Joan Thormann

Joan Thormann, Ph.D., is a professor in the division of Technology in Education at Lesley University. Since 1996, she has been developing and teaching courses online. She has supported other faculty members in designing and implementing online courses and been a staunch advocate of the online-teaching format. Her recent research has focused on examining online-teaching strategies such as using synchronous conferencing and student moderating to build learning communities and engender greater student ownership of the learning process. Prior to working at Lesley, Dr. Thormann taught in K–12 public and private schools, worked for an educational software company, and was at the Massachusetts Department of Education, where she developed, implemented, and directed projects relating to technology for students with special needs. Professor Thormann has served on many advisory boards and presented at over 100 conferences nationally and internationally. She edits a column on technology and special needs for Learning and Leading with Technology. In addition to numerous published articles, she has co-authored books about technology and education, including Learning Disabled Students and Computers: A Teacher’s Guide Book, Microcomputers in Special Education: An Introduction to Instructional Applications, and Literacy in a Science Context. In 2010, she received a Massachusetts Computer Using Educator’s Pathfinder award for demonstrated leadership in the ability to find effective pathways for planning, integrating, and facilitating aspects of technology in education.