Sebahat Gok

As of Spring 2026, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in Learning Sciences at Northwestern University's Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling. I received my Ph.D. with dual majors in Cognitive Science and Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University in 2024.

My research focuses on the basic science of learning and reasoning, and on the design of instructional conditions that support flexible, transferable thinking in science. Specifically:

(1) At the basic cognitive level, I study how novices process feedback and visual representations, and how expert scientists reason about and transfer scientific concepts.

(2) At the instructional level, I investigate how computational models (computer simulations) influence students' learning of scientific concepts 

(3) Most recently, I have been working on building a scalable teacher professional development program on integrating computational modeling in K–12 science education, augmented with an online community and AI. Conceptually, the project aims to establish a research program that enables empirical study of learning sciences frameworks (e.g., constructionism) across many classrooms and schools at once, while remaining responsive to contextual variation and individual teachers' agency. Practically, the project aims to expand the reach of computational modeling in K-12. 

My research has appeared in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, Journal of Educational Psychology, Education & Science, and the Journal of Applied Instructional Design, as well as in the proceedings of the Cognitive Science Society and the International Society of the Learning Sciences.