Static versus interactive learning platforms, usability and success metrics, longitudinal performance tracking, synchronous versus asynchronous learning, multimedia design best practices
Notetaking strategies and outcomes, effects of note-taking versus note-having, notetaking modality (digital, handwritten, drawn, etc.), notetaking software and assistant technology
Monolingual versus bilingual effects on brain and cognition, reading strategies and text comprehension, automated text analysis methods, language and cultural influences on cognition
Heuristics, metacognition (judgments, accuracy), metacognition as a training tool, overconfidence effects, cue overload effects
Mental model formation, categorization, propositional network modeling, semantic network formation
Diversity, equity, & inclusivity, accessibility, learners' background knowledge, cultural influences, individual value systems
I was terrified at the start of my very first poster competition. I was presenting research over the testing effect and text comprehension, both of which required a combination of qualitative (e.g., content analysis transforming participants' long-form free responses into quantitative 'idea units,' interviewing participants about their behaviors/perspectives) and quantitative (time on task, survey data, multiple choice scores, etc.) data. But after about 10 minutes, I realized that talking about the research was one of THE most exciting things I'd ever done. Instead of waiting for people to approach my poster, I started calling them over. I asked them questions and turned it into a fun exercise. Apparently the judges liked this, so I won third place in Arts and Sciences.
The following year I was much more confident from the outset. I was presenting data from my Master's project, which I was scheduled to finalize a few months out. In contrast to the first year, I was surrounded by other PhD students from my department. And they were VERY good presenters. I enjoyed competing with them, but more than anything, I was thrilled that they got first and third place (and I took second!). They mentored me throughout the whole process and are continuously earning awards in their careers.
(2014) 2nd Place, Interdisciplinary Division, Texas Tech University Graduate Student Research Poster Competition
(2013) 3rd Place, Arts and Sciences Division, Texas Tech University Graduate Student Research Poster Competition
Graduate Research Poster Competition award recipients
My research is qualitative and quantitative, applied, and targets current issues in digital learning environments. My primary topics include text analysis, content comprehension modeling and hierarchical organization (main ideas vs details, cognitive architecture), cognitive biases, working memory capacity, cognitive load, transcription fluency, verbal fluency, natural language processing, aesthetics, memory and learning, and accessibility.
The effects of interpolated lectures, self-testing, and notetaking on learning from a science video lecture.
Notetaking modality and student learning: Computer, paper-pencil, or listening?
*denotes junior researcher project with my mentorship
Jennings, E. (November, 2022). (Keynote Speaker) From brain science to boss battles: An experimental psychologist's journey into games user experience research. University of Illinois Annual Playful by Design Symposium, Champaign, IL.
Pittman, J., Taraban, R., & Jennings, E. (April, 2020). Noting the effectiveness of notetaking: Testing immediate and delayed recall. Southwestern Psychological Association, Albuquerque, NM.
*Cancemi, A., & Jennings, E. (May, 2018). Notetaking method, encoding effects, and proactive interference. Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
*Metwally, A., & Jennings, E. (May, 2018). A comparison between interpolated and post-lecture testing on type of information retained after a delay. Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
*Cancemi, A., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). Does laptop notetaking reduce proactive interference during lecture? Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX.
*Swift, T., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). Some like it r(t)ough: The relationship between perceived content difficulty, mental effort, and interest in a neuroscience lecture. Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX.
*Birdsong, B. B., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). Absolutely interested: Individual differences in subjective content familiarity and interest predict absolute accuracy when learning from a science video lecture. Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX.
*Metwally, A., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). The ‘senioritis’ effect: Completed course credits predict mind-wandering during lecture. Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX.
Jennings, E., Taraban, R., Paniukov, D., Schumacher, J., *Dominguez, S., & *Parker, T. (April, 2015). When teachers lecture, what do students recall with and without notes? Southwestern Psychological Association, Wichita, KS.
Jennings, E., Schumacher, J. R., & Taraban, R. (November, 2016). Studying lecture notes increases overconfidence as measured by JOLs and recall scores. Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA.
Jennings, E., & Serra, M. J. (February, 2015). Is there a real reason to ban laptops in classrooms? Advanced Teaching and Learning Conference, Lubbock, TX.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (November, 2014). Recall-based notetaking aided by transcription fluency. Psychonomic Society, Long Beach, CA.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (May, 2014). Note-taking in the modern college classroom: Computer, paper and pencil, or listening? Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA), Chicago, IL.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (April, 2014). Note-taking benefits college students. Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), San Antonio, TX.
Paniukov, D., Taraban, R., Schumacher, J., & Jennings, E. (March, 2014). Text segmentation and the testing effect. Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, Texas Tech University.
Marshall, P. P., Chang, J., Zeng, X., Jennings, E., & Donato, F. (May, 2013). The commonality of religious and aesthetic experiences. Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (October, 2013). Benefits of notetaking vs listening. College Academic Support Program Conference (CASP), Amarillo, TX.
Taraban, R., & Jennings, E. (October, 2013). Learning from expository text. College Academic Support Program Conference (CASP), Amarillo, TX.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (April, 2013). Absence of testing effect in text recall: It pays to study. Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) Conference, Fort Worth, TX.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (March, 2013). Notetaking method in the college classroom: Computer, paper and pencil, or listening? Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, Lubbock, TX.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (November, 2012). Absence of a testing effect in immediate and delayed recall. Psychonomic Society, Minneapolis, MN.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (April, 2012). Effects of coherence and multiple tests on expository text recall. Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), Oklahoma City, OK.
Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (March, 2012). Effects of coherence and multiple tests on expository text recall. Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, Lubbock, TX.
Look at my ~entire~ poster about cognitive biases in notetaking.
Leading a brownbag ideation session for some new research projects.
Leading an experimental design ideation session for one of my junior researcher's projects. I promise it made sense.
Thumbnail of a video featuring my research program.
Doing fMRI research was an expensive way to find out that I did not want to do fMRI research!
Doing an international conference talk about (you guessed it) notetaking.
More postering about the role of cognitive bias, individual differences, and notetaking.
Presenting my research on individual differences in digital notetaking abilities.
Chatting with some fellow researchers at a conference. Students like it when female professors curse!