Eric Klopfer
Dr. Eric Klopfer is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directs the Scheller Teacher Education Program and The Education Arcade. He also leads the Department of Comparative Media Studies and Writing and serves as a co-faculty advisor for MIT's J-WEL World Education Lab. Klopfer is famous for using design-based research methodologies in educational technology. He does everything—from planning, designing, and developing innovative technologies from scratch ("0 to 1") to focusing on professional development and practical implementation.
Klopfer's research dives into exploring and developing award-winning computer games and simulations that enhance learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). He's particularly invested in emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mobile platforms to revolutionize education. By bringing learning to life through interactive experiences, his work aims to make a real impact on how we teach and learn. His lab has developed a variety of software and platforms—like StarLogo Nova and TaleBlazer—that have reached millions of users worldwide. Notably, his team crafted "The Radix Endeavor," a massively multiplayer online game designed to teach math and science concepts.
Klopfer has his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madion and holds his Bachelor's from Cornell University. He is also the co-founder and past president of the non-profit Learning Games Network. An accomplished author, Klopfer wrote and co-authored several books, including Adventures in Modeling, The More We Know, Resonant Games, and Augmented Learning.
Most Cited Publications:
Klopfer, E., & Squire, K. (2008). Environmental Detectives—the development of an augmented reality platform for environmental simulations. Educational technology research and development, 56, 203-228.
Klopfer, E., Osterweil, S., & Salen, K. (2009). Moving learning games forward. Cambridge, MA: The Education Arcade.
Klopfer, E. (2008). Augmented learning: Research and design of mobile educational games. MIT press.
Klopfer, E., Squire, K., & Jenkins, H. (2002, August). Environmental detectives: PDAs as a window into a virtual simulated world. In Proceedings. IEEE international workshop on wireless and mobile technologies in education (pp. 95-98). IEEE.
Squire, K., & Klopfer, E. (2007). Augmented reality simulations on handheld computers. The journal of the learning sciences, 16(3), 371-413.
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