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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

More about the specializations:

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Please spread the word about our fresh new specializations for the Learning Sciences M.Ed. program at @mcgill.ca @mcgilleducation.bsky.social ! #gradschool

Poster for the MEd in Learning Sciences at McGill: What questions do you want to answer? Build expertise in learning, evidence, and education through the MEd in Learning Sciences. Choose your specialization: Science of Learning & Teaching or Applied Methods & Data Science

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

It's (apparently) birthday season in the lab! We are diligently gathering data on the best donuts and pastries in the city. 😋🍩

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

We're proudly celebrating THREE completed theses this summer: two MAs (Romane Monnet and Marianne Dubé) and one undergrad (Sydney Perkins). We're SO proud of their amazing work and will miss them so much! The 2nd photo below is what happens when you tell a bunch of researchers to do a "silly one" 🤪

Jessica Hunter, Marianne Dubé, Cole Johnson, Romane Monnet, Sanheeta Shankar, Kristy Robinson, Rachael Diamant, and Sydney Perkins standing outside and smiling

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

👀 MILES Lab members & alum at #AERA2026 We had so much fun!

MILES Lab members Jessica Hunter, Cole Johnson, Sanheeta Shankar, and Xinyi Shi pose with MILES Lab alum So Yeon Lee

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

But wait, there's more! Here's part 2 of our MILES Lab happenings at #AERA26

Part 2 of the MILES Lab AERA 2026 schedule:
Friday 1:45pm: Real insights from real classrooms: Motivation scholars’ experiences designing for and working with observational data - Co-chaired by Jessica Hunter
Iterating Towards Success: The Developmental Process of an Observational Manual for Teachers’ Motivational Supports - Jessica & our entire team!
Westin Bonaventure, Lobby Level, Beaudry B

Saturday 9:45am: Contextual Influences on Motivation: Values, Beliefs, and Situational Dynamics
Discussant: Kristy A. Robinson
Westin Bonaventure, Lobby Level, Santa Barbara C

Saturday 11:45am: Bridging Equity Gaps in STEM: Insights from the Upcoming Handbook on Gender and STEM
Discussant: Kristy A. Robinson
Westin Bonaventure, Lobby Level, Beaudry B

Saturday 3:45pm: Collective Connections: Predictors and Outcomes of Relatedness Consensus in Large-Lecture Classrooms
Cole Johnson & team
LA Convention Center Level 2, Poster Hall - Exhibit Hall A

You’ll find us all at the Motivation SIG Business Meeting & following social on Saturday evening!

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

#AERA26 here we come! We're so excited to see friends & colleagues in Los Angeles next week. Here's part 1 of what we're up to this year--come check it out! @aera-motsig.bsky.social @aera-motsig-grad.bsky.social (Please consult the official program/ app for up-to-date location info).

Canva poster (part 1 of 2) titled AERA 2026 Here we come! includes MILES Lab schedule of presentations for Wednesday, April 8 and Friday, April 10

Wednesday 7:45am: Mapping the Weekly Dynamics of Expectancy-Value-Cost Beliefs: Subject-Specific Patterns in Motivational Networks - Xinyi Shi & Yi Jiang
JW Marriott L.A. LIVE, Ground Floor, Gold 2, Table 6

Wednesday 9:45am: Too hot, too cold, or just right? Motivational Microclimates and Correlates in Three STEM Courses Kristy A. Robinson, Jessica Hunter, Cole D. Johnson, & Sanheeta Shankar
Westin Bonaventure, Level 2, Mt. Washington

Wednesday 3:45pm: Motivation in Education SIG In-Progress Research Event - Co-chaired by Sanheeta Shankar
See our work from the Bootcamp project led by Samantha Mackie & presented by Jessica Hunter
Westin Bonaventure, Lobby Level, Beaudry B

Friday 7:45am: Not Just Fitting In: Belonging Opportunity Structures for Black, Latiné, & Indigenous Students
Sanheeta Shankar & Kristy A. Robinson
Westin Bonaventure, Lobby Level, Beaudry B

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

...we examined co-occurring patterns of motivational beliefs + changes in major intentions during introductory STEM courses. Instead of treating motivation and behavioral intentions as separate or sequential, we modeled how these processes work together during key decision-making periods.

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

MILES Lab proudly celebrates the publication—immediate acceptance with no reckons—of a brand new marriage! 🥂 Many congrats to Jessica and Matt and thank you so much for including us on your beautiful day!

The bride surrounded by McGill grad student and professor guests on the dance floor

MILES lab PI and students, also Krista Muis and Jared Robinson, sitting together at the wedding dinner

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

MILES Lab students @sanheeta.bsky.social and Jessica Hunter are at @canadianpsychology.bsky.social and shared their posters this morning--way to go!

PhD candidate Sanheeta Shankar standing next to her poster titled "On the same page (mostly): Patterns of student consensus and ratings of goal climates in STEM"

PhD student Jessica Hunter standing next to her poster titled "Factors shaping STEM students’ feelings of autonomy: Insights from survey responses"

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

MILES Lab students had a great time at #SALTISE! Thanks to everyone who asked great questions and provided feedback!

MA student Romane Monnet next to her poster titled "Best Practices fr the Transmission of Knowledge in Science Laboratories"; she also presented a talk entitled "Data sharing parties: Disseminating classroom research findings and maintaining fruitful partnerships with collaborating instructors"

MA student Marianne Dubé next to her poster "More than just a number: Understanding students’ perceptions of specifications grading"

Outgoing MA student (and PhD student at UQAM this fall!) Florence Lessard next to her poster "Factors shaping students’ feelings of competence in undergraduate STEM education: A thematic analysis"

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

MILES Lab and friends at #AERA2025 ❤️ We loved seeing you all!

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

#tbt to this poster presentation at #AERA2025 led by Jessica Hunter and assisted by this awesome team, including @sanheeta.bsky.social @samanthamackie.bsky.social Great job, team! And thanks to those who stopped by to discuss!

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Happening now #AERA2025: come see Cole present his paper « Helpful, Harmful, or Somewhere Between? Exploring Features of Peer Motivational Climate Among University Mathematics Students » Room 404!

Dynamics of Student Engagement and Peer Influence in Collaborative Settings

Wednesday 10:50 am to 12:20pm

Room 404

List of papers being presented in the session, including Cole’s paper « Helpful, Harmful, or Somewhere in Between: Exploring Features of Peer Motivational Climate Among University Mathematics Students »

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Congrats to PhD students Jessica Hunter and @sanheeta.bsky.social for winning second place in our department's International Graduate Student poster competition! 🎉

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

When you just want to write about your favorite theory without accidentally wading into a controversy. As another plot twist: whether or not to include "situated" in the title. :) #MotivationScholarMemes #MotivationMonday

sweating choice meme with the first button labeled "Expectancy-Value Theory" and the second button labeled "Expectancy-Value-Cost Theory"

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

New year, new opportunities to motivate & be motivated! Careful use of praise and rewards can be helpful when otherwise lacking good reasons for engaging, but they're a risky move for the already motivated folks. #MotivationMonday #MotivationScholarMemes #EduSky #AcademicSky @aera-motsig.bsky.social

"one does not simply meme" (from Lord of the Rings) with the text "One does not simply use extrinsic motivators"

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Competition is one way to spur people into action, but it can have some negative unintended consequences: performance goals, or a focus on displaying competence and outperforming others, rather than on developing competence. This can be self-defeating! #MotivationScholarMemes #MotivationMonday

Leo DiCaprio in Django Unchained meme, with the text "Using a little healthy competition as motivation? More like prompting performance goals by making social comparisons salient"

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Happy holidays and end of the semester from us at MILES Lab, with a special appearance by our youngest and cutest lab member baby C! We are thankful for fantastic colleagues here and around the world and wish you all plenty to celebrate and learn from as you reflect on 2024!

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

#tbt to an oldie but a goodie that we use a lot in our presentations! #edusky #academicsky #MotivationScholarMemes #edpsych For more on this, see Dr. R's open access article on motivational support and climate: doi.org/10.1080/0046...

Drake meme with "Motivation is a trait: you have it or you don't" on top and "motivation is a highly contextual, socially regulated process" on the bottom

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

Comparing #students to each other (or yourself to others) promotes a focus on the goal of demonstrating (rather than developing) competence. Noting growth over time & progress toward goals -> supports learning goals! #MotivationScholarMemes #MotivationMonday #MondayMotivation

car swerving meme with "social comparisons" on the main road and "intra-personal comparisons" on the exit sign

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 23/09/2024

A new edition of #MotivationScholarMemes on this #MotivationMonday! Focusing on outperforming others (performance goals) can have some benefits for performance, but why not also (if not exclusively) focus on learning, growth, and mastery?

lonely guy meme with the text: performance goals without mastery goals

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MILES Lab @mileslab.bsky.social · 05/09/2024

As we transition over from the old place, some #tbt: For our attribution theory pals! A good reminder for us all--how we explain the causes of our successes and failures in our own minds really matters for our subsequent motivation, emotions, and behavior. #MotivationScholarMemes #MotivationMonday

Facebook flag symbol and the text "Marked safe from external, uncontrollable attributions today"

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