Areas of Focus

In this specialization, you’ll immerse yourself in the science and art of creating learning experiences and products that focus on the user. Your studies will be grounded in practices such as human-centered design, instructional design, design thinking, and user research.

Upon completing this specialization, you'll have the skills to:

• Understand and empathize with users as you address design problems, utilizing a range of user experience (UX) research methods  including interviews, observations, usability testing, and participatory design 

• Use a learner-centered and human-centered approach to design, redesign, and constantly improve educational experiences and products

• Effectively apply UX methods such as sketching, ideation, personas, empathy maps, analysis, and prototyping to develop your products and present your findings to stakeholders

• Work in and lead teams through collaboration and strong interpersonal relationships

You'll learn how to design and create information and decision-making tools for educational settings that are based on data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Upon completing this specialization you will have the skills to:

• Create solutions for educational settings based on your analysis and development of data from learning tools.
• Use data and analytics to better understand current learning processes and outcomes and improve them for the future.
• Meaningfully critique and improve the design of learning analytics from technical, practical, social, and ethical perspectives.
• Effectively communicate how interconnected infrastructure, policy, and societal factors play a role in learning analytics systems.

To complete this specialization, you'll take two required courses in our program and choose one NYU course from a menu of options. 

In this highly relevant specialization, you’ll learn about the specific challenges and opportunities in conducting learning and interactivity at a distance. You will build on the latest findings in learning sciences to design engaging online experiences for K–12, higher education, and adult learning environments.

Upon completing this specialization, you’ll have the skills to:

• Move beyond traditional learning activities and assessment to create engaging, motivating online learning environments
• Develop the ideal mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities for any situation
• Respond effectively to the expectations of today’s learners
• Work effectively within technical constraints
• Work with educators from diverse backgrounds and in divergent settings to craft designs that meet unique needs
• Help deliver on the promise of expanded education opportunities for diverse communities

To complete this specialization, you’ll choose three elective courses from four options. You’ll also have the opportunity to engage in supplemental learning activities including research internships, faculty projects, independent study, events and workshops, and an online learning thesis.

You'll create, use, and evaluate digital games for use in learning environments, both formal and informal.

Upon completing your concentration, you will have an in-depth knowledge of:

• The ways social, emotional, cultural, and cognitive aspects of learning affect game design.
• Game design models and developmental practices.
• The value of narrative in game design, and how to develop it effectively.
• How to produce research that can improve and evaluate the design of games for learning.

You'll also gain the skills to:

• Discuss the role and function of play in games for learning, as well as how diverse features of games contribute to games for learning, such as role playing, immersion, narrative, feedback, consequences of failure, and more.
• Explain the potential values and limitations of the use of digital games for learning, including what types of learners and subjects benefit from them and in what settings games have the potential to support learning.