People

I have enjoyed 25 years of practical experience as an educator in traditional and online settings in higher education, post-graduate education, and other adult learning contexts. For the last 15 of those years, I have also been conducting interpretive educational research into teaching practices and learning processes. In my current role as a Teaching Associate Professor in Learning Technologies at the Department of C&I and the CEHD, my work is focused on advancing teaching and learning through practically-oriented scholarship. Teaching is the heart of my professional identity, and I use critical digital pedagogy to prioritize equity, inclusion, and learner agency.

I teach a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate level courses that explore sociocultural and sociotechnical dimensions of living and learning with technology. This includes courses on digital literacy, digital culture and learning, technology ethics, learning with social media, introduction to learning technologies (an interdisciplinary blend of learning sciences and learning experience design), distance education theory, online learning design and development, and research methodologies to investigate learning with tech.

I am deeply curious about the human-centered nature of learning with technology and the use of interpretive phenomenological research designs to better understand the learner experience and learning ecosystems. My current research projects are exploring emerging developments in educational uses of generative artificial intelligence, co-construction in higher education, and international initiatives in open and distance learning.

What can students expect of me?

My role allows me to prioritize teaching and direct work with students, like advising and mentorship. I believe that teaching should be centered on building relationships with students, among students, and even (ideally) helping students build a new relationship with learning through the connections made possible by technology. In striving to build trusted relationships with students, I position myself as a facilitator, co-learner, and supportive guide. In general, I see my biggest priorities as: 1) helping students navigate institutional opportunities and barriers as they pursue and achieve their educational goals, and 2) helping students gain self-efficacy and confidence in their ability to learn and to succeed. 

In today's digital age, we have abundant opportunities to leverage digital ecosystems (tools, processes, spaces, and networks) to connect with resources, people, and ideas. And so more specifically, I am very passionate about helping others learn how we all can use technology to explore our curiosities, pursue our passions, and learn more about anything, at any time, anywhere-- independently and (even more dynamically) with others. This requires that we all keep learning to advance our digital literacy, and it requires knowledgeable educators that are able to support students in learning how to learn (most effectively) with technology. This is my mission.

I welcome current and prospective students to contact me by email for more information about our academic programs in Learning Technologies and the courses I teach. And I am also eager to hear from students from across the University who may be interested in adding me as a faculty advisor or as a member of their master’s or doctoral committee.

Associations and Memberships

• American Educational Research Association (AERA)
• Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
• International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL)
• International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS)

Selected Awards

• 2023-2024 CEHD nominee for the Horace T. Morse – University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education
• 2022 – 2023 Editor’s Best Reviewer Award recipient in recognition of exemplary scholarly service to the Asian Journal of Distance Education
• 2022 Outstanding Contribution Award recipient from the Learner Engagement Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) for exceptional leadership and service
• 2020 CEHD Outstanding Achievement Award recipient for development of a new undergraduate minor program in Learning Technologies
• 2020 Outstanding Contribution Award recipient from the Learner Engagement Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology for leadership in establishing this new Division in the AECT organization
• 2020 GOGN Fred Mulder Awards – Joint Runner Up for Best Open Education Paper: "A global outlook to the interruption of education due to COVID-19 pandemic: Navigating in a time of uncertainty and crisis” (Bozkurt et al., 2020)
• 2020 “Top 10 Covid-19 ‘Good Reads’: Lessons for the Future” by the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) – No 2: A global outlook to the interruption of education due to COVID-19 pandemic: Navigating in a time of uncertainty and crisis
• 2016, 2014, 2013, and 2012 Department of Curriculum and Instruction nominee for the CEHD Distinguished Teaching Award

Courses Taught

• CI 1942 Social Media and the Changing Nature of Interaction
• CI 2311W Introduction to Technology and Ethics in Society
• CI 3342 Social Media and Connected Learning
• CI 4311W Technology and Ethics in Society
• CI 2312 Introduction to Digital Culture and Learning
• CI 4312 Digital Culture and Learning
• CI 5321 Foundations of Distance Education
• CI 5323 Online Learning Communities
• CI 5325 Designing and Developing Online Distance Learning
• CI 5331 Introduction to Learning Technologies
• CI 8196 Practicum in Teaching in Colleges of Education
• CI 8350 Advanced Readings and Research in Learning Technologies