Jillianne Code | Associate Professor & Canada Research Chair

Jillianne Code — Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair at UBC

The Entangled Learner: Critical Agency for the Postdigital Era

Postdigital Science and Education, 2025

Canada Research Chair

Jillianne
Code

Associate Professor

University of British Columbia

Scholar and speaker on learner agency, postdigital education, and patient empowerment. Director of the ALIVE Research Lab. Co-founder, HeartLife Foundation.

Explore Research PLA Book

“The question is not whether technology shapes learning — but how we shape back.”

scholarly record

263+
Citations / year: 60+
Publications: 4
Active grants: CRC
Tier II · 2025–2030

areas of expertise

Research Program

Education

Postdigital Learner Agency

How learners exercise agency in postdigital environments — where the digital and physical are inseparable. Theoretical and empirical work informing a Springer volume in progress.

Explore the research →

Health

Patient Agency

Empowering patients with heart failure and other chronic conditions to participate as knowledge producers and advocates in their own care — through HeartLife Foundation and the ALIVE Lab.

Learn about patient work →

ALIVE Research Lab

The Agency in Learning, Interaction, and Virtual Environments Lab at UBC. Active projects include NARRATE, PATIENT-FOCUS, and PACE.

Visit the lab →

documentary film

My Broken Heart

A documentary exploring the unknown, unexpected, and sometimes dire consequences of heart transplantation — and the patient voices that rarely make it into clinical conversations.

Jillianne's lived experience as a heart transplant recipient anchors her research in the realities of patient agency.

Learn more

Latest

2026-04

publicationExpressions of Learner Agency in Virtual Inquiry – Computers & Education

2025-11

publication

The Entangled Learner

2025-10

award

Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Learner Agency (2025–2030)

2025-09

publication

Patient Agency in Action – Patient Education and Counceling

connect with this work

Explore my work

Prospective Students

Interested in graduate supervision in learner agency, postdigital education, or health advocacy research?

Learn about the lab

Collaborators

Looking to partner on funded research, community initiatives, or scholarly projects?

Get in touch

Media & Press

Seeking expert comment on digital education, patient empowerment, or learner agency?

Media resources

JillianneCode