Welcome to the LED Learner Engagement Division Know Us Series 2026
Welcome to our Learner Engagement Division “Know Us” Series!
Today, you will meet Dr. Anne Fensie, our LED Division President. Grab a cup of tea and join us as we explore Dr. Fensie’s journey with AECT and the Learner Engagement Division. You will learn more about her work as a philosophical educator and a technology-savvy scholar whose knowledge and impact extend well beyond borders.
I am Anne Fensie, PhD
Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning
University of Maine at Presque Isle
2026 LED President
I have been involved with the AECT Learner Engagement Division since joining the association during the pandemic in 2020. As a newcomer to AECT, I was invited to serve as the Learner Engagement Division representative to the Graduate Student Assembly—a role that helped me quickly learn the culture and community of the organization while finding meaningful ways to contribute. One of those contributions was launching the Learner Engagement Division podcast, Learner Engagement Activated!, which has featured engaging conversations with thought leaders such as Eric Mazur, Paul Kirschner, Donald Clark, John Almarode, Angela Pazurek, and many others.
Since then, my involvement with LED has continued to grow. I served as a board member before stepping into the roles of President-Elect and now President. My research focuses on applying the science of adult learning to instructional design in distance education, while my professional practice centers on faculty development and instructional design across multiple modalities, including competency-based education.
Although engagement alone does not guarantee learning, I believe it is an essential part of the learning formula.
My work explores how learners can be engaged cognitively, behaviorally, socially, emotionally, and even spiritually—recognizing the learner as a whole person rather than just a processor of information. In my faculty development work, I strive to help instructors design learning experiences that are both efficient and deeply meaningful, encouraging learners to make personal connections to course content and to care about the discipline itself.
Much of what I know about learner engagement also comes from my experiences as a parent of children with special needs, which has reinforced the importance of designing learning experiences that do not rely on assumptions about motivation or ability. I love being part of the Learner Engagement Division because it brings together passionate educators and researchers who care not only about learning outcomes, but about making the learning experience itself more humane, inclusive, and transformative.
Warm regards,
Anne Fensie, PhD
2026 President, Learner Engagement Division (LED)
Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT)