pSLC

PSLC stands for the Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center, a United States research initiative funded by the National Science Foundation to advance the science of learning by studying how people learn with and without technology. It was established in 2003 as part of the NSF Science of Learning Centers program and operated through collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, with involvement from other universities and research institutions. The center supported research across learning sciences, cognitive psychology, education technology, and human-computer interaction, focusing on developing empirical methods, software tools, and open data resources for researchers and practitioners.

A core element of PSLC was the PSLC Datashop, a large-scale educational data repository that collected and standardized data from diverse educational software and online learning environments. Datashop enabled researchers to study patterns in student engagement, problem-solving strategies, and knowledge construction, and it facilitated cross-institutional analysis and replication. The center also hosted and supported software tools, datasets, and collaborative projects that informed theory and practice in learning analytics, adaptive tutoring, and instructional design.

The PSLC contributed to the broader learning sciences community by advancing data-driven research, disseminating findings through publications and workshops, and fostering collaboration among researchers, educators, and developers. Its work influenced subsequent initiatives in education technology research and data sharing practices, helping to establish foundations for modern learning analytics and open data in education.