College of Education and Health Professions

William F. Brescia Jr., Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor of Educational Technology
Curriculum and Instruction

brescia@uark.edu

Degrees:

Ph.D., Indiana University, Instructional Systems Technology, 2001
M.S.,  University of Wisconsin, Curriculum and Instruction, 1973
B.A.,  Wartburg College, Drama and Speech, 1970

Teaching Areas:

• Educational Media
• Educational Technology
• Web Design
• Distance Learning
• Visual Literacy
• Proposal Writing

Research Interests:

• Computer self-efficacy
• Mentoring – Both online and face-to-face
• Asynchronous Learning Networks – What strategies are most effective in promoting online interaction?
• How do we support learners on the Web?
• Nonprofit Education – How can nonprofit organizations use technology to train their staff and clients to achieve their mission?
• How can Web-based instruction be improved for grant writing?
• Blogging
• Distance Learning – How do distance students learn?
• Instructional Design – How do instructional designers work with SMEs?
• Decreasing the digital divide?
• What is the most effective way to determine workforce technology needs?
• How to design and develop Choctaw language curriculum.

Professional Biography:

William Brescia served as Director, Division of Research and Curriculum Development, Department of Education, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Choctaw, MS., Curriculum Specialist, Bilingual Education for Choctaws of Mississippi (BECOM), Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Choctaw, MS., and Director, Community Educational Services, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Seattle, WA.

Academic Interests and Accomplishments:

William Brescia has authored or co-authored numerous publications in American Indian Education, Nonprofit education, and Instructional Technology and made in excess of 60 presentations at national, regional, and state conferences in his academic areas of interest. He currently is the Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the International Mentoring Association. Dr. Brescia has written funded proposal to federal, state, foundation, and corporate funders totaling over two million dollars.

Personal Information:

William Brescia is married to Jimmie H. Brescia, a Research Administrator for the University of Arkansas. He has three children and seven grandchildren.

Publications/Presentations:

Brescia, W., & Miller, M. (in press). Enhancing Graduate Students Performance as Threaded Discussion Leaders in a Web-Based Proposal Writing Course. Quarterly Review of Distance Education.

Brescia, W., Shadden, B., & Johnson, A. (in press). Computer Use Among Adults Aged Eighty Years and Above. Connections for An Ageless Society.

Johnson, C., & Brescia, W. (in press). Connecting, Making Meaning and Learning in the Electronic Classroom: Reflections on Facilitating Learning at a Distance.  Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Brescia, W. (in press). Orientation of American Indian Students to Workforce Technology Needs. Journal of College Orientation and Transition.

Brescia, W. (in press). Developing a Telementoring Taxonomy to Improve Online Discussions. In Mentoring Through Technology: Challenges and Possibilities. F. Kochan & J. Pascarelli (Eds.).

Brescia, W. (in press). Strategies for Improving Discussion In Virtual Communities. Encyclopedia Of Virtual Communities.

Poda, I, & Brescia, W.F. (2005). Training to Improve Electronic Information Literacy in Higher Education in Sub-Sahara. Encyclopedia of Developing Regional Communities with Information And Communication Technology. (in press).

Wagner, R., Gorman, D.R., Bonacci, J.B., Brescia, W.F., Brown, B., & Hunt, S.L. (2004).  Psychomotor Performance and learning style effects of a computer-based interactive multimedia program. Journal of Athletic Training, 39(2), S-105.

Brescia, W., Swartz, J, Pearman, C., Williams, D., & Balkin, R. (2004). Peer Teaching in Web Based Threaded Discussions. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 3(2). Retrieve at:  http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/index3.html

Johnson, A., Brescia, W., & Shadden, B. (2004, December). Seniors and Computer Use: What do We Know? Perspectives on Gerontology. 9(2) 4-9.

Graduate Students as Threaded Discussion Leaders. Paper, Southern Educational Technology Conference, Fayetteville, AR.

With Rebecca Martindale.  Grant Writing CD-ROM Production: Application of Instructional Design Models in Developing Philanthropic Learning Tools.  Paper ARNOVA, Denver, CO.

With Murphy, C.  Factors Effecting Educational Technology Self-efficacy in Preservice Teachers. Paper, Mid-South Educational Research Association, Biloxi, MS. 

With Swartz, J., Pearman, C., Williams, D., & Balkin, R., Peer Teaching in Web-based Threaded Discussions. Paper, AERA Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.

With Murphy, C., Integrating Instructional Technology into Higher Education Curriculum, Southern Educational Technology Conference.