Heather Toomey Zimmerman

Dr. Heather Toomey Zimmerman serves as Department Head of the Department of Learning and Performance Systems and Professor of Education (Learning, Design, and Technology) at Pennsylvania State University's College of Education. Her academic leadership extends across research, teaching, and service domains, with a focus on bridging learning sciences, informal science education, and mobile computing.

Dr. Zimmerman earned her Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from the University of Washington, complemented by degrees in Museum Studies from the same institution and Science Communication from Cornell University. Her educational background uniquely positions her at the intersection of formal and informal learning environments.

Her research investigates how multiple learning experiences contribute to the development of scientific knowledge, practices, and identity. Key areas include family learning in museums and nature centers, mobile technology as a learning tool across settings, STEM learning in rural communities, and gender issues in science education. She employs video-based ethnography and design-based research methods to examine how people learn science in everyday contexts, with particular attention to how technology can support and connect learning across formal and informal settings.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on place-based learning, mobile technology integration in informal environments, and family science learning. Her work demonstrates how mobile computing can transform outdoor learning experiences while maintaining focus on scientific practices and conceptual understanding. The research shows particular strength in designing for family learning and connecting informal experiences with formal educational goals.

Dr. Zimmerman actively advises graduate students in the Learning, Design, and Technology program at Penn State, with opportunities for both M.Ed. and Ph.D. students. She leads multiple research projects examining family learning in museums and nature centers, mobile computing for outdoor learning, and science learning across settings. Her research team collaborates with institutions like Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, the Arboretum at Penn State, and Pacific Science Center.

She co-directs the Tree Investigators project and the augmented learning research group with Dr. Susan Land, focusing on how to integrate augmented reality delivered on mobile computers into informal education settings. Her research team conducts studies at summer camps, nature centers, and community spaces to understand how children and families engage with science through mobile technology.