Research Topics

Digital Learning Design

  • Static vs interactive platforms
  • Usability metrics
  • Synchronous vs recorded lectures
  • Multimedia design

Notetaking Behaviors

  • Notetaking strategies
  • ​Note-taking vs note-having
  • Modality (digital, handwritten, drawn)
  • Notetaking software

Cognitive Biases

  • Heuristics, metacognition
  • Judgments of learning and fluency
  • ​Metacognition as a training tool
  • Overconfidence

Psycholinguistics

  • Text comprehension
  • Reading strategies
  • Automated text analysis​

Hierarchical Modeling

  • Mental model formation
  • Category formation
  • Propositional networks
  • Semantic network formation

Individual Differences

  • Diversity, equity, & inclusivity
  • Accessibility
  • Background knowledge

Research History and Scholarship

My Master's and PhD research explored a number of different topics, but my primary interests centered on (*inhales deeply*) the interactions between students' cognitive biases, heuristics, individual differences, and lecture delivery variables on different types of memory and learning. Basically, what's the deal with digital learning, and why is it so challenging for some students (and not others)?
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Presenting my research on individual differences in digital notetaking abilities.
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Doing fMRI research was how I learned that I did not want to do fMRI research!
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Leading an ideation session for a study. I promise it made sense.
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Chatting with some researchers. Students like it when female professors curse!
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Thumbnail of a departmental video featuring my research program.
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Look at my ~entire~ poster demonstrating cognitive biases in digital notetaking.
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More postering about the role of cognitive bias, individual differences, and notetaking.
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Leading a brownbag ideation session for some new research projects.
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Doing an international conference talk about (you guessed it) notetaking.

Scholarship

My research is qualitative and quantitative, applied, and targets current issues in digital learning environments. My primary topics include text analysis, content comprehension modeling and hierarchical organization (main ideas vs details, cognitive architecture), cognitive biases, working memory capacity, cognitive load, transcription fluency, verbal fluency, natural language processing, aesthetics, memory and learning, and accessibility. The following lists are official presentations/writings, but not pictured are many projects that I didn't have time to see through. 
Dissertation:
  • The Effects of Interpolated Lectures, Self-Testing, and Notetaking on Learning from a Science Video Lecture.
Master’s Thesis:
  • Notetaking Modality and Student Learning: Computer, Paper-Pencil, or Listening?
Paper and poster presentations:
  • Pittman, J., Taraban, R., & Jennings, E. (April, 2020). Noting the effectiveness of notetaking: Testing immediate and delayed recall. Southwestern Psychological Association, Albuquerque, NM.
  • Jennings, E., Schumacher, J. R., & Taraban, R. (November, 2016). Studying lecture notes increases overconfidence as measured by JOLs and recall scores. Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA. 
  • Jennings, E., & Serra, M. J. (February, 2015). Is there a real reason to ban laptops in classrooms? Advanced Teaching and Learning Conference, Lubbock, TX.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (November, 2014). Recall-based notetaking aided by transcription fluency. Psychonomic Society, Long Beach, CA.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (May, 2014). Note-taking in the modern college classroom: Computer, paper and pencil, or listening? Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA), Chicago, IL.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (April, 2014). Note-taking benefits college students. Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), San Antonio, TX.
  • Paniukov, D., Taraban, R., Schumacher, J., & Jennings, E. (March, 2014). Text segmentation and the testing effect. Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, Texas Tech University.
  • Marshall, P. P., Chang, J., Zeng, X., Jennings, E., & Donato, F. (May, 2013). The commonality of religious and aesthetic experiences. Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (October, 2013). Benefits of notetaking vs listening. College Academic Support Program Conference (CASP), Amarillo, TX.
  • Taraban, R., & Jennings, E. (October, 2013). Learning from expository text. College Academic Support Program Conference (CASP), Amarillo, TX.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (April, 2013). Absence of testing effect in text recall: It pays to study. Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) conference, Fort Worth, TX.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (March, 2013). Notetaking method in the college classroom: Computer, paper and pencil, or listening? Graduate Student Research Poster Competition. 
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (November, 2012). Absence of a testing effect in immediate and delayed recall. Psychonomic Society, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (April, 2012). Effects of coherence and multiple tests on expository text recall. Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), Oklahoma City, OK.
  • Jennings, E., & Taraban, R. (March, 2012). Effects of coherence and multiple tests on expository text recall. Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, Texas Tech University.
The following research conference presentations were mentorship projects for my undergraduate research assistants.​
  • *Cancemi, A., & Jennings, E. (May, 2018). Notetaking method, encoding effects, and proactive interference. Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
  • *Metwally, A., & Jennings, E. (May, 2018). A comparison between interpolated and post-lecture testing on type of information retained after a delay. Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
  • *Cancemi, A., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). Does laptop notetaking reduce proactive interference during lecture? Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX.
  • *Swift, T., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). Some like it r(t)ough: The relationship between perceived content difficulty, mental effort, and interest in a neuroscience lecture. Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX.
  • *Birdsong, B. B., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). Absolutely interested: Individual differences in subjective content familiarity and interest predict absolute accuracy when learning from a science video lecture. Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX. 
  • *Metwally, A., & Jennings, E. (March, 2018). The ‘senioritis’ effect: Completed course credits predict mind-wandering during lecture. Texas Tech University Undergraduate Research Conference, Lubbock, TX. 
  • Jennings, E., Taraban, R., Paniukov, D., Schumacher, J., *Dominguez, S., & *Parker, T. (April, 2015). When teachers lecture, what do students recall with and without notes? Southwestern Psychological Association, Wichita, KS.

Graduation

In 2018, I graduated with my Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, specializing in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience. Lubbock, Texas delivered its August promise by swelling the temperature to 110 degrees, just below what I'd been acclimating to in my new city (Tempe, AZ). Graduation day was filled with gratuity and love; my treasured family members had traveled across the country to attend the ceremony. I promised them that this would be the last one!

The Messed-Up Tassel

This was right after I walked across the stage! I'd been swinging my head around trying to find my family in the crowd.

The Fam.

My OGs and ride-or-dies all under one roof.