Our Work

Six areas of research and practice.

We work across the full education ecosystem, from policy design to classroom implementation, with attention to the learners and educators who are most underserved by existing systems.

What we research and where we practice

Each area of work connects to the others. Policy without pedagogy does not change classrooms. Pedagogy without evidence does not last. We work at the intersections.

Education Policy Advocacy

We analyze education policy at local, state, and federal levels to surface gaps affecting learner equity. Our work supports advocates and institutions seeking evidence-based recommendations that translate into action.

Workforce Education

We develop training frameworks that align credential pathways with labor market realities. Special attention is given to first-generation learners and career-transitioning adults navigating systems that were not built with them in mind.

Adult and Continuing Education

We design programs and resources for adult learners re-entering formal education. Our research addresses real barriers: time, prior learning recognition, digital access, and systems that assume learners have no competing responsibilities.

Higher Education

We partner with colleges and universities on curriculum reform, faculty development, and student persistence research. Our institutional work centers equity and access in degree attainment, with a focus on what actually keeps students in the room.

Documentary-Based Learning

We use documentary film as a pedagogical tool to engage learners with complex social topics. Our approach includes structured discussion guides and assessment frameworks that make documentary content work in a classroom, not just on a screen.

Low-Tech Simulations

We design role-play and scenario-based simulations that require minimal technology. These tools build critical thinking and professional judgment in resource-constrained environments, where the best learning tool is often a well-designed problem.

Emerging Technology

GenAI-Powered Immersive Learning

We are building capacity for educators and institutions to integrate augmented reality, virtual reality, and extended reality into structured learning environments. Our approach uses generative AI to make immersive design accessible without requiring specialized technical expertise.

From clinical simulation to historical reconstruction, immersive environments expand what learning can look like and who it can reach.

  • AR and VR scenario design for educator training
  • XR integration in higher education curricula
  • GenAI tools for low-cost immersive content creation
  • Accessibility frameworks for extended reality
Discuss a Partnership
A Tool from Our Lab

Fikira: AI Learning Companion for Educators, Students, and Families

Not every student has access to a private tutor. Not every teacher has time to redesign a course from scratch. Fikira was built to close both gaps, and to make that possible for every learner, regardless of what they can afford.

For teachers and professors, it turns a syllabus into a structured course map and generates a week-by-week plan students can use. For students at every level, it provides a study companion aligned to the actual course. For parents and caregivers, it offers plain-language support to stay involved without needing subject expertise.

  • Syllabus repair, enrichment, and AI vulnerability analysis
  • Week-by-week student study plan generation
  • Course-aligned AI study companion for every learner
  • Plain-language guidance for parents and caregivers
  • Designed for K-12 through higher education
Learn More About Fikira