Chris was as a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Foundations of Educational and Psychological Assessment and a member of the 2010 National Educational Technology Plan Technical Working Group, He has recently convened NSF workshop on new technology-based models of postsecondary learning and on big data in the sciences, engineering, and education. His edited books include Scaling Up Success: Lessons Learned from Technology-based Educational Improvement, Online Professional Development for Teachers: Emerging Models and Methods, Digital Teaching Platforms: Customizing Classroom Learning for Each Student; and Teacher Learning in the Digital Age: Online Professional Development in STEM Education.
Researchers are studying whether middle school instruction about ecosystem science can be made more engaging and effective by combining immersion experiences in virtual ecosystems with immersion experiences in real ecosystems infused with virtual resources. Project personnel are developing a set of learning resources for deployment by mobile broadband devices that provide students with virtual access to information and simulations while working in the field.