Theresa H.

About Theresa H.

I’m driven by a fundamental question: How do the unique affordances of technology impact human learning and growth?As a UX researcher and learning scientist, I work at the intersection of human behavior, technological innovation, and systems design. I bring a broad definition of learning to everything I do, seeing it not just in formal education but in everyday interactions through digital tools, emerging platforms, and evolving contexts. To me, learning isn’t about information transfer. It’s about people becoming who they want to be, both intellectually and socially.I came to UX research because it demands more than usability. It asks us to understand the full context of human experience. It’s not enough to know if a tool works; I want to know why people use it, how it fits into their lives, and what it enables or constrains in their journey to grow. Framed this way, UX is everywhere.My research centers on difficult questions: What does it mean to learn with technology? How do we design for understanding, not just efficiency? I dig into complexity with mixed and qualitative methods, often starting where the quantitative data leaves off. I love mapping the process, making sense with users, and questioning assumptions baked into product decisions or research systems. I’m particularly focused on measuring the impact of emerging technologies on human learning, from video games and AR to GPT and large language models.Across my career, I’ve moved through three key phases:• Early on, I led instructional design and digital learning teams in industry.• In mid-career, I pursued advanced academic research in the learning sciences.• Now, I bridge both worlds as a UX research leader and affiliate professor, guiding applied research teams and advising on AI integration, particularly in education and research tooling.I specialize in helping teams make sense of ambiguous problems by connecting unexpected dots, seeing patterns in human behavior, and designing systems that both leverage and respect the constraints of digital technologies with research-informed design and thoughtful innovation

Experience

1. Affiliate Research Assistant Professor

   University Of Washington Bothell

   Mar 2019 — Present

   In 2019, I returned to industry full time and retained affiliate status with the School of Educational Studies, Goodlad Institute for Educational Renewal, and OpenSTEM Research at the University of Washington, Bothell. In this role I continue to collaborate with colleagues in educational research in publishing and presenting at conferences. The focus of my work continues to examine the design and implementation of digitally supported situated learning networks resulting from earlier research on digital badges. In alignment with my growing industry focus, I examine the implications of integrating LLM capabilities in 1) the co-design of educational programs and 2) integration into educational technology by examining the methods for measuring the potential impact on human learning.

Education

• The Evergreen State College

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

• University of Washington

  Ph.D.

• University of Washington

  M.Ed.