Angela Benson

Ph.D.	Instructional Technology
M.S.	Human Resource Development
M.S.	Operations Research
B.A.	Mathematics
B.S.	Industrial Engineering

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Year	Award
2017	Dissertation Advisor, Dissertation of the Year (Student: Andrain Yeldell), Mid-South Educational Research Association (MSERA)
2017	Dissertation Advisor, Excellence in Dissertation Research Award (Student: Kim Roberts), College of Education, The University of Alabama
2016	Certificate of Recognition, Excellence in Academic Advising, Office for Academic Affairs and Academic Advisors Association, The University of Alabama
2016	Certificate of Recognition, Development and Pilot Implementation of Learning in Action Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), The University of Alabama
2012	Dissertation Advisor, Dissertation of the Year (Student: Jeremy Searson), Mid-South Educational Research Association (MSERA)
2012	Finalist, Last Lecture Series Presenter, Graduate School, The University of Alabama
2007	Faculty Fellow, McNair Scholars Program, The University of Alabama
2005 2003	Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students, UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence

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• Benson, A.D. (2019-2020).  The role of culture in technology-mediated learning spaces.  Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, Teaching/Research Award 8044-WA, Namibia, $105,000. [Funded]
• Tettegah, S.Y. (2018-2020). Coordinating Curricula and User Preferences to Maximize the Participation of Women and Students of Color in Engineering, National Science Foundation, $300,000. Role: External Evaluator [Funded]
  Benson, A. D. (2015).  QEP Learning in Action CREATE Grant.  Learning in Action, University of Alabama, $1000. [Funded]
• Benson, A. D. (2014).  SEC Faculty Collaboration: University of Missouri School of Information Science and Learning Technologies. SEC Faculty Travel Program, SECU, $1550. [Funded]
• Benson, A.D. (2014).  Evaluating Technology-Related Teacher Professional Development (TTPD), UA College of Education, $5950. [Funded]
• Benson, A. D. (2009).  Technology use in Alabama’s Black Belt Schools: A Needs Assessment, Office of Sponsored Programs Research Grants Program, The University of Alabama, $4300 [Funded]
• Benson, A. D. (2006). Power, politics and e-learning delivery systems in higher education institutions: A US/UK comparative study, Campus Research Board, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, $15,687. [Funded]

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Dr. Benson’s current work addresses the role of culture in technology-mediated learning spaces. She is pursuing two related research strands. Strand 1 is an investigation of the relationship of culture, technology ownership and use, technology knowledge and skills, and cultural competence in undergraduate students. Strand 2 is the development of an instrument that considers technology use experiences and cultural characteristics in the assessment of academic technology climate on higher education campuses. Her early work used the lens of power, politics, and equity to study the influence of technology on organizations and individuals. At the organizational level, she has studied the role of power and politics in the planning of online degree programs and the use of online technologies for the delivery of career and technical education courses in community colleges. At the individual level, she has studied the transformative impact of online course enrollment on working adults.

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Books

• Dabbagh, N., Benson, A.D., Denham, A., Joseph, R., Zgheib, G., Al-Freih, M., Fake, H., & Guo, Z. (2016). Globalization and learning technologies: Pedagogical frameworks and applications.  Springer International.

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters

• Guo, Z. & Benson, A.D. (2017). Exploring Chinese international students’ use of mobile learning. In Benson, A.D., Joseph, R. & Moore, J.L. (Eds.).  Culture, learning and technology: Research and practice. (pp. 180–195).  New York: Routledge.
• Benson, A.D., Joseph, R. & Moore, J.L. (2017). Introduction to culture, learning and technology. In Benson, A.D., Joseph, R. & Moore, J.L. (Eds.).  Culture, learning and technology: Research and practice (pp. 1–7).  New York: Routledge.
• Benson, A. D. (2016).  Angela’s voice: Cherish the support, nurture the relationships.  In Donaldson, A. (Ed.), Women’s voices in the field of educational technology: Our journeys (pp. 99-104). Switzerland: Springer International.
• Whitworth, A. & Benson, A.D. (2016). The emergence of practice:  Two case studies of Moodle in online education. In G. Veletsianos (Ed.), Emergence and innovation in digital learning: Foundations and applications (pp. 99-118).  Canada: Athabasca University Press.
• Whitworth, A. & Benson, A.D. (2014). Introduction. In Benson, A. D. & Whitworth, A. (Eds.), Research on course management systems in higher education (pp. xi-xxi). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
• Whitworth, A. & Benson, A.D. (2014). Reflective practice and digital habitats: Responsiveness and directiveness in course management systems. In Benson, A. D. & Whitworth, A. (Eds.), Research on course management systems in higher education (pp. 183-202). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
• Benson, A. D. & Whitworth, A. (2014). The evolution of the CMS: Learning, social shaping, and professional development. In Benson, A. D. & Whitworth, A. (Eds.), Research on course management systems in higher education (pp. 239-251). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
• Benson, A. D. & Whitworth, A. (2014). The public administration program at Churchampton College, UK. In Mizell, A.P. & Pina, A. A. (Eds.), Real Life in Distance Education: Case Studies in Research and Practice (pp. 391-404). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
• Benson, A.D. & Tettegah, S.Y. (2013). Implementing a course management system in a religious school cooperative. In Benson, A.D., Moore, J.P., & Williams van Roof, S. (Eds.), Cases on educational technology planning, design and implementation: A project management perspective. (pp. 57-75). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
• Williams van Roof, S., Moore, J.L. & Benson, A.D. (2013). Project management for educational technology projects. In Benson, A.D., Moore, J.P., & Williams van Roof, S. (Eds.), Cases on educational technology planning, design and implementation: A project management perspective (pp. 1-11). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
• Benson, A.D., Moore, J.L., Norfles, N., & Starkey, C. (2012). Distance learning and the low-income student. In Moore, J.L. & Benson, A.D. (Eds.), International perspectives of distance learning in higher education (pp. 273-296). InTech Open Access Publishers.
• Whitworth, A. & Benson, A. D. (2010). Open source course management systems in distance education. In G. Veletsianos (Ed.), Emerging technologies in distance education (pp. 195-213). Canada: Athabasca University Press.
• Dabbagh, N. & Benson, A. D. (2007). Technology, globalization, and distance education: Pedagogical models and constructs. In Hayden, M., Levy, J. & Thompson, J. (Eds), Handbook of Research in International Education (pp. 188-198). San Francisco: Sage Publishers.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

• Benson, A. D. (2018).  A typology for research in culture, learning and technology. TechTrends. doi.org/10.1007/s11528-018-0267-8
• Harris, K. & Benson, A.D. (in press).  Student and faculty experiences in the flipped learning environment in undergraduate nursing. Nursing Education Perspectives.
• Garrett, K.N. & Benson, A. D. (2017). Evaluation of instructional design capabilities of asynchronous and synchronous instructors. Online Journal of Distance Administration, 20(3).  Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~Edistance/ojdla/fall203/garrett_benson203.html
• Simpson, J. L., & Benson, A. D. (2013). Student perceptions of quality and satisfaction in online courses. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 14(4), 221-231.
• Davis, R.D. & Benson, A. D. (2012). Training for online teaching. Distance Learning, 9(4), 65-72.
• Benson, A.D., Johnson, S.D., Duncan, J.R., Shinkareva, O., Taylor, G.D., & Treat, T. (2008). Community college participation in distance learning for career and technical education. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 32(9), 665-687.
• Benson, A. D., Lawler, C. & Whitworth, A. (2008). Rules, roles and tools: Activity theory and the comparative study of e-learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(3), 456-467.
• Shinkareva, O. & Benson, A. D. (2007). The relationship between adult students’ instructional technology competency and self-directed learning ability in an online course. Human Resource Development International, 10(4), 417-435.
• Benson, A. D. & Whitworth, A. (2007). Technology at the planning table: Power and interests in course management systems. Journal of Organisational Transformation and Social Change, (4)1, 75-92.
• Benson, A.D. (2007). An exploratory study of online postsecondary education for low-income working adults: A view from ESO programs and program directors. Journal of Negro Education, (76)1, 17-30.

Peer Reviewed Conference Proceedings

• Garett, K.D. & Benson, A.D. (2016, June). Evaluation of instructional design capabilities of asynchronous and synchronous instruction.  In M.N. Clay & J. Stone (Eds.). Proceedings of the DLA2016 Conference (pp.69-77). Jekyll Island, GA: University of West Georgia.
• Benson, A., Lewis, T., Chappell, B. & Guo, Z. (2013, March). Introduction to ebook publishing for teaching, learning and profit. In R. McBride & M. Searson (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2013 (pp. 3825-3830). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
• R.E. Davis & Benson, A. D. (2009, November).  Faculty training in rural Alabama community colleges: A case study.  In M. Simonson (Ed.) Proceedings of the 31st Annual Convention of the Association of Educational Communications and Technology (p. 53-61), Louisville, KY.
• Benson, A. D. & Starkey, C. (2008, June). Online study and the low-income working student. NECC 2008. San Antonio, TX.
• Whitworth, A. & Benson, A. D. (2007, January). Taming the lone ranger: The creative development of e-learning technologies within UK and US higher education institutions. Creativity or Conformity Conference. Cardiff, Wales.

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National

• Co-Founder & Co-Director, International Research Collaborative of Established and Emerging Scholars (IRCEES) in Educational Technology, 2016-present
• President, Culture, Learning and Technology Division, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), 2016-2017
• President-Elect, Culture, Learning and Technology Division, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), 2015-2016
• Board Member-at-Large (Publications), Culture, Learning and Technology Division, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), 2013-2015
• Publications Chair, Minorities in Media, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), 2012-2012
• Training and Performance Representative, Board of Directors, AECT, 2008-2009
• Immediate-Past-President, Training and Performance Division, AECT, 2006-2007
• President, Training and Performance Division, AECT, 2005-2006
• President-Elect, Training and Performance Division, AECT, 2004-2005
• Vice-President Communications, Training and Performance Division, AECT, 2003-2004
• Member-at-Large, Training and Performance Division, AECT, 2001-2003.

University of Alabama

Leadership

• Moderator, Faculty Workshop Series: Promoting Student Success in Large Enrollment Courses, Project Rising Tide, 2017-present
• Chair, Academic Issues Committee, College of Education, 2017-2018
• Co-Chair, Faculty and Senate Governance Committee, Faculty Senate, 2017 – present
• Chair, Effective Campus Wide Academic Support Task Force, Project Rising Tide, 2015-2018
• Chair, Faculty and Staff Development Committee, Black Faculty and Staff Association, 2014-2018
• Co-Director, Technology Education, Office of Research on Teaching in the Disciplines, University of Alabama, 2007-present
• Secretary, Academic Issues Committee, College of Education, 2015-2016
• Chair, Instructional Technology Search Committee, College of Education, 2011-2012
• Program Coordinator, Instructional Technology Program, University of Alabama, 2010 – 2012

Committees. University-Wide

• Steering Committee, Faculty Senate, 2017- present
• Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, 2016- present
• Program Review Committee, Department of Gender and Race Studies, 2015-2016
• QEP Experiential Learning Course Certification Team, 2014-2016
• Distance Learning Committee, Fall 2011-
• Advisory Board, McNair Scholars Program, Fall 2008-2012
• Alternate, Faculty Senate, 2007 – 2011
• Campus Non-Medical IRB, 2008-2009
• Library Committee, Fall 2006

Committees – College of Education

• Academic Issues Committee, 2014- present
• Strategic Plan Committee, Fall 2013-Spring 2014
• Distance Learning Committee, Fall 2011-Spring 2013
• Faculty Issues Committee, 2007 – 2014
• Search Committees (15), 2009-present

Committees – Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Technology Studies

• Tenure and Promotion Committee, 2009-present
• Search Committees – University of Alabama (16)
• Vice-President and Associate Provost, Academic Affairs, 2016-2017

Other

• Mentor, Tide Together Graduate Student Mentor Program, 2010-2012
• Member, Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA), 2006-present

Dr. Angela D. Benson is a professor of instructional technology in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Technology Studies at the University of Alabama. Her research addresses the role of culture in technology-mediated learning environments. She has given more than 50 presentations and authored more than 50 academic publications related to distance and online learning. Her current research explores the role of culture in technology-mediated instruction.  In addition, Dr. Benson has  taught a variety of educational technology courses delivered in a variety of formats. Her professional experience includes thirteen years as a systems engineer in the telecommunications industry. She holds undergraduate degrees in Math and Industrial Engineering, master’s degrees in Operations Research and Human Resource Development, and a doctorate in Instructional Technology.

Dr. Benson is serving as a Fulbright Scholar in the Faculty of Education at the University of Namibia in Windhoek, Namibia from January 2019 – June 2020.  Follow her journey on Facebook.