Zhao's Teaching and Learning Lab (TALL)

Research Interests

Higher ed. teaching and learning
Instructor-student relationship
Undergraduate research skills development
Open education resources (OER)
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) practices

Lab Projects

Curating inclusive multi-modal introductory psychology OER content: Interviewing historically underrepresented experts (with OpenStax.org)
Five minute "experiment": using quasi-research exercise to increase student skills in research methods class
Involving undergraduate students in lab research: Assessing research skill gains in an open pedagogical design
Migrating Introductory Psychology (PSYC 1010) to OpenStax OER (with Dr. Sarah Herrmann)
Productive failure: Increase undergraduate research skills through ill-structured activities
What does it look like in therapy?: Using symptommedia.com to enhance clinical teaching and training (With Dr. Melinda Russell-Stamp, and Dr. Lizbeth Velazquez)

Active Student Projects

Love at "First Sight" : Exploring how Secure Attachment Affects Love Language (Ivy Hughes*, Fall 2024)
AI & I - Gaining Social Skills Through AI Interaction (Joshua Milliner*, Fall 2024)

*Undergraduate student project leaders

Contact

Interested in joining the TALL lab? Note the MANDATORY in-person lab meeting time below, and express your interest via email to: Dr. Xin Zhao

Lab meeting time: (Fall, Spring): Alternating Wednesdays 3-4PM

Dr. Zhao is looking for dedicated undergraduate students to participate in his lab projects for 2024-2025 academic year. All students regardless of different backgrounds or academic standings are strongly encouraged to apply.

About Dr. Xin Zhao

Dr. Zhao joined Weber State Psychological Sciences Faculty in fall 2022. He earned his bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech, and Ph.D. in Combined Counseling/Clinical/School Psychology from Utah State University. His primary research interest focus on everything higher ed. teaching related. In his spare time, other than keeping up with his two young children, he likes to follow latest happenings with various sports, and read behavioral economic books.