Karen Stepanyan

Qualifications

PhD (Brunel University) - Technology-Enhanced Learning; PGCert (Buckinghamshire New University) - Teaching and Learning in Higher Education; MSc (American University of Armenia) - Computer and Information Science

Role

Research Fellow, BlogForever FP7 EU Project.
Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick.

BlogForever is a collaborative EU funded project that is aiming to develop robust digital preservation, management and dissemination facilities for weblogs. The mission of Blogforever is to develop facilities that will enable capturing the dynamic and continuously evolving nature of weblogs, their network and social structure, and the exchange of concepts and ideas that they foster. This project will allow preservation of information omitted by current Web Archiving methods and solutions.

The BlogForever project is led by principle investigator Dr. Alexandra I. Cristea and co-principle investigator Dr. Mike Joy. As a research fellow, my role in this project is to support the the design and implementation of the anticipated preservation and archiving solution and, more specifically, an inquiry into the structure and semantics of blogs. I am working in a team with Dr. George Gkotsis.

Contact

Dr Karen Stepanyan

Room CS3.32
Department of Computer Science
University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
United Kingdom

Tel: 02476 524911
Email: K dot Stepanyan at warwick dot ac dot uk
Twitter: kstepanyan

Research and Interests

Overview

My primary research experience includes: social computing, Web 2.0, collaborative learning, communities and networks, cognitive and social mechanisms of learning, personalisation and assessment. I am particularly interested in Semantic Web development and Linked Data.

I continuously explore the potential benefits of various research methodologies and examine the adoption of available methods. I have experience of applying both, quantitative and qualitative methods, that include: social network analysis, communication and discourse analysis, access log analysis. I have experience of conducting and reporting on focus groups, systematic and scoping reviews.

Publications

Ullrich, C., Borau, K., & Stepanyan, K. (2010). Who Students Interact with? A Social Network Analysis Perspective on the use of Twitter in Language Learning. Paper presented at the EC-TEL 2010 - Sustaining TEL: From Innovation to Learning and Practice 5th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning., September 28 - October 1, 2010, Barcelona, Spain.

Stepanyan, K., Borau, K., & Ullrich, C. (2010). A Social Network Analysis Perspective on Student Interaction Within the Twitter Microblogging Environment. Paper presented at the The 10th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Sousse, Tunisia.

Stepanyan, K., Mather, R., Hamilton-Jones, C., & Lusuardi, C. (2009). Avoiding Pitfalls of Peer Assessment. Paper presented at the The 9th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies.

Stepanyan, K., Mather, R., Jones, H., & Lusuardi, C. (2009). Student Engagement with Peer Assessment: A Review of Pedagogical Design and Technologies. Paper presented at the Advances in Web Based Learning – ICWL 2009.
Best Paper Nomination

Stepanyan, K., Mather, R., & Payne, J. (2007). Integrating Social Software into Course Design and Tracking Student Engagement: Early Results and Research Perspectives. Paper presented at the E-LEARN 2006 - World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare & Higher Education , Quebec , Canada.

Stepanyan, K., Mather, R., & Payne, J. (2007, September 26 -28, 2007). Awareness of the capabilities and use of social software attributes within and outside the educational context: moving towards collaborative learning with Web 2.0. Paper presented at the ICL2007 - Interactive Computer Aided Learning Villach, Austria.

Stepanyan, K. (2007). Teaching small groups with no-reply E-mails? Paper presented at the ELGG Jam, Brighton, United Kingdom.

Stepanyan, K., Mather, R., Payne, J., & Jones, R. (2007, 4-6 September 2007). Social software to support collaborative processes of Undergraduate Learning: Early Observations and emerging research requirements. Paper presented at the ALT-C 2007: Beyond Control, Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Stepanyan, K. (2006). Poster Presentation: Challenges and Opportunities for Practicing E-learning Globally. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual E-learning Conference, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, High Wycombe.

Stepanyan, K. (2005). A Web Based Presentation Tool for the "Moodle" Course Management System. Paper presented at the MoodleMoot-UK 2005 Conference.

Interests

I enjoy power-kiting, hiking and climbing. One of my recent addictions is swimming.

Karen Stepanyan

Social Media