Bio

Dr. Karin Forssell is the director of the Learning Design and Technology (LDT) master's program and a Senior Lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In her courses, students learn to use research from the learning sciences and learning-centered design processes to create effective digital tools. Dr. Forssell also directs the GSE Makery, a Stanford maker space where students and faculty learn to make, and make to learn, as well as the AI Tinkery, a sandbox for educators. Her current interests include hands-on learning, teacher technology adoption, and parenting in a digital world.

Dr. Forssell draws insights from her many years of concurrent work as a teacher on special assignment for technology in the Palo Alto Unified School District. Dr. Forssell earned her BA in Linguistics, MA in Education, and PhD in Learning Sciences and Technology Design at Stanford University.

Academic Appointments

Administrative Appointments

  • Director of the Learning Design & Technology Program, Graduate School of Education (2009 - Present)
  • Director of the GSE Makery, Graduate School of Education (2018 - Present)
  • Director of the AI Tinkery, Stanford Accelerator for Learning (2024 - Present)

Professional Education

  • PhD, Stanford University, Education (Learning Sciences and Technology Design) (2011)
  • MA, Stanford University, Education (STEP) (1992)
  • BA, Stanford University, Linguistics (1991)

Contact

  • Academic
    forssell@stanford.edu
    Department: Initiative Program Staff Position: Director of LDT, Makery, and Tinkery

Additional Info

Research Interests

  • Brain and Learning Sciences
  • Collaborative Learning
  • Technology and Education

2025-26 Courses

Stanford Advisees

All Publications

  • Theories of Change in Learning Experience (LX) Design Learner and User Experience Research: An Introduction for the Field of Learning Design & Technology Bowen, K., Forssell, K., Rosier, S. edtechbooks.org. 2020
  • How Effective Is Your Edtech Tool? Five Questions to Ask [Blog Post]. Forssell, K. DigitalPromise.org. 2019 ; Marketplace
  • When knowing is believing: A multi-trait analysis of self-reported TPCK JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING Krauskopf, K., Forssell, K. 2018; 34 (5): 482–91

    View details for DOI 10.1111/jcal.12253

    View details for Web of Science ID 000443945000002

  • Making Meaningful Advances: TPACK for Designers of Learning Tools Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) for Educators Forssell, K. Routledge. 2016; 2: 247–257
  • Enhancement of Immersive Technology Use in Pediatric Health Care With Accessible, Context-Specific Training: Descriptive Feasibility Study. JMIR XR and spatial computing Li, B. S., Fereday, B., Wang, E., Rodriguez, S., Forssell, K., Bollaert, A. N., Menendez, M., Caruso, T. J. 2024; 1: e56447

    Abstract

    Immersive technology provides adjuncts for pediatric care. However, accessibility and inadequate training limit implementation of this technology. Standardized instruction with no-cost software licensing may improve health care professionals' facility with immersive technologies.This descriptive feasibility study aimed to examine the applications of immersive technologies in pediatric health care, including virtual reality (VR) and projectors.We developed immersive technology instructional guides for pediatric health care. The training guides were created for multiple software content and hardware types across several clinical scenarios. Content was available in print and digital versions. The primary outcome was technology use across sites with no-cost software agreements. The secondary outcome was the specific application types used at a single site, stratified by sessions and minutes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Data were collected from 19 licensed sites from January through June 2022. Among the 19 sites, 32% (n=6) used 10 or more VR units. Among the 6 sites that had projectors, half used 5 or more units. The mean minutes of use per month of all sites combined was 2199 (IQR 51-1058). Three sites had more than 10,000 minutes of total use during the 6-month review period. Secondary results indicated that active VR (977 total sessions) and passive projector streaming (1261 total sessions) were the most popular application types by session, while active projector (66,849 total minutes) and passive projector streaming (32,711 total minutes) were the most popular types when stratified by minutes of use. The active VR application with the most minutes of use was an application often used in physical therapy.Context-specific technological instruction coupled to no-cost licenses may increase access to immersive technology in pediatric health care settings.

    View details for DOI 10.2196/56447

    View details for PubMedID 41341879

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC12671333

  • Enhancement of Immersive Technology Use in Pediatric Health Care With Accessible, Context-Specific Training: Descriptive Feasibility Study JMIR XR and Spatial Computing Li, B., Fereday, B., Wang, E., Rodriguez, S., Forssell, K., Bollaert, A., Menendez, M., Caruso, T. J. 2024; 1

    View details for DOI 10.2196/56447

  • CHM Learning Lab: A Special Place for Learning About Learning Forssell, K. The Computer History Museum. Mountain View, CA. 2019 ; CORE Magazine (2019): 26–29
  • Principals and Teachers Empowering Teaching with Technology Technologies to Lead Schools: Key Concepts to Enhance Student Success Forssell, K., Brazer, D. Rowman & Littlefield. 2019: 1–21
  • When do online shoppers appreciate security enhancement efforts? Effects of financial risk and security level on evaluations of customer authentication INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN-COMPUTER STUDIES Lee, J. R., Rao, S., Nass, C., Forssell, K., John, J. M. 2012; 70 (5): 364-376

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.12.002

    View details for Web of Science ID 000303303900004

  • Technological pedagogical content knowledge: Relationships to learning ecologies and social learning networks Forssell, K. S. purl.stanford.edu/br704kf7669. 2011
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8796-6868