About Dr. Resta

Dr. Paul E. Resta holds the Ruth Knight Millikan Centennial Professorship in Learning Technology and serves as Director of the Learning Technology Center at the University of Texas at Austin. He teaches advanced graduate courses in learning technology, including: advanced instructional systems design, technology planning and management, and computer-supported collaborative learning. His current work focuses on web-based learning environments, computer-supported collaborative learning, and planning and policy issues in the use of information and communication technologies in teacher education.

Professional Activities

Dr. Resta currently serves as the President of the International Jury for the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education. He served as Conference Chair of the 2012 Society for Information Technology in Teacher Education Annual Conference; and Chairman, Board of Directors, National Laboratory for Educational Transformation. He also recently served as Chair of the Association for Teacher Educators National Commission on Technology and the Future of Teacher Education; Chair of the UNESCO Working Group on E-Learning for Teacher Development; and as member of the National Council for Microsoft Partners in Learning; Blackboard National Council for K-12 Education; and the Board of Governors of the Online Academy funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

Dr. Resta recently received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the Moscow State University for Economics, Statistics, and Informatics. He has received the Association of Teacher Educators President’s Service Award for outstanding leadership in 2011, 2010, and 2009, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) for outstanding international and national leadership and for his contributions to the field of technology use in teacher education. He is also the recipient of two of the highest awards for quality of instructional design and development of Web-based learning environments: the U.S. Distance Learning Association Award for Outstanding Achievements in Higher Education (April 2001), and the University Continuing Education Association National Distance Learning Course Award (April 2001).

Examples of recent books, chapters and articles include:

• Resta, P. (Ed.) Teacher Development in an E-Learning Age. Paris, France. United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization. (In Press).
• Resta, P. & Shonfeld, M. (2012) "Challenges and Strategies in Designing Cross-National: Learning Team Projects in Virtual Worlds" Chapter in: Gregory, M., Lee, M., Dalgarno, B., & Tynan, B. (Eds.) Virtual Worlds in Online and Distance Education, Athabasca, Canada. Athabasca University Press (In Press).
• Resta, P. (2011) ICTs and Indigenous People. Moscow, Russia: UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.
• Resta, P. & Kalk, D. (2011) “An Ecological Approach to Instructional Design: The Learning Synergy of Interaction and Context,” Chapter in Olofsson, A. & Lindberg, J. (Eds.), Informed Design of Educational Technologies in Higher Education: Enhanced Learning and Teaching. Hershey, Pennsylvania: IGI Global Publishers.
• Traphagan, T., Chiang, Y., Chiang, H. Wattanawha, B. Lee, H., Mayrath, M., Woo, J., Jee, M., & Resta, P. (2010) “Cognitive, Social and Teaching Presence in a Virtual World and a Text Chat.” Computers and Education: An International Journal. Vol 55(3) 923-936.
• Resta, P., & Lee, H. (2010) “Online Peer and Self Assessment in Virtual Teaming,” Chapter in Virtual Teams: Mastering the Art and Practice of Online Learning and Corporate Collaboration, Hoboken, New Jersey: Stevens Institute of Technology. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Mayrath, M., Traphagan, T., Jarmon, L., & Resta, P. (2010) “Teaching with Virtual Worlds: Factors to Consider for Instructional Use of Second Life,” Journal of Educational Computing Research. Vol.43(4) 403-444.
• Resta, P., & Laferriere, T. “Technology in Support of Collaborative Learning”. Article in Educational Psychology Review Journal. Netherlands: Springer, Volume 19, Number 1, March 2007.
• Resta, P, Christal, M. & Roy, L. Digital Technology to Empower Indigenous Culture and Education. Chapter in Davis, N.E., and Brown, A. (Eds.) The World Yearbook of Education 2004: Digital Technology, Communities, and Education. London: Kogan Page Publishers. 2004.
• Information and Communication Technologies in Teacher Education: A Planning Guide. Resta , P. (Ed.) Paris, France: United National Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2003.
• Toward Digital Equity: Bridging the Divide in Education. Solomon, G., Resta, P. & Allen, N. (Eds.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon. 2002.

Contact Dr. Resta

Phone: (512) 471-4014
Fax: (512) 471-4655

Email: resta@austin.utexas.edu

Mailing Address:
The University of Texas at Austin
Learning Technology Center
Sanchez Building Room 438
1912 Speedway Stop D5900
Austin, Texas 78712-1297

UT Mail Code: D5900