10.11.2025 New Publication
Exciting News! Our paper, “Embodied and Shared Self-Regulation Through Computational Thinking Among Preschoolers” has been published in Educational Sciences! Building on our previous conference work, this study examines how preschoolers develop executive functions through teacher-guided, small-group engagement with a tangible programming toy in a university-affiliated preschool.

Read the full paper here: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/10/1346

10.8.2025 New Publication
Exciting News! The lab paper titled “From Piaget to posthumanism: critical review of conceptualization of AI in early childhood education” has been published in AI, Brain and Child journal! This review critically reviewed 34 studies on AI in ECE, investigating how these studies conceptualize “learning with AI” and “learning about AI” and address foundational questions of “who,” “what,” and “how” in AI education for young children.

Read the full paper here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44436-025-00012-4

9.26.2025
We’re excited to share that our PI, Dr. X. Christine Wang, was one of the featured presenters at the Asia Research Institute’s 4th Annual Korean Studies Conference, titled AI and Data Science in Education (AIDE): Insights from South Korea, held at the University at Buffalo on September 26-27.

7.2.2025 New Publication
Exciting News! Our co-authored paper—Playful Computational Thinking Learning in and Beyond Early Childhood Classrooms: Insights from Collaborative Action Research of Two Teacher-Researchers—written by Grace, Alice, and Dr. Wang has just been published in the Education Sciences special issue, Child-Centered Technology Innovations: Transforming Teaching and Learning in the Early Years of Education Sciences!

Read the full paper here: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/840

6.26.2025
Congratulations to Dr. Wang on receiving Sustained Achievement Award in regonition of her outstanding achievements in scholarly activity!

6.23.2025
Dr. Wang, is featured in the spring issue of Learn magazine! The cover story, “Anything but Artificial: X. Christine Wang is Personalizing Learning with AI,” highlights her work underway at UB, using AI to support children’s reading development. Congratulation to Dr. Wang on this well-deserved recognition! Read more…

Welcome Grace Xu!
Grace (Yukun) Xu is a doctoral student in Curriculum, Instruction, and Science of Learning program. Her research interest is in early childhood/elementary education in grades K-2 and AI integration in classrooms.

6.10.2025
Joy presented her co-authored paper at ICLS 2025 online—“Exploring Preschoolers’ Engagement with Intelligent Agents (IA) Mediated by IA Features and Teacher Scaffolding” and received great feedback! Read more…

6.10.2025
Grace presented her two papers at ICLS 2025 online—“Embodied Improvisation: Exploring How Teachers Support Young Children’s Engagement with Intelligent Agents” and “Engagement in Computational Thinking: The Role of Mothers and Fathers with Daughters in After-school Learning”—and received enthusiastic feedback! Read more…

Bio of Junye
Junye Guo is a doctoral student in Language Education and Bilingualism with a decade of leadership experience designing inclusive language curricula and multilingual programs. Her research focuses on language education and ethical AI integration in language education, particularly on enhancing human autonomy and equity. She’s currently working as a GA for CELaRAI.

5.29.2025
The Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI led by Dr. Wang held a two-day kickoff meeting! During the celebration, the CELaRAI team shared the progress in their research and development areas, including a prototype of AIRE, a policy review of responsible AI in education and preliminary results of the Exploratory Study. Read more…

5.16.2025
Dr. Wang received President’s Medal at GSE commencement and gave an inspring speech for new graduates. Read more…

5.14.2025
Congratulations to Junye for being awarded to Shang-Lin Chung Student Award and Mary Lou and S. David Farr Scholarship in the LAI Award Ceremony and the End of Year party in 2025. We are glad Junye joined our team in Spring 2025!

5.14.2025
Congratulations to Grace for being awarded to LAI Research Excellence Award in the LAI Award Ceremony and the End of Year party in 2025.

5.15.2025
Congratulations to Joy for being awarded to LAI Leadership Excellence Award in the LAI Award Ceremony and the End of Year party in 2025.

4.29.2025
Dr. Wang will be receiving the UB President’s Medal at GSE commencement on May 16.  The President’s Medal, first presented in 1990, recognizes “outstanding scholarly or artistic achievements, humanitarian acts, contributions of time or treasure, exemplary leadership or any other major contribution to the development of the University at Buffalo and the quality of life in the UB community.” Read more…

4.29.2025
Welcome to the Hong Kong team visiting Buffalo! We hosted the CATGPT 2025 Buffalo Mini Conference: The Future of AI, Brain, and Child, and presented our recent work together!

4.27.2025
Joy presented our lab co-authored paper about From Piaget to Posthumanism: Conceptualization of AI in Early Childhood Education at the AERA Symposium chaired by Dr. Wang, named Fostering AI Literacy in Early Childhood: Emerging Theoretical and Empirical Insights.

4.27.2025
Dr. X. Christine Wang chaired and presented in the symposium Fostering AI Literacy in Early Childhood: Emerging Theoretical and Empirical Insights, submitted to AERA 2025 under the SIG “Early Education and Child Development.”

4.26.2025
Grace presented her co-authored paper with Alice about Integrating Computational Thinking in Early Childhood Classrooms: Insights from Teacher-Researchers’ Action Research at the AERA Symposium, named Exploring Teacher- and Family- Perpective on Computational Thinking

4.25.2025
Dr. X. Christine Wang presented our paper about Caring Thinking with Robots: Teacher-Guided Exploration with Robots in Preschool Classrooms at the AERA Symposium named Empowering Young Learners: Enhancing Child Agency through Educator-Facilitated Digital Exploration.

4.24.2025
Grace presented her paper about Engagement in Computational Thinking at the AERA Symposium named Exploring Computational Thinking and STEM Education in Early Childhood: Collaborative Partnerships with Diverse Stakeholders

4.09.2025
CELaRAI made a notable impression at the SUNY AI Symposium exhibit, highlighting its growing influence in the field of artificial intelligence and learning sciences.

4.09.2025
Dr. X. Christine Wang, was also featured in the panel “Research Bytes: Meet AI Experts from Across SUNY,” representing AI>Education. Read more

4.08.2025

Joy presented her work “Preservice Teachers’ Perspectives on the Integration of AI in Early Childhood Education: Understanding, Attitudes, and Imagined Futures” in the GSE Symposium

3.11.2025
Dr. Wang and ECRC Associate Director, Keely Benson, presented “AI and Early Childhood Education at University at Buffalo” at Fisher-Price on the 11th. Their presentation showcased the ECRC, CELaRAI, and PlayfulAI Learning & Design Lab, highlighting innovative approaches and the potential of AI in early childhood education!

3.11.2025
Congratulations! The long paper “Embodied Improvisation: Exploring How Teachers Support Young Children’s Engagement with Intelligent Agents” by Xing, G., Wang, X. C., Yamamoto, Y., Cai, Z., Sadeghi, S., & Dantu, K. has been accepted for the the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2025!

See you in Finland! 🎉

3.11.2025
Congratulations! The long paper “Engagement in Computational Thinking: The Role of Mother, Father with Daughters in After-school Learning” by Xing, G has been accepted for the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2025!

See you in Finland! 🎉

3.11.2025

Congratulations! The long paper “Exploring Preschoolers’ Engagement with Intelligent Agents (IA) Mediated by IA Features and Teacher Scaffolding” by Cai, Z., Tu, X., Wang, X. C., Sadeghi, S., & Dantu, K. has been accepted for the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2025!

See you in Finland! 🎉

1.29.2025
Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year! 🎉🐍