Go Back to View All Candidates

Distance Learning
President Elect:

Swapna Kumar

University of Florida


I am a Clinical Associate Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Florida (UF), where I have led the design and implementation of the online EdD in Educational Technology since 2009. My research focuses on online doctoral education, online pedagogy, online mentoring, and online program quality, with an emphasis on connections between theory, research, and practice.

As a Division of Distance Learning (DDL) member since 2011, I have supported DDL initiatives and volunteer whenever possible. I have served as a conference proposal and awards reviewer, such as the DDL Best Practice Award, Crystal Award or Journal Award. I was a corecipient of the 2020 DDL Best Practice Award and the 2019 and 2020 Best Qualitative Journal Article Awards respectively. Recently, I served on the planning committee and led the proposal review for the Online/Blended learning track at the AECT- India Summer Research Symposium 2020 (now postponed to 2022).

Currently, I am co-editing a Brill/AECT book on “Quality in Online Programs” in the series Leadership and Best Practices in Educational Technology management. I review for Educational Technology Research and Development (ETRD) and edited a special issue of TechTrends. I encourage my dissertation advisees to participate and benefit from the various opportunities provided by AECT. As an online program leader, online instructor, and researcher, I have found presenting, participating, and collaborating with colleagues at AECT to be an enriching experience.

As President-Elect, I would expand on the work already being done by DDL leadership, and further strengthen opportunities for collaborations among DDL members. I am passionate about bridging cultures and countries in my work, and have international teaching/research experience that would benefit the DDL community(e.g., Visiting Professor in Germany; Fulbright Scholar in Hungary; collaboration with the United Kingdom Council of Graduate Education). I would like to strengthen DDL members’ international collaboration opportunities for further exchange amongst our diverse community.

I led faculty development and a team of Instructional Designers in the past, therefore support and understanding for the roles of instructional designers is important to me. As President-Elect, it would be important to address new needs of members that might have emerged following the COVID-19 pandemic and explore resources for the well-being of instructional designers, scholars, and students involved in online teaching and learning. Finally, based on my research on online graduate mentoring, I would also be interested in expanding and strengthening existing mentoring opportunities for DDL members.







  Go Back to View All Candidates
  - OR -
  Cast Your Vote Now.


Address: 320 W. 8th Street, Suite 101
Bloomington, IN 47404-3745
Toll Free: 877-677-2328
Phone: 812-335-7675
Email: aect@aect.org