AECT
President Elect

Xun Ge
University of Oklahoma - Download Profile/Vita


Hello, my name is Xun Ge, and I am Professor of Instructional Psychology and Technology in the Department of Educational Psychology, Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma. I am also a former department chair. I hold a PhD in Instructional Systems from the Pennsylvania State University. I am honored to be nominated as one of the candidates for AECT President-Elect.  


Background – Teaching, Research, & Service

At the University of Oklahoma, I teach courses related to instructional design, cognition and instruction, and designing open-ended learning environments (such as problem- or project-based learning, virtual learning communities, game-based learning, and makerspace learning).

My primary research focuses on designing effective learning environments and technology tools to scaffold complex and ill-structured problem solving, self-regulation, and co-regulation.  Currently I am working on a grant funded project focusing on guided inquiry design and makerspace learning supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  My scholarly inquiry shows an effort to bridge learning, design, and assessment, and cognition, motivation, and epistemic beliefs. I have conducted extensive research in STEAM education, and I have collaborated with researchers and scholars from diverse disciplines around the world. I have published two co-edited books, 50 articles in refereed journal (most of them in top-tier journals), 20 book chapters, as well as countless conference proceedings and presentations.  I have also won several AECT awards and other national/international awards, including 2012 Outstanding Journal Article, 2004 Outstanding Journal Article, and 2003 Young Scholar Award.
  
My affiliation with AECT goes back to 1998 when I attended the AECT conference for the first time as a new doctoral student. I have been deeply involved in AECT in various ways since then. I was selected as an AECT intern in 2000. In addition to being an AECT presenter and participant, I have also provided various services to AECT at various capacities: a conference reviewer (including Outstanding Journal Articles), a mentor for AECT Early Career Symposium, a conference panelist or facilitator, and an ETR&D board member (twice).  Furthermore, I have also provided other professional services at national and international level, such as serving as the co-editor for Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, former Chair for AERA Problem-based Learning Special Interest Group, and mentor for AERA Division C and Design & Technology Special Interest Group.  Besides, I have also provided editorial board services to some other top-tier journals, such as Contemporary Educational Psychology, Instructional Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Learning, and The Internet and Higher Education.


Vision, Goals, and Objectives

My vision is to strengthen AECT’s leadership in the field of instructional design and educational technology through

  1. Advancing research and scholarship
  2. Grounding Instructional design practice in theories and empirical evidence
  3. Nurturing a younger generation of scholars, practitioners, and leaders
  4. Increasing AECT participation/involvement
  5. Fostering international connections


We can execute these five goals through achieving the following objectives:

  • Create a platform and a mechanism to encourage interdisciplinary, cross-institutional, cross-context, and international collaboration. (Goal 1, 2, and 5)
  • Enhance connection among researchers, scholars, educators, practitioners, and international members. (Goal 1, 2, and 5)
  • Encourage open-source publications (Goal 1 and 2).  The open-source publications include
    • books and articles on models, guides, and tools, which are practical to practitioners and beneficial to AECT members; and
    • books and articles that advance theories and empirical research.
  • Enhance connections among theory, research and practice. (Goal 1 and 2)
  • Support for faculty development at various stages of their career (Goal 3), and examples include Early Career Symposium, Grant-writing Workshops for Mid-career faculty, etc.
  • Enhance support for doctoral students' mentoring programs (e.g., offering online seminars; opening up opportunities for research projects) to prepare them for various roles in the future (Goal 3)
  • Provide multiple channels for AECT members to participate in the conference. (Goal 4)
  • Provide support for AECT members who are caregivers to attend the conference. (Goal 4)
  • Strengthen relationships with the international AECT groups and reach out to more diverse international audience. (Goal 5)


I believe that by achieving these goals and objectives, AECT can be more appealing to its members and attractive to its potential members, playing a larger and more influential role in the field.


Conclusion – AECT leads

AECT will continue to thrive and maintain its leadership position in the field of instructional design and technology if we are able to uphold the following values:

Activate our minds, open to new ideas, initiate changes, and promote creativity and innovation in our research, scholarship, and practice.

Embrace different voices, different perspectives, and diverse cultural values in our research, scholarship, and practice.

Connect with colleagues across different disciplines, institutions, partners, and global communities, communicate and collaborate on projects of common interest.

Transform our learning experience, way of thinking, and make an impact on individuals and society through instructional design and technology.



Thank you for your support, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve you as your next AECT president.




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