Mingzhen Bao, PhD
Biography
Dr. Mingzhen Bao is the Assistant Dean and Professor in the School of General Studies (SGS) at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC). She received her PhD in Linguistics with a focus on Phonetics and Second Language Acquisition from University of Florida. Her Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Bachelor of Arts in English are from Zhejiang University, China. Dr. Bao has been a member of the UAGC team since 2013, where she has served as Program Chair, Academic Department Chair, and Associate Dean. Aligned with the SGS mission, Dr. Bao champions diverse educational pathways, striving to removing barriers to entry for all students. Her oversight of the General Education curriculum reflects a deep dedication to an inclusive and meaningful learning experience. Dr. Bao is committed to empowering students with essential life skills, curiosity, and transformative knowledge. Her educational philosophy focuses on nurturing support, persistence, and fostering a student's sense of belonging, ensuring they embark on a lifelong learning journey.
Professional Trainings:
- Institute on High-Impact Practices and Student Success at the American Association of Colleges and Universities
- Equity in Retention Academy at the Gardner Institute
- Data Analytics: Techniques for Decision Making at the University of Washington
- Measuring and Improving Business Performance at Cornell University
- Women in Education Leadership at Harvard University
- WASC Senior College & University Commission Education Program: Exploring and Creating New Faculty Models for Student Success and Institutional Effectiveness
- Global Leadership at the University of Hong Kong
Selected Publications:
Bao, M-Z., Pritts, N., Bethune, S., Hyntka, M., & Foster, C. (submitted). Live Learning: Supplementing Asynchronous Courses with Synchronous Web Meetings.
Bao, M-Z. & Ferrell, T. (2022). Engaging first-year online adult students through meaningful curriculum and supportive instruction. The Studying and Self-Regulated Learning Special Interest Group Times Magazine, 5(1). Retrieved from https://ssrlsite.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/aera-ssrl-sig-times-magazine-january.2022.pdf
Bao, M-Z. (2020, November 3). Merging the classroom and the real world. Thought Leaders Blog [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.ashfordtlc.com/single-post/merging-the-classroom-and-the-real-world
Bao, M-Z., Selhorst, A., Taylor-Moore, T., & Dilworth, A. (2019). Enhanced teaching requirements: A case study of instructional growth on student academic performance and satisfaction in an online classroom. Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence, 3(2), 4-20.
Selhorst, A., Bao, M-Z., Williams, L., & Klein, E. (2017). The effect of online discussion board frequency on student success in adult learners. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 20(4).
Selhorst, A., Williams, L., & Bao, M-Z. (2017). The effect of transparent instructor guidelines on student success and satisfaction in online classrooms: Curriculum design and effective online learning. The International Journal of Adult, Community and Professional Learning, 24 (2), 1-13.
Bao, M-Z., Taylor Moore, T., Tinianow, D., & Nideffer, J. (2017). Enhancing teaching and learning through technology: A comparative study of YouSeeU integration in oral communication-oriented courses. The International Journal of Technologies in Learning, 24 (1), 15-23.
Li, B., Shao, J., & Bao, M-Z. (2016). Effects of phonetic similarity in the identification of Mandarin tones. Journal of Psycholinguistics Research, 1-18.
Riaz, S., Bao, M-Z., Zorn-Arnold, B., Weitl, J., & Kirwan, J. (2015). Do students use etextbooks meaningfully? Lessons learned from four online university courses. Journal of Modern Education Review, 5(10), 951–961.
Bao, M-Z., Wayland, R. & Li, B. (2013). Duration modification of contrastive focus preceded by focus adverbs in Standard Chinese. Chinese Journal of Phonetics, 4, 165-178.
Bao, M-Z. (2013). Acoustic evidences for glottalization of word-initial vowels in Shughni. Linguistics Journal, 7(1), 250-272