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Elliot Hu-Au
Assistant Professor, School of Computing, College of Science and Mathematics
- Office:
- Richardson Hall 109
- Email:
- huaue@montclair.edu
- Phone:
- 973-655-7873
- vCard:
- Download vCard
Profile
Dr. Elliot Hu-Au is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science Education in the School of Computing. He joined the CSAM faculty in Fall 2023, coming from Teachers College, Columbia University where he received his M.A. and Ed.D. in Instructional Technology and Media. His undergraduate degree is in Astrophysics with an Education minor from UC Berkeley. His research lab, the Hu-Au XR Lab, broadly studies human-computer interactions (HCI) and immersive learning. Specific research interests are the creation of mixed reality (MR), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) learning experiences for STEM subjects. Other research interests are in Game Design and Game Development.
He has taught at the graduate and undergraduate level for 5+ years, teaching courses like Design and Development of XR & Games, Introductory Python, Introductory Java, and STEM Methods for Early Childhood Education. He also has 10+ years of experience teaching high school physics, mathematics, and robotics in Oakland and Berkeley, CA. In NYC, he has taught game design in middle schools and Rikers Island RNDC.
Currently, he is the Teaching and Learning Coordinator for the School of Computing and oversees the quality of the AMAT 120, STAT 109, and CSIT 104 courses.
Grants:
Senior Personnel - Educating Character Initiative Institutional Grant that Montclair State received from Wake Forest and Lilly Endowment Inc. - $1 Million
Senior Personnel - New Jersey Department of Education, “Montclair State University Computer Science Education Hub” - $300,000
Specialization
Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality in Science Education.
Games and Learning
Game Design
Immersive Learning Environments
Human-Computer Interactions
http://www.virtualrealityforeducation.com
Resume/CV
Office Hours
Spring
- Monday
- 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
- Richardson 109
- Wednesday
- 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
- Richardson 109
- Thursday
- 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Zoom - email me to confirm times
Links
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Research Projects
Planting the SEEDS of Character Growth: Developing Civic and Community Responsibility through Ethical Inquiry using Virtual Reality
The $1,000,000 project, sponsored by Wake Forest University and the Lilly Foundation, will focus on developing and evaluating a character education course that infuses virtual reality experiences and meets the character-focused learning objectives set forth in the new MSU general education curriculum. To date, there has been minimal research on the use of virtual reality in the context of character education, yet “VR has the potential to contribute positively and significantly to the current character education movement” (Harrison, 2023, p. 16). This first-of-its-kind project has the potential to reach the entire undergraduate population of 18,000 students at MSU and, if successful, to be shared with other educational institutions interested in using virtual reality to enhance character education.
The VR Chemistry Lab
The VR Chemistry Lab is an immersive, interactive experience simulating chemistry laboratory exercises and the related "molecular world" underlying those exercises. Research involving this product explores methods of improving the connections between macroscopic and sub-micro chemistry topics, student behaviors in virtual laboratory simulations, learning outcomes of VR laboratories, and various interaction affordances in VR learning environments.
VR Human Brain Time
In collaboration with Dr. Thomas Mueller's "Genes, Brains, and Behaviors" class (BIOL 319), Dr. Hu-Au has created an interactive VR experience for students to explore the inner structures of the human brain. The app includes a content quiz, a brain structure location quiz, a walk-through brain, and multiplayer functionality. Studies on learning outcomes, motivation, and social experiences in VR learning environments are ongoing.