Bio

Victor R. Lee is an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University and leads the Data Interactions & STEM Teaching and Learning (DISTAL) Lab. Through his research, he asks what future-facing STEM knowledge, tools, and practices are important to know to enable active participation and critical engagement with our increasingly digitally-infused lives. He then uses the tools of educational design research to create examples for how we could get there. Currently, this involves researching and designing learning experiences and resources for data literacy, K-12 data science education, and artificial intelligence literacy. He also has maintained a portfolio of research related to elementary computer science education, maker education, and science cognition. His research is most often done through research-practice partnerships and involves design, implementation, analysis, and continual revision of new learning experiences in actual learning settings (such as schools, districts, or libraries).

Lee completed his undergraduate studies at UC San Diego with emphasis in cognitive science, human computer interaction, and mathematics. He earned his doctorate in Learning Sciences at Northwestern University where he was supported for several years through a fellowship with the NSF-funded Center for Curriculum Materials in Science. Since leaving the midwest and beginning his professional academic career, he has received the National Science Foundation CAREER award, the Jan Hawkins Award, a post-doctoral fellowship from the National Academy of Education and the Spencer Foundation, and various best paper awards. His book, Learning Technologies and the Body (published by Routledge), is the first compendium of current research of embodied technologies for learning. With Abigail Phillips, he published, Reconceptualizing Libraries: Perspectives from the Information and Learning Sciences (2018). In 2021, he co-authored the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's consensus report on authentic computing education experiences. Currently, he is contracted for a new book on K-12 data science education. Victor sits on the editorial board of several leading journals, including Journal of the Learning Sciences and Cognition & Instruction. He is a past-president and elected fellow of the International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Academic Appointments

Administrative Appointments

  • Faculty Lead, AI + Education, Stanford Accelerator for Learning (2023 - Present)
  • Associate Professor, Department of Instructional Technology & Learning Sciences,, Utah State University, Logan (2015 - 2019)
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Instructional Technology & Learning Sciences, Utah State University, Logan (2009 - 2015)

Honors & Awards

  • Distinguished Development Award, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (2023)
  • Fellow, International Society of the Learning Sciences (2022)
  • Fellow, International Society for Design and Development in Education (2021)
  • Outstanding Research Award, Council for Technology & Engineering Teacher Education (2018)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation (2014)
  • Jan Hawkins Award, American Educational Research Association (2013)
  • CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2011)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

  • President, International Society of the Learning Sciences (2020 - 2021)
  • Committee Member, National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine - Committee on NASA Science Activation 2.0 (2023 - 2024)
  • Committee Member, National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine - Committee on Authentic STEM Experiences (2019 - 2021)
  • Board Member, International Society of the Learning Sciences (2015 - 2022)

Program Affiliations

  • Symbolic Systems Program

Professional Education

  • PhD, Northwestern University, Learning Sciences (2008)
  • BS, UC San Diego, Cognitive Science with Specialization in Human-Computer Interaction (2001)
  • BA, UC San Diego, Math/Applied Science (2001)

Contact

  • Academic
    vrlee@stanford.edu
    University - Faculty Department: Graduate School of Education Position: Associate Professor

Additional Info

Links

Research Interests

  • Brain and Learning Sciences
  • Collaborative Learning
  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • Data Sciences
  • Elementary Education
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Math Education
  • Professional Development
  • Science Education
  • Teachers and Teaching
  • Technology and Education

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

Data - young people's data literacy experiences and K-12 data science education, with emphasis on quantified self data (wearables and/or self-tracked) and data learning experiences across disciplines.

Computing - the design and development of computational thinking and computational literacy, with emphasis on unplugged-to-plugged computing and elementary school programming experiences

AI - tools and resources for general understandings of artificial intelligence, especially as it relates to education

Maker education - how youth engage with maker learning activities, making in libraries (school and public) and in out-of-school makerspaces, and how to support teachers in implementing maker learning experiences

STEM - curriculum design and research, especially as it relates to science content and practices in K-12 as well as conceptual change, use of technology in service of K-12 STEM education

2023-24 Courses

Stanford Advisees

All Publications

  • Learning sciences and learning engineering: A natural or artificial distinction? JOURNAL OF THE LEARNING SCIENCES Lee, V. R. 2022

    View details for DOI 10.1080/10508406.2022.2100705

    View details for Web of Science ID 000840071500001

  • Data science education across the disciplines: Underexamined opportunities for K-12 innovation BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY Jiang, S., Lee, V. R., Rosenberg, J. M. 2022

    View details for DOI 10.1111/bjet.13258

    View details for Web of Science ID 000822579700001

  • Taking data feminism to school: A synthesis and review of pre-collegiate data science education projects BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY Lee, V. R., Pimentel, D. R., Bhargava, R., D'Ignazio, C. 2022

    View details for DOI 10.1111/bjet.13251

    View details for Web of Science ID 000817736800001

  • A Call for a Humanistic Stance Toward K-12 Data Science Education EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER Lee, V. R., Wilkerson, M., Lanouette, K. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.3102/0013189X211048810

    View details for Web of Science ID 000702459400001

  • Remembering What Produced the Data: Individual and Social Reconstruction in the Context of a Quantified Self Elementary Data and Statistics Unit COGNITION AND INSTRUCTION Lee, V. R., Drake, J., Cain, R., Thayne, J. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1080/07370008.2021.1936529

    View details for Web of Science ID 000671698100001

  • Tabletop games designed to promote computational thinking COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION Poole, F. J., Clarke-Midura, J., Rasmussen, M., Shehzad, U., Lee, V. R. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1080/08993408.2021.1947642

    View details for Web of Science ID 000668828500001

  • At Home With Data: Family Engagements With Data Involved in Type 1 Diabetes Management JOURNAL OF THE LEARNING SCIENCES Lee, V. R., Dubovi, I. 2019

    View details for DOI 10.1080/10508406.2019.1666011

    View details for Web of Science ID 000488114700001

  • A wearables-based approach to detect and identify momentary engagement in afterschool Makerspace programs Contemporary Educational Psychology Lee, V. R., Fischback, L., Cain, R. 2019

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101789

  • A Broad View of Wearables as Learning Technologies: Current and Emerging Applications LEARNING IN A DIGITAL WORLD: PERSPECTIVE ON INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION Lee, V. R., Shapiro, R., Diaz, P., Ioannou, A., Bhagat, K. K., Spector, J. M. 2019: 113–33

    View details for DOI 10.1007/978-981-13-8265-9_6

    View details for Web of Science ID 000537067200006

  • Reconceptualizing Libraries: Perspectives from the Information and Learning Sciences. edited by Lee, V. R., Phillips, A. L. Routledge. 2018
  • Data Use by Middle and Secondary Students in the Digital Age: A Status Report and Future Prospects Lee, V. R., Wilkerson, M. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018
  • Learning Technologies and the Body: Integration and Implementation in Formal and Informal Learning Environments edited by Lee, V. R. Routledge. 2015
  • High school teachers' data set aesthetics INFORMATION AND LEARNING SCIENCES Delaney, V., Lee, V. R. 2024

    View details for DOI 10.1108/ILS-06-2023-0063

    View details for Web of Science ID 001169147100001

  • Common "place" observations about embodiment and CSCL INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTER-SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING Lee, V. R. 2023

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11412-023-09402-3

    View details for Web of Science ID 001011989400001

  • Designing formative assessments of early childhood computational thinking EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH QUARTERLY Clarke-Midura, J., Lee, V. R., Shumway, J. F., Silvis, D., Kozlowski, J. S., Peterson, R. 2023; 65: 68-80

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.05.013

    View details for Web of Science ID 001032420400001

  • The technical matters: young children debugging (with) tangible coding toys INFORMATION AND LEARNING SCIENCES Silvis, D., Lee, V. R., Clarke-Midura, J., Shumway, J. F. 2022

    View details for DOI 10.1108/ILS-12-2021-0109

    View details for Web of Science ID 000829510500001

  • Exploring Measurement through Coding: Children's Conceptions of a Dynamic Linear Unit with Robot Coding Toys EDUCATION SCIENCES Welch, L. E., Shumway, J. F., Clarke-Midura, J., Lee, V. R. 2022; 12 (2)

    View details for DOI 10.3390/educsci12020143

    View details for Web of Science ID 000762682700001

  • Identifying the Content, Lesson Structure, and Data Use Within Pre-collegiate Data Science Curricula JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY Lee, V. R., Delaney, V. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10956-021-09932-1

    View details for Web of Science ID 000719179100001

  • Kindergarten students' mathematics knowledge at work: the mathematics for programming robot toys MATHEMATICAL THINKING AND LEARNING Shumway, J. F., Welch, L. E., Kozlowski, J. S., Clarke-Midura, J., Lee, V. R. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1080/10986065.2021.1982666

    View details for Web of Science ID 000701506700001

  • Youth engagement during making: using electrodermal activity data and first-person video to generate evidence-based conjectures INFORMATION AND LEARNING SCIENCES Lee, V. R. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1108/ILS-08-2020-0178

    View details for Web of Science ID 000662750100001

  • Developing a kindergarten computational thinking assessment using evidence-centered design: the case of algorithmic thinking COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION Clarke-Midura, J., Silvis, D., Shumway, J. F., Lee, V. R., Kozlowski, J. S. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1080/08993408.2021.1877988

    View details for Web of Science ID 000614514000001

  • It's More Than Just Technology Adoption: Understanding Variations in Teachers' Use of an Online Planning Tool TECHTRENDS Leary, H., Lee, V. R., Recker, M. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11528-020-00576-3

    View details for Web of Science ID 000607764800001

  • What do Teens Make of Personal Informatics? Young People's Responses to Self-Tracking Practices for Self-Determined Motives Potapov, K., Vasalou, A., Lee, V., Marshall, P., ASSOC COMP MACHINERY ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1145/3411764.3445239

    View details for Web of Science ID 000758168002066

  • Let's cut to commercial: where research, evaluation, and design of learning games should go next ETR&D-EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Lee, V. R. 2020

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11423-020-09865-3

    View details for Web of Science ID 000589468800002

  • An Emerging Technology Report on Computational Toys in Early Childhood TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING Hamilton, M., Clarke-Midura, J., Shumway, J. F., Lee, V. R. 2020; 25 (1): 213–24

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10758-019-09423-8

    View details for Web of Science ID 000512738000011

  • Instructional support for learning with agent-based simulations: A tale of vicarious and guided exploration learning approaches COMPUTERS & EDUCATION Dubovi, I., Lee, V. R. 2019; 142

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103644

    View details for Web of Science ID 000487568200008

  • The picture of smartphones at school is not a dire one and the picture of student competence is a bright one LEARNING CULTURE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION Lee, V. R. 2019; 21: 293–95

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.lcsi.2019.04.001

    View details for Web of Science ID 000471363600023

  • Youth Concerns and Responses to Self-Tracking Tools and Personal Informatics Systems Potapov, K., Lee, V. R., Vasalou, A., Marshall, P., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019

    View details for DOI 10.1145/3290607.3312886

    View details for Web of Science ID 000482042101147

  • The building blocks of coding: a comparison of early childhood coding toys INFORMATION AND LEARNING SCIENCES Clarke-Midura, J., Lee, V. R., Shumway, J. F., Hamilton, M. M. 2019; 120 (7-8): 505–18

    View details for DOI 10.1108/ILS-06-2019-0059

    View details for Web of Science ID 000485201200006

  • On researching activity tracking to support learning: a retrospective INFORMATION AND LEARNING SCIENCES Lee, V. R. 2019; 120 (1-2): 133–54

    View details for DOI 10.1108/ILS-06-2018-0048

    View details for Web of Science ID 000485199800009

  • Paper Circuits: A Tangible, Low Threshold, Low Cost Entry to Computational Thinking TECHTRENDS Lee, V. R., Recker, M. 2018; 62 (2): 197–203

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11528-017-0248-3

    View details for Web of Science ID 000431573500013

  • A rubric for describing competences in the areas of circuitry, computation, and crafting after a course using e-textiles INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFORMATION AND LEARNING TECHNOLOGY Lee, V. R., Fields, D. A. 2017; 34 (5): 372–84

    View details for DOI 10.1108/IJILT-06-2017-0048

    View details for Web of Science ID 000412189100002

  • A Comparison of Discovered Regularities in Blood Glucose Readings across Two Data Collection Approaches Used with a Type 1 Diabetic Youth METHODS OF INFORMATION IN MEDICINE Lee, V., Thurston, T., Thurston, C. 2017; 56: E84–E91

    Abstract

    Type 1 diabetes requires frequent testing and monitoring of blood glucose levels in order to determine appropriate type and dosage of insulin administration. This can lead to thousands of individual measurements over the course of a lifetime of a single individual, of which very few are retained as part of a permanent record. The third author, aged 9, and his family have maintained several years of written records since his diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes at age 20 months, and have also recently begun to obtain automated records from a continuous glucose monitor.This paper compares regularities identified within aggregated manually-collected and automatically-collected blood glucose data visualizations by the family involved in monitoring the third author's diabetes.7,437 handwritten entries of the third author's blood sugar readings were obtained from a personal archive, digitized, and visualized in Tableau data visualization software. 6,420 automatically collected entries from a Dexcom G4 Platinum continuous glucose monitor were obtained and visualized in Dexcom's Clarity data visualization report tool. The family was interviewed three times about diabetes data management and their impressions of data as presented in data visualizations. Interviews were audiorecorded or recorded with handwritten notes.The aggregated visualization of manually-collected data revealed consistent habitual times of day when blood sugar measurements were obtained. The family was not fully aware that their existing life routines and the third author's entry into formal schooling had created critical blind spots in their data that were often unmeasured. This was realized upon aggregate visualization of CGM data, but the discovery and use of these visualizations were not realized until a new healthcare provider required the family to find and use them. The lack of use of CGM aggregate visualization was reportedly because the default data displays seemed to provide already abundant information for in-the-moment decision making for diabetes management.Existing family routines and school schedules can shape if and when blood glucose data are obtained for T1D youth. These routines may inadvertently introduce blind spots in data, even when it is collected and recorded systematically. Although CGM data may be superior in its overall density of data collection, families do not necessarily discover nor use the full range of useful data visualization features. To support greater awareness of youth blood sugar levels, families that manually obtain youth glucose data should be advised to avoid inadvertently creating data blind spots due to existing schedules and routines. For families using CGM technology, designers and healthcare providers should consider implementing better cues and prompts that will encourage families to discover and utilize aggregate data visualization capabilities.

    View details for DOI 10.3414/ME16-02-0047

    View details for Web of Science ID 000413013300004

    View details for PubMedID 28678303

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC6291844

  • Appropriating Quantified Self Technologies to Support Elementary Statistical Teaching and Learning IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES Lee, V. R., Drake, J. R., Thayne, J. L. 2016; 9 (4): 354–65

    View details for DOI 10.1109/TLT.2016.2597142

    View details for Web of Science ID 000391469700007

  • Let's Get Physical: K-12 Students Using Wearable Devices to Obtain and Learn About Data from Physical Activities TECHTRENDS Lee, V. R., Drake, J., Williamson, K. 2015; 59 (4): 46–53

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11528-015-0870-x

    View details for Web of Science ID 000443644800010

  • Combining High-Speed Cameras and Stop-Motion Animation Software to Support Students' Modeling of Human Body Movement JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY Lee, V. R. 2015; 24 (2-3): 178–91

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10956-014-9521-9

    View details for Web of Science ID 000351316500005

  • Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges of Introducing Computational Crafts to Alternative High School Students EDUCATIONAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY YEARBOOK, VOL 39 DuMont, M., Lee, V. R., Orey, M., Branch, R. M. 2015; 39: 83–99

    View details for DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-14188-6_7

    View details for Web of Science ID 000373332500008

  • The Role of School District Science Coordinators in the District-Wide Appropriation of an Online Resource Discovery and Sharing Tool for Teachers JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY Lee, V. R., Leary, H. M., Sellers, L., Recker, M. 2014; 23 (3): 309–23

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10956-013-9465-5

    View details for Web of Science ID 000334933800002

  • Students' Digital Photography Behaviors during a Multiday Environmental Science Field Trip and Their Recollections of Photographed Science Content EDUCATION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL Lee, V. R. 2014

    View details for DOI 10.1155/2014/736791

    View details for Web of Science ID 000214796800034

  • Knowing and Learning with Technology (and on Wheels!): An Introduction to the Special Issue TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING Lee, V. R. 2013; 18 (1-2): 1–8

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10758-013-9204-2

    View details for Web of Science ID 000218047600001

  • Digital Physical Activity Data Collection and Use by Endurance Runners and Distance Cyclists TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING Lee, V. R., Drake, J. 2013; 18 (1-2): 39–63

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10758-013-9203-3

    View details for Web of Science ID 000218047600003

  • Collaborative Strategic Board Games as a Site for Distributed Computational Thinking DEVELOPMENTS IN CURRENT GAME-BASED LEARNING DESIGN AND DEPLOYMENT Berland, M., Lee, V. R., Felicia, P. 2013: 285–301

    View details for DOI 10.4018/978-1-4666-1864-0.ch021

    View details for Web of Science ID 000422857200022

  • Framing in cognitive clinical interviews about intuitive science knowledge: Dynamic student understandings of the discourse interaction SCIENCE EDUCATION Russ, R. S., Lee, V. R., Sherin, B. L. 2012; 96 (4): 573–99

    View details for DOI 10.1002/sce.21014

    View details for Web of Science ID 000305122800001

  • Some assembly required: How scientific explanations are constructed during clinical interviews JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING Sherin, B. L., Krakowski, M., Lee, V. R. 2012; 49 (2): 166–98

    View details for DOI 10.1002/tea.20455

    View details for Web of Science ID 000299071500002

  • Material Pets, Virtual Spaces, Isolated Designers: How Collaboration May Be Unintentionally Constrained in the Design of Tangible Computational Crafts DuMont, M., Lee, V. R., ACM ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2012: 244–47

    View details for Web of Science ID 000323222100038

  • In Pursuit of Consensus: Disagreement and legitimization during small-group argumentation INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION Berland, L. K., Lee, V. R. 2012; 34 (12): 1857–82

    View details for DOI 10.1080/09500693.2011.645086

    View details for Web of Science ID 000307006000003

  • RETWEETING HISTORY Exploring the Intersection of Microblogging and Problem-based Learning for Historical Reenactments DESIGNING PROBLEM-DRIVEN INSTRUCTION WITH ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA Lee, V. R., Shelton, B. E., Walker, A., Caswell, T., Jensen, M., Seo, K. K., Pellegrino, D. A., Engelhard, C. 2012: 23–40

    View details for Web of Science ID 000301089400002

  • Integrating physical activity data technologies into elementary school classrooms ETR&D-EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Lee, V. R., Thomas, J. M. 2011; 59 (6): 865–84

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11423-011-9210-9

    View details for Web of Science ID 000297348400007

  • Collaborative Strategic Board Games as a Site for Distributed Computational Thinking INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GAME-BASED LEARNING Berland, M., Lee, V. R. 2011; 1 (2): 65–81

    View details for DOI 10.4018/ijgbl.2011040105

    View details for Web of Science ID 000218920000005

  • How Different Variants of Orbit Diagrams Influence Student Explanations of the Seasons SCIENCE EDUCATION Lee, V. R. 2010; 94 (6): 985–1007

    View details for DOI 10.1002/sce.20403

    View details for Web of Science ID 000283273100003

  • What Students Include in Hand-Drawn Diagrams to Explain Seasonal Temperature Variation Lee, V. R., Goel, A. K., Jamnik, M., Narayanan, N. H. SPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN. 2010: 313–15

    View details for Web of Science ID 000289110300039

  • Adaptations and Continuities in the Use and Design of Visual Representations in US Middle School Science Textbooks INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION Lee, V. R. 2010; 32 (8): 1099–1126

    View details for DOI 10.1080/09500690903253916

    View details for Web of Science ID 000277399700005

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6434-7589