Curriculum VitaeResearch InterestsMy research interests focus on the application of cognitive psychology to
educational practice including how to improve learning through effective
testing, how to improve learners’ metacognitive awareness of effective study
strategies, and other desirable difficulties.
I graduated from and collaborate with the Bjork Learning and Forgetting Lab. Project HighlightsMost recently my work at UCLA’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching
has focused on gaining course-level feedback from students about their
experiences with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. I designed and coordinated a campus-wide survey, analyzed qualitative and quantitative
results using a variety of statistical methods. I summarized the major
findings into a series of publicly available reports.
These reports have been shared with all levels of campus leadership as
well as directly with instructors, so they can improve teaching in a remote
environment. I managed the entire process to effectively deliver high-impact reports on a very aggressive timeline to a diverse set of stakeholders. EducationPh.D., Psychology University of California, Los Angeles Cognitive Major; Quantitative Minor September 2018 Los Angeles, CA Accolades - Psychonomic Society Member
(2013 - present) - Graduate Summer Research Mentorship Award
(2015) - University Fellowship
(2013-2014)
B.A., Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Rice University Research ExperiencePostdoctoral Scholar Center for the Advancement of Teaching, UCLA October 2018 - September 2023 Los Angeles, CA / Austin, TX I work (remotely) within the Center for Educational Assessment on a variety of projects focusing on the advancement of education and teaching at UCLA, including research ranging from implementing interventions in individual classrooms all the way up to leading large campus-wide initiatives to improve instruction. I use qualitative and quantitative methods to help assess whether various classes and projects are achieving stated goals. Notable Projects: Graduate Student Researcher Bjork Learning and Forgetting Lab, UCLA September 2013 - September 2018 Los Angeles, CA Researched and updated a confidence-weighted multiple-choice test format to use in initial testing to facilitate activation and retention of untested, but related, information beyond benefits of a standard multiple-choice test. Other areas of interest involve metacognition, the selectivity and retention of highlighted text materials, multiple-choice facilitation of marginal knowledge, and other ways to increase the benefits of multiple-choice testing. Advisors: Robert A. Bjork, Ph.D. and Elizabeth Ligon Bjork, Ph.D. Dissertation: Multiple-choice Tests as Learning Events: The Role of Desirably Difficult Alternatives Graduate Student Researcher Center for the Advancement of Teaching, UCLA October 2017 - September 2018 Los Angeles, CA Worked within the Center for Educational Assessment on a variety of projects focusing closely on improving teaching effectiveness and course evaluation across campus. I began working as a graduate student and continued on as a Postdoctoral Scholar after obtaining my Ph.D. Graduate Student Researcher Project Brainstorm, UCLA January 2016 - September 2016 Los Angeles, CA Helped evaluate a program where advanced undergraduate students teach neuroscience principles at K-12 schools. Assessed the improvement in teaching of the undergraduate students and the learning of the K-12 students. Incorporated "desirable difficulties" into the undergraduates' teaching. Undergraduate Research Assistant Pomerantz Perception Lab, Rice University January 2009 - May 2011 Houston, TX Researched factors that lead to the phenomenon of pointing. Developed a priming methodology to see if certain pointers facilitate or inhibit reaction times, allowing for the assessment of pointing directionality. Independently developed and optimized an experiment to determine the effectiveness of nontraditional pointers and the role of prior learning. Advisor: James R. Pomerantz, Ph.D. Research Assistant Rice University School Mathematics Project May 2010 – September 2010 Houston, TX Gathered and organized program materials for a professional development program designed to improve K-12 teachers' content and pedagogical knowledge with goals of improving instruction and increasing student achievement. Observed classrooms taught by master teachers and collected, organized, analyzed, and drafted reports on the data evaluating the program's success. Teaching ExperienceInstructor UCLA Extension September 2019 - present Los Angeles, CA Designed and taught Cognitive Psychology as the instructor of record through UCLA's continuing education institution. This course focuses on how people acquire, represent, and use verbal and nonverbal information. Instructor University of California, Los Angeles August 2018 - September 2018 Los Angeles, CA Designed and taught Introduction to Psychology as the instructor of record through UCLA Psychology Department's Teaching Practicum Program. This course is a general introduction including topics in cognitive, experimental, personality, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. Instructor UCLA Extension (Westcoast Connection) Designed and taught introductory psychology lectures for high school students as part of a summer enrichment program. Instructor The Berkeley Review June 2016 – April 2018 Los Angeles & Irvine, CA Designed and taught courses in Cognitive Psychology to prepare students for the psychology section of the MCAT. Teaching Fellow University of California, Los Angeles June 2014 - December 2017 Los Angeles, CA Courses: - Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
(Discussion Section - Summer 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Winter 2017, Summer 2017) - Psychological Statistics
(Discussion Section - Spring 2016) - Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology
(Lab - Fall 2014, Spring 2017) - Research Methods
(Lab - Winter 2015, Winter 2016, Summer 2016, Fall 2016, Fall 2017)
Guest Lecturer University of California, Los Angeles June 2014 - September 2018 Los Angeles, CA Lectures: - How to Learn
(Introduction to Cognitive Psychology, Summer 2014) - Introduction to Microcomputers for Experimentation
(Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology, Fall 2014) - Inducing Categories and Concepts
(Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology, Fall 2014) - Describing Variables and Distributions
(Psychological Statistics, Spring 2016) - Introduction to Desirable Difficulties
(Project Brainstorm, K-12 Neuroscience Outreach, Spring 2016, Spring 2017)
Professional ExperienceConsultant W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. February 2021 - September 2021 July 2018 - August 2018 CogFog Organizer UCLA September 2017 – March 2019 Los Angeles, CA Organized the weekly CogFog meeting where cognitive psychology professors, postdocs, and graduate students come together to present and discuss research focused on both mechanistic and applied aspects of human learning and memory. Consultant Lasting Learning October 2015 – December 2015 Helped create educational materials for pilot program to improve training of Blackstone Security guards. Mentorship- Mentored more than a dozen undergraduate research assistants on various projects
- Led weekly journal club meetings
(Fall 2013 – Spring 2017) - Led workshops on various topics including creating CVs and learning about and applying to graduate school
(Fall 2013 – Spring 2017) - Organized weekly lab meeting where undergraduates present on research
(Spring 2016 – Spring 2017)
Publications- Toven-Lindsey, B., Sparck, E.M., Kistner, K., Ardam, J., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., & Arnold, W. (2024). Undergraduate Research in Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (HASS): Helping Students Navigate Uncertainty and Build Community Through a Structured Cohort-Based Program. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 7(2). 15-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/7/2/2
- Arnold, W., Kistner, K., Sparck, E. M., & Levis-Fitzgerald, M. (2024). Academic growth and professional development through undergraduate humanities research. Profession.
- Hoar, B.B., Ramachandran, R., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., Sparck, E.M., Wu, K., & Liu, C. (2023). Summative Student Course Review Tool Based on Machine Learning Sentiment Analysis to Enhance Life Science Feedback Efficacy. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(10). 4085-4091. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00258
- Kistner, K., Sparck, E. M., Liu, A., Whang Sayson, H., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., & Arnold, W. (Summer 2021). Academic and professional preparedness: Outcomes of undergraduate research in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 4(4), 3-9.
- Saravanapandian, V., Sparck, E. M., Cheng, K., Yaeger, C., Hu, T., Ghiani, C. A., Evans, C. J., Carpenter, E. M., & Ge, W. (2019). Quantitative assessments reveal improved neuroscience engagement and learning through outreach. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 97, 1153-1162. doi: 10.1002/jnr.24429
- Ramachandran, R., Sparck, E. M., & Levis-Fitzgerald, M. (2019). Investigating the effectiveness of using application-based science education videos in a general chemistry lecture course. Journal of Chemical Education, 96, 479-485. doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00777
- Sparck, E. M. (2018). Multiple-choice tests as learning events: The role of desirably difficult alternatives. [Doctoral dissertation]. UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2016). On the learning benefits of confidence-weighted testing. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 1. doi: 10.1186/s41235-016-0003-x
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (in prep). Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of vocabulary learning through multiple-choice testing.
- Sparck, E. M., Aryan, L., Tufenkjian, B., & Bjork, E. L. (in prep). The effects of highlighting on mind-wandering and memory.
Talks & Posters- Kistner, K., Sparck, E., Toven-Lindsey, B., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., & Arnold, W. (2023). Undergraduate research in the humanities, arts, and social sciences: Alumni personal and professional outcomes. Poster presented at the 2023 AAC&U Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment, New Orleans, LA, USA.
- Jacobs, M. S., Sparck, E. M., Harris, L., Levis-Fitzgerald, M., Toven-Lindsey, B., & Turlo, K. (2022). Building a collaborative culture of assessment to advance inclusive teaching and student success. [Conference Session]. Annual meeting of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education. Providence, RI.
- Sparck, E. M., Jacobs, M. S., Harris, L, & Levis-Fitzgerald, M. (2020). Tell us what we don’t know: Remote teaching take-aways informed by students. Poster presented at the 2020 AAC&U Transforming STEM Higher Education Virtual Conference.
- Ramachandran, R., Lavine, A. S., Levis-Fitzgerald, M. & Sparck, E. M. (2019). Assessment and curricular reform of STEM general education courses. Poster presented at the 2019 AAC&U Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Liu, J., Sparck, E. M., & Bjork, E. L. (2018). Retrieval-based structure-building: The effect of concept organization and concept mapping on text learning. Poster presented at the 59th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, New Orleans, LA, USA.
- Sparck, E. M. & Levis-Fitzgerald, M. (2018). Mobilizing around course evaluation: Improved feedback and integration of custom learning questions. Poster presented at the 2018 AAC&U Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Ramachandran, R., & Sparck, E. M. (2018). Using JoVE science education videos in a large introductory chemistry course. Talk presented at the 25th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
- Sparck, E. M., & Bjork, E. L. (2017). The effects of highlighting on mind-wandering and memory. Poster presented at the 58th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork E. L., Bjork, R. A., & Kiper, G. (2017). Using multiple-choice tests to improve vocabulary learning via flashcards. Poster presented at the 58th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Sparck, E. M. (2017). Misconceptions about learning: Introducing desirable difficulties. Talk presented at The Quale Symposium, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2016). Experience with confidence-weighted multiple-choice tests improves later recall of related information. Poster presented at the 57th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA, USA.
- Soderstrom, N. C., Sparck, E. M., & Bjork, E. L. (2016). Variable practice enhances learning of foreign language vocabulary. Poster presented at the 57th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA, USA.
- Cheng, K. Y., Sparck, E. M., Yaeger, C., Ghiani, C. A., Ge, W., & Carpenter, E. M. (2016). Neuroscience outreach to the greater Los Angeles K-12 community. Poster presented at the 46th annual meeting of Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2016). Uncovering how multiple-choice testing triggers productive retrieval processes. Poster presented at the 124th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Denver, CO, USA.
- Bjork, E. L., Soderstrom, N., Little, J., & Sparck, E. (2015). Multiple-Choice testing as a desirable difficulty: Evidence from the laboratory and the classroom. Talk presented at the 56th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., Bjork, R. A. (2015). When and why multiple-choice testing triggers productive retrieval processes. Poster presented at the 56th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2014). Confidence-weighted multiple-choice tests enhance retention of non-tested related information. Poster presented at the 55th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Long Beach, CA, USA.
- Sparck, E. M., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2014). Can confidence-weighted multiple-choice testing enhance retention of non-tested, but related, information? Poster presented at the 26th annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Cragin, A., Sparck, E. & Pomerantz, J. R. (2011, presenting author Pomerantz). Indicating direction efficiently: A few pointers. Paper presented at the 52nd annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Pomerantz, J. R., Stupina, A. I., & Sparck, E. (2011). What’s the "point"? Assessing the effectiveness of stimuli that indicate direction. Poster presented at the 11th Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society, Naples, FL, USA.
In: Journal of Vision, 11(11), article 1107. doi:10.1167/11.11.1107 - Sparck, E., Cragin, A., & Pomerantz, J. R. (2011). What’s the "point"? Assessing the effectiveness of stimuli that indicate direction. Poster presented at the 10th annual Rice University Research Symposium, Houston, TX, USA.
- Sparck, E. & Stupina, A. I. (2010). What’s the "point" Assessing the effectiveness of pointing indicators. Poster presented at the 9th annual Rice University Research Symposium, Houston, TX, USA.
Journal Reviewing- Psychological Science
- Memory
- Journal of Educational Psychology
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology
- Learning and Instruction
- Current Psychology
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