Welcome back to our AECT LED Know Us Series!
Today, we are spotlighting one of the most influential board members in the Learner Engagement Division (LED), Dr. Ji Yae Bong, our 2024-2026 LED Special Program Officer. We invite you to read her reflection in her own words as she shares how she experiences LED as both a professional space and a scholarly community.
Hello, I am Ji Yae Bong, the LED Special Program Officer (2024-2026) and an Assistant Professor of Learning, Design and Technology (LDT) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Learner engagement is one of my central research themes, and it has evolved along two directions: (a) investigating how learners experience and interact with technology, and (b) exploring how pedagogical approaches and instructional strategies can be designed to enhance engagement. Recently, my team’s educational video game project received the Excellence in Innovation award from this division in 2024, and we presented our work at an LED membership meeting. As part of this interdisciplinary project, we examined different aspects of engagement and disengagement—behavioral, cognitive, and emotional—during educational video game play (Bong et al., 2025).
My interest in learner engagement has also led me to serve on the LED board. I have been a Special Program Officer since 2024. In this role, I support the association’s mission by participating in board meetings and contributing to discussions about how to promote research, practical applications, and professional development that foster meaningful engagement across diverse learning settings. I also help organize our monthly membership meetings. Since 2025, I have served on the LED Award Review Task Force, where I assist in updating award descriptions and criteria.
As a board member, I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with researchers and practitioners and learn from their efforts to make learning more engaging. This division brings together a passionate community of scholars and practitioners whose work is invaluable. Through my service, I have found opportunities to collaborate and lead. Working with colleagues who deeply care about learner engagement has both challenged and inspired me. I have gained new research perspectives and meaningful professional relationships that make this network feel like home.
I encourage you to join our division. Together, we can continue shaping what it means to engage, inspire, and learn.
Best,
Nesma Nasr
LED Communication Officer
Northern Arizona University