Robb Lindgren is an associate professor in the Departments of Educational Psychology and Curriculum and Instruction. As faculty in the College of Education at UIUC Robb brings an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how people learn STEM concepts using new technologies.

Education

• B.S., Computer science, Northwestern University, 2000

• M.A., Psychology, Stanford University, 2009

• Ph.D., Learning Sciences and Technology design, Stanford University, 2009

Dr. Lindgren’s research examines theories and designs for learning within emerging media platforms (e.g., simulations, virtual environments, mobile devices, video games, augmented and mixed reality, etc.). He seeks to understand how digital technologies can be used to construct new identities and generate new perspectives that lead to stronger comprehension of complex ideas, particularly in STEM content areas. His work investigates how physical, body-based interactions with learning content can facilitate new understandings, and how games and simulations can be effectively designed to take these types of interactions as input. He is also interested in how digital technologies can provide new approaches to assessing learning, such as examining where learners focus their attention, what choices they make, and how well they adapt to new situations. Dr. Lindgren is currently PI of three NSF-funded projects examining how people learn in technology-enhanced environments. He and his lab have created prototypes for several STEM learning games and simulations, and they are currently working with local schools and museums to co-design and iterate on several new technology platforms.