Dr. Andrea Disessa

Biography

Andrea diSessa is a Professor at the Berkeley School of Education and a member of the National Academy of Education. His research focuses on conceptual and experiential knowledge in physics, particularly in designing flexible and comprehensible computer systems. He is the director of the Boxer Computer Environment Project, which provides an integrated system that enables non-experts, including teachers and students, to carry out a wide range of programming tasks. DiSessa's current work emphasizes student ideas regarding 'patterns of behavior control.' He has served as a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences twice and is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. His published works include 'Changing Minds: Computers, Learning, and Literacy' (2000) and 'Turtle Geometry: Computer as Medium for Exploring Mathematics' (with H. Abelson, 1981). He has also edited volumes such as 'Knowledge and Interaction: A Synthetic Agenda for the Learning Sciences' (with M. Levin and N.J.S. Brown, 2015) and 'Computers and Exploratory Learning' (with C. Hoyles, R. Noss, and L. Edwards, 1995). DiSessa has published numerous articles exploring the intersection of cognition, instruction, and educational media.

Research Interests