eLearn Executive Committee & Program Committee

Program Chairs & Co-Chairs

Executive Committee

Chair: Curt Bonk, Indiana University, USA
Immediate Past Chair: Theo Bastiaens – Open University of The Netherlands, The Netherlands
Program Chair: Daniel Tan, Australia
Program Chair: Lillian Koh, The Fintech Nation, Singapore
Kumiko Aoki, Open University of Japan
Melinda Dela Peña Bandalaria, University go the Philippines Open University
Abtar Darshan Singh, Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation
Jon Mason, Charles Darwin University, Australia
Elaine Khoo, Massey University, New Zealand
Sanjaya Mishra, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada
Trang Phan, California State University, USA
Michael Searson, Kean University, USA
Sarah Benson, AACE
Gary Marks, AACE

SIG Chairs

E-Learning Trends and Innovations SIG

Designing, Developing, and Assessing E-Learning SIG

Sustainable Learning Technologies SIG

Curtis Bonk, Indiana University, USA

Executive Committee Member: Chair

Biography: Curt Bonk (http://curtbonk.com/) is Professor at Indiana University teaching psychology and technology courses. Drawing on his background as a corporate controller, CPA, educational psychologist, and instructional technologist, Bonk offers insights into the intersection of business, education, psychology, and technology. His blog is “TravelinEdMan” and his books include, The World Is Open, Empowering Online Learning, The Handbook of Blended Learning, Electronic Collaborators, Adding Some TEC-VARIETY (free as an eBook http://tec-variety.com/), and, MOOCs and Open Education Around the World (http://www.moocsbook.com/).

Immediate Past Chair- Theo Bastiaens, Open University of The Netherlands, The Netherlands

Executive Committee Member: Immediate Past Chair

Biography: Theo Bastiaens is rector magnificus of the Open University in the Netherlands. Bastiaens specific research interest is in Instructional Design and E-Learning. He has published extensively in this area.

Kumiko Aoki, Open University

Executive Committee Member

Dr. Kumiko Aoki, currently a Professor of Informatics at the Open University of Japan (OUJ), as well as the manager of the research unit leading projects concerning virtual learning commons and micro credentials. She has built a distinguished academic career blending education, communication, and information technology. She embarked on this path after earning her Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences from the University of Hawaii. Dr. Aoki’s early academic roles included serving as an Assistant Professor of Information Technology at Rochester Institute of Technology (1995-1998) and as an Assistant Professor of Communication at Boston University (1998-2003).

d Studies (SOKENDAI). Her journey continued as NIME merged into the Open University of Japan in April 2009. At OUJ, Dr. Aoki’s commitment to enhancing educational accessibility and effectiveness is evident. She advocates for open and flexible teaching and learning methodologies, harnessing the power of digital media, social informatics, and e-learning. A pioneer in online education, she has played a crucial role in advancing both asynchronous and synchronous learning modalities at OUJ. Dr. Aoki’s recent research delves into the innovative use of metaverse and AI technologies, aiming to enrich lifelong and life-wide learning experiences.

Abtar Darshan Singh, Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation

Executive Committee Member

Biography: Prof. Abtar Darshan Singh is a renowned academic with over thirty years of experience in education, particularly in educational technology. Her career includes significant roles as a Dean and Professor at various prestigious institutions globally, including Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, University Malaya, Open University Malaysia. She is an alumni of Syracuse and Indiana University. Currently, she advises the Digital Learning Hub at APU and holds a UNESCO Chair focused on leveraging innovative technologies for teacher support and quality learning. A prolific author, Prof. Singh has made substantial contributions to educational innovation and reform through numerous publications. Her research addresses the challenges in education posed by globalization and technology.

Sanjaya Mishra, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada

Executive Committee Member

Biography: Sanjaya Mishra is a leading scholar in open, distance and online learning, with extensive experience in teaching, staff development, research, policy development, innovation and organizational development. With a multi-disciplinary background in education, information science, communication media, and learning and development, Dr. Mishra is a champion for open access to knowledge resources developed with public funds. He has designed and developed several award-winning online courses and platforms, including the Commonwealth of Learning’s Commonwealth Digital Education Leadership Training in Action and COL commons.

Mike Searson,

Executive Committee Member

Biography: Dr. Michael Searson is an accomplished educator and administrator with nearly 50 years of experience in the field of education. He has served in various roles, including as a classroom teacher, higher education faculty, and academic leadership positions, often in global settings. He is passionate about creating innovative learning environments–domestically and internationally–and shaping the future of education. Searson is an editor and author of the recently published Exploring New Horizons: Generative Artificial Intelligence & Teacher Education (AACE, 2024). At Kean University, he served as a faculty member, a dean, and in other leadership positions for 37 years. He has led significant technology and online learning initiatives at Kean and beyond, including projects with Apple, Google, Facebook, & Microsoft. Searson has also worked internationally (across nearly 20 countries), assisting with founding Wenzhou Kean University in China, leading study abroad trips, working on school projects in China, and delivering presentations worldwide focused on tech integration and pedagogy. As an author or co-author, Dr. Searson has secured about $12 million in grants to support innovative ed-tech programs, often supporting diverse communities. Additionally, he has published extensively in articles and books, often highlighting learning technologies. He has served in leadership positions for multiple state, national, and international education organizations. After retiring from Kean, Searson worked in leadership roles focused on ed-tech projects, including STEAM and AI in China and with AACE. He is a past president of SITE. LinkedIn

Program Committee

Caroline Akhras, Notre Dame Univ., Lebanon
Mara Alagic, Wichita State Univ., United States
Naglaa Ahmed Ali, Emirates College for Advanced Education, United Arab Emirates
Naji AlQbailat, Princess Alia Univ. College, Al-Balqa’ Applied Univ., Jordan
Panagiotes Anastasiades, Univ. of Crete, Greece
Yayoi Anzai, Aoyama Gakuin Univ., Japan
Leanna Archambault, Arizona State Univ., United States
Anne-Marie Armstrong, Retired, Freelance Instructional Designer, United States
Giovanna Avellis
Jo Axe, Royal Roads Univ., Canada
Hua Bai, Northeastern Illinois Univ., United States
Michael Barbour, Touro Univ. California, United States
William Barry, ,
James Bartlett, North Carolina State Univ., United States
Theo Bastiaens, Open Universiteit Netherlands, Netherlands
Scott Beckstrand, College of Southern Nevada, United States
marie bertola, ,
Rebecca Blankenship, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical Univ., United States
Liza Braunlich, Purdue Univ., United States
Evelyn R Brown, Wiley College, United States
Sandra Brown, Broward County Public School/State Dept TGC Fellow, United States
Kim L Brown-Jackson, National Graduate School, United States
Lucy Bush, Mercer Univ., United States
Janice Cardwell, Capella Univ., United States
Glendia Cartwright, Post Univ., United States
Yin Ling Cheung, Nanyang Technological Univ., Singapore
Lisa Clark, CUNY Kingsborough Community College, United States
Denis Coelho, Univ. of Beira Interior, Portugal
Nellie Deutsch, Univ. of Phoenix, Canada
Martin Ebner, Ed. Technology Graz Univ. of Technology, Austria
Karen Ferreira-Meyers, Univ. of Swaziland, Institute of Distance Education, Swaziland
Solen Feyissa, Univ. of Minnesota, Twin Cities, United States
Aikyna Finch, Strayer Univ., United States
Janette Hill, Univ. of Georgia, United States
Curtis Ho, Univ. of Hawaii, United States
Hui-Yin Hsu, New York Institute of Technology, United States
Kun Huang, Univ. of North Texas Health Science Center, United States
Bowen Hui, Univ. of British Columbia Okanagan, Canada
Andrew Hunt, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock, United States
Rosanna Ibarra, New Era Univ., Philippines
Yi Jin, Kennesaw State Univ., United States
Pamela Johnson, Department of State, United States
Antonia Jokelova, SUNY Empire State College, United States
Jared Keengwe, Univ. of North Dakota, United States
Jolie Kennedy, Univ. of Minnesota, United States
Mi Song Kim, Univ. of Western Ontario, Canada
Seung Hyun Kim, Lewis Univ., United States
Daryl Ku, Univ. of Melbourne, Australia
Yu-Chun Kuo, Rowan Univ., United States
Tamer Kutluca
Richard N. Landers, Old Dominion Univ., United States
Wilfred W.F. Lau, The Chinese Univ. of Hong Kong, China
Mimi Miyoung Lee, Univ. of Houston, United States
Lesia Lennex, Morehead State Univ., United States
David Levine, St. Bonaventure Univ., United States
Hye-Yeon Lim, , Meng Fen Grace Lin, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
Fuchang Liu, Wichita State Univ., United States
Hwangji Lu, Ashford Univ., United States
Lisa Lynn, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, United States
Catherine McLoughlin, Australian Catholic Univ., Australia
Christina Metaxaki-Kossionides, Univ. of Thrace, Greece
Patrick O. Mose, Ohio Univ., United States
Hassan Mustafa, Educational Technology/Computer Science Department at College of Specified Education,Banha Univ., Banha – Egypt. Currently with Computer Engineering Department Al-Baha Univ..(Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ), Saudi Arabia
Thanh Truc Nguyen, Curriculum Research & Development Group, College of Education, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, United States
Sarah North, Univ. of Minnesota, United States
Marilyn Ochoa, Middlesex County College, United States
Robert Owens, Winston-Salem State Univ., United States
Jenny Pange, Univ. of Ioannina-Greece, Greece
Stefanie Panke, Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
Becky Sue Parton, Baylor Univ., United States
Joshua Patterson, Univ. of South Florida, United States
Susan Poyo, Franciscan Univ., United States
Torsten Reiners, Curtin Univ., Australia
Paul Resta, The Univ. of Texas at Austin, United States
Tom Reynolds, National Univ., United States
Guido Roessling, TU Darmstadt, Germany
Allison Rossett, San Diego State Univ., United States
Jaime Sánchez, Univ. of Chile, Chile
Joyce Seitzinger, Faculty of Health, Deakin Univ., New Zealand
Feng-Ru Sheu, Kent State Univ., United States
Christine Smith, , Canada
David Stock, Cayman Islands Civil Service College, Cayman Islands
Bude Su, California State Univ., Monterey Bay, United States
Helen Tracy, Hemsley Fraser, United Kingdom
Christoph Trattner, Knowledge Management Institute and Institute for Information Systems and Computer Media Graz Univ. of Technology Graz, Austria, Austria
Mathy Vanbuel, ATiT, Belgium
María J. Verdú, Univ. of Valladolid, Spain
Rebecca Vivian, The Univ. of Adelaide, Australia
Harris Wang, Athabasca Univ., Canada
Jane Watkins, Limestone College, United States
David Webster, Univ. of Gloucestershire, United States
Edgar R. Weippl, Vienna Univ. of Technology, Austria
Sandra Williamson-Leadley, Univ. of Canterbury School of Education, Health and Human Development, New Zealand
Jodi Wilton, RCSD #81, Canada
Junko Yamamoto, Slippery Rock Univ. of Pennsylvania, United States
Jack Fei Yang, St. John’s Univ., Taiwan
Melda Yildiz, New York Institute of Technology, United States
Adrian Zappala, Peirce College, United States