Dr. Ally is Professor of Online and Distance Education and Researcher in the Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute (TEKRI) at Athabasca University in Canada. He is also a Commonwealth of Learning Research Chair. Dr. Ally was the Director of the School of Computing and Information Systems and the Centre for Distance Education at Athabasca University. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Canada. His current areas of research include mobile learning, e-learning, distance education, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, and the use of emerging fourth industrial revolution technologies (4IR) in education and training. Dr. Ally was President of the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO) and is one of the Founding Directors of the International Association of Mobile Learning (IamLearn) and the International Association of Blended Learning (IABL). He recently edited 17 books on the use of emerging technologies in education. His book “Mobile Learning: Transforming the Delivery of Education and Training” won the Charles A. Wedemeyer Award in the United States for significant contribution to distance education. Dr. Ally has presented keynote speeches, papers, and workshops in many countries.
Emerging technologies in online learning and distance education
Competency profile development
Educational credentials
Ph.D. Educational Psychology – Instructional Technology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
M.A. Educational Technology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
B.Sc. York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Professional affiliations
International Association of Mobile Learning (IAmLearn)
International Association of Blended Learning (IABL)
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
European Distance Education Network (EDEN)
Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL)
Ally, M. & Wark, N. (2020). Sustainable Development and Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Commonwealth of Learning Publication. http://oasis.col.org/handle/11599/3698
Yu, S., Ally, M., & Tsinakos, A. (2020). Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum. Springer Publishing.
Buckreus, K. & Ally, M. (2020). “Smart” Practices: Machine Intelligence for Transforming Pedagogy and Learning. In S. Yu, M. Ally, & A. Tsinakos (Eds.), Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum. Springer Publishing.
Poirier, L. & Ally, M. (2020). Considering learning styles when designing for emerging learning technologies. In S. Yu, M. Ally, & A. Tsinakos (Eds.), Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum. Springer Publishing.
Wark, N. & Ally, M. (2020). An Emergent Pedagogical Framework for Integrating Emergent Technologies into Curriculum Design. In S. Yu, M. Ally, & A. Tsinakos (Eds.), Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum. Springer Publishing.
Ally, M., Embi, M. & Norman, H. (2019). The impact of MOOCs on Online Education in Malaysia and Beyond. Springer, New York.
Ally, M. (2019). Competency Profile of the Digital and Online Teacher in Future Education. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(2), 302-318.
Benali, M. & Ally, M. (2019). Towards a Conceptual Framework Highlighting Mobile Learning Challenges. The International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning (IJMBL).
Grimus, M. & Ally, M. (2019). Preparing Teachers for Integration of Digital Tools in Teaching: OER/MOOCs in Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. In M. Ally, M. Embi, & H. Norman (Eds), Routledge, New York, 27-46.
Yu, S., Ally, M. & Tsinakos, A. (2018). Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning: An International Handbook. Springer: Singapore.
Norman, H., Nordin, N., Embi, M., Zaini, H. & Ally, M. (2018). A Framework of Drone-based Learning (Dronagogy) for Higher Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 7(3.14), 1-6.
Norman, H., Nordin, N., Hamdan, S., Zaini, H. & Ally, M. (2018). A Social Network Analysis of Online Social Participation Levels in Higher Education. Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical & Control Systems, 10(02), 1768-1774.
Alshahrani, K. & Ally, M. (2017). Transforming Education in the Gulf Region: Emerging Learning technologies and Innovative Pedagogy for the 21st Century. Routledge Pub, London, UK.
Powers, R., Ally, M., Palalas, A. & Cristol, D. (2017). IAmLearning: Mobilizing and Supporting Educator Practice. Pressbooks Pub.
Ally, M., Samaka, M. & Robinson, M. (2017). Initiatives to Innovate Education in Qatar. In K. Alshahrani & M. Ally (Eds.), Transforming Education in the Gulf Region: Emerging Learning Technologies and Innovative Pedagogy for the 21st Century, p. 110-125, Routledge Pub, New York.
Alshahrani, K. & Ally, M. (2017). MOOC in the Arab World: A Case Study. In K. Alshahrani & M. Ally (Eds.), Transforming Education in the Gulf Region: Emerging Learning Technologies and Innovative Pedagogy for the 21st Century, p. 178-187, Routledge Pub, New York.
Naif Aljohani, N., Davis, H.C., Ally, M. & Jalal, S.A. (2017). Student Centred Learning Analytics Dashboard to Empower Students to take Responsibility for their Learning. In K. Alshahrani & M. Ally (Eds.), Transforming Education in the Gulf Region: Emerging Learning Technologies and Innovative Pedagogy for the 21st Century, p. 139-149, Routledge Pub, New York
Palalas, A. & Ally, M. (2016). The International Handbook of Mobile Assisted language Learning. CCRTVU Press, Beijing, China.
Ally, M. & Samaka, M. (2016). Guidelines for design and implementation of mobile learning. In Badrul Khan (Ed.), Revolutionizing Modern Education through Meaningful E-learning Implementation, Hershey, PA: IGI Global, p. 161-176, doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0466-5.
Ally, M. (2020). Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Implications for Research. Invited Speaker at the International Hellenic University, Greece, February 2020.
Ally, M. (2019). Blended Learning in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 2019 World Conference on Blended Learning, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Ally, M. (2019). An AI-empowered online one-on-one tutoring system to educate students in rural areas. UNESCO 2019 Mobile Learning Symposium, Paris, France.
Ally, M. (2018). Transformation of Education with MOOC. Invited presentation at Peking University, Beijing, China.
Ally, M. (2018). Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Invited presentation at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Ally, M. (2018). Mobile Learning: Shaping the Future of Education. Open University of Catalonia. Spain.
Ally, M. (2017). The future of education with emerging technologies. National University of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur.
Ally, M. (2014). Emerging learning technologies for blended learning to improve access to education. Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, February 20, 2014.
Ally, M. (2014). Improving Access to Education with Emerging Learning Technologies. Anadolu University, Turkey, March 18, 2014.
Ally, M. (2014). Successful Implementation of the Flipped Classroom using Mobile Learning. Mobile Learning Conference. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 10, 2014.
Ally, M. (2014). Use of ICT, blended learning, and learner-centered education to make overcrowded classes more manageable and effective. International Conference on Teaching Overcrowded Classes using ICT, Agadir, Morocco, May 7-8, 2014.
Ally, M. (2013). Transforming Education with Mobile Learning. China International Distance Education Conference. Beijing, China, November 21-22, 2013.
Ally, M. (2013). Improving Access to Education with Emerging Learning Technologies. Arab Open University Int’l Conference on Open Learning, Kuwait, November 25-27, 2013.
Ally, M. (2013). ICT: Building Bridges and Solving Educational Divide. Keynote Speech at the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) 20th International Conference & 17th Youth Summit, Doha, Qatar, July 2013.
Ally, M. (2013). Mobile learning for flexible delivery of education. Invited Speech at SIM University, Singapore, June 2013.
Ally, M. (2013). Mobile Learning: From Research to Practice to Impact Education. Keynote Speech at the Mobile Learning: Gulf Perspectives Symposium, Abu Dhabi, UAE, April 2013.
Ally, M. (2013). Distance Learning, Online Learning, and Mobile Learning. Invited Speech at the University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, March 2013.