Alexandra Corina Niculescu

alexandra.niculescu@epfl.ch +41 21 693 89 46

EPFL AVP-E LEARN
ME B3 424 (Bâtiment ME)
Station 9
1015 Lausanne

+41 21 693 89 46
Office: ME B3 424
EPFL > VPA-AVP-E > AVP-E > AVP-E-LEARN

Web site: Web site: https://learn.epfl.ch

Fields of expertise

Motivation and Emotions
Academic performance in the first year at university
Feedback practices
Curriculum (re)design
Measuring complex constructs through Innovative CBA’s
Teaching and Coaching in Higher Education

Biography

Educational expert with 15 years of experience in multicultural environments, I take my passion from supporting learners in improving their performance in achievement settings. Having worked for or collaborated with prestigious academic, governmental and non-profit institutions, I take a multi-disciplinary approach on education with insights from psychology, medical education and organizational management. During my research and teaching, academic coaching, curriculum design or consultancy, I value the human aspect of education and focus on the role of emotions and the value of providing feedback for better performance. In my approach, success is the outcome of an interaction between what characteristics a learner brings in and the amount of support provided by the environment. In other words, academic success is a matter of finding the most suitable educational approaches of engaging the learner in the learning process.

Profesional Activity

· 2018 – 2021 Postdoctoral Researcher and LecturerUniversity of Oslo, Faculty of Education, Center for Educational Measurement, Norway

· 2014 – Present Educational Consultant in Higher Education (Private)

· 2015 – 2017 Educational Project CoordinatorEuropean Respiratory Society Headquarters, Lausanne, Switzerland

· 2009 – 2015 Researcher & PhD Candidate Maastricht University, Department of Educational Development and Research, Netherlands

· 2013 - 2014 Visiting ResearcherPark University, Graduate School of Professional Studies, United States of America

· 2012 Visiting ResearcherCopenhagen Business School, Department of International Economics and Management, Denmark

· 2007 – 2009 Research assistantUniversity of Groningen, Department of Health Psychology, Netherlands

Publications

Selected publications

Tempelaar, D., & Niculescu, A. (2024). In D. Sommer, R. D. Austin, A. Vuyk, D. M. Ndete, N. Prevelakis, P. L. Sacco, & J. Ros Velasco (Eds.), Boredom: The elephant in the room (pp. 41-56).Article 7 Frontiers Media SA.	Academic boredom(s): a person-centered investigation.
Tempelaar, D., & Niculescu, A. (2023). Frontiers in Sociology, 8, Article 1190872.	Academic boredom(s): a person-centered investigation.
Tempelaar, D., & Niculescu, A. C. (2022). Motivation and Emotion, 46(1), 84-99. Article 5.	Types of boredom and other learning activity emotions: A person-centred investigation of inter-individual data.

Other publications

Journal Articles

Tempelaar, D., & Niculescu, A. C. (2021). Types of boredom and other learning activity emotions: A person-centred investigation of inter-individual data. Motivation and Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-021-09909-y
Niculescu, A., Tempelaar, D.T., Dailey-Hebert, A., Segers, M., & Gijselaers, W. H. (2016). Exploring the change-change model of achievement emotions: the inclusion of negative emotions. Learning and Individual Differences. 47, 289 -297. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.12.015
Niculescu, A. C., Tempelaar, D.T., Leppink , J., Dailey-Hebert, A., Segers, M., & Gijselaers, W. H. (2016). Feelings and performance in the first year at university : Learning-related emotions as predictors of achievement outcomes in mathematics and statistics. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology. 13(3), 431-462. http://dx.doi.org/10.14786/flr.v3i1.136
Niculescu, A. C., Tempelaar, D., Dailey-Hebert, A., Segers, M., & Gijselaers, W. (2015). Exploring the antecedents of learning-related emotions and their relations with achievement outcomes. Frontline Learning Research, 3(1), 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.14786/flr.v3i1.136
Tempelaar, D. T., Niculescu, A., Rienties, B., Gijselaers, W. H., & Giesbers, B. (2012). How achievement emotions impact students’ decisions for online learning, and what precedes those emotions. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(3), 161–169. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.10.003
Books & Book Chapters
Niculescu, A. C. (2015). Hidden in plain sight. Capturing freshmen emotional experiences and their effects on performance at university. Maastricht, The Netherlands: Datawyse Universitaire Pers Maastricht.
Gijselaers, W.H., Dailey-Hebert, A., & Niculescu, A. (2014). Shaping the new professional for the new profession. In Baroncelli, S. , Farneti, R., Horga, I., Vanhoonacker, S. (Eds) Teaching European Union studies: Patterns in traditional and innovative teaching methods and curriculum. (p.40-63).
Professional Publications
Troosters, T., Tabin, N., Langer, D., Burtin, C., Chatwin, M., Clini, E. M., Emtner, M., Gosselink, R., Grant, K., Inal-Ince, D., Lewko, A., Main, E., Mitchell, S., Niculescu, A., Oberwaldner, B., & Pitta, F. (2019). Introduction of the harmonised respiratory physiotherapy curriculum. Breathe, 15(2), 110. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.0124-2019
Hardavella, G., Aamli-Gaagnat, A., Frille, A, Saad, N., Niculescu, A.C., Powell, P. (2017). Top tips to deal with challenging situations: doctor–patient interactions. Breathe 13: 1–7.
Niculescu, A.C., Noel, J., Aliberti, S. & Rohde, G. (2016). Introducing a new HERMES Project on Respiratory Infections, Breathe, 12(1), 5-7. DOI: 10.1183/20734735.012515
Sutter, S., Stolz, D., Karg, O., Mitchell, S., Niculescu, A., Noel, J-L., ... Rohde, G. (2016). HERMES European Accreditation of Training Centres in Adult Respiratory Medicine: criteria validation and revision. Breathe, 12(1), 11-17. DOI: 10.1183/20734735.000116
Franssen R., Niculescu A., & Nijhuis, J. (2010), Vrijheid = Blijheid? Studenten zonder keuzevrijheid passen zich beter aan, Expertise 1, jaargang 4, Januari 2010.
Franssen, R., Niculescu, A., & Nijhuis, J. (2009), Vakmanschap = Meesterschap, Expertise 10, jaargang 3, December 2009.

International Peer-Reviewed Conference Papers (selected)Niculescu, A. C., Tempelaar, D.T., Leppink , J., Dailey-Hebert, A., Segers, M., & Gijselaers, W. H. (2014). Subject Specificity of Learning Emotions and Achievement Outcomes: How Feelings Impact Performance. Paper presented on the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, April 3 – April 7, 2014.

Niculescu, A., Segers, M., de Regt, E., & Gijselaers, W. (2012). A Tutor Feedback Intervention in Problem-Based Learning and its Effects on Student Learning. Paper presented on the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 13 – April 17, 2012.

Niculescu, A., Nijhuis, J., & Gijselaers, W. (2010). Curriculum design, student’s nationality and its effects on adaptation to university: What makes the difference? Paper presented on the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, April 2010.

Teaching & PhD

Teaching

2019 – 2021 Research Skills II (Master Assessment and Evaluation), University of Oslo, Course coordinator, Lecturer
2018 – 2021 Constructing Measures (Master Assessment and Evaluation), University of Oslo, Lecturer
2012 – 2014 Theories and Models of Learning (Master Management of Learning), Maastricht University, Lecturer & Member of the Planning Group
2012 – 2013 Cognition, Learning and Knowledge Development 3rd year bachelor), Maastricht University , Lecturer

Supervision of Student Research at Bachelor and Masters level at Maastricht University and University of Olso between 2009 – 2021.

Coaching

2019 – 2020 Study coaching trajectory (Master Learning and Development in Organizations), Maastricht University, Professional Coach
2012 – 2013 Study coaching trajectory (Master Management of Learning), Maastricht University, Academic Coach