Home » Speakers » Invited Speakers

Invited Speakers

Dr. Michael Spector
University of North Texas, USA

Topic: The Impact of Instructional Design: Questions of Conscience (Track 1)

Abstract: This period in history is marked by an explosion of Internet resources and the rapid emergence of information and communication technologies, making the task of designing effective, engaging and efficient instruction increasingly difficult. There are many possibilities to integrate technologies into learning as well as entirely new approaches that can be implemented with the aid of these technologies. However, progress in systematic and systemic improvement in learning, instruction and performance remains quite marginal, given the promises and potential of new technologies. Why? What can instructional designers do to transform education in meaningful and sustainable ways? Let's explore these questions together.

Short Bio: J. Michael Spector is Professor of Learning Technologies at the University of North Texas. He was previously Professor of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, Doctoral Program Coordinator for the Learning, Design, and Technology Program, and a Research Scientist at the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Prior to that, he was Associate Director of the Learning Systems Institute, Professor of Instructional Systems, and Principal Investigator for the International Center for Learning, Education and Performance Systems at Florida State University. He served as Chair of Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation at Syracuse University and Director of the Educational Information Science and Technology Research Program at the University of Bergen, Norway. He earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from The University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on intelligent support for instructional design, assessing learning in complex domains, and technology integration in education. Dr. Spector served on the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (ibstpi) as Executive Vice President; he is a Past President of the Association for Educational and Communications Technology as well as a Past Chair of the Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning Special Interest Group of AERA; he is also an active member of several AERA Special Interest Groups. He is editor of Educational Technology Research & Development and serves on numerous other editorial boards. He co-edited the third and fourth editions of the Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology, is editing the Encyclopedia of Educational Technology, and has more than 100 other publications to his credit.
Dr. Tristan E Johnson
Northeastern University, USA

Topic: Using Data Analytics to Drive Performance and Instructional Decision Making (Track 1)

Abstract: Data is automatically generated in many of the common behaviors that we engage in on a daily basis. However while we may carry out analytics in an attempt to make meaning from this "incidental" data, there is a need at many levels to conceptualize the types of data that would deliberately inform decision-making. There are well-grounded processes that may be followed to identify the "strategic" data that are needed in order for analytics to effectively and strategically inform performance and instructional decision-making.

Short Bio: Dr. Tristan E. Johnson is the Executive Director of Engineering Education Initiatives in the Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University. He is also the Research Editor-in-Chief for the Educational Technology Research and Development Journal. He was previously Assistant Professor of Instructional Systems, Associate Director for Research at the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University, and Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at Purdue University. He has served as the President for the Training and Performance Division of the Association of Educational Communications and Technologies.

He earned his PhD in Educational Technology from Purdue University looking at Computer Simulations as Cognitive Tools. Dr. Johnson's primary technical expert is in training, curriculum, & instruction. He has 20 years designing, developing, and evaluating curriculum and training systems for business, military, industry, and academia. He as worked on the creation of university courses, educational simulations, electronic performance support systems, workshops, certificates, programs, as well as numerous technology-based instructional materials. He has expertise in the application of instructional strategies including case studies, team-based learning, gaming, problem solving, task-centered instruction, and many other strategies that have strong levels of learning effectiveness and engagement. His research focuses on team cognition and it's links to team performance. Specifically, he studies how mental models are created and shared and their effect on performance.

Dr. Johnson has published papers related to team cognition as well as visual representations effect on learning, and technology as a tool to represent internal mental models and schemas. He has served as: Associate Editor for the Encyclopedia of Educational Technology, on the Editorial Board for Educational Technology Research and Development-Development Section, and on the Editorial Advisory Boards for the Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning and Performance Improvement Quarterly. He has more than 30 peer-reviewed publications in academic journals.
Dr. Yanyan Li
Beijing Normal University, China

Topic: Learning Analytics: Serving the Learning Process Design and Optimization (Track 1)

Abstract: Data growth in the information era renders the changes of commercial and scientific research. In the educational settings, how to effectively use massive and complex data to serve the optimization of teaching and learning becomes a key question to address. Therefore, as an emerging data analysis technology, learning analytics increasingly draws more attention of educators than ever before. This presentation proposes the five stages of the evolution of learning analytics and summarizes the status and challenges of multi-source education data collection and storage in China. Moreover, this presentation generalizes typical approaches to data analysis and existing studies in support of pedagogical innovation, as well as elaborates on how to align learning analytics with pedagogical and organizational goals.

Short Bio: Dr. Yanyan Li is a professor in the School of Educational Technology at Beijing Normal University, where she teaches courses on data structure, intelligent information processing, and introduction to artificial intelligence. She received her Ph.D. degree in Computer Software and Theory from the Institute of Computing Technology at Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research interests include computer-supported collaborative learning, learning analytics, and semantic web with a concentration on semantic organization of learning resources for active collaborative learning, opinion mining, and sentiment analysis in an online learning community. Dr. Li is the leader of two projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Principal Investigator of more than ten academic projects. She has published more than 50 academic papers in journals and international conferences, including Journal of Educational Technology & Society, Knowledge-based Systems, and Future Generation Computer Systems. Three of her papers have been judged as the best paper at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT, 2007 & 2008) and International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE, 2006). She is the Managing Editor of Journal of Computers in Education and an editorial board member of Journal of Technology for Education and Learning as well as Journal of Smart Learning Environments.
Dr. Xiaoqing Gu
East China Normal University, China

Topic: Innovative Learning Design in an ICT-rich Environment (Track 2)

Abstract: The presenter will report two findings from a series of studies that were conducted in an ICT-rich environment. First, the presenter will report preliminary findings and implications from empirical studies of innovative learning design in the ICT-rich context, which used e-Textbook, learning map, and visualization-based learning tools. Second, the presenter will report the attempt of modeling the learning behavior in the ICT-rich learning environment, the intention of which was to trace students' learning behavior to obtain an in-depth understanding of their learning and then provide timely and appropriate interventions.

Short Bio: Dr. Xiaoqing Gu is a professor and the Chair of Department of Educational Information Technology at East China Normal University (ECNU), where she earned her Ph.D. in Educational Technology. Dr. Gu teaches courses on instructional design for Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-supported learning, ICT-integrated pedagogy, and research on E-learning. Her research has focused primarily on ICT in education, including the ICT-supported content design and development, ICT-integrated pedagogical innovation, computer-supported collaborative learning, and learning analytics to inform pedagogical design. Dr. Gu has well cited publications in peer reviewed Chinese journals, such as E-education Research, China Educational Technology, and Open Education Research, among others. In addition, she has research articles published in peer reviewed international journals, including Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Educational Technology & Society, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, and Magazine for Managers of Change in Education. She has written three books in Chinese and co-authored a book chapter, The Chinese Approach, in a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) publication: Perspectives on Distance Education: Lifelong Learning and Distance Higher Education.
Dr. Vanessa Dennen
Florida State University, USA

Topic: Analytics for Collaborative Learning: Examining Knowledge Sharing, Knowledge Brokering, and Meaning Making in Online Environments (Track 3)

Abstract: Learning analytics are a current trend, gaining popularity as educators and policy makers try to harness the power of data generated by learners using computer-based systems for decision making. Analytics not only yield a great deal of information about how individuals act within a system, but also about how learners interact with each other. This presentation highlights some of the ways that analytics can be used to help better understand the interactions that take place among learners in an online setting, as well as how ideas spread and merge across groups. Uses ranging from modeling interactions to formative and summative assessments also will be discussed.

Short Bio: Dr. Vanessa P. Dennen is an Associate Professor of Instructional Systems at Florida State University where she teaches classes on learning theory, instructional design for technology-mediated environments, research methods, and learning analytics. She earned a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. Her research investigates the nexus of cognitive, motivational, and social elements in computer-mediated communication, concentrating on two major issues: learner engagement in online discussion activities and identity development, informal learning, and knowledge brokering within online communities of practice. Vanessa's publications, which have been well cited, have appeared in Instructional Science. Distance Education, Computers in Human Behavior, The Handbook of Distance Education, and The Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology among others. Additionally, she recently co-edited (with Jennifer B. Myers) a book, Virtual Professional Development and Informal Learning in Online Environments, and (with Stefan Hrastinski) a special issue of The Internet and Higher Education on Social Media in Higher Education.
Dr. Jianli Jiao
South China Normal University, China

Topic: Assessor or Assessee: How MOOC Learners' Learning Improved by Providing and Receiving Peer Feedback (Track 3)

Abstract: This study investigated whether or not there was a correlation between the improvement of learners' learning and understanding and the quality of peer assessment in MOOCs for Chinese online learners. Three courses taught in Chinese were selected and learners' online discourse, notes, and reflections for these three courses were analyzed. In addition, qualitative data was also obtained from interviews with learners in QQ. This study found that learners benefited greatly from providing and receiving feedback. A strong correlation was found between the quality of peer feedback learners provided for others and the improvement of learners' own learning and understanding of the subject content.

Short Bio: Dr. Jianli Jiao is a professor of educational technology and a well-known active blogger in the field of Information and Communication Technologies in Education in China. He is the Interim Dean of the School of Information Technology in Education at South China Normal University (SCNU), where he teaches courses on Foundation of Educational Technology, Social Networking in Education, Learning Sciences and Technologies, and Technology-Enhanced Teachers' Professional Development. He received his Ph.D. from SCNU in 2005 in Educational Technology with a concentration on theory perspectives of educational technology. His research interests include e-Learning, online courses, technology-enhanced teachers' professional development, social media and networking in education, instructional design in traditional, blended, and online learning environments, as well as one-to-one teaching and learning with mobile devices. He has published a couple of books and more than 80 journal and conference proceeding papers. Dr. Jiao is currently leading his team working on the projects related to the Massive Open Online Courses, teachers' professional development in online communities, and teaching and learning supported with mobile devices in one-to-one settings.
Dr. Marcus Childress
Baker University, USA

Topic: Utopian and Dystopian Futures for Learning Technologies (Track 4)

Abstract: This presentation will detail how new technologies and new media will continue to change and augment humanity and the way we learn. The presentation will begin with accepted definitions and a brief history of technological utopianism, ultimately leading to learning technologies and utopian/dystopian views for the future.

Short Bio: Dr. Marcus D. Childress is a professor and director of the Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) doctoral program at Baker University (Kansas). Previously, he was professor and chair of the IDT program within The Teachers College at Emporia State University (Kansas). Having received his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, Dr. Childress' research interests include online learning, heutagogy, using virtual worlds for training and education, and using technology as a catalyst for school reform. His research has been documented in publications such as Distance Education, Journal of Research on Computers in Education, International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, Globalized e-Learning Cultural Challenges, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, Academic Leadership Journal, and the Encyclopedia of Distance Learning, Teaching, Technologies, and Applications.. In addition to his higher education experience, Dr. Childress' training involvement includes consulting with the Intel Corporation (Senior Trainer, Intel Teach to the Future), the People's Bank of China Training Center, SchwindTEC, Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, and the United States Joint Training Analysis and Simulation Center; the world's leading research centers for computer modeling, simulation, and visualization. As past-president of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), he serves on the executive committee and board of directors, and was the convention chair for the 2012 AECT International Convention in Louisville, KY.
Dr. Ana Donaldson
University of Northern Iowa, USA
Topic: Emerging Technology: Instructional Strategies for Nailing Jello to a Tree (Track 4)

Abstract: One of the challenges for today's educators and learning designers is how to integrate the constantly evolving and emerging technologies into effective instructional strategies. With the choices constantly changing, this process has been compared to the frustration of trying to nail Jello to a tree. This presentation will identify the emerging technologies that have been identified while providing guidelines on how to deal with the ever expanding options.

Short Bio: Dr. Ana Donaldson is a past president of AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) and is a Contributing Faculty member for Walden University in the PhD Educational Technology program. She retired in 2009 as an Associate Professor of Instructional Technology from the University of Northern Iowa. Besides her years of classroom and online experience; she is a published author, keynote speaker, and international presenter. She co-authored with Rita-Marie Conrad: Engaging the Online Learner: Activities for Creative Instruction (2004 & 2011) and Continuing to Engage the Online Learner: More Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction (2012).
Dr. Stephen Harmon
Georgia State University, USA

Topic: Technology and The Future of Learning and Culture (Track 4)

Abstract: Technology has revolutionized every aspect of modern society except education. Chris Dede of Harvard has opined that if electricity was to somehow vanish from the planet tomorrow, education would be the least affected of society's institutions. But that doesn't have to be the case. Dr. Stephen Harmon, professor and chair of the Learning Technologies Division in the College of Education at Georgia State University will discuss recent developments in learning research, and information and communications technologies that have the potential to substantially alter the way we work and learn. But will these advances change the way we teach? Dr. Harmon will explore some new and emerging technologies that hold potential for advancing teaching and learning, and will propose a way of examining them to look for any advantages they offer for education. He will offer a theoretical basis for learning with new media that will help people decide which new technologies to use and when to use them.

Short Bio: Stephen Harmon currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Learning Technologies Division in the College of Education at Georgia State University. After majoring in English literature at Furman University, Dr. Harmon moved to Upper Egypt to teach fourth-grade English for two years. While traveling through the Middle East and Africa, he realized the tremendous need, and scarce resources, for education and training in developing countries. He returned to the US and earned a masters and doctorate in instructional technology, with a cognate in global policy studies, from the University of Georgia. Dr. Harmon's research centers on educational uses of emerging technologies and has for the last few years focused on e-learning, particularly with respect to synchronous online learning environments. He is the President of the Association of Educational Communications and Technology, an international professional association of thousands of educators and others whose activities are directed toward improving instruction through technology. Dr. Harmon also conducts research on educational technology in developing countries. He has worked in several Middle Eastern and African countries, including as a consultant for USAID's Education for Development and Democracy Initiative in Botswana. Dr. Harmon has over 120 professional publications and presentations and was the 2011 recipient of Georgia State University's Innovative Instruction Award.
Dr. Kyle L. Peck
Penn State University, USA

Topic: Technologies, Trends, and the Future of Higher Education (Track 4)

Abstract: This is an amazing moment in the history of education. For over a century, educational practices have remained relatively stable and educational opportunities have been limited. Many could not afford a high quality education, and, in the last several decades the cost of a high quality education has increased relentlessly -- faster than any other product or service. At the same time, rapid increases in power, decreasing cost, and the ubiquity of a variety of technologies are changing the equation. New models of education are possible, and centuries of tradition are now being questioned as new, more effective, more efficient, more learner-centered approaches emerge. Competency-based education (CBE), digital badges, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Prior Learning Assessments (PLA), personalized, adaptive learning systems, data analytics, cognitive tutors, adaptive testing, a dramatic increase in the availability of venture capital for new Ed Tech companies, and even online commerce, combined with technologies that are more and more powerful and accessible, are creating a "perfect storm" that will soon change Higher Education dramatically. This session will explore these forces and will provoke participants to consider what education can (and soon will) become.

Short Bio: Dr. Kyle L. Peck is Professor of Education at Penn State University and Co-Director of the Center for Online Innovation in Learning (COIL). He studies and applies innovations in education, and his current interests include the reducing cost of and increasing access to higher education, competency-based education, digital badges in education, online learning, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Dr. Peck recently served as Principal Investigator for the NASA Aerospace Education Services Project, Director of the Regional Educational Lab for the mid-Atlantic region, and Co-Director of Pennsylvania's Classrooms for the Future Evaluation Project. He is a Past President of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) and its Pennsylvania affiliate, PAECT, and has also served as Associate Dean for Research, Outreach, and Technology, Head of the Learning and Performance Systems Department, and Professor in Charge of the Instructional Systems Program at Penn State. He was also Co-Founder of the innovative "Centre Learning Community Charter School," and completed two terms on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Before coming to Penn State, he taught middle school for seven years, and was involved in corporate training for five years. Dr. Peck is co-author of two books, and is author or co-author of more than 50 book chapters, journal articles, and research reports, and four education-related software programs. He is a popular speaker, and has made 301 professional presentations at conferences in 15 countries.
Dr. Yan Li
Zhejiang University, China

Topic: Open Educational Resources (OER)-Based Flipped Classroom Practice in an Undergraduate Course (Track 4)

Abstract: The study aimed to explore the process and effectiveness of Open Educational Resources (OER)-based flipped classroom practice in an undergraduate course. The course included two parts. In the first part, students were invited to take a Coursera course. In the latter part, students were invited to learn Sakai-based course chapter contents and to do an OER-related assignment. Flipped classroom practice was utilized in the course. E-learner satisfaction model was adopted as the theoretical base of the study. Data analysis found that students were generally satisfied with many aspects of the course, while learner perceived interaction with others was not satisfactory.

Short Bio: Dr. Yan Li received her Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural Education at Texas A&M University in 2004 and is currently a Professor of Educational Technology at Zhejiang University, China. Her research interests include distance education, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) education, media education, and diffusion of educational innovations. In recent years, she has presided over several national and provincial-level research projects and has published numerous academic papers or books in the area of educational technology. Dr. Li's publications have appeared in journals, such as Computers & Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, Asia Pacific Journal of Education, and Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. She has also published several books, including Study on Web-based Youth Media Education Practice (2013), Experimental Textbook for Media Education in Primary Schools (2012), Educational Informationalization and Educational Equalization---Practice & Thoughts in Jiangdong District, Ningbo City (2010), and Modern Distance Education (2007). Additionally, she contributed one chapter to the book, Transforming K-12 Classrooms with Digital Technology (2013). During April-July of 2009, she visited the University of Florence, Italy, doing research in the area of media education. Dr. Li was awarded as "Distinguished Young Scholar" of Zhejiang University in 2011 and "Distinguished Young Social Scholar of Zhejiang Province" in 2013.
Dr. Robert Branch
The University of Georgia, USA

Topic: Instructional Design Models for Information Science (Track 5)

Abstract: This session examines the relationship between information science and instructional design. Instructional design "is the science and art of creating detailed specifications for the development, evaluation, and maintenance of situations which facilitate learning and performance" (Richey, Klein & Tracey, 2011, p. 3). Instructional design models facilitate active, multi-functional, inspirational, situated approaches to intentional learning. While information is "the communication or reception of Knowledge" (Taylor, 2004, p. 3), information science is an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information (Stock & Stock, 2013). Therefore, instructional design models should foster the dissemination of information and the exchange of knowledge.
References
Richey, R. C., Klein, J. D., & Tracey, M. W. (2011). The instructional design knowledge base: Theory, research, and practice. New York, New York: Routledge.
Stock, W.G., & Stock, M. (2013). Handbook of information science. Berlin, Boston, MA: De Gruyter Saur.
Taylor, A. G. (2004). The organization of information, 2nd ed (Library and information science text series). Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

Short Bio: Dr. Robert Maribe Branch is a Professor of Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Georgia. He is also the Head of the Department of Career and Information Studies. Rob earned an Associate of Science degree from New York City Technical College in Brooklyn, New York, a Bachelor of Science degree from Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, and a Masters of Arts degree from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Rob taught secondary school in Botswana as a Peace Corps Volunteer and later joined the University of Botswana as a lecturer in the Engineering Design and Technology Department. Rob completed his Doctor of Education degree from Virginia Tech in 1989. Dr. Branch joined the faculty at Syracuse University and taught graduate courses and conducted research in the Department of Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation rising to a tenured Associate Professor. Dr. Branch worked as a Fulbright Lecturer/Researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where he co-founded the Master's degree in Educational Technology, while conducting research on the complexities of intentional learning spaces. Dr. Branch is an editor of the Educational Media and Technology Yearbook and the Survey of Instructional Development Models. He recently published Instructional Design: The ADDIE Approach. Dr. Branch emphasizes student-centered learning and teaches courses related to project management. Dr. Branch's research focuses on diagramming complex conceptual relationships and other complicated flow processes. He is the President-elect of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
Dr. Robert A. Reiser
Florida State University, USA

Topic: Ten Trends Affecting the Field of Instructional Design: Opportunities and Challenges (Track 5)

Abstract: Over the past two decades there have been dramatic changes in the ﬁeld of instructional design. These changes have come about largely as a result of two sets of inﬂuences. The ﬁrst involves new views of the teaching and learning process, including constructivist views of teaching and learning, the development of the learning sciences, an increased emphasis on promoting informal learning, and the increasing awareness of the importance of improving workplace performance. The second set of inﬂuences involves major changes in how technology is being used to enhance learning and instruction. These changes include the increasing use of online learning technologies, performance support tools, social media, educational games, and mobile learning devices. This presentation will focus on how each of these developments plus several others have influenced the instructional design ﬁeld and have presented instructional designers with new opportunities and challenges.

Short Bio: Dr. Robert A. Reiser is the Associate Dean for Research, a Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Robert M. Morgan Professor of Instructional Systems in the College of Education at Florida State University. He has written five books and more than 75 articles and book chapters in the field of instructional design and technology. His most recent book, Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (2012), has received several outstanding book awards from major professional organizations, including the Association for Educational Communications and Technology and the International Society for Performance Improvement.

Dr. Reiser's service activities have included founding, and chairing for 25 years, the AECT Division for Design and Development Awards Program. He also served for 20 years as an editorial board member of Educational Technology Research and Development, a premier research journal in the field of instructional design and technology. In recognition of his service efforts, the AECT Division of Design and Development has presented Dr. Reiser with its annual Presidential Award for Outstanding Service on four separate occasions.

During the 39 years he has been at Florida State, Dr. Reiser has received several university awards, including a Professorial Excellence Award, a Developing Scholar Award and a University Teaching Award. In April 2000, he received the University Distinguished Teacher Award, the highest teaching award at Florida State. Each year this award is given to one faculty member at Florida State who has, over his or her career, demonstrated a record of sustained teaching excellence. Dr. Reiser is the first member of the College of Education to have received this award.
Dr. Kaili Wang
Shenyang Normal University, China

Topic: Research on Teachers' Personalities in Adaptive Educational Hypermedia System (Track 5)

Abstract: The author is to report the findings of a study on Chinese teachers' learning motivations and characteristics in a competence training delivered by a Web-based adaptive system. In this study, teachers' thinking and learning styles are recorded and analyzed based on their everyday and pedagogical perspectives. The author will also present an online decision-making model for learning activities and resources, which is developed based on the findings of this study.

Short Bio: Dr. Kaili Wang is an Associate Professor in the School of Educational Technology at Shenyang Normal University (SYNU) where she contributes to the design and instruction of courses on E-Learning Design and Evaluation and Distance Education. Dr. Wang received her Ph.D. from the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC), France in 2010. Her research focuses on the adaptive educational hypermedia system, e-Learning design and evaluation, distance learning, and web-based courses. Her publications include book chapters in Advances in Web-Based Learning (2009, 2010; Springer-Verlag) and international conference proceeding papers and journal articles in China Educational Technology. In 2012, her book Modern Educational Technology and High School English Teaching was published in China and adopted for teacher's educational technology competence training in Liaoning and other provinces in China. Dr. Wang has been in charge of several projects, including the Eleventh and the Twelfth Five-year Plan Project of Education Science and Design of Personalized Model for Online Teachers' Teaching and Learning supported by Liaoning Province, as well as Design of UoL Model Integrating Teachers' Personal Factors supported by SYNU. Dr. Wang is also a committee member of Educational Technology of Liaoning (CETL) and the Research Base of Informatization in Elementary Education of Liaoning, where she is responsible for teacher's educational technology competence training in Liaoning province, China.
Dr. M. David Merrill
Utah State University, USA

Topic: If Content is King, Effective, Efficient, and Engaging Instruction is Queen (Track 6)

Abstract: We all agree without content there is no learning. Content is king! However, content alone is not instruction. There are known principles that promote effective, efficient and engaging instruction and hence learning. Instructional approaches be they MOOCs, Open Learning, Problem Based Learning, or even Self Instruction facilitate learning to the extent that they incorporate these principles. Recent research shows that too often these open forms of instruction fail to incorporate these basic principles. What are these principles? How can these principles be better incorporated into each of these exciting new approaches to learning and instruction? If content is king effective, efficient, and engaging instructional strategies are queen.

Short Bio: M. David Merrill is professor emeritus at Utah State University

Dr. Merrill has been engaged in the study of effective, efficient and engaging instruction for more than 50 years since he started his PhD program at the University of Illinois in 1961.

He was honored to receive the AECT Distinguished Service Award 2001 for advancing the field of Instructional Technology through Scholarship, Teaching and Leadership. He received a life time achievement award from the Utah State University College of Education 2010; and he was recognized as an Honored Alumni for the College of Education at BYU 2011. He recently received the ETR&D Distinguished Development Award from AECT.

Since receiving his PhD from the University of Illinois in 1964 he has served on the faculty of George Peabody College, Brigham Young University-Provo, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, Utah State University, Florida State University and BYU Hawaii (as a missionary volunteer). He served a service mission at BYU Hawaii where he helped faculty put course online. Since retiring he has taught online courses at Florida State University, BYU Hawaii, University of Hawaii and Utah State University. He is internationally recognized as a major contributor to the field of instructional technology, has published many books and articles in the field and has lectured internationally. Among his principle contributions: TICCIT Authoring System 1970's, Component Display Theory and Elaboration Theory 1980's, Instructional Transaction Theory, automated instructional design and ID based on Knowledge Objects 1990's, and recently First Principles of Instruction.

He and his wife Kate have a combined family of 9 children, 37 + 10 (by marriage) grandchildren with more marriages expected and 12 great grandchildren + 2 on the way, which he claims as his most important accomplishment. He is the owner of the miniature Ascape Tennsion & Sulphur Gulch Railroad.

He can be contacted at professordavemerrill@gmail.com.
His web site is http://mdavidmerrill.com
His Model Railroad can be viewed at http://davesatsgrr.blogspot.com
Meet him on Facebook /mdavid.merrill
Dr. Ke Zhang
Wayne State University, USA

Topic: Big Data in Educational Technology Research and Development (Track 6)

Abstract: The worldwide interests in Big Data bring new opportunities and alternatives for the scientific discoveries in educational research. It may also require fundamental shifts in research paradigm, both in terms of conceptualization and methodology. This session begins with a theoretical basis of Big Data as related to emerging learning technologies and social media-enriched learning communities, highlights some of the innovative methods and applications, and features selected research and development projects with contextualized discussions.

Short Bio: Dr. Ke Zhang is Associate Professor in the College of Education at Wayne State University in the USA. Her research focuses on e-learning, mobile learning technologies and social media, and big data research and applications in educational technology research and development, which has yielded over 100 publications in forms of journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings and presentations. Her research publications are translated into and/or cited in Armenian, Chinese, Dutch, French, and Spanish, and are adapted to guide research and practices of e-learning in different countries and various settings (e.g., STEM, public health education, medical education, professional development, etc.). She serves on the editorial board for highly regarded scholarly journals, and plays active leadership roles in international professional organizations (e.g, AECT, AERA, AACE, IEEE, etc.). She has delivered keynotes and invited talks in Chile, China, Malaysia, UAE, and USA. She co-chaired a major international conference, E-learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education in 2010, and recently served as a Program Co-chair for American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2015 in Division C Learning and Instruction. Dr. Zhang has consulted for international organizations like the World Bank, national government and agencies (e.g., Singapore's Ministry of Education), corporations and educational institutions, both in USA and overseas, on e-learning design, development and evaluation projects, as well as national/international/regional e-learning/mobile learning initiatives. Inquiries are welcome by email to ke.zhang@wayne.edu