Author Biographical Sketches

Naomi Boyer is Director of Distance Education for the Lakeland Campus of the University of South Florida. As a faculty member, she both teaches and assists instructors with the process of building and converting courses to Web-based environments. Current course expertise includes: adult learning techniques, social learning theory, online learning, leadership, and instructional technology. General research protocols include the development of a model for social, self-directed learning in online programs and the use of such a model with courses and programs. Extensive work has been done on grant development utilizing instructional technology and Web-based media to create interdisciplinary partnerships, community collaboration, and innovative projects.Dianne Conrad is an Assistant Professor of adult education at the University of New Brunswick where she is responsible for the distance delivery of a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education program.Connie Cassarino has been designing and developing technology-based instruction for 16 years. In her current position, she is an instructional designer for IBM Center for Advanced Learning. Cassarino is completing a doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education at Nova Southeastern University.Michael Harrington, an assistant instructor in the University of Florida’s Office of Academic Technology, teaches and develops programs in instructional technology for faculty and graduate teaching assistants.Tracy Irani, an assistant professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, teaches and conducts research in the areas of consumer behavior, media effects, and distance education.Heather Kanuka is Assistant Professor and Associate Director of the Learning Commons at the University of Calgary, Canada. The Learning Commons provides services to the university community for faculty development in teaching and learning, distance delivery, and multimedia and video production.James D. Klein is a Professor of Educational Technology at Arizona State University in Tempe. His teaching, research, and consulting activities are in the areas of instructional design, strategies for active learning, and human performance improvement. Klein is a member and vice president of research for the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI). He is co-leading an IBSTPI project to disseminate competencies for instructors in face-to-face and online settings.Christi Scherler, a communications coordinator for a local agricultural cooperative, assisted with distance education research while in graduate school.Charles A. Schlosser, Ph.D., is Program Professor of Instructional Technology and Distance Education in the Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services at Nova Southeastern University, were he teaches courses in distance education and instructional media. He is co-editor of the Quarterly Review of Distance Education and managing editor of Distance Learning magazine.Doug Shale has published extensively on a variety of issues in distance education, but he has a particular interest in the conceptualization of distance education and in the administration and management of this enterprise. His current research interest in this field pertains to how to create and sustain open and distance learning systems in small developing nations.Hae-Deok Song is a Ph.D. candidate in the Instructional Systems Program at The Pennsylvania State University.Ricky Telg, an associate professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, teaches on and conducts research in the areas of communication and distance education.Major Daniel Uribe is Director of Operations of the Department of Foreign Languages at the United States Air Force Academy. During article preparation, he was a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe. His research interests include computer mediated collaboration, problem-based learning and distributed learning systems.Lya Visser, Ph.D., is Director of Training at the Learning Development Institute (http://www.learndev.org/). She has a rich experience in learning and working in distance education environments in different continents and in a variety of exciting circumstances. Her professional interest and background is in the development of effective learning systems. With Yusra Laila Visser, she has written Using Integrated Student Support Systems in Distance Education, to be published in 2004.Yusra Laila Visser, Ph.D., is a faculty member at Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Educational Technology and Research department. In this capacity, she engages in research and teaching, as well as working on the development and implementation of the department’s new Ph.D. program in Educational Technology and Research. In addition to her role as faculty member at FAU, Yusra serves a vice president and researcher for the Learning Development Institute (LDI). She has extensive consulting experience and has worked on instructional design and deployment of training modules, courses, and academic programs.