Melissa Chen

Ph.D. Candidate | Northwestern University

Research | Melissa Chen

I am a design-based researcher who leverages qualitative research methods to support students’ motivation, self-efficacy, and self-assessments. Specifically, I aim to understand how we can design systems to support students in making more accurate (and less self-critical) self-assessments of their programming abilities in moments that are common in the programming process (like looking up syntax or stopping to think).

I’m currently:

In my work, I leverage theories and methods from computing education, human-computer interaction, design research, and the learning sciences. I also leverage some technical skills from my undergrad work as a software engineer intern and machine learning research intern.

Papers

Understanding the Reasoning Behind Students’ Self-Assessments of Ability in Introductory Computer Science Courses

Melissa Chen, Yinmiao Li, Eleanor O'Rourke

ICER 2024 | DOI | PDF

Best Paper Award (top 1 paper / 36)

Exploring the Interplay of Metacognition, Affect, and Behaviors in an Introductory Computer Science Course for Non-Majors

Yinmiao Li, Melissa Chen, Eleanor O'Rourke

ICER 2024 | DOI | PDF

Posters

Designing a Real-Time Intervention to Address Negative Self-Assessments While Programming

Melissa Chen, Eleanor O'Rourke

ICER 2023 | DOI | PDF | Poster PDF