SIG 52 members are individuals interested in using or designing instructional technologies.
htang@mailbox.sc.edu
SIG Chair: Responsible for overall coordination of SIG activities and AERA conference planning.
Dr. Hengtao Tang is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for Learning Design and Technologies in the Department of Leadership, Learning Design, and Inquiry at the University of South Carolina’s College of Education. His research explores the intersection of self-regulated learning, multimodal learning analytics, and artificial intelligence in education. Dr. Tang studies how learners regulate their learning and collaborative problem-solving in technology-enhanced environments, using multimodal data to inform the design of AI-driven supports. His work focuses especially on helping learners develop the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and actions needed for STEM learning and career pathways.
heather.leary@byu.edu
Program Chair: Responsible for SIG-IT conference planning at AERA annual meeting
Dr. Heather Leary is an Associate Professor of Instructional Psychology & Technology at Brigham Young University. Her research focuses on tackling complex educational problems of practice in K-12 and higher education. She works collaboratively with practitioners in various disciplines (e.g., science, arts, student success) and spaces (e.g., online environment, professional development) to iteratively design and implement potential solutions. She uses design-based research, research-practice partnerships, problem-based learning, and research synthesis to generate usable knowledge and alignment between the principles of learning and instructional practice. Heather has been an active member of AERA and SIG IT for 15 years. She held a leadership role with AERA as the Program Chair for SIG Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning and many leadership roles with the Research & Theory Division, the Leadership Development Committee, and the History & Archives Committee in AECT.
yanlili@msu.edu
Award Chair: Responsible for administration of SIG-IT's Young Researcher Award and Best Paper Award.
Dr. Lili Yan is a learning scientist and Research Associate at the CREATE for STEM Institute at Michigan State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences from Utah State University in 2023. Her research examines how learning is shaped through interactions across natural, cultural, and technology-supported environments. Drawing on community-based and design-based research, she explores questions at the intersections of culture, technology, learning, and equity. Her work spans learning sciences, STEM education, learning design, and AI literacy, with particular attention to culturally grounded approaches and research-practice partnerships that support more inclusive learning experiences.
krystle.merry@maine.edu
Communications Officer: Manages all SIG communications - website, listserv, Facebook, Twitter, and bi-annual newsletter.
Dr. Krystle Merry is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Maine. Her work centers on inclusive education, assistive technology, digital accessibility, and the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. Dr. Merry is an AI trainer who supports educators in building practical, ethical, and accessible uses of emerging technologies. She also brings expertise in UX/UI design and digital accessibility, helping create learning environments and digital materials that are usable by diverse learners. Her work bridges research, educator preparation, professional learning, and accessible instructional design.
lgiacumo@gmu.edu
Secretary/Treasurer: Responsible for monitoring and controlling the SIG financial account and coordinating this fiscal activity with AERA headquarters.
Lisa A. Giacumo, Ph.D., is an associate professor of Learning Design and Technology at George Mason University. Her scholarship focuses on instructional and learning design, organizational justice, learning analytics, cross-cultural design, performance improvement, and emerging technologies. She currently serves on the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction, D&D Div Board in AECT, and the IT SIG Board in AERA. Across her teaching, scholarship, and service, she is committed to connecting scholars and practitioners, generating rigorous and credible knowledge, translating research into practice, and expanding accessible pathways for graduate students, practitioners, faculty, and emerging leaders to participate, contribute, and lead. Before entering academia, she worked internationally as an instructional designer, trainer, evaluator, consultant, and manager for higher education, healthcare, non-profits, NGOs, government, and military organizations. She was also a Fellow of the US Office of Naval Research in 2022.