Simon Fraser University
Visiting Professor, University of São Paulo
Founder and CEO (Network Leader), TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence (TL*NCE)
Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University
Senior Research Associate (Online Education), Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Assistant Professor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Consultant (online pedagogy and small‑group discussion design), University of Phoenix
Research Associate, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Professor emerita and pioneer of online learning best known for developing Online Collaborative Learning (OCL, also called Collaborativism), leading some of the earliest fully online university courses (OISE/University of Toronto, 1986), architecting the Virtual‑U learning environment (begun 1993), and founding/leading Canada’s TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence (1995–2003). Her scholarship (six books and numerous articles) links learning theory, pedagogy, and technology design, with recent work on discourse analytics and how AI, AR, and VR can augment human collaborative learning. She served for decades at Simon Fraser University’s School of Communication and has delivered 100+ invited keynotes worldwide.
A learning theory for networked environments in which students collaboratively build knowledge through structured discourse. OCL highlights three iterative phases—idea generating, idea organizing, and intellectual convergence—guided by an instructor who connects learners to the knowledge community. Emphasizes technology as an augmentation of human agency rather than a replacement.
A methodological framework for analyzing online learning discourse to make collaborative knowledge building visible to teachers, learners, and researchers. Focuses on patterns of contribution, conceptual change, and quality of ideas within OCL activities.
The Internet and Higher Education • Journal
Traces the historical development of online education and argues for a paradigmatic shift toward networked, collaborative learning in higher education. Presents the Virtual‑U platform and large‑scale field‑trial data (thousands of students, hundreds of courses) to illustrate effective pedagogies and design features, and identifies signposts for future advances in online learning.
International Conference on the Learning Sciences (ICLS) • Conference
Introduces Virtual‑U, a WWW‑based learning environment designed to support advanced pedagogies emphasizing active learning, collaboration, multiplicity, and knowledge building. Describes tools for course design, group/individual activities, knowledge structuring, class management, and evaluation, and summarizes lessons from early user deployments.
Science Communication (formerly Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion, Utilization) • Journal
Case study of a two‑and‑a‑half‑month online research workshop linking 20 scholars in three countries via computer conferencing. Examines shared‑space design, effects of communication technologies on group interaction, supports for distributed groups, and implications of CMC for scholarly collaboration and knowledge work.
Canadian Journal of Educational Communication • Journal
Reports on two OISE graduate courses delivered via computer conferencing, analyzing student feedback on benefits and challenges. Discusses emerging learning strategies specific to computer‑mediated courses and identifies priorities for future research on instructional design, interaction, and evaluation in online higher education.
Routledge (Taylor & Francis) • Book
Provides a comprehensive overview of online learning: its historical roots, major learning theories, and design/evaluation principles. Synthesizes key advances in online education and links theory to practice. The revised edition updates global digital media data, adds a new chapter on connectivism, and reframes the Online Collaborative Learning chapter as “collaborativism,” including implications of artificial intelligence for learning design.
Routledge (Taylor & Francis) • Book
Introduces core learning theories (behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism) and their implications for e‑learning pedagogy, assessment, and technology design, offering a framework to distinguish approaches and connect research to online teaching practice. Written for undergraduate and graduate programs in education, communication, and instructional technology.
The MIT Press • Book
A comprehensive guide to using computer‑mediated communication (email, bulletin boards, conferencing, the Web) for primary through adult education. Surveys who is using learning networks, what can be taught online, successful pedagogical approaches, curriculum fit, teacher/learner roles, and offers detailed guidance for design and implementation, positioning CMC as a paradigm for education in the next century.
The MIT Press • Book
Edited volume examining implementation, application, and impacts of computer‑mediated communication worldwide. Contributions explore how networking technologies support communication and collaboration across policy, language, culture, and social network design, tracing the shift from research networks to broad social, educational, and business uses.
Praeger (Greenwood) • Book
Early foundational collection that frames educational computer‑mediated communication as a distinct environment requiring new theories, designs, and research methods. Chapters provide perspectives on theory, design, and methodology for email and computer conferencing in education, emphasizing the socially interactive nature of online learning and practical issues for effective use.