Thomas J. Smith, Ph.D.

Presidential Teaching Professor

Department

Learning Innovation, Leadership and Technology

Education

• University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), Ph.D., Quantitative Psychology, 2000
• University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), M.S., Statistics, 1997
• University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN), B.A., Psychology, 1988

Classes

• ETR 520: Introduction to Research Methods in Education
• ETR 521: Educational Statistics I
• ETR 522: Educational Statistics II
• ETR 492/540: Survey Research Methods
• ETR 562: Applied Categorical Data Analysis
• ETR 590/790: Workshop in Applied Educational Research (workshops in latent variable modeling, hierarchical linear modeling, categorical data analysis, factorial invariance, survey construction)
• ETR 720: Advanced Research Methods in Education
• ETR 722: Methods of Multivariate Analysis
• ETR 724: Multilevel Modeling

Recent Papers

• Smith, T. J., and Lu, Y-Y. (2026). Predicting math and science literacy from school digital device policies and students’ sense of school belonging. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 24(25).
• Yang, K-K., Lin, H-S., Smith, T. J., Lee, L, and Hong, Z-R. (2026). Impacts of a computer-based contextual assessment portal on students’ scientific competency. Educational Technology and Society, 29(1), 94-111.
• Tscholl, M., Xie, Y., Smith, T. J., and Hung, W-C. (2025). The role of task designs on problem-solving and computational thinking processes in elementary school education. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 22207-22227.
• Chen, Y., Mayall, H. J., Smith, T. J., and York, C. S. (2025). Learning effects, gender variances, and teacher dynamics in funds-of-knowledge-featured mobile-assisted writing for Latinx English learners. Computer Assisted Language Learning – Electronic Journal, 26(2), 173-197.
• Zhu, P., Smith, T. J., Lee, I., and Schoonover, T. J. (2025). Group cohesion in experiential growth groups: A multilevel growth analysis. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 75(2), 365-394.
• Mok, Y. M., Chuang, H-H, Cheng, M-M, Smith, T. J. (2025). Artificial intelligence assisted creativity: Conceptualization, instrument development, and validation. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 59(1), Article e70003.
• Yamashita, T., Donnette, N., Ojomo, A., Chidebe, R. C. W., Cummins, P. A., Kramer, J., Karam, R., and Smith T. J. (2025). Digital skills use profiles among older workers in the United States: A person-centered approach. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 44(5), 522-540.
• Bamberger, M. R., Campbell, C., and Smith, T. J. (2024). Priming metacognition and critical thinking to dispel psychological misconceptions. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 10(4), 471–487.
• Wei, J-H., Chuang, H-H., and Smith, T. J. (2024). School culture’s openness to creative solutions and teachers’ inquiry-based teaching: A multinational study of Asian and European countries. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 58(4), 710-721.
• Hsu, P-S., Lee, E. M., and Smith, T. J. (2024). Exploring non-dominant youths’ engineering identity through productive struggle in a making summer program. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 72, 83-107 .
• Yamashita, T., Donnette, N. Chidebe, R. C. W., Kramer, J., Karam, R., Cummins, P. A., and Smith T. J. (2024). Digital skills, STEM occupation, and job automation risks among the older workers in the United States. The Gerontologist, gnae069,
• Jack, B. M., Chen, C-C., Wang, H-H., and Smith, T. J. (2024). Predicting learning interest among Taiwanese students in the context of Big Science issues. European Journal of Mathematics and Science Education, 5(2), 121-133.
• Jack, B. M., Chen, C-C., Smith, T. J., and Wang, H-H. (2024). Predicting students’ genuine learning interest in socio-scientific issues within an engaged learning context. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 42(7), 771-784.
• King, C., Smith, T. J., Kabrick, K., Dzur, A., and Grandin, T. (2024). Physical and behavioral health of dogs belonging to homeless people. Animal Welfare, 33, e11, 1–8.