Dr. Farhad (Fred) Saba

Dr. Saba is professor Emeritus of Educational Technology at San Diego State University (1984-present), where he taught courses on distance education. He has been involved in the field of distance education since 1973, first as the Managing Director of Educational Radio and Television of Iran (1973-1978), and then as the Director of the Telecommunications Division at the University of Connecticut (1979-1984).

Dr. Fred Saba

Dr. Saba has authored more than 100 articles and chapters in books. He has the distinct honor to be the first winner of the Charles A. Wedemeyer award given to scholars who have made significant contributions to research and theory building in the field of distance education. Dr. Saba has presented in professional conferences in many countries including Afghanistan, The People’s Republic of China, Great Britain, France, Malaysia, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland (The United Nations), and Turkey. He is on the editorial board of the American Journal of Distance Education, the International Review of Distance and Open Learning, MERLOT’s Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Asia Pacific Education Review, and the Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education.

His consulting work has included many corporations and public institutions: Apple Computer Inc., Digital Equipment Corporation (merged with Hewlett Packard through Compaq), Nortel, US Department of Education, Office of the Governor of the State of Connecticut, Office of the Chancellor of the California State University system, the World Bank, San Diego County Office of Education, Harvard Business School Publishing, Brigham Young University and the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Saba earned his PhD in Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation from Syracuse University, and an MA, and BA in Broadcast Communication Arts from San Francisco State University.

Dr. Saba’s Selected Publications

Saba, F., & Shearer, R. L. (2018). Transactional distance and adaptive learning: Planning for the future of higher education. New York, NY: Routledge.

Saba, F. (2016). Theories of distance education: Why they matter. New Directions for Higher Education, 2016(173), 21-30.

Saba, F. (2014) . Methods of study in distance education: A critical review of selected recent literature. In P. Anderson, and O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.). Online distance education: Towards a research agenda. (152-171).  Athabasca, CA: Athabasca University.

Saba, F. (2012). A systems approach to the future of distance education in colleges and universities: Research, development, and implementation. Continuing Higher Education Review. 76, 30-37.

Saba, F. (2011). Distance education in the United States: Past, present, future. Educational Technology, 51 (6) 11-18.

Saba, F.  (2008). Learning management systems of the future: A theoretical framework and design. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 4 (2).