Williams van Rooij, Shahron

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Phone: (703) 993-9704
Email: swilliae (@gmu.edu)

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View Shahron Williams van Rooij's curriculum vitae in PDF format.

Dr. van Rooij is associate professor emerita in the Learning Design and Technology program, College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Dr. van Rooij received her Ph.D. in Instructional Technology with a minor in Software Information Systems from George Mason University in 2007. She also has a doctorate in Quantitative Methods from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, a Masters in Political Science from the American University of Beirut, and a Bachelors degree in Romance Languages from City College New York. She holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential from the Project Management Institute, Inc. Prior to joining George Mason University, Dr. van Rooij worked for 11 years at a software development company where she facilitated the engineering of new e-learning technology solutions. Her corporate experience included management positions in software marketing and market research in the financial and advertising industries. Since  retiring from full-time teaching in CEHD, Dr. van Rooij teaches in the Chief Learning Officer program at Mason's Costello College of Business, as well as in the online MS Instructional Design program at Grand Canyon University. Dr. van Rooij has published in journals such as Educational Technology Research & Development, the British Journal of Educational Technology, Human Resource Management, and the Review of Education  Research. The second edition of her book The Business Side of Learning Design and Technologies, a Routledge-Taylor & Francis publication, was released in August 2025.

• Workplace learning and development
• Project management
• e-Learning for adult audiences
• Instructional approaches in management education

Articles

• Hinton, R., & Williams van Rooij, S. (2021). CxO advisory councils: New approaches in executive education. Journal of Education for Business, 96(5), 284-290.
• Williams van Rooij, S. (2020). Critical reflection for civic-mindedness: The executive blog as “regeneration alcove”. Adult Learning, 31(2), 78-87.
• Battista, A., & Williams van Rooij, S. (2018). The business impact of learning: A healthcare case study. Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 20(1), 94-105.
• Williams van Rooij, S. (2018). Niche programs in executive education: Opportunities for innovation and integration. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 18(2), 10-23.
• Williams van Rooij, S., & Zirkle, K. (2016). Balancing pedagogy, student readiness, and accessibility: A case study in collaborative online course development. The Internet and Higher Education, 28, 1-7.
• van Rooij, S.W., & Merkebu, J. (2015). Measuring the business impact of employee learning: A view from the professional services sector. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 26(3), 275-297.

Books

• Williams van Rooij, S. (2025). The business side of learning design and technologies: Supporting organizatinal knowledge, performance, and change management (2nd ed.). Routledge..

Selected Conference Presentations

• Williams van Rooij, S. (2019, October). Reflective practice and organizational culture: The perspective of Learning and Development professionals. Paper presented at the 2019 AECT International Convention, Las Vegas, NV.
• Williams van Rooij, S. (2018, October). e-Learning project management: Adding value to your marketability. Invited workshop conducted at e-Learn 2018, AACE, Las Vegas, NV.
• Williams van Rooij, S. (2018, April). Critical reflection for civic-mindedness in executive education: Opportunities for public education. Paper presented at the AERA Annual Meeting, New York, NY.
• Williams van Rooij, S. (2017, August). Niche programs in executive education: Opportunities to cultivate innovation. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA
• Williams van Rooij, S. & Battista, A. (2016, April). Learning impact measurement: A grounded theory case study from the U.S. healthcare sector. Paper presented at the AERA Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
• Williams van Rooij, S. & Battista, A. (2016, February). Measuring the business impact of employee learning: A grounded theory case study from the U.S. healthcare sector. Paper presented at the AHRD International Research Conference in the Americas, Jacksonville, FL
• Williams van Rooij, S. & Merkebu, J.* (2013, November). Measuring the business impact of employee learning: A view from the professional services sector. Paper presented at the AECT International Convention, Anaheim, CA
• Williams van Rooij, S. & Zirkle, K. (2013, October). Balancing pedagogy, interactivity and accessibility: A faculty-IT support partnership. Paper presented at the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA
• Williams van Rooij, S. (2013, May). Integrating empathy into professional education: Lessons learned from the design professions. Poster session conducted at the AERA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA

• School of Education

• Strategies for Online Learning Success (EDIT 201)
• Digital Audio/Video Design and Applications (EDIT 572)
• Project Management (EDIT 573)
• Exploring Trends and Professional Identity in the Learning Design and Technology Field (EDIT 601)
• Innovations in e-Learning (EDIT 611)
• Instructional Design (EDIT 705)
• Business of Learning Design and Technologies (EDIT 706)
• Advanced Instructional Design (EDIT 730)
• Designing and Evaluating the User Experience in Learning Design and Technology (EDIT 752)
• Virtual Worlds, Augmented Reality, and Gaming Applications (EDIT 772)
• Project Development Practicum I (EDIT 791)
• Project Development Practicum II (EDIT 792)
• Advanced Topics in Education (EDIT 797)
• Design Research Independent Study (EDIT 891)
• Professional Development in Learning Technologies (EDPD 504)
• Independent Study for the Doctor of Philosophy in Education (EDUC 897)
• Doctoral Dissertation Research (EDUC 999)