Maha Bali

Source: https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/maha-bali Parent: https://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/national-global-recognition

Additional Links

CV

Maha Bali

• Position: Professor of Practice
• Department: Center for Learning and Teaching
• Email: bali@aucegypt.edu

Brief Biography

Maha Bali is a professor of practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at The American University in Cairo (AUC). She has a PhD in education from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. She co-founded virtually connecting, a grassroots movement that challenges academic gatekeeping at conferences. Also, Bali is a co-facilitator of Equity Unbound; an equity-focused, open, connected intercultural learning curriculum, which has also branched into academic community activities. Such activities are Continuity with Care, Socially Just Academia, a collaboration with OneHE: Community-building Resources and MYFest, an innovative three-month professional learning journey.

Research Interest

• Critical Thinking, Critical Pedagogy
• Higher Education
• Faculty Development
• Educational technology, eLearning, Digital Pedagogy
• MOOCs, Open Education
• Intercultural Learning
• Community-based Learning
• Citizenship Education

Teaching Interests

• Teacher Education
• Educational Technology
• Educational Game Design
• Digital Literacies and Citizenship
• Intercultural Learning
• English as a Second Language

Selected Publications

Select peer-reviewed publications

• Bali, M. (2022). Outside-In: Entangled Openness as Subversion Influencing Emergent Change. OTESSA Journal, 1(1). (invited)
• Gachago, D., Bali, M., & Pallitt, N. (2022). Compassionate learning design as a critical approach to instructional design. In J. Quinn, M Burtis, & S. Jhangiani (eds). Critical Instructional Design. Hybrid Pedagogy publishing.
• Bali, M., & Zamora, M. (2022). Intentionally Equitable Hospitality as Critical Instructional Design. In J. Quinn, M Burtis, & S. Jhangiani (eds). Designing for Care. Hybrid Pedagogy publishing.
• Bali, M. (2022). Providing agile faculty development in times of uncertainty: Case of the American University in Cairo. In Dennen, V., Dickson-Deane, C., Ge, X., Ifenthaler, D., Murthy, S., & Richardson, J. C. (Eds.). (2022). Global perspectives on educational innovations for emergency situations. Springer. Invited.
• Bali, M., & Zamora, M. (2022). The Equity-Care Matrix: Theory and Practice.Italian Journal of Educational Technology (special issue, invited).
• Pallitt N., Gachago D., Bali M. (2021). No Size Fits All: Design Considerations for Networked Professional Development in Higher Education. In: Dohn N.B., Hansen J.J., Hansen S.B., Ryberg, T., de Laat M. (eds) Conceptualizing and Innovating Education and Work with Networked Learning. Research in Networked Learning. Springer, Cham.
• Zamora, M., Bali, M., Mehran, P. , & Cronin, C. (2021). Equity Unbound as Critical Intercultural Praxis.The Journal of Applied Instructional Design, 10(4).
• Bali, M., Abou Hussein, K., el Ahwal, T., Fahmy, Y. & Hashad, M. (2021). Fostering Learner Agency in a Digital Literacies Course in Egypt: Reflections on Several Iterations. In S Hase & L. Blaschke (Eds). Unleashing the power of learner agency.
• Networked Learning Editorial Collective (NLEC)., Gourlay, L., Rodríguez-Illera, J.L. et al. Networked Learning in 2021: A Community Definition. Postdigit Sci Educ (2021).
• Bali, M. (2021). Foreword. In S. M. Morris, L. Rai, & K Littleton (Eds). Voices of Practice: Narrative Scholarship from the Margins. Hybrid Pedagogy Publishing.
• Zamora, M., & Bali, M. (2020). Network. In R. F. Davis, M. K. Gold, K. D. Harris, & J. Sayers (eds). Digital Pedagogy in the Humanities: Concepts, Models, and Experiments. Modern Language Association.
• Bali, M., Cronin, C., Czerniewicz, L., DeRosa, R., & Jhangiani, R. S. (2020). [Eds]. Open at the Margins: Critical Perspectives on Open Education. Pressbooks/Rebus Community.
• Bali, M. (2020). Doing autoethnography on the internet. In A. Herrmann (ed). The Routledge International Handbook of Organizational Autoethnography. Routledge.
• Bozkurt, A., et al. (2020). A Global Outlook to the Interruption of Education due to COVID-19 Pandemic: Navigating in a Time of Uncertainty and Crisis. Asian Journal of Distance Education.
• Gachago, D., Pallitt, N., & Bali, M. (2020). No Size Fits All: Design Considerations for Networked Professional Development in Higher Education. Proceedings of the Networked Learning Conference. Denmark, online.
• Bali, M., Cronin, C., & Jhangiani, R. S. (2020). Framing Open Educational Practices from a Social Justice Perspective. Journal of Interactive Media in Education. 2020 (1), p. 10.
• Bali, M., & Aboulmagd, N.(2019). The Different Faces of Open in Egypt. In K. Zhang, C. J. Bonk, T. C. Reeves, & T. H. Reynolds (eds). MOOCs and Open Education Across the Global South: Challenges, Successes, and Opportunities. NY: Routledge. my chapter available open access immediately. AUC repository link & Dropbox link).
• Bali, M., Caines, A., Hogue, R. J., DeWaard, H. J., & Friedrich, C. (2019). Intentionally Equitable Hospitality in Hybrid Video Dialogue: The Context of Virtually Connecting. eLearning Mag (special issue).
• Bali, M. (2019). Reimagining Digital Literacies from a Feminist Perspective in a Postcolonial Context. Media and Communication, 17 (2). (special issue).
• Bali, M., Awwad, A., Hassib, F., Halawa, F., Khalifa, J., Serougy, F. (2019). Global Citizenship Education in a Digital Age: A Collaborative Autoethnography. In J. Dorio, E. Abdou and N. Moheyddin (eds). The Struggle for Citizenship Education in Egypt: (Re)Imagining Subjects and Citizens. Routledge: New York, NY and Oxon, UK.
• Bali, M., & Caines, A. (2018). A call for promoting ownership, equity and agency in faculty development via connected learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education.
• Bali, M., Awwad, A., Hassib, F., Halawa, F., Khalifa, J., Serougy, F. (2019). Global Citizenship Education in a Digital Age: A Collaborative Autoethnography. In J. Dorio, E. Abdou and N. Moheyddin (eds). The Struggle for Citizenship Education in Egypt: (Re)Imagining Subjects and Citizens. Routledge: New York, NY and Oxon, UK.
• Bali, M., & Caines, A. (2018). A call for promoting ownership, equity and agency in faculty development via connected learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education.
• Bali, M. (2018). The Unbearable Whiteness of the Digital. In D. Kim & J. Stommel (eds). Disrupting the Digital Humanities. Punctum books.
• Hogue, R. J.; Keefer, J. M.; Bali, M.; Hamon, K.; Koutropoulos, A; Leunissen, R; and Singh, L. (2018). Pioneering Alternative Forms of Collaboration, Current Issues in Emerging eLearning: Vol. 4 : Iss. 1 , Article 8.
• Bali, M., & Mostafa, H. (2018). Listen Carefully and You Will Hear: Using Creative Multimodal Assessments to Promote Student Expression. In S. Khadka & J. C. Lee (eds). Designing and Implementing Multimodal Curricula and Programs. Routledge.
• Bali, M., & Sharma, S. (2017). Envisioning post-colonial MOOCs: Critiques and ways forward. In R. Bennett & M. Kent (eds). Massive Open Online Courses and Higher Education: What Went Right, What Went Wrong and Where to Next? Routledge: London, UK and New York, NY.
• Bali, M., Caines, A., DeWaard, H., & Hogue, R. (2016, December). Ethos and Practice of a Connected Learning Movement: Interpreting Virtually Connecting Through Alignment with Theory and Survey Results. Online Learning Journal, 20(4).
• Bali, M. (2016). Bringing Out the Human in Synchronous and Asynchronous Media for Learning. In W. Kilgore (ed) Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning.
• Bali, M. (2015). A new scholar’s perspective on open peer review. Teaching in Higher Education, 20(8), pp. 857-863.
• Bali, M., Crawford, M., Jessen, R. L., Signorelli, P., & Zamora, M. (2015). What makes a cMOOC community endure? Multiple participant perspectives from diverse MOOCs. Educational Media International.
• Hamon, K., Hogue, R. J., Honeychurch, S., Johnson, S., Koutropoulos, A., Ensor, S., Sinfield, S., & Bali, M. (2015, June 4). Writing the unreadable untext: A collaborative autoethnography of #rhizo14. Hybrid Pedagogy.
• Bali, M. (2015, April 20). Pedagogy of Care – Gone Massive. Hybrid Pedagogy.
• Bali, M. (2015). Critical thinking through a multicultural lens: cultural challenges of teaching critical thinking. In R. Barnett & W. M. Davies (eds). Palgrave Handbook of Critical Thinking in Higher Education.
• Bali, M., & Sharma,S. (2014, April 11). Bonds of difference: participation as inclusion. Hybrid Pedagogy.
• Sharma, S., & Bali, M. (2014, April 4). Bonds of difference: illusions of inclusion. Hybrid Pedagogy.
• Bali, M. (2014). Why doesn’t this feel empowering? The challenges of web-based intercultural dialogue. Teaching in Higher Education, 19(2), pp.

Forthcoming Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Bali, M. (forthcoming). Inequalities in Digital Literacies. In B. Alexander, S. Becker, M. Cummis and C Hall Giesinger (eds) Digital Literacy in Higher Education, Part II: A New Media Horizon Project Strategic Brief. Volume 3.4, August 2017. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
• Bali, M., & Mostafa, H. (forthcoming). Listen Carefully and You Will Hear: Using Creative Multimodal Assessments to Promote Student Expression. In S. Khadka & J. C. Lee (eds). Designing and Implementing Multimodal Curricula and Programs. Routledge.
• Bali, M., & Sharma, S. (in press). Envisioning Postcolonial MOOCs: critiques and ways forward. In M. Kent and R. J. Bennett (eds). Massive Open Online Courses and Higher Education: Where to Next?
• Bali, M., & Sharma, S. (in press). The unbearable whiteness of the digital. In D. Kim and J. Stommel (eds). Disrupting the Digital Humanities.

Non-peer-reviewed in an Academic Journal (selection)

• Bali, M. (2015, October 21). Yearning for praxis: Writing and teaching our way out of oppression. Hybrid Pedagogy.Retrieved from:
• Bali, M. (2015, March 31). Embracing Subjectivity [featured column]. Hybrid Pedagogy.
• Bali, M. (2015, February 26). Inner voice, criticality and empathy [featured column]. Hybrid Pedagogy.

Select trade journal publications & conference presentations

• Bali, M. (2017, April). What is Open Pedagogy Anyway? Year of Open.
• Bali, M. (2017, January 31). There is More Than One Story to Be Told About Muslims in Trump’s America. The Conversation, republished 4 times, including Huffington Post
• Bali, M. (2017, January 2). Fake News: Not Your Main Problem. DML Central.
• Bali, M. (2016, December 1). Listening to Student Voices at Academic Events. Prof Hacker.
• Bali, M. (2016, November 28). Are you on Mastodon Yet? Social Network of One’s Own. Prof Hacker.
• Bali, M. (2016. November 3). 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Educational Games. DML Central.
• Bali, M., Skallerup Bessette, L., & Caines, A. (2016, November 2). On Digital Literacies. Prof Hacker.
• Bali, M. (2016, October 25). Tips for effective online learning: Community edition. Prof Hacker.
• Bali, M., Mostafa, H., & Osman, S. (2016, October 20). What we learned from co-teaching. Prof Hacker.
• Bali, M. (2016, October 12). Fostering permeability in academia. Prof Hacker.
• Bali, M., Bowles, K., & Prinsloo, P. (2016, August 10). International something: Why you should care.
• Bali, M. (2016, July 5). A postcolonial look at the future of #EdTech. Biennale of Sydney.Retrieved from:
• Bali, M. (2016, Jan/Feb). Knowing the difference between digital skills and digital literacies and teaching both.Literacy Worldwide. Published hard copy, but also published on the Literacy Daily; retrieved from:
• Bali, M. (2013, August 19). Critical citizenship for critical times. Al-Fanar: News and Opinion about Higher Education.
• Bali, M. (2013, July 19). Will the latest generation of online courses help the Arab world? Al-Fanar: News and Opinion about Higher Education.

Keynotes and Invited Talks

• Bali, M. (2018, September). Connecting the world: intentions and realities (keynote). Indie Web Camp NY. Video recording here
• Bali, M. (2018, July ). Challenging Academic Gatekeeping: Open Scholarship and Virtually Connecting (keynote). Festival of eLearning Conference, e/Merge Africa, Cape Town, South Africa. Slides and recording available here
• Bali, M. (2018, June). Invited session on Remote PhD Supervision at Part-time and Distance Researchers Conference, Imperial College, London, UK. Audio recording here
• Bali, M. (2018, April 26). Flipping the Script on Intercultural Learning… and Other Stories (keynote). UniCollaborate, Krakow, Poland. Video, slides, etc.
• Bali, M. (2017, September 11).The Promise of Open Education: What Can Open Education Do For You? (keynote) OEPScotland.
• Gilliard, C. and Bali, M. (2017, August 7). Praxis, Privacy and Care in Digital Pedagogies (keynote). Digital Pedagogy Lab Institute, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Video available here
• Bali, M. (2017, May 29). Closing Plenary Panel. International Communications Association Conference, ICA17, San Diego, CA, USA.
• Bali, M. (2017, April 5). Hiding in the Open (keynote). Open Educational Resources 2017 (#OER17). London, UK. Slides

• Bali, M., & Aboulmagd, N. (2017, March).  Digital Pedagogy in the Regional Context (invited workshop). Digital Humanities Beirut, March 2017.

• Bali, M. (2016, November 30). OPEN SCHOLARSHIP AND OPEN PEDAGOGY FOR THE EGYPTIAN ACADEMIC. OpenMed event. Cairo University.

• Bali, M. (2016, May 26). Virtual Collaborative Scholarship for Development (Featured Speaker Spotlight talk). eLearning Africa, Cairo, Egypt. Presentation available at: (2016, May 26).
• Bali, M., & Groom, J. (2016, May 26).Should EdTech have an ethos? Teaching technologies in a post-Snowden age (Featured presentation). AMICAL 2016,American University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Slides and video available.
• Bali, M. (2015, September). Problematizing educational standards. Invited presentation at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo. (slides)
• Bali, M. (2015). Why & How to Flip the Classroom.National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation for Education Conference(invited presentation), Cairo University, Cairo, May 25, 2015.
• Bali, M. (2015). How Open Education is Transforming Lifelong Learning. Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University Scientific Meeting (invited presentation), Cairo University, Cairo. April 25, 2015.
• Invited panelist, Edraak Launch ceremony, Amman, Jordan, May 2014.
• Invited to give a seminar on Critical Citizenship for Critical Times, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, January, 2014.

Education

• PhD in Education, University of Sheffield, UK, 2013
• MEd in eLearning, University of Sheffield, UK, 2006
• BSc in Computer Science, American University in Cairo, Egypt, 2001