International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame
American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Education
Commission of Professors of Adult Education (CPAE), AAACE
Professor Emerita in the Department of Administrative Leadership at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM). Her scholarship focuses on adult and distance education, online presence, online faculty workload, and learner support/retention in online environments. Conceição earned an M.A. in Administration and Development of Adult and Continuing Education from UWM and a Ph.D. in Adult Learning and Distance Education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is Editor‑in‑Chief of ACM’s eLearn Magazine and owner of SCOC Consulting, LLC. Contact: [email protected]. citeturn4view0turn8search2turn5search1turn1search0
A design‑for‑presence framework that helps instructors “be there” for distance learners by deliberately cultivating presence—via course design, facilitation, assessment, and media use—to enhance engagement, relationships, and persistence in online courses.
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education • Journal
Explores how technology—digital platforms, AI, and emerging tools—shapes nonformal and informal adult learning. Using a connectivist lens, the paper discusses benefits, limitations, and strategic applications of educational technologies to personalize access, support diverse adult learners, and forecast future implications and challenges for adult learning practice.
New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development • Journal
Phenomenological study (10 interviews) of high‑intensity telecommuters collaborating in virtual teams. Finds time is perceived as elastic; participants report increased effectiveness; initiative mediates social‑emotional challenges; perceptions of others shape experience; and informal interactions enhance a sense of presence. Implications offered for VHRD in the post‑COVID workplace.
The Journal of Applied Instructional Design • Journal
Case study of a school district’s SEL implementation using the CASEL framework through a trauma‑informed lens during COVID‑19. Describes implementation approach, supports, and lessons learned to address educator concerns about time and resources while advancing SEL at scale.
Asia Pacific Journal of Education • Journal
Survey of 801 Chinese university students during emergency remote learning. Technostress positively predicted intolerance of uncertainty (IU), emotional exhaustion, and academic inefficacy. IU partially mediated links between technostress and burnout dimensions; ICT competence moderated the indirect path to emotional exhaustion.
The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL) • Journal
Analyzes mid‑course Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ) responses from 70 students across six fully online master’s courses. CIQ enabled real‑time adjustments, prioritized student voice, and reinforced enduring elements of effective online course design and delivery. Recommends CIQ as a practical formative feedback tool for online teaching.
Adult Learning • Journal
Synthesizes multidisciplinary literature on barriers and facilitators to doctoral completion and outlines programmatic and instructional strategies—advising, social integration, structured supports—to promote persistence and timely completion for diverse doctoral populations.
Cogent Social Sciences • Journal
Literature review identifying three ways concept maps support research—relational, cluster, and word‑frequency approaches. Describes how each can aid data collection, analysis, and presentation, outlining strengths and limitations and arguing for broader, innovative uses of concept mapping in research.
Adult Education Quarterly • Journal
Phenomenological study of college faculty teaching online when physical presence is absent. Finds that online teaching changes the length/depth of engagement and is rewarding in new ways, with implications for teaching improvement and online instructional design in adult education contexts.
Routledge/Stylus • Book
Book offering an integrated, learner‑centered framework and practical strategies to design engaging, meaningful online learning. Chapters cover course structure/interface, content and activity design, social interaction for motivation/engagement, assessment/feedback, and a design‑thinking example to synthesize principles.