Pierre Dillenbourg

Computer-supported collaborative learning & work, Learning technologies, MOOCs Human-computer interaction, Educational Robotics, Eye Tracking, Tangible Interfaces, AR & VR, vocational education

Biography

A former teacher in elementary school, Pierre Dillenbourg graduated in educational science (University of Mons, Belgium). He started his research on learning technologies in 1984. In 1986, he has been on of the first in the world to apply machine learning to develop a self-improving teaching system. He obtained a PhD in computer science from the University of Lancaster (UK), in the domain of artificial intelligence applications for education. He has been assistant professor at the University of Geneva. He joined EPFL in 2002. He has been the director of Center for Research and Support on Learning and its Technologies, then academic director of Center for Digital Education, which implements the MOOC strategy of EPFL (over w million registrations). He is full professor in learning technologies in the School of Computer & Communication Sciences, where he is the head of the CHILI Lab: "Computer-Human Interaction for Learning & Instruction ». He is the director of the leading house DUAL-T, which develops technologies for dual vocational education systems (carpenters, florists,...). With EPFL colleagues, he launched in 2017 the Swiss EdTech Collider, an incubator with 80 start-ups in learning technologies. He (co-)-founded 5 start-ups, does consulting missions in the corporate world and joined the board of several companies or institutions. In 2018, he co-founded LEARN, the EPFL Center of Learning Sciences that brings together the local initiatives in educational innovation. He is a fellow of the International Society for Learning Sciences. He currently is the Associate Vice-President for Education at EPFL.

Mission

We conduct research on interactive technologies for learning and collaboration, addressing both computational and cognitive aspects.

Frequently quoted papers

Dillenbourg, P: (2015) Orchestration Graphs. EPFL Press.

Dillenbourg, P. (2013). Design for Classroom Orchestration. Journal of Computers in Education. (soon)

Dillenbourg, P. (2002). Over-scripting CSCL: The risks of blending collaborative learning with instructional design. In P. A. Kirschner (Ed). Three worlds of CSCL. Can we support CSCL (pp. 61-91). Heerlen, Open Universiteit Nederland.

Dillenbourg P. & Traum, D. (2006) Sharing solutions: persistence and grounding in multi-modal collaborative problem solving. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15 (1), pp. 121-151.

Dillenbourg, P., Baker, M., Blaye, A. & O'Malley, C.(1996) The evolution of research on collaborative learning. In E. Spada & P. Reiman (Eds) Learning in Humans and Machine: Towards an interdisciplinary learning science (pp. 189-211). Oxford: Elsevier.

Dillenbourg P. (1999) What do you mean by collaborative learning? In P. Dillenbourg (Ed) Collaborative-learning: Cognitive and Computational Approaches (pp.1-19). Oxford: Elsevier.

Current work

See my lab page: http://chili.epfl.ch/

Teaching & PhD

Teaching

Computer Science

Communication Systems

PhD Programs

Doctoral program in computer and communication sciences

Doctoral Program in Technology Management

Doctoral program in robotics, control, and intelligent systems

Doctoral Program Digital Humanities

Doctoral Program in Electrical Engineering

Doctoral Program in Learning Sciences

PhD Students

Burget Lucas Gérard Julien, Khodr Hala, Kim Kevin Gonyop, Nasir Jauwairia, Norman Utku, Shahmoradi Sina, Wang Chenyang, Yadollahi Elmira, Yazdanian Ramtin, Yeo Shuqing Teresa,

Past EPFL PhD Students

Asselborn Thibault Lucien Christian , Bachour Khaled , Bonardi Stéphane , Bonnard Quentin , Chandra Shruti , Cherubini Mauro , Cuendet Sébastien , Do Lenh Hung Son , Faucon Louis Pierre , Fink Julia , Güneysu Özgür Arzu , Jacq Alexis David , Li Nan , Lucignano Lorenzo , Mazzei Andrea , Nova Nicolas , Nüssli Marc-Antoine , Raca Mirko , Riedo Fanny , Roman Flaviu , Sangin Mirweis , Seiied Alavi Hamed , Sharma Kshitij , Shirvani Boroujeni Mina , Tarniceriu Adrian Dan , Verma Himanshu , Zufferey Guillaume , Özgür Ayberk ,

Courses

Human computer interaction

The effectiveness of a piece of software for a task depends not only on the performance of the software but also on the ability of the user to operate it correctly, which is a result of the level of the user and the good design of the interface.

Digital education & learning analytics

This course addresses the relationship between specific technological features and the learners' cognitive processes. It also covers the methods and results of empirical studies on this topic: do student actually learn due to technologies?

Introduction to learning sciences I

How do people learn and how can we support learning? This is part 1 of a two-part course that provides an overview of major theoretical perspectives that attempt to describe how learning works, and serves as an introduction to interpreting education as a means of designing learning environments.

Introduction to learning sciences II

How do people learn and how can we support learning? This is part 2 of a two-part course that provides an overview of major theoretical perspectives that attempt to describe how learning works, and serves as an introduction to interpreting education as a means of designing learning environments.

Introduction to research methods I

This is part 1 of a two part course that provides students with knowledge and skills in collecting, processing and analyzing educational data, including different lenses to view the nature of inquiry in the field, research designs, and an overview of quantitative and qualitative methods.

Introduction to research methods II

This is part 2 of a two part course that provides students with knowledge and skills in collecting, processing and analyzing educational data, including different lenses to view the nature of inquiry in the field, research designs, and an overview of quantitative and qualitative methods.

Robotics practicals

The goal of this lab series is to practice the various theoretical frameworks acquired in the courses on a variety of robots, ranging from industrial robots to autonomous mobile robots, to robotic devices, all the way to interactive robots.

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