CEREN OCAK

 

Research

 

For my future research in the Learning, Design and Technology program, I plan to focus on embodied cognition and how it connects to individual learning processes. I am interested in learners’ gestures and how these gestures are differentiated, as the cognitive tasks get more complex. In essence, I seek to analyze the ways of thinking among young learners as they move from abstraction to automation, particularly in robotics education, in other words, how learners embody their learning in K-12 STEM environments. Over the course of this year, I have had a variety of research opportunities that prepared me for the research area I want to specialize in: (1) analyzing of 4th grade robotics curriculum implementation process (2) writing a journal article about the learners’ gestures embodied through the 4th grade Robotics workshop (3) discussing embodied cognition with Dr. Kopcha extensively. On the other hand, I have grown my hard skills in technology use by gaining experience in different programming languages and e-learning authoring tools. I also had the chance of exploring various theoretical frameworks within the history of the LDT. 

 

Here are the scholarly contributions of the year:

 

Conference Presentations

• Kopcha, T. J., Ocak. C. (Under Review). The Embodiment of complex thought processes through the shift from abstraction to automation within Robotics Education. AECT Convention 2017, Jacksonville, Florida.

• Ocak, C., Baran, E. (Submitted). Examining the observable indicators of science teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) through video study. Submitted for inclusion, at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA-2017).

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Manuscripts Under Review

• Kopcha, T. J., Ocak. C. (In Preparation). Embodied Cognition in Robotics: A Case Study. 

• Ocak, C., Baran, E. (Under Review)). Observing the indicators of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in science classrooms with video-based research. Computers & Education.

 

Organizational Memberships

• AERA Membership, Aug 2015

• AECT Membership, Jan 2017

• AACE Membership, Jan 2017

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Service

Proposal Reviewer

• Reviewer of the conference papers of Educational Media and Technology Conference (EdMedia), 2017

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Future Goals

• Gaining experience in teaching embodied cognition within the consideration of design principles. 

• Submitting at least three articles related to my research topic each year.

• Collaborating with  Berkeley Embodied Design Research Lab. about my research.

• Learning to analyze a data set in regard to quantitative research paradigm.