Aroutis N. Foster, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

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Program Associations:

• M.S., Learning Technologies
• Educational Leadership and Learning Technologies
• Certificate, Instructional Technology Certificate
• Learning in Game-Based Environments

Education:

• Ph.D., Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, Michigan State University.
• B.A., Dual major in Computer Digital Art (Digital Media Art and Technology) and Broadcast Communications (Radio and TV), City University of New York, (CUNY), Brooklyn.

Areas of Expertise:

• Educational Psychology, (Learning and Cognition, Identity Exploration, Motivation, and Play)
• Educational Technology, (Media Design, Teachers and Technology, Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK))
• Game-Based Learning
• Digital Media and Learning: Immersive Interactive Digital Environments (e.g. Simulations, Games, Virtual Environments)
• Identity Motivation and Exploration in Immersive Digital Environments
• Research Design and Methods

Professional Experience:

• Affiliate Faculty for Replay Lab in Digital Media Program & Computer Science Department (2010–present)
• Drexel University, School of Education, Assistant Professor, Learning Technologies (2009–present)
• Michigan State University, College of Education, Center for Curriculum Materials in Science, — Research and Teaching Assistant (2003–09)
• ACB Architects & Planners, P.C. (New York, NY), Architectural Design (1999–2003)

Research Interests:

• The Human Aspects of Technology and Knowledge: Exploring the cognitive, pedagogical, and experiential affordances of technologies for epistemological advancement and identity exploration.
• Information Technology Education: Designing, implementing, integrating, and combining technologies for knowledge construction and the exploration of projective identities to possible selves for projective reflection.
• Model Development and Testing involving game/Immersive environment design and Game-Based Learning to engage learners in formal and informal settings for 21st century learning and civic engagement.

Selected Works (peer-reviewed):
Journal Articles:

• Shah, M., & Foster, A (Accepted). Undertaking an Ecological Approach to Advance Game-Based Learning: A Case Study. Journal of Educational Technology & Society.
• Foster, A.N. (2011). The Process of Learning in a Simulation Strategy Game: Disciplinary Knowledge Construction. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 45 (1).
• Foster, A. N. (2008). Games and motivation to learn science: Personal identity, applicability, relevance and meaningfulness. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(4), 597–614.

Chapters:

• Katz-Buonincontro, J., & Foster, A. (2012). Creating game-based learning: Understanding students’ cultural identity, player styles, and avatar drawings. In D. Ifenthaler, D. Eseryel & X. Ge (Eds.), Assessment in Game-based Learning: Foundations, Innovations, and Perspectives. New York: Springer.
• Foster, A. (2012). Assessing Learning Games for School Content: Framework and Methodology. In D. Ifenthaler, D. Eseryel & X. Ge (Eds.), Assessment in Game-based Learning: Foundations, Innovations, and Perspectives. New York: Springer.
• Foster, A., Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2011). Digital game analysis: Using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework to determine the affordances of a game for learning. In M. Khine (Ed.), Learning to Play: Exploring the Future of Education with Video Games. New York: Peter Lang Publications.
• Foster, A. N., & Mishra, P. (2009). Games, claims, genres & learning. In R. E. Ferdig (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Effective Electronic Gaming in Education: Information Science Reference.

National Science Foundation SBE White Paper:

• Katz-Buonincontro, J., & Foster, A. (2011). A framework for researching student creativity in game-based learning environments. In National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Ed.), NSF 10–069 SBE 2020: Future Research in the Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences.

Grants:

• Winter 2012 - Playing to See: A Research and Development Digital Game Based Learning Project with the Barnes Foundation – PIs Aroutis Foster & Jen Katz-Buonincontro. The Barnes Foundation—$245,000.00—(3/13–3/14)
• Fall 2012 - EAGER Proposal for Research in STEM Learning: Research and Development of a Digital Play-Based Platform to Achieve Projective Reflection for 21st Century Learning. PI Aroutis Foster. NSF EAGER Grant—$50,000.00—(9/15/12–8/31/13)—Award #1250243

Courses Taught:

• EDLT 533: Designing Virtual Communities
• EDLT 535: Research and Evaluation of Instructional Technology
• EDLT 536: The Learning Sciences and Instructional Design
• EDLT 537: Technologies for Performance Support
• EDLT 541: Foundations in Game-based - graduate level introductory game-based learning course learning
• EDLT 542: Research in Motivation and Game-Based Learning
• EDLT 543: Play and Learning in a Participatory Environment
• EDLT 544: Integrating Games and Pedagogical Content Knowledge
• EDLT 547 and 548: Capstone I and II – Game-based learning research and design
• EDUC 811: Designing & Developing Multimedia Applications for Learning