Prof. Charles Graham, Brigham Young University, USA

Title for Keynote speech: Facilitating Institution and Faculty Adoption of Blended Learning

Charles R. Graham is a Professor of Instructional Psychology and Technology at Brigham Young University with interest in technology-mediated teaching and learning.  Charles studies the design and evaluation of online and blended learning environments and the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning. Charles has authored 50+ articles in over two-dozen journals and 20+ chapters related to online and blended learning in edited books. Much of his research is conducted with graduate students who he loves to work with and mentor. Charles has co-edited two books on blended learning research (Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs and Blended Learning: Research Perspectives, Volume 2). He has also co-authored a book for teachers and practitioners interested in designing blended learning environments (Essentials for Blended Learning: A Standards-based Guide) and a book on research methods for young researchers learning to do research in online and blended learning contexts (Conducting Research in Online and Blended Learning Environments: New Pedagogical Frontiers).

Dr. Ruth Newberry, Blackboard

Title for Keynote speech: Assessment + Technology = Actionable Results: Automating Your Assurance of Learning of Process with Blackboard’s Assessment Solution

Dr. Ruth Newberry joined the Blackboard Consulting team in 2014 with more than 25 years of Higher Ed professional experience in teaching traditional and non-traditional students and in classroom, hybrid, and online modalities, as well as in the areas of curriculum and assessment, instructional technology, student success, faculty development, and educational technology management and leadership.  In addition to her consulting role at Blackboard, she continues to facilitate various workshops for the Online Learning Consortium. Dr. Newberry has a Ph.D. in English and a background in curriculum development, learner assessment, pedagogy, and retention which began with her MA and BA in English and Secondary Education Certification.  She is a published author and has presented at IUP-Annual Assessment Conference, Educause, Online Learning Consortium, CCCC, Blackboard World. She earned two teaching awards, a Presidential Award for Service, the Sloan-C Certificate of Online Learning, a Sloan-C Best in Track Award for Student Services and is an Educause Leadership Institute alum, Quality Matters certified, and a Middle States Team evaluator.

 

Speakers:

Prof. Hassan Selim, UAE University – CETL

Hassan M. Selim joined UAE University in 1997 as an assistant professor of Management Information Systems (MIS) in the Department of Business administration in the AACSB-accredited College of Business & Economics at the UAE University. He has more than 35 years of academic experience working at all levels higher education. He has been a Department Chair, a Chair of several committees at the department, college, and university levels. His teaching interests include Management of Technology & Innovation, Computer Applications in Business, Information Systems Analysis & Design, eCommerce, Enterprise Information Systems and Strategic Information Systems at undergraduate and graduate levels.

He is the director of the UAEU Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL). CETL is leading major UAEU’s initiatives such as Faculty Professional Development, Blended Learning, eTextbooks Project, Blended Course Transformation process, and introduction of instructional technologies.

 

Dr. Pedro Longart Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE

Dr. Pedro Longart is the Business Divisional Chair in Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Al Ain Men’s Campus. Dr. Longart is also System Wide Course Team Leader for courses in the Quality Management major. Most of his Higher Education experience is in the UK where he has FHEA qualification. He also worked in Ecuador where he researched on different areas, specially hospitality and tourism. His main area of research has been in the context of the hospitality industry, particularly restaurants in the ambit of consumer research. He has written papers regarding word-of-mouth, social media marketing and consumer decision making process. However, he is a versatile researcher and educator in business, having taught different courses in several areas such as marketing, strategic management, facilities management and basic statistics/finance. Dr. Longart’s PhD thesis uses a modern methodology for consumer research: conjoint analysis and have delivered presentations in HCT regarding this methodology. Dr. Longart has been an entrepreneur and manager with  wide industry experience having worked in engineering, wholesale, retail and hospitality industries.

 

 

Dr. Zoheir Ezziane, Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE

Zoheir Ezziane received his BS in Computer Science from USTHB-Algeria, MS in Computer Science from UCF, and PhD in Engineering from FAU. He developed two operational software packages using AI. He supervised many projects funded by NSF (USA) and the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former research fellow at Harvard, Oxford, ICL, Stanford, & Yale. Currently, Zoheir is managing the learning resources center at HCT, and conducting research in multidisciplinary fields including learning analytics and machine learning.