George Veletsianos

George Veletsianos is Professor of Learning Technologies and Bonnie Westby Huebner Chair in Education and Technology at the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development, Department of Curriculum & Instruction. Previously, he served as Canada Research Chair in Innovative Learning and Technology (2013–2023) and Commonwealth of Learning Chair in Flexible Education (2019–2022) in British Columbia, and held professorial positions in the UK and Texas.

Dr. Veletsianos earned his PhD in Learning Technologies from the University of Minnesota, the same institution where he now holds a professorship. His academic journey has taken him across continents, with previous appointments in the United Kingdom, Texas, and British Columbia.

Dr. Veletsianos pursues a socially responsible and critical research agenda focused on complex education problems in online and blended contexts. His primary research interests include learner and educator experiences with educational technology, education futures, emerging trends & innovation in higher education, online, blended, and distance learning, networked participatory scholarship & open education resources (OER) for knowledge sharing, and AI in Education. He coined the concept of Networked Participatory Scholarship and has published extensively on these topics, including six books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on education futures, particularly examining how faculty and students imagine and experience teaching and learning in digital environments. There's a noticeable trend toward studying online harassment in academic contexts, speculative futures for education, and the integration of AI in educational settings. His work increasingly addresses issues of equity, justice, and mental health in digital learning spaces.

Dr. Veletsianos has received numerous accolades for his scholarly contributions, including:

• Editor Award for Best Article of 2020 from the Canadian Journal of Learning Technology
• Honorary appointment as Research Fellow at AI-ALOE, National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (2024)
• Top downloaded article during its first 12 months of publication (March, 2023)
• Top Ten "Good Reads" for 2022 recognition from the National Institute for Digital Learning
• Canada Research Chair in Innovative Learning and Technology (2013–2023)
• Commonwealth of Learning Chair in Flexible Education (2019–2022)

Dr. Veletsianos is deeply committed to mentoring students, providing them with experiential learning opportunities through research collaboration. His students have been involved in developing research proposals, designing online learning experiences, co-authoring publications, presenting at conferences, and developing educational software. His research has attracted more than $4 million in competitive funding from agencies including the National Science Foundation, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

As a founding member of the Open/Tech in Education, Society, & Scholarship Association (OTESSA) in Canada and the Center for Open Education Research at Oldenburg University in Germany, Dr. Veletsianos has helped establish communities focused on open and ethical approaches to educational technology. His work continues to shape conversations about responsible innovation in digital learning environments.