Dr Samantha-Kaye Johnston is a researcher at The University of Oxford, Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford and a Research Affiliate at Harvard University. Her research profile and interest cover skill development, in particular, skills that support critical thinking in digital environments. She focuses on two strands: (1) strengthening the development and assessment of digital skills, including autonomy, critical thinking, and critical reading (including how students understand and use language), and (2) elevating the voices of young people from diverse backgrounds in their ethical engagement with technology. Samantha currently leads the Digital Autonomy Machine Experiment, which seeks to encourage the public to reflect critically on their values regarding their autonomy (agency) over the management of their personal information in digital spaces. In collaboration with Youth Can Do I.T., Samantha also leads Project Amplify, which aims to empower young people from Jamaica in their ethical design and use of the Metaverse. She currently serves as the Unit Editor for Oxford Intersections – AI in Society (Personhood Unit).
