Research

    Chi-Jia’s research experience started during her time at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. She worked as a research assistant on interactive storytelling projects funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan. Her responsibilities included literature review, budget management, experimental design, data collection, and analysis.


    Her initial research delved into the exploration of readers’ emotions and emotional comprehension. The research findings were not only presented at international conferences but also earned the Best Presentation Award.


    Inspired by topics such as emotional understanding and experience, as well as mental health issues. Her current research interest focuses on enhancing international students’ sense of belonging through positive psychology interventions. Her goal is to integrate positive education into instructional design to improve students’ well-being, helping them utilize positive thinking when facing adversity and challenges, ultimately achieving a state of psychological flourishing.

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    Publications

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    Journal Publication

    Hsieh, C. J. & Watson, S. L. (2025). Fostering well-being and belonging among international graduate students: A positive psychology approach. Journal of International Students. 15(5), 1-19.https://doi.org/10.32674/4gzmgn64 

    This is an experimental research paper that conducted a pilot test on the effect of positive reflection practice on international graduate students’ well-being and sense of belonging. As the leading author, I’m responsible for literature review, research design, data collection, and data analysis.

    Dong, L., Hsieh, C. J., Watson, S., Yu, J., & Lowell, V. (2025). Revisiting the Interrelationships Between Social Presence and Cognitive Presence in Asynchronous Online Courses: Insights from epistemic network analysis. Online Learning, 29(3), 417–448. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v29i3.4672

    In this paper, we used ENA to to reveal how social presence intertwines with cognitive presence in asynchronous online discussions, showing that specific instructional strategies can significantly shape student engagement and learning dynamics.

    Ilobinso, A. C., Tagare, D., Hsieh, C. J., & Watson, W. (2025). Designing Augmented Reality Experiences for Environmental Education in Afterschool Programs. Journal of Applied Instructional Design, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.59668/2224.22524

    This is a design-based research paper on AR integration for sustainability education for afterschool program. Responsible for Session 3 AR storybook design and implementation.

    Dong, L., Jiang, S., Xu, F., Duan, S., & Hsieh, C. J. (2025). From Simplification to Sophistication: High School Students’ Evolving Understandings of Machine Learning Model Decision-Making. British Journal of Educational Technology, 57. 423–442. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70024

    This paper examines how a classroom AI module helps secondary students move from simplified, often anthropomorphic misconceptions toward more sophisticated, data-driven understandings of machine learning decision-making, offering insights for improving AI literacy and curriculum design.

    Duan, S., Hsieh, C. J., Dong, L., Jiang, S., Xu, F., Watson, S., & Yu, J. H. (2024). Unveiling novice instructional designers’ professional identity: exploring dispositions through future-oriented reflections. Higher Education, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-024-01366-z 

    This is a qualitative research study where we categorized novice IDer’s professional identities through BPS writings. I’m responsible for literature reviews, coding, and data analysis for this study.

    Yu, J. H., Dong, L., Hsieh, C. J., Tan, Y., Duan, S., & Watson, S. L. (2024). Instructional designers’ professional futures: insights from best possible self and epistemic network analysis.Educational Technology Research and Development, 1-35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10441-2

    In this paper, we used ENA to examine how IDers see themselves in the future and compare the different characteristics between expert and novice IDers. I’m responsible for literature review, coding, and conducting ENA.

    Book Chapter

    Watson, W., Watson, S. L., Tagare, D., Baydar, S., & Hsieh, C. J. (2026). Instructional Design for Student and Instructor Wellbeing in Online Learning. In Tay, L. & McCuskey, B. (Eds.), Handbook of Well-Being in Higher Education: Theory, Research, & Practice. Oxford University Press. [In press]

    This is a book chapter that explores the guidelines of instructional design for supporting student well-being.

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    Conference Presentation

    Tu, F., Yu, J., Chen, H., Ding, J., Dong, L., Hsieh, C. J., Kim, H., & Watson, S. (2026, June 15-19). Measuring Cognitive Presence in Online Discussions: Interpretable AI and Instructional Insights from a MOOC Context. [Poster presentation]. 2026 ISLS, Irvine, CA, United States.

    Duan, S., McNary, S., Hsieh, C. J., Dong, L., Watson, S., Jiang, S., Xu, F., & Yu, J. (2025, October 22). Enhancing Online Graduate Student Well-Being: A Five-Year Study of the Best Possible Self Intervention. [Conference presentation]. 2025 AECT, Las Vegas, NV, United States.

    Yu, J., Kim, H., Hsieh, C. J., Dong, L., Duan, S., & Watson, S. (2025, October 22). Exploring Professional Identity Development through BPS-Based Reflective Writing in Instructional Design Graduate Course. [Conference presentation]. 2025 AECT, Las Vegas, NV, United States.

    Dong, L., Hsieh, C. J., Watson, S., Yu, J., & Lowell, V. (2025, April 25). The Interrelationships Between Social Presence and Cognitive Presence in Online Courses:An Epistemic Network Analysis. [Conference presentation]. AERA, Denver, CO, United States.

    Best Paper Award of the Online Teaching and Learning SIG

    Huang, W., Watson, S. L., Hsieh, C. J., Kang, S., Yu, W., & Watson, W. R. (2025, April 25). AI Integration Barriers in K-12 Education: South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States [Poster presentation]. AERA, Denver, CO, United States.

    Hsieh, C. J., & Huang, W. (2024, November 11). Navigating and Adapting: Teachers’ perceptions of AI integration in Taiwan [Conference presentation]. Purdue AI in P-1 Education Conference, West Lafayette, IN, United States.

    Kang, S., Huang, W., Watson, S., Hsieh, C. J., Watson, W. R., & Yu, W. (2024, November 11). A Comparative Study of AI Integration Barriers in K-12 Education in South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States [Conference presentation]. Purdue AI in P-12 Education Conference, West Lafayette, IN, United States.

    Yu, W., Watson, S. L., Kang, S., Huang, W., Hsieh, C. J., & Watson, W. R. (2024, November 11). AI integration in K-12 education: South Korean teachers’ perspectives [Conference presentation]. Purdue AI in P-12 Education Conference, West Lafayette, IN, United States.

    Hsieh, C. J. & Watson, S. (2024, October 22). Enhancing International Students’ Well-being and Sence of Belonging. [Poster presentation]. AECT, Kansas City, MO, United States.

    Ilobinso, A., Hsieh, C. J., Tagare, D., & Watson, W. R. (2024, October 24). Facilitating Environmental Education for Young Learners in Afterschool Programs Through Augmented Reality: A Design Case. [Conference presentation]. 2024 AECT, Kansas City, MO, United States.

    Duan, S., Watson, S., Dong, L., Hsieh, C. J., Jiang, S., Xu, F., & Yu, J. (2024, October 22). Unveiling Novice Instructional Designers’ Professional Identity: Exploring Dispositions Through Future-Oriented Reflections [Conference presentation]. 2024 AECT, Kansas City, MO, United States.

    Hsieh, C. J. (2023, March 30) The Effects of AR-enhanced Storybooks in Children’s Engagement and Attitude Change Towards Environmental Sustainability [Poster presentation]. 2023 Annual Graduate Student Education Research Symposium (AGSERS), West Lafayette, IN, United States.

    Hsieh, C. J. & Kao, G. Y. M. (2020, August 13-14) Effects of Different Narrative Perspectives on Readers’ Emotion, Reading Behaviors and Experience [Conference presentation]. 2020 International Conference on Emotion and Cognitive Science (ICECS), Venice, Italy

    Best Presentation Award