Weina Li Chen

Weina Li Chen serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor within the Education Division of Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology, teaching courses in the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TESOL) and Master of Science in Leadership programs. With approximately ten years of teaching experience across diverse educational settings, she brings practitioner expertise to her academic role while maintaining active engagement in professional development and program design.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. from Pepperdine University
• M.A. from Pepperdine University
• M.A. from University of York, England
• B.A. from Heilongjiang University, China

Dr. Chen's research focuses on educational technologies and innovative learning design, with specialized expertise in online/hybrid learning environments, world language acquisition (particularly English as a Second Language), and teacher leadership development. She investigates how digital tools can enhance student engagement, social presence, and language proficiency through practical applications. Her work bridges academic research with classroom implementation, frequently resulting in practitioner workshops and conference presentations that translate theoretical concepts into actionable teaching strategies for language educators.

Analysis of her 14 publications (2019-2023) reveals consistent emphasis on technology-mediated language learning. She explores platforms like Flip, Canva, and WeChat to create interactive communities and support speaking practice, with recurring themes including social-emotional learning integration and digital storytelling. Her research demonstrates a practitioner-scholar approach, targeting both pre-service and in-service teachers through workshops that address real-world classroom challenges in language education.

As an educational leader, Dr. Chen founded and served as president of CABE Mandarin, an organization promoting Mandarin language education. She has designed multiple language programs for schools and universities, demonstrating commitment to expanding language learning opportunities. While specific grant funding details and student advisee names are not documented in available materials, her conference presentations and program development initiatives indicate active community engagement and professional contribution to the fields of TESOL and educational technology.