Rabani Garg

Research

Digital Literacies & Equitable Learning

I am a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. My work examines how young people participate in digitally mediated social environments — and how we can design networked learning spaces that are transformational, equitable, and technology-rich.

Focus Areas

Global Media Studies
Youth Studies
Critical Digital Literacies
Critical Platform Studies
Generative AI & Education
Participatory Design
Networked Learning
Equitable Technology

Background

Before Penn, I brought over a decade of experience in informal education — leading literacy programs across India and working in children's literature publishing. That grounding in practice shapes how I approach research: always in close collaboration with the teachers, students, and communities at the center of the work.

Current Projects

Writing with AI

Penn University Research Foundation

Project Manager

A design-based research study examining how generative AI shapes youth writing practices. Led by Dr. Amy Stornaiuolo.

Write4Change

NSF-funded

Lead Researcher

A participatory design project that evolved a school-based writing platform into a youth-led, collaborative, and networked space — centering student voice in the design process.

Digital Discourse

James S. McDonnell Foundation

Researcher

A five-year research-practice partnership between Penn and the National Writing Project examining how secondary ELA teachers facilitate meaningful online discussions about literature and develop critical platform orientations.