International
President Elect

Richard Bair
University of Miami

With more than twenty years of experience in instructional design and classroom instruction in K-12, post-secondary and corporate environments, Dr. Rik Bair is the Executive Director of the Distance Learning Institute in the Division of Continuing and International Education at the University of Miami.  After earning a Ph.D. in Education that specialized in Instructional Design for Online Learning from Capella University, Dr. Bair became a professor and the chair of an online Ed.D. Educational Leadership track that focused on Instructional Technology and Design at Frostburg State University in Maryland.

A former Talk Radio co-host of “Instructional Design Matters,” Dr. Bair has also served as president of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology’s International Virtual Chapter. In 2016 Dr. Bair led the Miami Scholas Labs Jam team in a five-international-city Vatican competition that culminated in the presentation of a Global Educational Initiative to Pope Francis that would provide distance learning opportunities to every learner in the world. Dr. Bair is currently a member of the Australian Institute for Training and Development organization and the International Council for Educational Media.

Dr. Bair has developed innovative technology-infused curriculum in traditional and online classrooms for domestic and international learning environments. As an innovator, Dr. Bair is passionate about disrupting the educational landscape by revolutionizing post-secondary distance learning program development to include credit/non-credit certificates, micro-credentials, and digital badges. Dr. Bair believes these programs must be grounded in applied project-based learning to help global learners adapt with automated technology in the workforce.

Statement
As president, I would serve and help the International Division grow by encouraging the input of global experts and sharing their diverse success stories. Also, I would listen for expressed needs and implied concerns from designers and developers nationwide. As a member of international educational organizations and global distance learning initiatives, I would seek to emphasize the shared knowledge and expertise from previous and current collaborations. As a seasoned international author and presenter, I bring a sensitivity and understanding of cultural distinctions and traditions. The next decade will see unprecedented global growth in post-secondary learners and this will be a critical time for international collaboration and design to provide timely knowledge and skills development.


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