Thank the Backstreet Boys: A Teacher’s Journey to Education Research

Jeonghyun “Jonna” Lee is the director of research in education innovation at the Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U).

If not for the Backstreet Boys, Jeonghyun “Jonna” Lee might not be research faculty at Georgia Tech. 

“I grew up in an industrial city by the sea called Ulsan, South Korea,” said Lee. “It’s quite a global city due to the Hyundai Motors Ulsan Plant, which is one of the largest automobile manufacturing plants in the world. My father worked for Hyundai, often with international clients, and because of this, from an early age, I was interested in learning about other cultures around the world. Then, I fell in love with pop music and discovered the Backstreet Boys. 

“When I was a middle school student, I was the only one who knew the Backstreet Boys. I had to tell my friends about them. At the time, the kids around me were more interested in Korean celebrities and pop music. But I would buy magazines about American pop music and share them with my friends. I was so excited about it.”

Jonna Lee (age 11) is pictured in her hometown of Ulsan, South Korea.

Lee's love of American pop music was the catalyst for her decision to attend Taegu Foreign Language High School, where she began focusing on her English-language studies. The school’s highly competitive atmosphere challenged Lee and confirmed her passion for language education as a career path. She went on to attend Korea University and earned an undergraduate degree in English-language education.

“As a senior student in my undergrad program, I taught middle school students in a classroom in Seoul, and that was really a shocking experience. First, to realize that many students do not like to learn, and second, to see how anxious students are about learning English. We would try to work on conversational skills, and they would just sit there and be very quiet because of the fear that they might be seen as imperfect.” 

As Lee continued to teach, observing the pressure students experienced, she began to wonder about the efficacy of language education practices and about her approach to teaching. Lee became interested in the psychology of education and methods to foster excitement, rather than anxiety, in the classroom. So, she applied to the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education, where she eventually completed her Ph.D. in educational psychology.

Lee is pictured at a UT Austin football game and at 2018 commencement in her doctoral regalia.

While living in Austin, Lee taught English as a Second Language to other immigrants. Through this, she began to understand that language education is, of course, technical — but that it is also about fostering a sense of connection and belonging (a topic that ultimately became the focus of her dissertation). This focus on connection became a critical facet of her work as she tackled her first job post-Ph.D. in Georgia State University’s Office of Enrollment and Student Success.

“Georgia State had this grant-funded project called Pounce, which involved an AI chatbot, and they wanted to understand the impact or effectiveness of this tool in helping incoming freshmen adjust better and thrive in their first year,” said Lee. 

The chatbot sent text messages to first-year students at critical moments in their first year, and students could ask the chatbot questions 24 hours a day. Ultimately, the points of connection fostered through the AI tool led to improvements in student persistence and then retention.

For Lee, this project opened her eyes to the importance of improving learning on an institutional level and the ways that technology can propel these improvements. This work led to her current role, as director of Research in Education Innovation for the Georgia Tech College of Lifetime Learning’s Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U).

Lee's C21U team has developed machine learning techniques and AI tools to improve learner engagement, retention, and completion.

“I lead a team that conducts interdisciplinary, technology-based research with the goal of advancing education at Georgia Tech and for learners of all ages,” noted Lee. “My daily work is to understand and improve learning.”

Since stepping into her role in C21U, Lee and her collaborators have produced research that maps learners’ cognitive brain activity while engaged with online instruction. They have developed machine learning techniques and AI tools to improve learner engagement, retention, and completion. They have also created predictive models for applicant success in Georgia Tech’s online master’s programs.

Not only is Lee leading research efforts that could shape the future of instruction at Georgia Tech, but she is also in the classroom, teaching students how to think like research scientists. 

“Every week, I have the chance to teach and engage with undergraduate and graduate students from the Colleges of Computing, Business, and the Sciences through a Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) team. I work with the students in a focused area of scholarship (Data-Driven Education) and they receive an academic credit for their work. I feel grateful to be able to pursue research as my main role and to also be in the classroom teaching, which is something I truly love.”

Lee standing on the glass stairs in the Klaus Advanced Computing Building, where she teaches her VIP class.

For Lee, every day looks different. Whether she is leading a new study with Undergraduate Admission and the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, supporting ongoing research with colleagues in another College, testing the design of a new learning tool with her team, or working with her VIP students in the classroom, Lee approaches the challenge of an ever-evolving work life with excitement.

“Research scientists at Georgia Tech have this strong mindset of: ‘Let’s do this.’ There’s no hesitation about trying something new,” said Lee. “We care deeply about what we do and welcome collaboration. This seems to be the theme of my work and research over the years — belonging and community are key to learning.”

Education research at Georgia Tech has a bright future with a new home in the College of Lifetime Learning. Lee believes that research scientists (currently 19 in her College, with plans to grow in coming years) will help drive Georgia Tech and education, as a whole, into a new era. 

“I hope future research scientists will trust their creativity,” she said. “It’s OK to be different. As the job market for academic faculty positions is shrinking, I think it's a wonderful bit of advice to say: ‘You know, trust that there might be another path for you in education.’ Maybe like the one I found. Maybe pop music will lead you there.”

Georgia Tech’s College of Lifetime Learning aims to cultivate future leaders who will positively impact education, communities, and businesses. We strive to enable quality education that is accessible, affordable, transformational, and achievable. This will be accomplished through research and the development of future-oriented services designed by faculty and research teams with expertise in the science and technology of learning.