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Research interests

My research interest lies at the intersection of embodied cognition, technology-enhanced learning, and mathematics education. I focus on two main areas: (1) investigating how bodily movements shape thinking and learning to better understand the mechanisms of embodied learning; (2) applying these insights to design immersive, technology-supported environments (e.g., motion capture, AR, and VR) that foster meaningful learning in real educational settings. To pursue this work, I use a mixed-methods approach that integrates speech, movement, cognitive performance, and demographic data to examine the multimodal nature of learning. My goal is to advance both theories of learning and practical innovations in education. Currently, I am involved in the VR-based De-escalation Training for Law Enforcement project (PI: Dr. Eric G. Bing) and the NSF Generative AI in STEM Education Project (PI: Dr. Candace Walkington).

Representative publications

Xia, F., Nathan, M. J., Schenck, K. E., & Swart, M. I. (2025). Action Predictions Facilitate Embodied Geometric Reasoning. Cognitive Science, 49(3), e70055. https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.70055

Xia, F., Kim, C., Beier, J. P., Swart, M. I., Schenck, K. E., & Nathan, M. J. (2025). Embodied Transfer of Mathematical Ideas Through Gestural Replay. In Proceedings of the 19th International Conference of the Learning Sciences-ICLS 2025, pp. 917-925. International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Kim, C., Swart, M. I., Beier, J. P., Xia, F., Grondin, M. M., Kim, D., & Nathan, M. J. (2025). Doctoral Colloquium—A Comparison of Teachers and Students in Categorizing and Representing Geometric Conjectures Using AR Simulations. Immersive Learning Research-Academic, 168-175. [Best Doctoral Colloquium Paper Award]

Xia, F. & Nathan, M.J. (2024). Imagination and Action in Mathematical Reasoning and Transfer. In Proceedings of the 18th International Society of the Learning Sciences-ISLS 2024, pp. 162-163. International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Xia, F., Schenck, K. E., Swart, M. I., Grondin, M., Kim, D., Kwon, O. H., Walkington, C., & Nathan, M. J. (2024). How Pedagogical Hints Impact Embodied Geometric Reasoning. In Proceedings of the 18th International Conference of the Learning Sciences-ICLS 2024, pp. 123-130. International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Professional experience

Before joining ÕýÆ·À¶µ¼º½ as a Postdoctoral Fellow, I worked as a graduate project assistant in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison during my PhD program. In this role, I contributed to two Institute of Education Sciences (IES)–funded grants that explored how gestures and actions support mathematical reasoning about geometry through embodied technologies such as 3D motion capture and virtual reality. As part of my doctoral training, I also served for three years as an instructor for a large undergraduate-level course, How People Learn, at UW-Madison.