Krista Ruggles, Ph.D.
Interim Dean, School of Education Utah Valley University
- Orem UT
Ruggles is an expert in elementary education, STEM education, and educational technology
Biography
Her teaching and research focus on elementary education, STEM education, educational technology, teacher preparation, culturally responsive teaching, and technology integration. She is particularly interested in helping preservice teachers develop the knowledge and confidence to use innovative instructional technologies effectively in elementary classrooms.
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Education
University of Florida
Ph.D.
Curriculum and Instruction
2016
University of Florida
M.Ed.
Elementary Education (Educational Technology)
1999
University of Florida
B.A.
Elementary Education
1998
Media Appearances
Not a Moment But a Movement: UVU Students Teach Robotics in Navajo Nation
UVU News online
2023-04-03
“This trip provides our UVU preservice teachers, the elementary school students, and the K-6 teachers with an opportunity to witness how engaging robotics can be and how computer science can be integrated across the content areas,” said Krista Ruggles, elementary education professor and director of the UVU Creative Learning Studio.
UVU’s Creative Learning Studio recognized for innovation
UVU Review online
2023-01-16
Started in 2017 by Dr. Krista Ruggles, associate professor of elementary education at UVU, and Dr. Suzy Cox, the director of Innovative Learning for the Provo City School District, the Creative Learning Studio saw the necessity for harmony in how STEM subjects are presented to students.
Articles
AI-ClassSims: Multi-Agent LLM Classroom Simulation with Real-Time Feedback for Teacher Training
ieeexplore2026-06-23
Teacher education depends on repeated practice with complex classroom interactions, yet authentic field experiences are costly, uneven, and difficult to repeat. This paper presents AI-ClassSims, an exploratory multi-agent large language model (LLM) classroom simulator for pre-service and in-service elementary teacher training.
Accelerating Feedback, Preserving Expertise: AI-Assisted Evaluation in Teacher Preparation
Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference2026-03-23
This study presents AI-STER (AI-Supported Teacher Evaluation Rubric), a human-in-the-loop platform integrating Large Language Models with state evaluation standards for student teacher assessment.
Artificial Intelligence in Elementary STEM Education: A Systematic Review of Current Applications and Future Challenges
arxiv.org2025-10-30
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming elementary STEM education, yet evidence remains fragmented. This systematic review synthesizes 258 studies (2020-2025) examining AI applications across eight categories: intelligent tutoring systems (45% of studies), learning analytics (18%), automated assessment (12%), computer vision (8%), educational robotics (7%), multimodal sensing (6%), AI-enhanced extended reality (XR) (4%), and adaptive content generation
Enhancing Elementary Students' Knowledge and Attitudes about STEM through a Student-Led STEM Fest
International Journal of Technology in Education and Science2024-01-01
This qualitative study researched the impact of Micro STEM Fests on 1st to 5th grade students and investigated participating teachers' attitudes toward STEM.
Development of the Abbreviated Technology Anxiety Scale (ATAS)
Behavior Research Methods2022-03-25
The purpose of this research was to develop a short measure of technology anxiety and provide validity and reliability evidence for its use in a variety of studies in the social sciences.
Exploring the Factors Associated with Undergraduate Students' Online Learning Anxiety: Development of the Online Learner Anxiety Scale
Online Learning2022-09-01
The purpose of this research was to explore the factors associated with online learning anxiety by carefully designing, developing, and providing preliminary validity and reliability evidence of a scale to measure undergraduate students' online learning anxiety.
