Dr. Jacqueline Stephen

Assistant Professor of Instructional Design
Director of Instructional and Learning Design

Education

  • B.S., Elementary Education, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • M.S., Instructional Technology, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • Ed.D.,  Instruction and Curricular Leadership, Concentration: Instructional Design and Technology, The University of Memphis
  • Certificate of Distance Learning, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Jacqueline S. Stephen is an instructional designer and educator with over 20 years of national and international experience in higher education. She holds an Ed.D. in Instruction and Curricular Leadership (instructional design & technology) from The University of Memphis, an M.S. in Instructional Technology, and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Bloomsburg University.

She currently serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Instructional and Learning Design at the College of Professional Advancement at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Her research centers on self regulated and self directed learning, online learning self efficacy, and learner centered high impact practices in online teaching. She has authored or co-authored peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters on undergraduate and graduate online learner persistence, instructional design, effective online teaching strategies, and virtual peer mentoring for women in STEM—a body of work honored with the American Educational Research Association’s 2021 Distinguished Research Paper Award on Mentorship and Mentoring Practices.

Dr. Stephen is an invited speaker and keynote presenter at national and international conferences. She also serves as a reviewer for international peer reviewed journals and conferences and is the past president of the Association Supporting Computer Users in Education (ASCUE).

In 2023, she received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award to teach at a university in Azerbaijan and a Fulbright Specialist award to lead a project at the Office of Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice in Timor Leste. Her co edited volume, Global Perspectives on Higher Education: From Crisis to Opportunity, was released in 2023 with contributions from 20 countries. Her 2024 book, Academic Success in Online Programs: A Resource for College Students, offers practical guidance for thriving in online learning environments, with an emphasis on strategies that empower student learners.

Courses Taught

  • UNIV110: The Culture of the University
  • ORGL210: Foundations of Leadership
  • HRAD250: Introduction to Training and Development
  • HRAD305: Assessment and Evaluation
  • HRAD365: Curriculum Design and Materials Development
  • HRAD375: Instructional Design and Delivery Strategies II: Organizing Training
  • HRAD385: Instructional Design and Delivery Strategies III: eLearning
  • HRAD460: Consultation and Critical Evaluation in Organizations

Leadership Positions in the Profession/Discipline

  • Past-President, Association Supporting Computer Users in Education (ASCUE)

Research and professional interests

  • Instructional design in corporate and education settings
  • Online learning self-efficacy
  • Self-direction and persistence in online programs
  • Student self-regulation
  • Technology tools to support online teaching and learning
  • Virtual peer mentoring
  • Faculty professional development
  • Effective online pedagogy

Recent Publications

  • Rockinson-Szapkiw, A., Holmes, J. & Stephen, J. S. (2019). The integration of distance doctoral students: Personal, familial, and program factors that make a difference. Online Learning Journal, 23(4). 313-335. doi:10.24059/olj. v23i4.1579
  • Rockinson-Szapkiw, A.J., Stephen, J. S., Lowell, V., & Holmes, J. (in press). A model for distance doctoral persistence: Integration, self-regulated learning, self-efficacy, and self-direction. Online Learning Journal.
  • Rockinson-Szapkiw, A.J., & Wendt, J. & Stephen, J. S. (2021). The efficacy of a virtual peer mentoring experience for racial and ethnic minority women in STEM at historically black institutions: Academic, professional, and psychosocial outcomes for mentors and mentees. Journal for STEM Education Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41979-020-00048-6
    • Award: 2021 Distinguished Research Paper, AERA SIG on Mentorship and Mentoring Practices
  • Sharpe, K., Rockinson-Szapkiw, A. J., Stephen, J. S. (2020). Building Human Agency through the Peer Mentoring Process. Navigating the Peer Mentoring Relationship: A Handbook for Women and Other Underrepresented Populations in STEM.
  • Shipley, S. L., Stephen, J. S., & Tawfik, A. A. (2018). Revisiting the historical roots of task analysis in instructional design. TechTrends, 62(4), 319-320.
  • Stephen, J. S. (2020). Transforming Yourself into an Online Educator. In Professionalizing Your English Language Teaching (pp. 185-195). Springer, Cham.
  • Stephen, J. S. (2021). Impact of Perception on Readiness for Online Teaching. In: Mohebbi H., Coombe C. (eds) Research Questions in Language Education and Applied Linguistics. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79143-8_113
  • Stephen, J. S. (2022). Persistence of nontraditional undergraduate online students: Towards a contemporary conceptual framework. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14779714221142908
  • Stephen, J. S. (2022, September 26). Student development of human agency in an online course: Strategies for instructors. Faculty Focus. https://tinyurl.com/y5mjc4v3
  • Stephen, J.S.(2023). Strategies for Instructors: Establishing and Maintaining Presence in an Online Course. In: Stephen, J.S., Kormpas, G., & Coombe, C. (eds) Global Perspectives on Higher Education: From Crisis to Opportunity. Springer.
  • Stephen, J.S. (2024). Academic success in online programs: A resource for college students. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/9783031544385
  • Stephen, J. S. (2025). Instructional strategies and assessment methods in online learning: Student preferences, perceived effectiveness, and usage patterns in graduate and undergraduate courses. TechTrends, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-025-01099-5
  • Stephen, J.S. (2026, Forthcoming book). Designing Learner-Centered Online Courses: Practical Strategies for Educators and Instructional Designers. Springer.
  • Stephen, J.S., Barnett, N.G., & Ben Ramadan, A.A.. (2023). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Course Design and Instructional Material Development. In: Stephen, J.S., Kormpas, G., & Coombe, C. (eds) Global Perspectives on Higher Education: From Crisis to Opportunity. Springer.
  • Stephen, J.S. & Coombe, C. (2023). Volume Introduction – Global Perspectives on Higher Education: From Crisis to Opportunity. In: Stephen, J.S., Kormpas, G., & Coombe, C. (eds) Global Perspectives on Higher Education: From Crisis to Opportunity. Springer.
  • Stephen, J. S., Daniels, C., & Whitehead, C. (under review). Inclusive by design: Promoting adult learner persistence in online higher education. Adult Learning.
    • Note: Publication with undergraduate students.
  • Stephen, J.S., Fru, A. (2023). Cultivating Student Employability Skills: Classroom to Career Preparedness and Readiness. In: Stephen, J.S., Kormpas, G., & Coombe, C. (eds) Global Perspectives on Higher Education: From Crisis to Opportunity. Springer.
    • Publication with an undergraduate student.
  • Stephen, J.S., Kormpas, G., & Coombe, C. (2023). Global perspectives on higher education: From crisis to opportunity. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-31646-3
  • Stephen J.S., & Rockinson-Szapkiw A. (2022) Promoting Online Student Persistence: Strategies to Promote Online Learning Self-efficacy. In: Khine M.S., Nielsen T. (eds) Academic Self-efficacy in Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8240-7_10
  • Stephen, J. S., & Rockinson-Szapkiw, A. J. (2021). A high-impact practice for online students: the use of a first-semester seminar course to promote self-regulation, self-direction, online learning self-efficacy. Smart Learning Environments, 8(6). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-021-00151-0
  • Stephen, J.S., Rockinson-Szapkiw, A.J., & Dubay, C. (2020). Persistence model for online non-traditional students: Self-regulated learning, self-efficacy, and self-direction. American Journal of Distance Education. doi: 1080/08923647.2020.1745619
  • Stephen, J. S., Tawfik, A. (2022). Self-efficacy sources and impact on readiness to teach online. Routledge Encyclopedia of Education. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781138609877-REE106-1
    • Featured as a “Top Pick” on Routledge’s Resources Online – Education.

Contact Jacqueline Stephen

678.547.6017
stephen_js@mercer.edu
Office Location: Administration and Conference Center (AACC) Building, Atlanta campus