Research Interests:
Inquiry and critical thinking, K-12 education, teacher education, technology supported teaching approaches, instructional design.
Publication Citations:
Chapters
Ma, S., Bhagat, K., Spector, J., Lin, L., Liu D., Leng J., Tiruneh, D., Mancini, J., (2020) Developing Critical Thinking: A Review of Past Efforts as a Framework for a New Approach for Childhood Learning. In: M. Spector, B. Lockee, M. Childress (Eds.) Learning, Design, and Technology. Springer, Cham
Ma, S. *, Spector, J., Bhagat, K., Tiruneh, D., Mancini, J., Lin, L., Nielsen R., Liu D., and Kinshuk. (Accepted). Towards smart learning in support of critical thinking: Lessons learned and a new framework.
Ma, S. * & Spector, J. (2020). Preparing the Next Generation of Scientific Thinkers: Developing Inquiry and Critical Thinking Skills in Children. In L. Leite, E. Oldham, A. S. Afonso, F. Viseu, L. Dourado, M. H. Martinho (Eds.) Science and Mathematics Education for 21st Century Citizens: Challenges and Ways Forward. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
Journal Papers
Spector, J. M., & Ma, S. (2019). Inquiry and critical thinking skills for the next generation: from artificial intelligence back to human intelligence. Smart Learning Environments, 6(1), 8.
Peng, H., Ma, S., & Spector, J. M. (2019). Personalized adaptive learning: an emerging pedagogical approach enabled by a smart learning environment. Smart Learning Environments, 6(1),
Conference Presentations
Ma, S., Spector, J. M. & Bhagat, K. (2020, June) Develop Inquiry and Critical Thinking through Virtual Reality in K-12 Education. Pedagogical and Pacific Technology Enhanced Language Learning, PPTELL (2020), Denton, TX, June, 2020.
Daughrity, L., Ma S., & Mahaffey, F. (2019) Inspired to Make. Association of Education Communication Technology, Las Vegas, NV, October, 2019.
Ma, S. & Spector, J. M (2019, March). Developing Inquiry and Critical Thinking Skills in Children Using Mobile Applications. Poster presented at Digital mediated team learning: NSF Synthesis & Design Workshop, Orlando, FL, USA, Mar 31- Apr 2, 2019.
Ma, S., Spector, J. M. & Lin, L. (2018, October). Comparative Study on Students’ Perspective of Using Social Media as Learning Resources Platform Between the US and China. Poster presented at the conference of SCITE-AECT, Kansas City, Kansas, USA, October, 2018.
Ma, S., & Lin, L. (2018, March). An Interest-Driven Teaching Model to Improve Students’ Motivation for Learning. Paper presented at Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference of Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Washington DC, USA, March 2018.
Peng, H., Ma, S., & Spector, J. M. (2019, March). Personalized Adaptive Learning: An Emerging Pedagogical Approach Enabled by Small Learning Environment. ICSLE, Denton, TX, March, 2019.
Proceedings
Daughrity, L., Ma, S., & Mahaffey, F. (2019) Inspired to Make. In proceedings of AECT 2019. Las Vegas, NV, October, 2019
Peng, H., Ma, S., & Spector, J. M. (2019). Personalized Adaptive Learning: An Emerging Pedagogical Approach Enabled by a Smart Learning Environment. In Foundations and Trends in Smart Learning (pp. 171-176). Springer, Singapore.
Ma, S., & Lin, L. (2018, March). An Interest-Driven Teaching Model to Improve Students’ Motivation for Learning. In Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 627-634). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
Ma, S. & Wang, J. (2014, August). The Domestic Research of M-Learning in Recent Five Years and its Thinking. In proceedings of the 16th annual conference of National Computer-Based Education Association, Computer & Education on Practice, Innovation, Future. Zhejiang, China ,11-13, August 2014 (pp.92-101.) Beijing, CA: Xinhua Press.
Ma, S. & Ma, Q. (2014, August) Improving Student Learning Interests in Rural Middle Schools with Ordinary IT. Accepted by the 7th International Conference on Hybrid Learning (ICHL),8-10, August 2014, Shanghai, China.
Ma, S. (2013). The Situation and Trend of the Field, Educational Technology, Based on Domestic Publications on Core Journals, with the method of Word Frequency. Accepted by the National Postgraduate Forum of Education Technology, Shanghai, China.
IN PROGRESS WORK
Ma, S., Spector, J., Bhagat, K., & Tiruneh, D. (Submitted). A research-based framework for developing critical thinking skills in K-12 education.
Ma, S., Knezek, G., & Spector, J. (Submitted). University student perceptions of social media as a learning resource in China and the U.S.A.
Ma, S. (Submitted). A preliminary investigation into K-12 teachers' conceptualization of critical thinking: A case study in middle school settings
Ma, S., Spector, J. & Eutsler, L. (In progress). Pre-service teachers’ critical thinking integration in practices through intelligent products using Arduino
Ma, S., Zhuang, X. F., & Spector, J. (In progress). Hints or no hints in explorative game design for thinking skills? A pilot study in the case of a jigsaw puzzle game.
Ma, S., Spector, J., Asbee, J., & Bhagat, K. (In progress). Virtual reality for developing critical thinking in K-12 education.
Ma, S., Peng, H., Mahaffey, F., Spector, J., & Ennis-Cole, D. (Submitted). A Literature Review for Online Student Engagement.
Ma, S., Baker, R., & Spector, J. (In progress). Critical thinking and technology utilization perception of pre-service teachers: a secondary data analysis.
TRANSLATION WORK
Charles M. Reigeluth, Translated by Shanshan Ma, Xiaoqing Gu. Instructional Theory and Technology for the New Paradigm of Education [J]. Open Education Research,2016,22(6):41-50. DOI:10.13966/j.cnki.kfjyyj.2016.06.006.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND SERVICES
Member of Association for Education Communication Technology
Member of American Education Research Association
Member of Texas Center Education Technology
Reviewer, the Journal of Smart Learning Environments
Reviewer, Computers in Human Behavior
Reviewer, Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education (Science)
Academic Committee:
J. Michael Spector, Lin Lin, Yojun An, Kinshuk