Research Axes

My research lies on two primary axes. In the first line of inquiry, I investigate the underlying motivational processes that contribute to students’ optimal learning in higher education. In this vein, my work relies heavily on psychosocial determinants (e.g., autonomy support, academic motivation, competence, emotions, passion, persistence) that influence the interaction between teachers and students in a contextualized, dynamic, and interconnected systems. This understanding is needed for developing interventions based on the principles of positive psychology and the extent to which they could be useful to diverse subgroups of student populations.

My second line of inquiry focuses on the impact of innovative pedagogical approaches and learning activities on students’ proximal and distal knowledge transfer in STEM education.. Specifically, I research how the application of computational thinking skills in formal and informal learning environments serves as a catalyst for students’ ability to transfer their knowledge in novel contexts (e.g., from virtual to physical settings, from class lectures to lab experiments, between different scientific disciplines, from science to non-science domains, from school to work or field experience).

CURRENT PROJECTS

Title: Catalyst for knowledge transfer: Investigating the potential of computational thinking in higher education (2021 - 2023)
Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC) Insight Development
Total Funding : 49,963$
Principal Applicant: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)
Co-applicants : Annie Savard (McGill University); Denis Machon (Université de Sherbrooke)
Collaborator: Tawfiq Jawhar (Champlain College)

Title: Trajectoires, modalités et retombées du développement pédagogique sur la professionnalisation des enseignants universitaires (2021 - 2024)
Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC) Insight Grant
Total Funding: 228,467$
Principal Applicant : Marilou Bélisle (Université de Sherbrooke)
Co-applicants : Kathleen Lechasseur (Université Laval); Louise Boyer (Université de Montréal); Patrick Lavoie (Université de Montréal); Sawsen Lakhal (Université de Sherbrooke); Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)

Title: The trajectories of transmission of passion in higher education (2021 - 2024)
Funding Source: Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQSC) Seed Grant
Total Funding - 45,000 $
Principal Applicant: Tanya Chichekian

Title: Conception du référentiel des pratiques éducatives des Universités Populaires Quart Monde (2021-2024)
Funding Source: Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS)
Total Funding: 80,000 $
Intern: Bérenger Benteux (Université de Sherbrooke)
Principal Supervisor: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)
Partner organization: ATD Quart Monde

Title: Soutenir l'intégration des technologies numériques dans l'enseignement dans les collèges anglophones (2020-2025)
Funding Source: Ministère de l'enseignement supérieur- Entente Canada-Québec
Total Funding - 500,000$
Principal Applicant : Sawsen Lakhal (Université de Sherbrooke)
Co-applicants : Marilou Bélisle (Université de Sherbrooke) & Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)

Title: La pollinisation croisée de la pédagogie en enseignement supérieur (2020 - 2022)
Funding Source: Ministère de l'enseignement supérieur- Entente Canada-Québec
Total Funding - 149,000$
Principal Applicant: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)
Co-applicants : Denis Bédard (Université de Sherbrooke); Marilou Bélisle (Université de Sherbrooke)

Title: Cultivating innovative mindsets: When experimentation becomes passion (2019 - 2023)
Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC) Partnership Development Grant
Total Funding - 199,896 $
Principal applicant: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)
Co-applicant : Anne-Sophie Denault (Université Laval); Frederic Guay (Université Laval); Robert J. Vallerand (Université du Québec À Montréal)
Collaborator : Joel Trudeau (Dawson College); Isabelle Morin (Cégép Garneau); Marthe Poirier (Réseau Techniscoence); Marianne Bissonnette (Alloprof)

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Title: The role of autonomy support and passion in the persistence of STEM education (2019-2021)
Funding Source: Institutional seed grant
Total Funding - 15,000$
Principal applicant: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)

Title: The potential of transferring computational thinking skills in higher education: The role of interdisciplinary contexts in fostering sustainable learning outcomes (Summer 2021)
Funding Source: Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS)
Total Funding: 6,000 $
Intern: Dyaln Corliss (San Diego State University)
Principal Supervisor: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)
Partner organization: Université de Sherbrooke

Title: Étude sur la rétention des étudiants et le profil des finissants dans les programmes aéro (ÉMAM et ÉNA) (2020-2021)
Funding Source: Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS)
Total Funding: 30,000 $
Intern: Jonathan Paris (Université de Sherbrooke)
Principal Supervisor: Tanya Chichekian (Université de Sherbrooke)
Partner organization: Comité sectoriel de main d'oeuvre en aérospatiale du Québec (CAMAQ)

Title: Challenges associated with the academic success of an Aboriginal student population in postsecondary education (2016-2019)
Funding Sources: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC) Insight Development Grant
Total Funding - 61,596 $
Principal Investigator : Tanya Chichekian (Dawson College)
Collaborator : Yves Sioui (Coordinator of the First Nations and Inuit Medical School Program at First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission (FNQLHSSC).

Title: I like to study science but I do not want to become a scientist: Using passion as a lens to examine college students’ motivation for engaging in extracurricular activities and pursuing a scientific career (2016-2018)
Funding Source: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship
Total Funding - 82,875 $
Principal Applicant: Tanya Chichekian (Université du Québec À Montréal)