Publications


Recent Online Publications

Sylvan, E. & Vattikonda, N. (2024). Global AI Regulation: Protecting Rights; Leveraging Collaboration. Berkman Klein Center Medium Collection. https://medium.com/berkman-klein-center/global-ai-regulation-protecting-rights-leveraging-collaboration-b0da8e6a704d.

Sylvan, E. (2023). Co-Designing Shared Futures: Global Collaboration Creates Ethical Generative AI. Berkman Klein Center Medium Collection. https://medium.com/berkman-klein-center/co-designing-shared-futures-3d15f9883773.

Ha, Y., Hendrickson, S., Nagy, A., Sylvan, E, & Zick, T. (2023). Exploring the Impacts of Generative AI on the Future of Teaching and Learning. Berkman Klein Center website. https://cyber.harvard.edu/story/2023-06/impacts-generative-ai-teaching-learning.

Sylvan, E. (2023). Co-Designing Shared Futures: Global Collaboration Creates Ethical Generative AI. Berkman Klein Center Medium Collection. https://medium.com/berkman-klein-center/co-designing-shared-futures-3d15f9883773. 

Sylvan, E. & Guio Español, A. (2023). Generative AI: What should governments in Latin America do? Berkman Klein Center Medium Collection. https://medium.com/berkman-klein-center/generative-ai-what-should-governments-in-latin-america-do-9ca8a1f73051.

Sylvan, E. & Cortesi, S. (2021). What we learned about the future of education from COVID-19. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90650121/what-we-learned-about-the-future-of-education-from-covid-19.


Journal Publications and Conference Presentations with Proceedings

Eagle, B. & Sylvan, E. (2024). Leveraging Interactive Data Visualization Education for Climate Action and Sustainability: A Collaborative Exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Science. In the Proceedings of the IEEE VIS 2024 Workshop on Visualization for Climate Action and Sustainability.

Sylvan, E., McGee M, & Cortesi, S. (2023). Empowering Students in a Datafied World: Adult Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Digital Self-Determination in the U.S. K12 Environment. In International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (ISLS). Montreal, Canada.

Puttick, G., Strawhacker, A., Bernstein, D., & Sylvan, E. (2014). It’s Not As Bad As Using the Toaster All The Time – Designing Trade Offs In A Scratch Game About Energy Use. In Proc. of the ICLS  June 23 – 27, 2014, Boulder, CO. 

Asbell-Clarke, J. Rowe, E. Sylvan, E., (2013). Dwelling and Indwelling: How Games Nurture, Reveal and Measure Tacit Knowledge. In Proc of CHI’13 April 27-May 2, Paris, France.

Sylvan, E., Asbell-Clarke, J., Fraser, J., Gupta, R. & Rowe, E. (2013.) It’s Not Who I Am, It’s What I Do: How Youth Gamer Identity and Beliefs about Social Perception Relates to their Science Understanding. In Proc of Digital Games Research Association (DIGRA 2013) August 26-29, Atlanta, GA. 

Asbell-Clarke, J. Rowe, E. Sylvan, E., (2013) Indwelling in Science: Measuring Tacit Learning in a Physics Game. In Proc of Digital Games Research Association (DIGRA 2013) August 26-29, Atlanta, GA.

Asbell-Clarke, J. Rowe, E., Sylvan, E., & Baker, R. (2013). Working through Impulse: Assessment of Emergent Learning in a Physics Game. Proc. of Games + Learning + Society (GLS 9.0.) Madison, Wisconsin.

Asbell-Clarke, J., Edwards, T., Larsen, J., Rowe, E., Sylvan, E., & Hewitt, J. (2012). Martian Boneyards: Scientific Inquiry in an MMO Game. International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 2(1), 52-76. doi:10.4018/ijgbl.2012010104.

Sylvan, E., Larsen, J., Asbell-Clarke, J. & Edwards, T. (2012). The Canary's Not Dead, It's Just Resting: The Productive Failure of a Science-Based Augmented-Reality Game. Proc. of Games + Learning + Society (GLS 8.0.) Madison, Wisconsin. 

Asbell-Clarke, J & Sylvan, E. (2012) Martian Boneyards: Can a Community of Players be a Community of Practice? Proc. of CHI '12, May 05 - 10 2012, Austin, TX, USA. ACM New York, NY, 409-418.

Sylvan, E. (2010). Predicting influence in an online community of creators. In Proc. of CHI '10. April 10 - 15, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. ACM New York, NY, 1913-1916. Sylvan, E. A. (2010). Predicting social influence and project influence in Online Communities of Creators. In Proc. of the ICLS ’09 Vol.2 June 29 - July 02, 2010, Chicago, Illinois, 455-457.   

Shneiderman, B., Fischer, G., Czerwinski, M. Resnick, M., Myers, B., Candy, L., Edmonds, E., Eisenberg, M., Giaccardi, E., Hewett, T., Jennings, P., Kules, W., Nakakoji, K., Nunamaker, J., Pausch, R., Selker, T., 

Sylvan, E., Terry, M. (2006). Creativity support tools: Report from a U. S. National Science Foundation Sponsored Workshop. International Journal of Human Computer Interaction, 20(2), 61-77.

Sylvan, E. (2006). Who knows whom in a virtual learning network?: applying social network analysis to communities of learners at the Computer Clubhouse. In Proc. of the 7th ICLS Bloomington, Indiana, June 27 - July 01, 2006, International Society of the Learning Sciences, 758-764. 

Seitinger S, Sylvan E, Zuckerman O, Popovic M, & Zuckerman O. (2006). A New Playground Experience: Going Digital. In G. Olson & R.  Jeffries (Eds), Proc. Of CHI 2006, ACM, New York, NY 303-308.Sylvan E. (2005). 

Sylvan, E. (2005). Methodologies for Understanding Social Creativity During Collaborative Design Activities: A Proposal. In JS Gero  and ML Maher.  Computational and Cognitive Models of Creative Design VI, Key Centre of Design Computing and Cognition, University of Sydney, Australia, 365-374.

Books and Chapters in Books

Sylvan, E. (2009). The Computer Clubhouse Village: An Intranet For Sharing and Connecting. Kafai, Y, Peppler, K, & Chapman, R., eds. The Computer Clubhouse: Creativity and Constructionism in Youth Communities. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hewett T, Czerwinski M, Terry M, Nunamaker J, Candy L, Kules B, and Sylvan E. (2005). Creativity Support Tool Evaluation Methods and Metrics. In the NSF Report of Workshop on Creativity Support Tools, September 2005.

Shneiderman B, Fischer G, Czerwinski M, Resnick M, Myers B, Candy L, Edmonds E, Eisenberg M, Giaccardi E, Hewett T, Jennings P, Kules B, Nakakoji K, Nunamaker J, Pausch R, Selker T, Sylvan E, Terry M. (2005). White Paper on Creativity Support Tools Workshop. In NSF Report of Workshop on Creativity Support Tools, September 2005. 

Presentations and Expert Workshops
Recent (Co-)Hosted Conferences

“Co-Designing Generative Futures: A Global Conversation About AI.” May 2023. Three days of teaching and learning co-hosted by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society (BKC) at Harvard University, in collaboration with the NCIS at BI Norwegian Business School, ITS Rio, TUM, and the Global Network of Internet & Society Centers, https://cyber.harvard.edu/story/2023-05/co-designing-generative-futures 

“Global Summit on Responsible AI.” September 2022. A week of teaching and learning co-hosted by the Institute for Technology & Society of Rio de Janeiro (ITS Rio),  the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society (BKC) at Harvard University and the Nordic Center for Internet and Society (BI) at Norwegian Business School. https://www.aiglobalsummit.com.br/en 


Conference Panels and Presentations without Proceedings

Sylvan, E. et al. (2022) Learnings from Research Sprints: a Global Educational Program on Ethics of Digitization.” Connected Learning Summit 2022, virtual.

Adamczewski, P. & Sylvan, E. (2022). The use of AI in the public and private sectors - how do opportunities & challenges compare? White paper on the implementation of AI-engined system enhancing effectiveness of a public authority. IGF 2022. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Sylvan, E. (2018). Open Data/Open Minds: Tell Local Stories Using with Maps, Paper Circuits and Illuminated Visualizations, PBL2018 International Conference, Santa Clara, CA.

Sylvan, E. (2017). Open Data/Open Minds: Explorations in Data, Literacy, Craft and Code. Mozfest, London, England. 

Sylvan, E., Hutchins, M, Lanas, J & Roop, L. (2017)  Data/Open Minds Panel: Our Experiences with Techniques and Tools for Data Literacy Learning. Context Conference, Pittsburgh Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA.

Sylvan, E., Dicus, E., McGary, K., & Sand, P. (2015). LivingData: An Open Source Environmental Monitoring Toolkit for Learners and Their Communities. FabLearn2015. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.

Sylvan, E. (2014) Online Tools to Support Computational Thinking. CUE eLearning Strategies Symposium, San Mateo, CA.

Sylvan, E. (2014) Computational Thinking: There’s More to Coding Than Code. Fall Cue Conference Napa Valley, CA.

Asbell-Clarke, J. & Sylvan, E. (2012). The Influence of Players’ Interactivity and Identity on Social Games Design for Learning.  #Influence12 
Symposium & Workshop. Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sylvan, E. & Garrity, C. (2011). From Local and Offline to Networked and Online: The Evolution of One Middle-School Scratch Programming Club’s Creative Constructions. Internet Research 12, Seattle, Washington.

Rowe, E., Zalles, D., Sylvan, E., & Hancock, C. (2011). Learning Data Literacy Skills and Concepts in Two Games: Question Detective and Space Chase. Children's Learning in Videogame and Academic Settings symposium at the Society for Research in Child Development biennial meeting.  Montreal, Canada.

Asbell-Clarke, J., Edwards, T, Larsen, J., Rowe, E., Sylvan, E., & Hewitt, J. (2011). Collaborative Scientific Inquiry in Arcadia: An MMO gaming environment on Blue Mars. American Educational Research Association. New Orleans, Louisiana. Received the AERA ARVEL SIG Emerging Scholar Award.

Peppler, K., Kafai, Y., Rusk, N., Beals, L., Bers, M., Breslow, G., Chapman, R., Martin, C., Barron, B., Wise, S., Millner, A., Rusk, N., Resnick, M., Cooke, S., Sylvan, E., Cole, M. (2009). The Computer Clubhouse Learning Model: Learning Inquiry, Collaboration, and the Development of 21st Century Skills in Informal Learning Spaces. 2009 American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Diego, CA.

Forte, A., boyd, d., Brockette Reilly, E., Sylvan, E., & Raynes-Goldie, K. (2007). Under 18: Blogs, Wikis, and Online Social Networks for Youth. Panel at SXWS Interactive 2007, Austin, TX.

Sylvan, E. (2005). Social Network Analysis of Learning Networks. Boston Learning Technology Conference, Museum of Science, Boston, MA.

Sylvan E. (2005). Integrating Aesthetic, Engineering, and Scientific Understanding in a Hands-on Design Activity. Interaction Design for Children, Boulder, CO.

Fujimori Y, Sylvan E, & Alibali M. (1997). Gestures in the classroom in Japan and the United States. Twenty-seventh Annual Jean Piaget Symposium, Santa Monica, CA.

Sylvan E, Fujimori Y, & Kawanaka T. (1997). The functions of teachers' gestures: What's the point? Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL.

Selected Invited Talks

“Regulating AI: A Sisyphean Task? A Breakfast Talk @ the Berkman Klein Center.” With Caitlin Fennessy (Vice President and Chief Knowledge Officer; International Association of Privacy Professionals), Leonardo Cervera Navas (Secretary General; European Data Protection Supervisor), Aileen Nielsen (Visiting Assistant Professor, Harvard Law School), Theodore Christakis (Professor of International and European Law, AI Regulation Chair, Multidisciplinary Institute on AI, University Grenoble Alps, France), and Isabel Hahn (LL.M. Candidate, Harvard Law School). Cambridge, MA, November 2023.

“The Ethics and Governance of Generative AI.” Keynote at the first Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Latin America and the Caribbean. Organized by UNESCO, CAF -banco de desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe, and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación of Chile. Santiago, Chile, October 2023.

“Empowering Our Digital Journey: Unleashing the Potential of Digital Self Determination.” Panel with Bishakha Datta, Executive Director at Point of View, Mumbai, India, Wenxi Zhang, Center for AI and Data Governance, Singapore Management University, Claude Kamau, Lecturer, Strathmore University, Kenya – Use Case: DSD and Mobile Banking, and Stefaan Verhulst, GovLab. Turin, Italy, July 2023.

“Empowering Students in a Datafied World: Adult Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Digital Self-Determination in the U.S. K12 Environment. International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (ISLS). Montreal, Canada, June 2022.

Opening keynote. Co-Designing Generative Futures workshop and conference at the Berkman Klein Center, Cambridge, MA, May 2023.

Invited keynote at “Generative AI for Text: Tools for Creativity (or Conformity?).” Future(s) of Work and Play. Bangkok, Digital Asia Hub. December 2022.

Invited keynote speaker the #GoodID conference hosted by Omidyar. June 2022.

“Novel Learning Spaces: Old and New Challenges,” Panel at LabGRIMM,  Federal University of Ceará. June 2022.

“Digital Self Determination: Human Centric Approaches to Trustworthy Data”  Real Colegio Complutense (RCC) at Harvard’s Digital Transformation Seminar 2022.

“AI Goes Edu: A Blessing or a Curse? - A Fireside Chat with Dr. Elisabeth Sylvan.” Panel at the TUM Think Tank with Anna Keune, Matthias Grabmair and Urs Gasser. Munich Germany Dec 2022.

“Global Insights on AI Governance.” Panel at Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence – TUM with Laeticia Onyejegbu, University of Port Harcourt and Armando Guio, Harvard  University. Munich Germany Dec 2022.

“Digital Self Determination in K12 Education: A Case Study.” Talk at the first Conference on Digital Self Determination, Lausanne, Switzerland, June 2022. 
“Participatory Methods to Engage AI Stakeholders.” Global Summit for Responsible AI in Rio De Janeiro. October 2022. Welcome Panel. Global Summit for Responsible AI in Rio De Janeiro. October 2022.  

Closing Panel. Global Summit for Responsible AI in Rio De Janeiro. October 2022.  

The Impact of Social Media on Kids’ Health,  Digital Wellness Lab at Children’s Hospital. July 2021.

Paper Tangible Interfaces With and Without Data. University of California at Berkeley, School of Information.  November 2017.

Getting the Work Done Together: How Sociotechnical Systems Support Group Collaboration and Creation. FXPal. Palo Alto, CA October 2016.

Untitled talk. Yahoo. Palo Alto, CA, September 2016.

SRI Open Data/Open Minds, presented with David Cole. Menlo Park, CA 3/2016.

“Community Connections: Supporting Individual And Collective Knowledge and Creativity.” Rutgers University, School of Communication and Information, Department of Library and Information Science.  New Brunswick, NJ. February 2013.

“Community Connections: Socio-Technological Systems To Support Individual And Collective Knowledge and Creativity.” Talk at Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Literature, Communication, and Culture. Atlanta, Georgia. January 2013.

“Community Connections: Socio-Technological Systems To Support Individual And Collective Knowledge and Creativity.” Talk at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School: Center for Collective Intelligence.  Emerging Ideas Seminar. February 2013.

“Community Connections: Socio-Technological Systems To Support Individual And Collective.” Knowledge and Creativity. Talk at Clemson University. Clemson, SC. June 2012.

“Community connections: influence and interaction in social games and networked communities. Disney Research.  Pittsburgh, PA. March 2012.

“What Our Social Networks Say About Us.” Oracle Corporation. Cambridge, MA. January 2012.

“HCI Seminar.” Talk at Northeastern University College of Computer and Information Science. Boston, MA, November 2008.

“Lunchtime Luminary Series.” IBM Watson Research Center. Cambridge, MA, October 2008.

University of Massachusetts Lowell, Computer Science Colloquium, Lowell, MA, October 2008.

“Studying Youth Social Networks.” Harvard University Graduate School of Education: Culture,Technology, and Equity course. Cambridge, MA, 2006.

“Empirical Research Methods.” MIT Media Lab: Course on ‘Introduction to the Media Lab’ course, January 2006.

Annual Meeting of Highlands and Islands Enterprises, Nairn, Scotland, September 2005.

MIT Media Lab Center for Bits and Atoms to the NSF, Cambridge, MA, June 2004.

MIT Media Lab Things that Think consortium, Cambridge, MA, February 2003.

MIT Media Lab Digital Life consortium, Cambridge, MA April 2003.

MIT Media Lab Digital Life consortium, Cambridge, MA May 2002..MasterCard Headquarters, White Plains, NY, December 2001.

Selected Invited Symposia and Workshop Participation

Future of Human Rights 2030 Workshop. JustLabs. Sedona, AZ, April 2022. 

FUN: A Finland US Network for Engagement and STEM Learning in Games. Helsinki, Finland, May 2013. 

Gaming and Virtual Training Development for First Responders Workshop at Rutgers University for Next-Generation Communication Interoperability, Jan 2013. 

The Summer Institute of the Consortium of the Science of Sociotechnical Systems. Sante Fe, NM, July- August 2012. Creativity and Ingenuity Symposium. 

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME, September, 2011. 

Workshop on Creativity Support Tools. NSF, Washington DC, June, 2005. Digital Dialogues Symposium. Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME, October, 2002.

Creative Computing Workshop. CHI conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 2002.

Summer Institute on Bounded Rationality in Psychology and Economics. Max Plank Center for Human Development, Berlin, Germany, July 2001.

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