Biography
Dr. Runna Alghazo joined the University of North Dakota, College of Education and Human Development in the fall of 2023 as an Assistant Professor in the Education, Health, & Behavior Studies Department-Rehabilitation and Human Services Program. She holds a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling and Administration from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. With 14 years of international experience, she has successfully pioneered initiatives to enhance the inclusion of students with disabilities in post-secondary education, providing tailored accommodations and support to ensure their academic success.
Runna is an educational researcher and a rehabilitation counselor. Her areas of research interest include psychological and systemic variables that may contribute to students' academic success in Higher Education, inclusive teaching and learning models that are based on Universal Design principles in K-12 and postsecondary education, and teaching & learning applications for students with disabilities using Artificial Intelligence.
Beyond her academic career, Runna enjoys the simple pleasures of music, reading, and cooking international dishes and experimenting with new recipes. She is also a dedicated mother to three boys, which brings a unique perspective and depth to her understanding of educational and developmental challenges.
RHS 260 Inclusion in Recreation Settings
RHS 450 Vocational Assessment and Job Acquisition
RHS 455 Rehabilitation Process
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Latif, G., Brahim, G. B., Abdelhamid, S. E., Alghazo, R., Alhabib, G., & Alnujaidi, K. (2023). Learning at your fingertips: An innovative IoT-based AI-powered Braille learning system. Applied System Innovation, 6(5), 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/asi6050091
Latif, G., Abdelhamid, S. E., Fawagreh, K. S., Brahim, G. B., & Alghazo, R. (2023). Machine learning in higher education: Students’ performance assessment considering online activity logs. IEEE Access, 11, 69586-69600. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3287972
Butt, M. M., Iskandar, D. N. F., Abdelhamid, S. E., Latif, G., & Alghazo, R. (2022). Diabetic Retinopathy Detection from Fundus Images of the Eye Using Hybrid Deep Learning Features. Diagnostics, 12(7), 1607. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12071607
Alghazo, A. M., Abdelhamid, S., & Alghazo, R. (2022). Back to basics: A role of reading, writing, and arithmetic teaching. Frontiers in Education, 7, 913014. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.913014
Pilotti, M. A. E., Al Ghazo, R., & Al Shamsi, S. J. (2022). Academic entitlement amid social change in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(4), 1718-1730. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-05-2021-0168
Pilotti, M. A., Murteza, I. D., & Al Ghazo, R. (2022). Parents’ academic entitlement concerning their children. The International Journal of Diversity in Education, 22(2), 13. DOI:10.18848/2327-0020/CGP/v22i02/13-23
Latif, G., Alghazo, R., Pilotti, M. A., & Brahim, G. B. (2022). Identifying "at-risk" students: An AI-based prediction approach. International Journal of Computing and Digital System, 11(1), 1051-1059. https://dx.doi.org/10.12785/ijcds/1101184
Pilotti, M., Alkuhayli, H., & Al Ghazo, R. (2021). Memorization practice and academic success in Saudi undergraduate students. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 18(1), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1108/LTHE-08-2020-0030
El-Moussa, O. J., Alghazo, R., & Pilotti, M. A. (2021). Data-driven predictions of academic success among college students in Saudi Arabia. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning, 9(1), 115-134. DOI: 10.14426/cristal.v9i1.316
Alghazo, R., & Pilotti, M. A. (2021). The sustainability of institutional policies starts with “know thyself”. Sustainability, 13(9), 4938. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094938
Al Ghazo, R., Daqqa, I., AbdelSalam, H., Pilotti, M. A. E., & Mulhem, H. (2020). Mental simulation effects on performance: Benefits of outcome versus process simulations in online courses. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education, 8(Special Issue), 37-47. doi: 10.23947/2334-8496-2020-8-SI-37-47
Pilotti, M. A. E., & Al Ghazo, R. (2020). Sustainable education starts in the classroom. Sustainability, 12(22), 9573. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229573
Pilotti, M. A., Salameh, M. H., Abdulhadi, E. J. Y., & Al Ghazo, R. (2020). Perceptual organization and attribution preferences: a glimpse of the Middle Eastern bicultural mind. The Journal of General Psychology, 149(2), 169-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.2020.1819767
Pilotti, M. A. E., Aamir, S., Al Ghazo, R., & Al Kuhayli, H. A. (2019). Explicit conditional reasoning performance: An examination of educational past, processing load, and self-efficacy. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 3(31), 402-412.
Al Kuhayli, H. A., Abdulhadi, E. J., El Alaoui, K., Pilotti, M. A. E., Aldabbagh, K., & Al Ghazo, R. (2019). Projecting a clean(er) conscience unto others. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, 14(1), 31-44.
Al Kuhayli, H. A., Pilotti, M. A. E., El Alaoui, K., Cavazos, S. E., Hassan, S. A. M., & Al Ghazo, R. (2019). An exploratory non-experimental design of self-assessment practice. The International Journal of Assessment and Evaluation, 26(1), 49-65. DOI:10.18848/2327-7920/CGP/v26i01/49-65
Alghazo, Y., & Alghazo, R. (2017). Exploring common misconceptions and errors about fractions among college students in Saudi Arabia. International Education Studies, 4(10), 133-140.
Alghazo, Y., & Alghazo, R. (2015). The effect of parental involvement and socioeconomic status on elementary students’ mathematics achievement. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(5), 521-527.
Alghazo, Y., & Alghazo, R. (2015). The relationship among parental involvement, socioeconomic status, and mathematics achievement in Jordan. International Journal of Science and Research, 10, 1306-1311.
Alghazo, E. M., & Alghazo, R. (2014). Reaching high standards: Prospective special education teachers' perceptions about their computer competencies and the usefulness of computers in teaching students with disabilities. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(37), 10-14.
Alghazo, R. Upton, T. D., & Cioe, N. (2011). Duty to warn versus duty to protect confidentiality: Ethical and legal considerations relative to individuals with AIDS/HIV. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 42(1), 43-49.
Conference Papers
Feinauer, D. M., Alghazo, R., Alghazo, J. M., Abdelhamid, S., & Squire, J. C. (2023, June). Student Perceptions of Learning Models in First-Year Programming Courses. Paper presented at the 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. https://peer.asee.org/44310
Latif, G., Alghazo, J., Mohammad, N., & Alghazo, R. (2021, July). Communicating with the deaf and hard of hearing through automatic Arabic sign language translator. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1962, No. 1). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1962/1/012055
Pilotti, M. A. E., Al Ghazo, R., Salameh, M. H., & Al Mubarak, H. (2021). A case for a culturally relevant pedagogy: A lesson from The Middle East. Paper presented at the 5th IAFOR International Conference on Education. https://papers.iafor.org/submission58578/
Al Ghazo, R., Pilotti, M. A. E., Al Kuhayli, H., & Huda Mulhem, H. (2021). Outcome predictions of low performing students: Illusion of knowing or lack of confidence? Paper presented at the 5th IAFOR International Conference on Education. https://papers.iafor.org/submission58582/
Al Ghazo, R., El Alaoui, K., Al Mulhem, H., & Pilotti, M. A. E. (2020). Extensive practice with verbatim learning is not destiny. Paper presented at the IAFOR International Conference on Education.
Al Kuhayli, H. A., El Alaoui, K., Pilotti, M. A. E., Hassan, S. A. M., & Al Ghazo, R. (2019). Is the illusion of knowing present in students with an instructor-centered educational past? Poster presented at the 31st Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science.
Licensed Professional Counselor (Illinois, USA) - #178019326
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) - # 608653
IOADAPCA Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), May of 2004-2008
Dissertation Research Award, 2007-2008
Guy A. Renzaglia Scholarship for Best Academic Performance, 2002
Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling & Administration (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL)
M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, Concentration in Substance Abuse Counseling (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL)
B.S. in Medical Technology (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, TX)
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS:
2023-present: Assistant Professor, University of North Dakota, College of Education & Human Development, Department of Education, Health & Behavioral Studies - Rehabilitation and Human Services Program.
2013-2021: Assistant Professor, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, College of Sciences and Human Studies - Core Curriculum Program.
2009-2013: Assistant Professor, King Faisal University, Ahssa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Department of Special Education.
2010-2013: International Workshops Coordinator, King Faisal University, Ahssa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Deanship of Academic Development.
2008-2009: Assistant Professor, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
2007-2008: Dissertation Research Award, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
2005-2007: Teaching Assistant, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, Rehabilitation Counseling Training Program.
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE:
2006-2007: Mental Health-Substance Abuse Counseling/Assessment Unit Clinician- Franklin Williamson Human Services-Marion, Illinois.
2003-2006: Mental Health-Substance Abuse Counselor, Southern Illinois Regional Social Services-Carbondale, Illinois.
Jan 2003-May 2003: Practicum Student-Adult Transition Center-House of Glass, Illinois Department of Corrections, Carbondale, Illinois.