Presenters

CONFERENCE PRESENTERS:

Helen L. Chen, Ph.D. is a researcher at the Center for Design Research in the School of Engineering and the Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning (SCIL) within the Human-Sciences Technologies Advanced Research Institute at Stanford University. She earned her undergraduate degree in communication studies from UCLA and her PhD in communication with a minor in psychology from Stanford University. Through collaborations with national and international researchers, she co-led the development of Folio Thinking, a reflective practice that situates and guides the effective use of learning portfolios. Helen is a founding member and co-facilitator of EPAC, an international community of practice focusing on pedagogical and technological issues related to ePortfolios broadly defined. Helen works closely with the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Association of Authentic, Experiential Evidence-Based Learning and serves on the editorial board for the International Journal of ePortfolio. Her current research interests focus on the applications of Folio Thinking pedagogy and practices in general education and the disciplines to facilitate teaching, learning, and assessment, engineering education and the evaluation of technology-augmented learning spaces.
 

Simone C. O. Conceição, Ph.Dis an associate professor of Adult and Continuing Education and teaches courses in the areas of distance education, use of technology with adult learners, instructional design, and principles and foundations of adult learning.

She has co-authored the book 147 Practical Tips for Teaching Online Groups: Essentials for Web-Based Education, and is the editor of Teaching Strategies in the Online Environment. Most recently, she co-authored Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners and Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success both published by Jossey-Bass.

Dr. Conceição’s research interests include adult learning, distance education, impact of technology on teaching and learning, instructional design, learning objects, and staff development and training. She was born in Brazil and has lived in the United States since 1989. Her diverse background brings an international perspective to the fields of education and training. She has researched and identified many aspects of good practice in online environments, and is an expert in helping instructors and trainers understand web-based technology tools, software, and design processes. She received the 2006 Early Career Award from the Commission of Professors of Adult Education.
 

Rita-Marie Conrad, Ph.D. is an online educator for several universities as well as senior consultant for the Learning Resources Network (LERN). She began her online career and spent over a decade at Florida State University (FSU) where she assisted in the development and led two online programs in the College of Education: the Instructional Systems major in Performance Improvement and Human Resource Development, and the Instructional Systems major in Open and Distance Learning. While at FSU, Dr. Conrad also served as the head of online instructional development for the School of Information Studies. She has designed and taught online courses on topics such as online collaboration, learning theories, designing online instruction, teaching online, and developing eLearning strategies for training programs.

Dr. Conrad consults on the design and implementation of online courses and evaluation of online programs. She interacts with hundreds of faculty as an online instructor for courses such as Designing Online Instruction sponsored by the Learning Resources Network (LERN). She has keynoted and provided workshops and presentations on a variety of online learning and teaching topics at conferences sponsored by organizations such as the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the University of Wisconsin, the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE), League of Innovation, the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT) and the North Carolina Distance Learning Association (NCDLA).

She co-authored two books with Judith Boettcher, Faculty Guide for Moving Teaching and Learning to the Web and The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips, published in 2010 by Jossey-Bass. She co-authored Engaging the Online Learner and Continuing to Engage the Online Learner (in press) with J. Ana Donaldson, and Assessing Learners Online with Albert Oosterhof and Donald Ely.
 

J. Ana Donaldson is currently teaching part-time for Walden University in their online Ph.D. 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 experience in creating web supported learning environments, she is a published author, keynote speaker, and international presenter. She is co-author with Rita-Marie Conrad of Engaging the Online Learner: Activities for Creative Instruction, published by Jossey-Bass. Her publishing credits also include a chapter co-authored with Sharon Smaldino and Mary Herring titled “Professional ethics: Rules applied to practice” in R. R Reiser and J. V. Dempsey (Eds.) book Trends and issues in instruction design and technology, Third Edition. Ana also co-authored the Managing chapter with Sharon Smaldino and P. Pearson in the Al Januszewski (Ed.), Educational technology: An analysis and explanation of the concept field definition book. Ana is the AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) president for 2011-2012 and is currently planning the AECT International Conference in Jacksonville, Florida for Nov. 8-12, 2011.
 

Henry J. Eyring serves as the Advancement vice president at BYU-Idaho, a university featured in the book The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of Higher Education from the Inside Out, which Henry co-authored with Clayton Christensen. Henry formerly led BYU-Idaho’s online learning activities. He participated in the founding of Western Governors University and is a former director of the MBA program at BYU’s Marriott School of Management and a trustee at Southern Utah University.
 

Jonathan Finkelstein is founder and executive producer of LearningTimes. He is the author of Learning in Real Time (Jossey-Bass), which translates well over a dozen years of experience facilitating online learning into a practical resource guide for anyone facilitating or teaching online. Finkelstein also authored the chapter on live online outreach in The Digital Museum: A Think Guide, published by the American Association of Museums (AAM). As the founder of the first online certification program on real-time online instruction, Jonathan shares his expertise leading effective events and building community with education professionals around the globe.

Finkelstein is the moderator and producer of many live webcasts, online conferences and 3D virtual world events for education, training, library, and museum professionals. He serves as a member of the board of the Media and Technology Committee of the American Association of Museums, and is a well-known online voice facilitating online learning conversations in numerous interactive formats. Finkelstein is the son of two New York City public school teachers, is a Certified Synchronous Training Professional (CSTP), and received his AB degree with honors from Harvard University.
 

John Ittelson, Ph.D. is Director of Outreach to the California Virtual Campus. John’s primary interest is in ePortfolio development. Additionally, he consults to the CalStateTEACH Project for Cal State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). John was a faculty member for 30 years, first at CSU Chico and then as a founding faculty member at CSUMB. Additionally, he sits on the Boards of: Access Monterey Peninsula Cable Consortium, the CA ASCD: Pacific Metrics and the National Board of the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CLIC). John has been appointed as an Apple Distinguished Educator, an Adobe Educational Leader and serves as the co-facilitator of the EPAC, a national group focused on using ePortfolios. He is also the co-chair of the Academic ePortfolio Workgroup for PESC. 

Kevin Johnson is the CEO of The Cutting Ed, Inc., a consulting company that specializes in helping clients envision education and training for the 21st century. He has more than 20 years experience working in education and figuring out how to use technology to his advantage.

Kevin is co-author with Susan Manning of Online Education for Dummies published by Wiley, and The Technology Toolbelt for Teaching published by Jossey-Bass.
 

Rosemary M. Lehman, Ph.D. is an author and consultant in the field of distance education and a partner in eInterface. She has 20 years experience working for the University of Wisconsin-Extension – as Senior Outreach and Distance Education Specialist and Manager of the Instructional Communications Systems Learning Design and Outreach Team. In these positions, Rosemary taught online and supervised faculty, staff, government, and non-profit personnel in selecting, designing for, and using distance education technologies effectively. She received her doctorate in Distance Education and Adult Learning, and her Master’s in Television and Media Critique, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Rosemary authored The Essential Videoconferencing Guide: 7 Keys to Success, edited Using Distance Education Technology: Effective Practices, and co-authored 147 Practical Tips for Synchronous and Blended Technology Teaching and Learning. Most recently, she co-authored Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners, and Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success, published by Jossey-Bass.

Dr. Lehman’s research interests and areas of expertise include instructional design; synchronous and blended technologies; perception, emotion, and cognition at a distance; educational applications for media and technology; the development and integration of learning objects; and technology accessibility. Rosemary has led numerous workshops on distance education, keynoted and presented at statewide, national, and international conferences, and was the recipient of the 2005 University of Wisconsin-Extension Award for Excellence in distance education and leadership. 
 

Tracy Penny Light, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies and History departments at St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo (Canada). Prior to joining the faculty at St. Jerome’s, Tracy managed strategic learning projects for the Associate Vice President of Learning Resources and Innovation at the University of Waterloo, a position that included introducing electronic portfolios to the campus in a number of programs, such as Accounting and Financial Management, History, Co-operative Education, and Residence Life. Tracy’s ongoing research focuses on ePortfolio implementation and the ability for reflection in ePortfolios to transform the student experience. Tracy also co-authored with Helen Chen the monograph Electronic Portfolios and Student Success: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Learning, published by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (2010) and sits on the Board of Directors for the Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-Based Learning (AAEEBL). 
 

Susan Manning teaches online courses for the University of Wisconsin at Stout and the University of Illinois’ Illinois Online Network in online learning, instructional design, technology tools, the synchronous classroom, and group work online. She has taught hundreds of faculty, including international faculty from Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Vietnam and Russia.

Susan puts her teaching and development skills to work as a producer for LearningTimes, LLC, also. She also helps coordinate synchronous online conferences, but her favorite role is training presenters to enter the brave new world of presenting online. Finally, she can be heard regularly on The LearningTimes GreenRoom podcast www.ltgreenroom.org , a series she co-hosts with friend Dan Balzer as they examine issues and topics related to learning. Susan is co-author with Kevin E. Johnson of Online Education for Dummies published by Wiley, and The Technology Toolbelt for Teaching published by Jossey-Bass.
 

Rena Palloff, Ph.D. and Keith Pratt, Ph.D. are the managing partners of Crossroads Consulting Group, working with academic institutions and business and professional organizations in the development and delivery of effective online education and training programs. Rena and Keith are program directors and faculty in the Teaching in the Virtual Classroom program at Fielding Graduate University, a graduate level academic certificate program that trains instructors to teach online. They are the authors seven books including the 1999 Frandson Award winning book Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace: Effective Strategies for the Online Classroom; Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom; The Virtual Student; Collaborating Online: Learning Together in Community; Building Virtual Learning Communities; Assessing the Online Learner; and The Excellent Online Instructor, all published by Jossey-Bass. The books are comprehensive guides to the development of an online environment that helps promote successful learning outcomes while fostering collaboration and building a sense of community among the learners. Drs. Palloff and Pratt have been presenting this work across the United States and internationally since 1994. 
 

Clark Quinn, Ph.D., has led the design of award-winning online content, educational computer games, and websites, as well as adaptive, mobile, and performance support systems. A recognized scholar and international speaker, Clark has also written three books: Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Game and Designing mLearning: Tapping into the Mobile Revolution for Organizational Performance, both published by Pfeiffer, and The Mobile Academy: mLearning for Higher Education published by Jossey-Bass. Clark works for clients in organizational learning strategy as a founding member of the Internet Time Alliance and in learning experience design via Quinnovation.
 

Robin M. Smith, Ph.D., author of Conquering the Content: A Step-by-Step Guide to Online Course Design, began in eLearning in 1997 when she put her biology laboratory course online (the 2nd online lab in the nation). She immediately began teaching other faculty how to design online courses. Dr. Smith initiated and established a Center for Web-based Learning including developing policies, procedures, course templates, intellectual property agreements, and contracts for online course development. The practices she established are still functional today. Dr. Smith’s visionary understanding of how to facilitate rapid course development is still considered forward-thinking over a decade later. Robin has designed hundreds of online courses and served as instructional design consultant on numerous federal grants and contracts. Her passion is facilitating workshops in which faculty learn practical and easy-to-manage ways to organize and present their course content for effective learning experiences all while ensuring their course will be easily updateable in the future. If your course content is not chunked, a few minutes with Robin will provide you with a long list of advantages, for you and your students, to presenting your content this way—both online and face-to-face.