow, and support one another in our communities. We take a design-based research approach, and work at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Learning Sciences (LS), and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW).
I completed my Ph.D. at Northwestern, in the Technology and Social Behavior program, where I worked with Haoqi Zhang in Delta Lab. I studied Agile Research Studios, our model for research training at scale, where students practice being self-directed learners in a research community. As part of this work, I researched the Design, Technology, Research (DTR) program at Northwestern.
Our community is pretty spectacular.
> research_
ongoing projects
Polaris: Research Planning Scaffolds via Design Argument Critique
Fall 2016-present
To help undergraduates monitor and reflect on their research progress and to make effective use of mentor time, we introduce Polaris, a scaffolding tool that supports novice researchers diagnosing project issues on their own. Polaris guides undergraduate researchers through a reflective exercise using computer-based prompts and templates to create and diagnose issues in design arguments, which detail core hypotheses in design-based research projects.
Students: Bomani McClendon, Sameer Srivastava
Research Outcomes: awarded Undergraduate Research Grant, work submitted to CHI
The STASH: Skill Tracking + Seeking Help
Spring 2016-present
Studying how to support student helpseeking behaviors in ARS, with a goal of distributing support and growing skills across the community.
Students: Aimee van den Berg, Ariella Silver, Shankar Salwan, Sehmon Burnam, Natalie Ghidali
Research Outcomes: awarded 2 Undergraduate Research Grants, work submitted to CHI SRC, CHI LBW
MindYoga: Metacognitive Reflection
Fall 2017-present
Studying how to support student awareness and reflection on their own research and regulation processes, and what prevents them from being effective.
Students: Molly Pribble, Isaac Miller, Neha Sharma, Olivia Gallager, Victoria Cabales, Zev Stravitz, Nneoma Oradiegwu, Maggie Lou, Judy Lee
Research Outcomes: awarded 3 Undergraduate Research Grants, work submitted to CHI SRC, CHI LBW
publications
*advised students
MindYoga: Scaffolding the Metacognitive Reflection Process within Learning Ecosystems
*Molly Pribble, *Neha Sharma, Haoqi Zhang, Leesha Maliakal Shah
CHI 2022 Late Breaking Work
The design risks framework: Understanding Metacognition for iteration
Spencer E. Carlson, Daniel G. Rees Lewis, Leesha V. Maliakal, Elizabeth M. Gerber, Matthew W. Easterday
Design Studies 2020
Defining and Assessing Risk Analysis: The Key to Strategic Iteration in Real-World Problem Solving
Spencer E. Carlson, Leesha V. Maliakal, Daniel G. Rees Lewis, Jamie Gorson, Elizabeth M. Gerber, Matthew W. Easterday
ICLS 2018
Planning to Iterate: Supporting Iterative Practices for Real-world Ill- structured Problem-solving
Daniel G. Rees Lewis, Jamie Gorson, Leesha V. Maliakal, Spencer E. Carlson, Elizabeth M. Gerber, Christopher K. Riesbeck, Matthew W. Easterday
ICLS 2018
Agile Research Studios: Orchestrating Communities of Practice to Advance Research Training
Haoqi Zhang, Matthew Easterday, Elizabeth Gerber, Daniel Rees Lewis, Leesha V. Maliakal
CSCW 2017 [poster demo]
[abstract]
CrowdCheer: Situational Crowdsourcing of Motivation for Runners 2nd Place ACM SRC Award
Leesha V. Maliakal
Grace Hopper ACM Student Research Competition 2015
[abstract]
[slides]
> teaching_
CS 314/414: Independent Study
any semester, visit the moliri lab for more info
CS 342: Human Computer Interaction
Spring 2024, Fall 2023
CS 412: Web Application Development
Spring 2024
CS 207: Programming II
Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023
> service_
CS 330: Human Computer Interaction course co-designer, head TA, guest lecturer, mentor coaching program designer, September - December 2021
Design, Technology, Research program co-designer, September 2015-present
Design, Technology, Research program research mentor, September 2015-present
Agile Research University program and toolkit designer, June 2016-present
DFA Summer Studio Iterative Design Instructor, June 2017-September 2017
Brave Initiatives Head of Curriculum, Coding Curriculum Developer, Coding Instructor, and Coach, April 2015-September 2017
> invited talks + lectures_
Designing Learning Ecosystems that Foster Metacognitive Practice @ Northeastern Illinois University 2023 Faculty Institute - Aug 17, 2023
How to De-risk Your Designs like an Expert System Designer @ Purdue Fort Wayne SE 530: Systems Engineering Management - Nov 18, 2021
Interface Arguments @ Northwestern CS 330: Introduction to HCI - Nov 8, 2021
Risk Assessment @ Northwestern CS 330: Introduction to HCI - Oct 11, 2021
Design Arguments and Community Support @ Harvard CS 179: Design of Useful and Usable Interactive Systems - Mar 25, 2020
Not All is Lost: Finding work/life balance in grad school after my dad passed @ The Story Collider: Chicago - recorded Jul 22, 2019, posted July 17, 2020
Continual Support Systems: Connecting Needs to Resources in Communities @ Regina Dominican High School Career Day - Feb 28, 2019
Continual Support Systems to Orchestrate Research Communities @ NU HCI Student Research Colloquium Series - Feb 22, 2018
> awards + fellowships_
Microsoft PhD Fellowship Department Nomination, 2019
Segal Cluster Design Research Fellowship, September 2017 - March 2018
Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellowship, March 2015 - September 2016
2nd Place Award in ACM Student Research Competition @ Grace Hopper Celebration, October 2015
Undergraduate Research Grant, February 2015