Enhancing language learning with AI and intelligent educational systems

Dr. Carrie Demmans Epp is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computing Science at the University of Alberta, where she leads the EdTeKLA research group. Her work focuses on the intersection of human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, educational technology, learning analytics, and language learning.

Her expertise is built on a strong academic foundation, starting with her BSc in computer science and Russian from the University of Saskatchewan. As a member of the ARIES laboratory, she began her research in educational technology, a field she continued to pursue throughout her graduate studies. Her MSc focused on technology to support language learning, and her PhD in computer science from the University of Toronto concentrated on mobile-assisted language learning.

Demmans Epp has used her experience as a language learner and educator throughout her career to inform her research. She spent over a decade designing, implementing, and evaluating tutoring technologies that help students improve vocabulary, communicate effectively, and perfect their pronunciation. Before her current role, she was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Pittsburgh's Learning Research & Development Center, where she further explored the complexities of intelligent educational systems.