Robert M. Bernard, PhD

Educaton

• PhD Educational Communication, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1978
• MS General Curriculum, University of Tennessee, 1974
• BS Elementary School Curriculum, University of Tennessee, 1972

Research interests

• Distance Education, Online Learning, Blended Learning
• Models of Instruction (Teacher-centered and Student-centered)
• Technology Integration in Classroom Instruction
• Critical Thinking (Skills and Dispositions)
• Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Research Design, Research Methods and Quantitative Methods

Professional experience

• Professor, Concordia University, 1991- 2017
• Associate Professor, Concordia University, 1983-1991
• Assistant Professor, Concordia University, 1979-1983
• Lecturer, University of Washington, 1978-1979
• Pre-Doctoral Research Associate, University of Washington, 1974-1978
• Elementary School Teacher, Nashville, TN Public Schools, 1968-1974

Awards

• 2013-2016 – Outstanding Reviewer Award, Review of Educational Research. AERA.
• 2012 – Division of Distance Learning – First Place, Distance Education Journal Article Award (Advancing Research) – Association for Educational Communication and Technology.
• 2010-2011 – Outstanding Reviewer Award, Review of Educational Research. AERA.
• 2007 – Award for Distinguished Scholarship. Arts & Science, Concordia University. Concordia University, Montreal, QC.
• 2006 – NSSLHA Editor’s Award (Best Article of the Year). NSSLHA Annual Conference.
• 2004 – Annual Award of Excellence in Research, Canadian Association for Distance Education. Award presented at the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Distance Education (CADE).

• Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Schmid, R. F., & Tamim, R. M. (2014). An exploration of bias in meta-analysis: The case of of technology integration research in higher education. Journal of Computing in Higher Education. 26(3), 183-209.
• Bernard, R. M. (2014). What I have learned about meta-analysis since 1990: Reducing Bias in Search of "The Big Picture." Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology.
• Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Schmid, R. F., Tamim, R. M. et al.  (2014). A meta-analysis of blended learning and technology use in higher education: From the general to the applied. Journal of Computing in Higher Education. 26(1), 87-122.
• Schmid, R. F., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Tamim, R. M. et al. (2014). The effects of technology use in postsecondary education: A meta-analysis of classroom applications. Computers & Education, 72, 271-291.
• Borokhovski, E., Tamim, R. M., Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., & Sokolovskaya, A. (2012). Are contextual and design student-student interaction treatments equally effective in distance education? A follow-up meta-analysis of comparative empirical studies. Distance Education.
• Tamim, R. M., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Abrami, P. C., & Schmid, R. F. (2011). What forty years of research says about the impact of technology on learning: A second-order meta-analysis and validation study. Review of Educational Research. 81(3), 4-28.
• Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Bures, E.M., Borokhovski, E., & Tamim, R. (2011). Interaction in distance education and online learning: Using evidence and theory to improve practice. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, (Special Issue: Improving Interaction in Distance Education Through Research). 23 (2-3), 82-103.
• Bethel, E. C. & Bernard, R. M. (2010). Developments and trends in synthesizing diverse forms of evidence: Beyond comparisons between distance education and classroom instruction. Distance Education, 31(3), 231-256.
• Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Tamim, R., Surkes, M., & Bethel, E. C. (2009). A meta-analysis of three interaction treatments in distance education. Review of Educational Research, 79(3) 1243-1289.
• Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Surkes, M. A., Tamim, R., & Zhang, D. A. (2008). Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: A stage one meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 78(4), 1102-1134
• Bernard, R. M., Zhang, D., Abrami, P. C., Sicoly, F., Borokhovski, E., & Surkes, M. (2008). Exploring the structure of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal: One scale or many subscales? Creativity and Thinking Skills, 3, 15-22.
• Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Lou, Y., & Borokhovski, E. (2004). A methodological morass? How we can improve the quality of quantitative research in distance education. Distance Education, 25(2), 176-198.
• Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Lou, Y., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Wozney, L., Wallet, P. A., Fiset, M., & Huang, B. (2004). How does distance education compare to classroom instruction? A Meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 379-439.

• Bernard, R. M. (2017, April). What meta-analyses say about the effectiveness of distance education, online learning and blended learning. Invited presentation and panel discussion at the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) conference. New Orleans. LA.

• Bernard, R. M. (2015, October). Howto integrate meta-analysis into our daily practice: Problems, pitfalls and pearls.  Invited presented to the Pediatric Department at St. Justine Hospital (University of Montreal). Montreal, QC.

• Bernard, R. M. (2013, June). The state of research in online and blended learning and how we can move forward (in the short-term and the long-term). Invited presented at the 2013 meeting of SALTISE, Dawson College, Montreal, QC.

• Bernard, R. M. (2010, October). The state of research in online and blended learning and how we can move forward (in the short-term and the long-term). Invited presentation at the 16th annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning, Orlando, FL
• Bernard, R. M. (2010, May). The past, present and future: Meta-analysis of online and distance research. Invited symposium presentation at the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO.

Current Grants