Jonathan B. Margolin

Principal Researcher

Jonathan Margolin is a principal researcher in the Human Services program at AIR. His primary responsibilities involve managing evaluations of K–12 education programs and systems related to K-16 STEM education, educational technology implementation, and civics. He has extensive experience with evaluating educational interventions in STEM programs, including educational simulations, apps and games.

Dr. Margolin is currently studying efforts to scale up the Playground Physics program, funded by an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant. He also leads the mixed-methods evaluation of The Pack, a computer game designed to introduce computational thinking principles into middle school science classes. He recently completed a synthesis of research on computer simulations, funded by the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Margolin also oversees development of assessments of educational outcomes, and in particular, those related to science and computer science. In addition, he facilitates continuous improvement processes. He developed a tools report for Regional Educational Laboratory—Midwest that illustrated how to evaluate of networked improvement communities.

Expertise
Education
STEM
Technology for Teaching and Learning
Services
Research & Evaluation
Research Design, Analysis, and Reporting
Survey Design, Administration, and Data Acquisition

Ph.D., Social Psychology, Indiana University; A.B., Psychology, University of Michigan

Contact Jonathan B. Margolin

+1.202.403.5000
Related Work
Image of Hispanic teenager at a microscope

Associations Between Predictive Indicators and Postsecondary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Success Among Hispanic Students in Texas

27 Nov 2017
Nationwide, Hispanic students continue to be underrepresented among students who complete a four-year degree in science, technology, engineering, and math fields and among workers in those fields. This study, which used data on seven cohorts of Texas students, suggests the importance of Hispanic students taking rigorous high school math and ...

Playground Physics

30 Jun 2017
Playground Physics is a technology-based application and accompanying curriculum designed by New York Hall of Science to support middle school students’ science engagement and learning of force, energy, and motion.

Summary of Findings From the Evaluation of CryptoClub With Video Tutorials (2015–16)

02 Oct 2016
CryptoClub is an academic enrichment program designed to give students opportunities to explore their interest in cryptography in informal settings.
Student using technology

Six Common Pitfalls of Ed-Tech Programs (and How to Avoid Them)

18 May 2016
As new technologies emerge, there is a growing perception that schools must utilize the latest technologies. This brief’s authors conducted evaluations of two large-scale technology initiatives and here share six lessons learned about common pitfalls during early stages of implementation.

Evaluation of LAUSD’s Instructional Technology Initiative - Year 2 Report

30 Aug 2015
The Instructional Technology Initiative (ITI) is the Los Angeles Unified School District’s signature investment in technology. Originally planned to provide technology devices to every teacher and student in the 640,000-student district, ITI aimed to transform learning throughout the district by providing interactive and engaging learning environments, supporting implementation of the ...

AIR in the News

QNS

New York Hall of Science Receives $2.8 Million to Expand Playground Physics Beyond Queens