Teaching & Research

I approach teaching and research as deeply connected practices; both rooted in inquiry, reflection, and a belief in what learners are capable of. My work focuses on learning design, assessment, digital literacy, and equity in education.

Explore my Teaching and Research to learn more about my philosophy, experience, and scholarly focus.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

My teaching draws on both theory and experience, centering critical thinking, self-reflection, and equity. I believe in designing learning experiences that honor diverse identities and ways of knowing, from culturally responsive activities to multimodal engagement and accessibility-first practices. Whether I'm working with undergraduates just starting their academic journey or professionals refining their practice, my goal is the same: to help people learn more deeply, think more clearly, and carry those skills into the world around them.

TEACHING AREAS & INTERESTS

Curriculum & Instructional Design
Assessment Development & Evaluation
Digital Literacy & Online Engagement
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Leadership, Equity, and Organizational Dynamics
Career Readiness and Applied Learning
Educational Technology & AI Integration
Social Sciences: Psychology, Sociology, Political Science

COURSES TAUGHT
My courses are designed with clear outcomes, real-world application, and flexibility for learner variability. I regularly incorporate self-reflection, collaborative work, and technology-enhanced activities that foster deep engagement and transferable skills.

I've served as instructor of record for more than 20 undergraduate and graduate courses, including:

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

My research explores how people build and demonstrate expertise in digital spaces and how learning systems, assessments, and design choices either support or restrict that development. My work lives at the intersection of pedagogy, equity, and technology, with a particular focus on game-based learning, competency assessment, and the lived experiences of marginalized learners.

As a Visiting Researcher at the Interaction and Media Sciences Lab at UNLV, I collaborate on applied, multi-institutional projects that blend theory with practice. I work across qualitative and quantitative methods, and I’m especially drawn to research that informs practice in education, in design, and in consulting.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Nonbinary Representation in AI: Perceptions and Systematic Bias
→ Partnering with research teams at UNLV, Tufts, VCU, and Carnegie Mellon, I’m exploring how AI portrays gender, and how those representations shape user perceptions and systemic bias. This project bridges HCI, ethics, and equity, and reflects my broader interest in designing inclusive systems that reflect real-world diversity.

Instrument Design: Expertise & Behavioral Observation
→ This study, rooted in my dissertation, introduces a novel instrument for assessing expertise through in-game behavioral cues. By observing how players engage with complex systems, I’m developing practical tools for educators, game designers, and organizations to better understand skill development and engagement in digital environments.

Stealth Assessment and Game-Based Learning
→ As a Visiting Researcher in the Interaction and Media Sciences Lab at UNLV, I contribute to research on stealth assessments - low-intrusion, high-validity ways of measuring learning in digital spaces. This work has direct implications for curriculum design, corporate training, and scalable performance evaluation.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Leif, S. A., & Montalto, M. (2024).
Morra Cinematic Game System. In Learning, Education & Games: Volume Four.
A playable in-class framework that uses roleplay and narrative design to teach equity, empathy, and collaborative problem-solving. Designed for classroom and organizational use.

Fiorentini, J. P., Leif, S. A., et al. (2025).
Learning to Read or Reading to Learn: A Narrative Literature Review of Literacy in Game-Based Learning.
A critical review examining how literacy development is conceptualized and supported in educational games. Highlights gaps and opportunities in aligning games with deeper learning goals

Leif, S. A., Head, D. L., & Fiorentini, J. P. (2023).
Towards a Living Systematic Review: Psychometric Analysis in Game-Based Assessments.
Updates and extends prior systematic reviews to identify best practices for validating learning and assessment tools in digital games. Designed to inform educators, designers, and edtech developers on building trustworthy, data-driven systems

Leif, S. A., et al. (2020).
Acclimation by Design: Using 4C/ID to Scaffold Digital Learning Environments.
Applies an instructional design framework to reduce cognitive overload and improve learner orientation in complex digital systems. Highly relevant for online course design and onboarding strategy.

Leif, S. A., et al. (2023).
Exploring Gender Nonbinary Experiences Through the Lens of the 7th HCI Grand Challenge.
An interdisciplinary study on the representation of gender-diverse users in AI. Offers actionable insights for inclusive system design and bias-aware technology development.

For a complete list of publications and presentations, see my full CV.

Interested in collaborating, inviting me to speak, or consulting on a project?

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