Education

  • Ph.D. 2021 – North Carolina State University, Teacher Education and Learning Sciences (Educational Psychology)
  • M.Ed. 2014 – University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Educational Psychology
  • B.Ed. 2013 – University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Elementary Education

Areas of Expertise

  • Educational technology (EdTech) evaluation
  • Data visualization
  • User experience research in EdTech
  • Computer-supported collaborative learning
  • Learning analytics
  • Instructional design in data science education

Background

Zarifa Zakaria, Ph.D., evaluates and designs educational technologies to improve learning outcomes for students from different backgrounds. Her passion for EdTech emerged while teaching in Bangladesh, where she witnessed firsthand how technology could transform educational access and quality. This interest evolved through her doctoral work at NC State, but truly crystallized during her industry experience as an EdTech evaluation researcher, where she assessed over ten digital learning solutions and discovered the critical gap between innovation and classroom implementation. These experiences taught her two essential principles: educational technology must be evidence-based and user-centered. In 2023, she founded an online platform that provides research-backed EdTech reviews and recommendations to help educators make informed technology choices. Before joining UNC-Chapel Hill, she held a postdoctoral position at NC State’s Data Science Academy, where she developed innovative instructional approaches and AI-supported teaching for data science courses.

Research Interests

Zakaria investigates how students interact with educational technologies using learning analytics and UX research methods. She evaluates EdTech effectiveness through mixed methods approaches, combining quantitative metrics with user experience research. Her work spans computer-supported collaborative learning, examining how students collaborate with each other and with artificial agents in digital environments, to developing practical frameworks for assessing educational technology tools. She aims to make EdTech evaluation more accessible to educators, providing them with evidence-based insights on how collaborative technologies and AI-enhanced tools can improve student learning experiences.

Teaching

Zakaria’s teaching philosophy centers on creating collaborative, technology-enhanced learning experiences grounded in evidence-based practices. She employs project-based approaches where students analyze real EdTech case studies, design user experiences, and present data-driven recommendations to stakeholders. Through her courses, she guides students to develop skills in EdTech design and effective communication to convey meaningful insights about student learning. In the MEITE program, she mentors students through internships and capstone projects, bridging academic learning with industry practice. Her goal is to prepare students to become innovative EdTech designers, entrepreneurs, and leaders while fostering inclusive environments that support experimentation and peer learning.