In my first year of doctoral study in the Learning, Design, and Technology program, the experience has been both challenging and rewarding. I tend to be curious about many different topics, which sometimes made it difficult for me to narrow down my research focus as quickly as I expected. At the beginning of the program, I felt both excited and a little overwhelmed as I adjusted to a new academic environment and tried to understand what it means to develop a clear research trajectory. To figure out where my interests lie, I spent a significant amount of time reading across different areas, many of which were new to me. Through this process and ongoing conversations with my advisor, I gradually began to clarify my interests and move toward a more focused direction.

Over time, I became more certain about my interest in AI-assisted learning and learner well-being, particularly in relation to reducing anxiety and supporting learners in more meaningful ways. Engaging with the literature helped me move from having broad interests to thinking more carefully about what kinds of problems I want to study and why they matter. Instead of trying to explore too many directions at once, I began to focus on questions that connect technology, learning, and emotional experience in a more coherent way.

My research experiences this year have played an important role in shaping how I understand both the field and my own interests. Through my involvement in several projects, I became more familiar with different stages of the research process. For example, working on the AI professional development systematic literature review helped me gain experience with screening and organizing literature, while the AI-assisted anxiety review pushed me to think more critically about research design and the limitations of existing studies. In the AIMS project, I conducted observations during experimental sessions and analyzed usability and course design, which helped me better understand how learning experiences are evaluated in practice. In the St. Jude project, I worked with eye-tracking data to examine learners’ visual attention and behavior, which introduced me to new ways of analyzing learning processes. These experiences helped me not only build technical and analytical skills, but also think more clearly about the kinds of research I want to pursue.

There are also several areas in which I hope to improve. One thing I noticed is that I have not paid enough attention to funding opportunities and research support, as most of my time this year has been focused on coursework and refining my research direction. I also realized that I need to improve how I communicate my ideas, especially in presentations, where I sometimes rely too much on text rather than clear visual explanations. Developing more effective ways to present my work is something I would like to focus on moving forward.

Overall, I see this first year as a period of adjustment and gradual progress. At times, I felt that things were moving slower than I expected, especially when trying to narrow down my research focus. However, looking back, I feel more confident about the direction I am heading in. Moving forward, I plan to continue developing my research skills, become more involved in ongoing projects, and further explore how AI can be designed to support learners’ well-being and reduce anxiety in learning contexts