Zahira Merchant

Zahira Merchant is a Professor in the Equity, Leadership Studies, and Instructional Technologies (ELSIT) department at San Francisco State University (SFSU), specializing in educational technology and research methodology.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (Emphasis in Education Technology) from Texas A&M University
• MS in Educational Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University

Research Interests: Dr. Merchant pioneers research in virtual reality applications for education, game-based learning systems, learning analytics frameworks, and K-12 computer science pedagogy. Her methodological expertise spans advanced quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches to evaluate digital literacy interventions and immersive learning environments.

Scientific Awards:

• Robert Gagne Instructional Design Award (2012) from AECT
• Presidential Service Award (three times) from AECT’s Design and Development Division
• Finalist, PacifiCorp Design and Development Competition (2012)
• Certificate of Merit Award (2012) for nursing education game development

Grants and Leadership: As Principal Investigator and Senior Personnel, she has secured funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), California Teaching Commission (CTC), and IDEA for projects including 3-D virtual reality mathematics educator training. She currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Formative Design in Learning, demonstrating sustained scholarly leadership in educational technology.