Jeremy Riel, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor
Director, TRAILblazer Lab
Educational Psychology
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Contact
Building & Room:
3343 ETMSW
Office Phone:
Personal Zoom Room
Email:
About
I do research and development on educational technologies for teaching and learning. I'm interested in work that merges four emerging technology contexts toward envisioning engaging learning environments:
- Developing sound AI and computational knowledge systems for teaching and learning technologies
- Computing, computational thinking, and technology education for all ages, particularly in supporting teachers
- Simulation and role-play based learning approaches that mirror real-world experiences
- Policy on AI and emerging technologies, particularly toward responsible, explainable, accessible, and human-relatable AI
Topics of Research
- Computational knowledge representation
- Neuro-symbolic AI
- Interactive AI agents for teaching and learning
- Computational thinking, computer science, and technology education
- Simulations and role-play/game-based learning
- Computing mindset
- AI risk evaluation and technology ethics
- AI/technology policy, guidance, and readiness
- Explainable AI
- Universal design and digital accessibility
Lab
I am the director of the Teaching and Research with AI Learning (TRAILblazer) lab: www.trailblazerlab.org
Prospective Students
- I am regularly seeking undergraduate and graduate interns and research assistants to join the lab who are interested in educational technology development, AI, games and simulations, or technology policy. More information for undergraduates can be found at the Undergraduate Research Experience page. Undergraduate students are eligible for the Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Award, and credit can be earned for research work.
- Interested doctoral students should email me directly to discuss the TRAILblazer lab, my research, and your goals.
Courses Taught
I teach courses in the Instructional Design and Training (IDT) Minor (https://go.uic.edu/idt) and the Human Development and Learning BA programs in the Educational Psychology Department.
- EPSY 380 - Instructional Design and Training
- EPSY 430 - Interactive Online Instruction: Design and Development
- EPSY 440 - Engaging Multimedia Learning: Design and Development
- EPSY 450 - Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Outcomes and Educational Products
Office Hours
By appointment. Schedule a meeting with me: https://go.uic.edu/RielSchedule
Affiliations
- Affiliate Faculty, Institute of Government and Public Affairs
- Faculty Fellow, UIC Honors College
Selected Grants
Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Policy for Responsible AI Research, Innovation, and Education (PRAIRIE): Empowering Illinois’ Educational Institutions and Incumbent Workforce in the Age of Generative AI, PI
NSF / NAIRR, Qualitative AI Labeling Support (QUAILS): An LLM-Supported Qualitative Thematic Analysis Procedure for Transparency and Safety in Educational Sciences Research (#NAIRR240415, 2025-2026), PI
Google, Educator Computational Thinking & Post-Secondary Career Intensives (2024-2025), Co-PI
CME Group Foundation, The Ready Child - A Public Awareness Campaign (2023-2025), Co-PI
National Science Foundation DRK12, Collaborative Research: Supporting Instructional Decision Making: The Potential of An Automatically Scored Three-dimensional Assessment System (#2101166, 2021-2025), Senior Investigator
Institute of Education Sciences, Refinement of GlobaleEd2 and Testing New Intervention Impact (#R305A170558, 2017-2022), Project Manager
Selected Publications
Chin, A., Varshney, L., Singh, G., Riel, J., Avadhanam, R., & Sachdev, V. (2025, June). A conceptual framework for guiding the workforce on using responsible AI. Paper presented at IEEE ETHICS-2025, Evanston, IL.
Riel, J. (2025, March). Revisiting academic integrity in the age of generative AI to inform principled learning design. Paper presented at the 2025 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, March.
Riel, J., & Chen, Y. (2024, September). Exploring state-level guidance on using AI for teaching and learning: Where we are and where we need to go. Paper presented at SITE Interactive 2024 (Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education), Online/virtual.
Banzer, D., Riel, J., & Sheridan, K. (2024). Accelerating early childhood science through a scalable online teacher professional development program: A design case of Early Science Matters. International Journal of Designs for Learning. 15(3). 126-138. https://doi.org/10.14434/ijdl.v15i3.36624.
Riel, J., & Monahan, R. (2024). Learning from ludemes: An inventory of common player actions within tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) to inform principled design of game-based learning experiences. International Journal of Role-Playing, 15, 178-210. https://doi.org/10.33063/ijrp.vi15.325.
Riel, J., Lawless, K. A., & Oren, J. (2022). Comparisons of synchronous and asynchronous discussions in an online roleplaying simulation to teach middle school written argumentation skills. Online Learning Journal, 26(4), 1-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v26i4.3468.
Riel, J., & Lawless, K. A. (2021). Enhancing student affect from multi-classroom simulation games via teacher professional development: Supporting game implementation with the ROPD model. International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations. 13(1), 34-54. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJGCMS.20210101.oa3.
Riel, J. (2021). Essential features and critical issues with educational chatbots: Toward personalized learning via digital agents. In M. Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Modern Educational Technologies, Applications, and Management. 246-262. IGI Global. http://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-3476-2.ch015.
Riel, J., Lawless, K. A., & Brown, S. W. (2018). Timing matters: Approaches for measuring and visualizing behaviours of timing and spacing of work in self-paced online teacher professional development courses. Journal of Learning Analytics. 5(1), 25-40. https://doi.org/10.18608/jla.2018.51.3
Professional Leadership
Co-Leader, Science & Technology Working Group, 2024-present, Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA)
Communications Director, 2023-2025, AERA Division C (Learning and Instruction)
Web Manager, 2021-2025, AERA Division C (Learning and Instruction)
Notable Honors
2025, High-Impact Instructional Design Award, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education
2024, UIC Faculty Open Educational Resources Leadership Award, UIC USG
Education
Ph.D. 2020 - University of Illinois Chicago
M.A. 2012 - Georgetown University
B.A. 2007 - University of Oregon
A.A. 2005 - Lane Community College
Professional Memberships
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Society for Technology and Teacher Education (SITE)
ACM: SIGAI, SIGCAS, SIGCSE, SIGITE, SIGSIM, SIGCHI
IEEE (Senior Member): Computer Society, Computational Intelligence Society, Education Society
Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
International Artificial Intelligence in Education Society (IAIED)
International Educational Data Mining Society (IEDMS)
International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA)
Research Currently in Progress
- Policy for Responsible AI Research, Innovation, and Education (PRAIRIE): Empowering Illinois’ Educational Institutions and Incumbent Workforce in the Age of Generative AI
- Qualitative AI Labeling Support (QUAILS): An LLM-Supported Qualitative Thematic Analysis Procedure for Transparency and Safety in Educational Sciences Research
- Computational Thinking Intensives: K-12 Computational Thinking Teacher Professional Development across the Disciplines
- Digital Accessibility Coach (DA Coach): An AI Agent for Supporting Faculty Integration of Digital Accessibility Standards in Course Materials
- SkillTree: Scalable Personalized Learning with LLM-Linked Custom Knowledge Graphs
- Envisioning Microcredentials in the Age of AI: Toward Competency-based Achievements for Educators