Justyna Szynkiewicz, Ph.D.

Research

What I work on

Current project · Uppsala University

Investigating Faculty Perspectives on GenAI: Professional Roles, Responsibility, and Agency in Higher Education

Generative AI is changing how teaching and learning happen in higher education. Academic teachers face new possibilities and challenges as GenAI affects curriculum design, pedagogical planning, assessment, and professional development.

While a large body of research examines GenAI in higher education, we know little about how the technology is used in collaborative settings, where faculty members work in teams. This project addresses that gap, with particular attention to how teachers see their professional roles, how they think about responsibility when AI tools are part of teaching and assessment, and what room they have to act on their own judgement.

The project will develop a grounded theory of collaborative practice in faculty teams using GenAI. Our findings will inform a refinement of Stahl's model of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL).

The empirical work is conducted in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, in collaboration with our partners Western Norway Research Institute, the University of Eastern Finland, and Aarhus University.

Generative AI in higher education

How educators adopt, question, and adapt to generative AI tools, and what responsible use looks like in practice.

Professional identity and competencies in computing education

How computing students come to see themselves as professionals through project-based learning, and which professional competencies computing curricula should develop.

Inclusion in computing

Gender balance and inclusive learning environments in computing, through both research and outreach to schools and students.

Selected Publications

Publications

Journal Articles

2025

Exploring the Envisioned Identity of Computing Students: Insights from Norway

Szynkiewicz, J.

ACM Transactions on Computing Education

DOI
2025

Doing Yourself, Doing the Collective, and Doing the Discipline: Computing Students' Disciplinary Identity Development in Project-Based Learning

Szynkiewicz, J.

Computer Science Education, 1–28

DOI

Conference Papers

2026

Identity Building for STEM Teacher Students in a Self-Paced Mastery Learning Course

Szynkiewicz, J., Hansen, G., Sindre, G.

22nd International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training

DOI
2024

Using Microsoft Copilot Chat in the Work of IT Educators: Pilot Study

Osadcha, K., Szynkiewicz, J., Chishti, M. S.

Norsk IKT-Konferanse for Forskning Og Utdanning, 4, Article 4

DOI
2023

Assessment Strategies for Cross-Curricular Programming in Secondary Education

Fuentes-Martínez, A., Szynkiewicz, J., Rouhani, M., Osadcha, K.

Norsk IKT-Konferanse for Forskning Og Utdanning, 4, Article 4

Link
2020

Designing Computer Science Competency Statements: A Process and Curriculum Model for the 21st Century

Clear, A., Clear, T., Vichare, A., Charles, T., Frezza, S., Gutica, M., Lunt, B., Maiorana, F., Pears, A., Pitt, F., Riedesel, C., Szynkiewicz, J.

Proceedings of the Working Group Reports on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 211–246

DOI
2020

Developing Competency Statements for Computer Science Curricula: The Way Ahead

Clear, A., Clear, T., Vichare, A., Charles, T., Frezza, S., Gutica, M., Lunt, B., Maiorana, F., Pears, A., Pitt, F., Riedesel, C., Szynkiewicz, J.

Proceedings of the 2020 ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 515–516

DOI
2020

Female Students' Reflections for Inclusive Physical Learning Environments

Sigurdardottir, H. D. I., Szynkiewicz, J., Munkvold, R., Kolås, L.

LearnTechLib, 860–872

Link
2020

How Can I Contribute? Computing Students' Experiences in Project Courses

Szynkiewicz, J., Kolås, L.

International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Computing and Engineering (LaTiCE), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2020

Professional Competencies in Computing Education: Are They Important?

Szynkiewicz, J., Lundberg, G. M., Daniels, M.

IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 1–5

DOI
2020

Students' Professional Competencies in Computing Project Courses in the Norwegian Context

Szynkiewicz, J., Lundberg, G. M., Daniels, M.

IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 1–9

DOI
2020

Progression of Tool Usage in Project-Based IT Courses

Szynkiewicz, J., Munkvold, R., Kolås, L.

IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 1–9

DOI
2019

Learning through Construction's Influence on IT Students' Identity Formation

Szynkiewicz, J.

Proceedings of the 2019 ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 348–349

DOI
2019

Students' IT Identity in Learning through Construction Courses

Szynkiewicz, J.

IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 1–4

DOI

Book Chapters

2021

Application of Grounded Theory Methodology for Analysing IT Identity Development in Project-Based Learning Courses

Szynkiewicz, J. In I. Psaroudakis, T. Müller, & A. Salvini (Eds.), Dealing with Grounded Theory: Discussing, Learning and Practice

Pisa University Press

Community & Outreach

Service, Teaching Support & Outreach

03/2026 Local Organising Team, The 22nd annual ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research (ICER), Uppsala, Sweden
03/2026 Organiser, International Women's Day at the Department of Computer Science, NTNU, with ACM - guest speakers included Letizia Jaccheri, Monica Rolfsen, Heri Ramampiaro, and Rune Sætre
03/2026 Host, AINCLUSION Book Club launch - conversation on AI, inclusion, and society with Johan Falk and Prof. Letizia Jaccheri (NTNU)
2023–2024 Feedback and mentoring for 300+ educators on integrating programming into teaching (NTNU)
2023–2024 Developed and delivered two webinars for teachers on programming education (NTNU)
2021–2023 Chairperson, Stammen Fellesstue - established the organisation, secured NOK 365,000 in funding, led 10+ volunteers on projects reaching 300+ participants
2021-2021 Coordinator, regional gender-balance project - workshops for 30+ high school students, webinars for 5 regional schools, management of 10+ bachelor student volunteers
2017–2025 Reviewer, Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE)
2017–2018 Co-supervisor, B.A. student
Member Association for Computing Machinery (ACM-W Trondheim); Tekna - Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals