Welcome!

My name is Ebenezer Belete (Dr. Ebi), and I hold a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), with a research focus on collaborative argumentation and artificial intelligence.

I currently serve as an Associate Professor at Walla Walla University. In addition, I teach web-based graduate courses (master's and doctoral levels) remotely for UNLV. I am also the founder and director of DiaPraxis Learning Initiative, an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to maximizing access to AI-supported learning platforms. One of the flagship proejcts of DiaPraxis, www.pbecoach.com, has been supporting more than 2000 members of the Pathfinder Club, an international youth club. 

In my fourth year of my PhD program, I was selected as one of three featured speakers for the Inspiration, Innovation, and Impact (I³) session during the 27th Annual Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum at UNLV. My presentation highlighted the development of a GPT-powered conversational assistant designed to foster argument evaluation by combining cutting-edge learning technologies with critical-thinking pedagogy. You may watch my presentation on YouTube.

The United States is the fifth country in which I have served as an educator. Before moving to the U.S. as a permanent resident and later becoming a citizen in 2024, I taught in Ethiopia (six years), the Philippines (one year), Thailand (eleven years), and Malaysia (through an off-campus program). Throughout my career in higher education, I have taught 27 different courses, primarily in the fields of psychology and education.