Responsibility in Innovation and Research

Dr. Areej Mawasi of the Technion’s Faculty of Education in Science and Technology studies the science of learning and designs innovative learning environments. Dr. Mawasi graduated from the Orthodox Arab High School in Haifa. She was first exposed to teaching in an educational village that introduced children to environmental education through activities in nature, contact with the land and the environment, and learning about the seasons of the year.

“My experience there taught me a great deal about the connection between learning and the community on the one hand, and students, teachers, and parents on the other,” said Dr. Mawasi. “It sparked my interest in education and the question of how people learn.”

Dr. Areej Mawasi

Dr. Mawasi completed her academic studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Education, and at Arizona State University, where she earned both a master’s degree in Educational Technology and a Ph.D. in Learning, Literacies, and Technologies. She attended Arizona State University as a Fulbright Scholar and was affiliated with the Center for Science and the Imagination, which promotes innovation and thinking about the future and collective imagination through interdisciplinary applied research that connects literature, art, science, and engineering, and works with diverse communities. 

As part of her post-doctoral research at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Dr. Mawasi was a Research Associate at iSAT (NSF National AI Institute for Student-AI Teaming) – an institute that develops artificial intelligence technologies for education by transforming classrooms into shared, collaborative learning environments that support learners-teachers interactions. Her research has been focused on designing, developing, and implementing learning materials for artificial intelligence literacies, especially sociocultural and ethical dimensions such as bias, equity, diverse perceptions, and fairness in design. 

In October 2022, Dr. Mawasi joined the Technion’s Faculty of Education in Science and Technology. Her research group focuses on learning processes through a social-cultural lens, designing learning environments and interactions, and developing participatory design-based research methods with learners and educators.

Mojave Desert, Arizona; Photo by Dr. Areej Mawasi

Dr. Mawasi concentrates on research that combines the science of learning with the design of interactive learning environments, as well as digital technologies and media. Examples from her work include examining collaborative design processes as a space for  AI learning (within NSF2019805), learners interactions and  self-determination in transdisciplinary informal science environments, designing and implementation of collaborative learning educational technology (within NSF1736103), and using narrative-based learning and transmedia for developing ethics and responsible innovation in science and technology (within NSF1516684). 

In addition, Dr. Mawasi’s research projects analyze social and cultural aspects of learning processes and student engagement. She has authored articles that were published in various education journals, such as the Journal of Science Education and Technology, the British Journal of Educational Technology, and the Journal of Moral Education. One of her most recent articles is related to the development of ethical thinking through the concept of “responsibility in research and innovation” by using activities in a museum. The experience in the museum is based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, which describes a pretentious inventor who chose scientific innovation over ethical considerations and social responsibility. In an article published on November 25, 2022, Dr. Mawasi and her colleagues explain that “responsibility in research and innovation” entails thinking about the consequences of discoveries in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The article presents a framework for hands-on learning in a museum.  

Dr. Mawasi has many hobbies, including writing, photography, and calligraphy. “Some of these hobbies have also played a role in my research,” she said. “Thinking through art taught me to recognize sets of interactions in learning processes and to also view these processes as works of artistic compositions. For example, who students speak with, how students’ behavior is reflected in movements in the learning space and with objects, where they look, and how these behaviors teach us about the forces and dynamics of interactions in the learning environment.”

Sea and Sky, Haifa; Photo by Dr. Areej Mawasi

As part of a research project during which she collaborated with the NGO Alrowad for Science and Technology, Dr. Mawasi conducted a micro-analysis through which she emphasized that every second and minute can teach us something new about the behavior of learners in a learning environment. For example, the learner approached the teacher in order to stabilize the object he glued. The teachers in the background encouraged him to put the object on the table and wait until the glue dries. The student put the object he built back on the table. Afterwards, he tried to stabilize the pieces himself and checked if the two pieces were balanced. 

“These instances have a past and a future in this learning environment,” explained Dr. Mawasi. “The connection that developed with the teachers provided various opportunities for the students to seek help but also to gain experience by themselves. This learner’s case is special, since several times he had trouble building his object, but he also received help from other students next to him. These types of examples encourage researchers and educators to think about a variety of interactions in learning environments and how educational designs can contribute (or not) to their development in a fair manner.”

Professor Tali Tal, dean of the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, added that, “researching issues of diversity and exclusion are especially important today since the Arab society accounts for one-fifth of the population of Israel and many teachers from Arab society study and attend seminars at the Technion. Dr. Mawasi’s focus on social-cultural diversity and equity will add an important layer to the Faculty’s research and teaching work.”