Human-Computer Interaction Institute
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
United States
Ph.D. Student
Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
Academic Advisors: Vincent Aleven & Nikol Rummel
Thesis Committee: Vincent Aleven, Nikol Rummel, Ken Koedinger, Richard Scheines, & Brian Junker
Associate in the Program for Interdisciplinary Research in Education (PIER)
M.Sc. in HCI, CMU
Dipl.-Psych. (eq. B.S. & M.S. in Psychology), University of Freiburg, Germany
Best Student Paper Award at the 14th International Converence on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2009). Intelligent Tutoring Systems with Multiple Representations and Self-Explanation Prompts Support Learning of Fractions. In V. Dimitrova, R. Mizoguchi, & B. du Boulay (Eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (pp. 441-448). Amsterdam, the Netherlands: IOS Press.
Teaching Assistant in "Research Methods for Human-Computer Interaction" at CMU
Teacher in "How to Create Computer-Based Learning Materials: Principles and Practices" at Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Germany
Mentor at the PSLC Summer School for the "In Vivo Experimentation" Track
Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning (IJTEL) Young Researcher Special Issue
Member of the iSLC Workshop Committee
Organizer of the PIER Edbag Series
Student Representative at the Curriculum Committee
Reviewed for the Journal of Learning and Instruction, for the meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, for the Special Interest Group on Computer Human Interaction 2011, and for the 5th iSLC Conference 2012
My thesis work focuses on investigating how to best support students in learning from multiple graphical representations. I am interested in promoting students in becoming both fluent and flexible in working with multiple graphical representations. I am also interested in sequencing of the different types of support needed to promote representational fluency and representational flexibility.
As part of this work, I have developed an Intelligent Tutoring System for Fractions. Through multiple experimental studies in real classrooms with over 2,500 students, I have iteratively improved the system. The most recent version of the Fractions Tutor is available for free on Mathtutor. The tutoring system is a type of Cognitive Tutor, developed with CTAT.
As Intelligent Tutoring Systems used in real classrooms provide rich data on students' problem-solving behaviors and learning outcomes, I am using statistical methods such as structural equation modeling, Bayesian knowledge tracing, item response theory models, and hierarchical linear modeling to analyze outcome and process variables of my experiments.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., Rummel, N., & Rohrbach, S. (in press). Sense Making Alone Doesn't Do It: Fluency Matters Too! ITS Support for Robust Learning with Multiple Representations. To appear in the Proceedings of Intelligent Tutoring Systems, 2012.
Rau, M. A., Rummel, N., Aleven, V., Tunc-Pekkan, Z. & Pacilio, L. (in press). How to schedule multiple graphical representations? A classroom experiment with an intelligent tutoring system for fractions. To appear in the Proceedings of ICLS, 2012.
Rau, M. A., & Pardos, Z. A. (in press). Investigating Practice Schedules of Multiple Fraction Representations Using Knowledge Tracing Based Learning Analysis Techniques. To appear in the Proceedings of Educational Data Mining, 2012.
Rau, M. A., & Scheines, R. (in press). Searching for Variables and Models to Investigate Mediators of Learning from Multiple Representations. To appear in the Proceedings of Educational Data Mining, 2012.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). Blocked versus Interleaved Practice With Multiple Representations in an Intelligent Tutoring System for Fractions. In V. Aleven, J. Kay, & J. Mostow (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Conference of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (pp. 413-422). Heidelberg / Berlin: Springer.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2009). Intelligent Tutoring Systems with Multiple Representations and Self-Explanation Prompts Support Learning of Fractions. In V. Dimitrova, R. Mizoguchi, & B. du Boulay (Eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (pp. 441-448). Amsterdam, the Netherlands: IOS Press.
Matlen, B., Atit, K., Goksun, T., Rau, M., & Ptouchkina, M. (in press). Representing Space: Exploring the Relationship between Gesturing and Geoscience Understanding in Children. To appear in the proceedings of Spatial Cognition, 2012.
Hayashi, E., Rau, M. A., Neo, Z. H., Tan, N., Ramasubramanian, S., & Paulos, E. (in press). Time Blocks: "Mom, Can I Have Another Block of Time?" To appear in the proceedings of the 2012 ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2012).
Feenstra, L., Aleven, V., Rummel, N., Rau, M. A., & Taatgen, N. (2011). Thinking with Your Hands: Interactive Graphical Representations in a Tutor for Fractions Learning. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 6738, 453-455.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2011). How to schedule multiple graphical representations? A classroom experiment with an intelligent tutoring system for fractions. Paper presented at the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Fall 2011 Conference, Washington, D.C.
Rau, M. A., Tunc-Pekkan, Z. Pacilio, L., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2011). Facilitating the Representational Fluency and Flexibility through Sequencing Multiple Graphical Representations. Paper presented at the 14th biennial EARLI Conference, Exeter, U.K.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). Blocked versus Interleaved Practice with Multiple Graphical Representations of Fractions. Paper presented at the International EARLI Special Interest Group on Text and Graphics Comprehension, Tuebingen, Germany.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). Supporting Learning with Multiple Graphical Representations with Intelligent Tutoring Technology. Paper presented at the International EARLI Special Interest Group on Instructional Design and Learning with Computers, Ulm, Germany.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). Blocked versus Interleaved Practice With Multiple Representations in an Intelligent Tutoring System for Fractions. Paper presented at the 10th International Conference of Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Pittsburgh, PA.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2009). Intelligent Tutoring Systems with Multiple Representations and Self-Explanation Prompts Support Learning of Fractions. Paper presented at the 14th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, Brighton, U.K.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2009). Self-explanations prompts enable students to benefit from learning with multiple graphical re-presentations of fractions. Paper presented at the 13th biennial EARLI Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Rau, M. A., Rummel, N., & Aleven, N. (2009). Selbsterklaerungs-Prompts helfen Schuelern beim Lernen mit multiplen graphischen Repraesentationen von Bruechen. Paper presented at the 12. Fachtagung Paedagogische Psychologie der DGPs, Saarbruecken, Germany.
Aleven, V., Rau, M., & Rummel, N. (2012). Planned Use of Eye Movement Data to Explore Complementary Strengths of Individual and Collaborative Learning. Paper presented at the Duet 2012 Workshop, Seattle, WA.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). Blocking versus Interleaving Learning with Multiple Representations in an Intelligent Tutoring System for Fractions. Poster presented at the SREE Fall Conference, Washington, DC.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). Blocked versus Interleaved Practice with Multiple Representations of Fractions in an Intelligent Tutoring System. Poster presented at the Annual IES Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Rau, M. A., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2009). Understanding Fractions with Multiple Graphical Representations in Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Poster presented at the Annual IES Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Rau, M. A. (2007). Flexible Knowledge of Rational Numbers with Multiple Representations in Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Poster presented at the 1st Annual inter-Science of Learning Center (iSLC) Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
Tunc-Pekkan, Z., Rau, M., Aleven, V., & Rummel, N. (2010). External Representations and Fractional Knowledge. Poster presented at the 3rd Annual inter-Science of Learning Center (iSLC) Conference, Boston, MA.
Feenstra, L., Aleven, V., Rummel, N., Rau, M. A., & Taatgen, N. (2011). Thinking with Your Hands: Interactive Graphical Representations in a Tutor for Fractions Learning. Poster presented at the 15th International Conference International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, Auckland, New Zealand.