Educational Technology Commons^™

Teaching How To Recycle Through The Medium Of Virtual Reality, Nathan Kassai

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Students, especially children in elementary and middle school, have difficulty focusing and or absorbing information from their courses. The problem lies in the scarcity of hands-on/interactive elements in classrooms as most lectures contain topics most students would be interested in but are presented in a monotonous way. To properly educate and inspire students to work on improving their academic knowledge, alternative educational mediums must be sought. Such mediums like Virtual and Augmented Reality allow students to interact with virtual objects to learn more about a wide variety of subjects, hence increasing their engagement and enjoyment in any particular topic. The …

Post-Covid-19 Teaching With Technology Support In Higher Education, Landon Nalepinski

Masters Theses

Using a mixed methods approach, this case study focuses on how technological support in higher education can encourage educators to continue using and developing their teaching with technology practices post-COVID-19. Data and information were gathered via an anonymous survey from faculty members at Grand Valley State University to gain a better understanding of what support is being provided to them and how we can expand on that in the future.

Factors Which Facilitate The Successful Inclusion Of Students With Learning Disabilities And Emotional And Behavioral Disabilities, Mackenzie Gabrielle Nadeau

Senior Honors Theses

This paper examines the different types of strategies, supports, and technologies available to students who are classified with a learning disability (LD) or emotional and behavioral disability (EBD) in an inclusive setting. As the number of students with LD and EBD in a general, inclusive classroom setting is rising, it is necessary to find ways to maximize their educational performance. In an inclusive setting, children with disabilities receive instruction with support and accommodations alongside their non-disabled peers in their neighborhood school. The practice of inclusion promotes social interaction and peer-acceptance among students with and without disabilities, therefore providing opportunities for …

Children And Technology: Why Technology Is Important For Our Children, Jill Mactiernan

Student Theses

Many people get scared when they hear about how much technology runs the world today. They tend to get frightened when they go to a store and have to use a selfcheckout instead of a cashier. Parents are scared of the dangers of the internet and how it will affect their children, so they tend to try to prevent/limit their children’s usage of the internet and other technologies. However, that may not always be the right move. Technology can not be avoided; it is a part of our everyday lives. With proper guidance and teachings, children can learn how to …

Nursing Students’ Perceptions Of Using Branching Simulation: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Mohammad Rababa, Dania Bani-Hamad, Shatha Al-Sabbah

The Qualitative Report

Previous intervention studies have shown that branching simulation (BS) unfolds the complex multidimensional aspects of challenging health problems. The present study aimed to examine graduate nursing students’ perceptions of using BS in professional training. This study used a qualitative descriptive design with semi-structured interviews with a sample of 20 graduate nursing students. Four main themes emerged from the results: (a) BS as a support to students’ professional training, (b) BS leads to changes in clinical practice, (c) whether BS is a stressful learning experience, and (d) BS versus traditional lecturing. The participating students perceived BS as a valid learning tool …

A Case Study Of Practitioner Perceptions On The Online Transition Of Student Support Services At A Mississippi Community College, Christopher M. Bagwell

Theses and Dissertations

The study explored how practitioners perceived the transition to online student support services at a Mississippi community college during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilized the qualitative research approach of a single case study to gather data. Data was collected through open-ended surveys designed to acquire and interpret perceptions on an array of research questions. Forty-one administrators and staff participated in the study. The researcher employed hierarchical coding to narrow the data into themes. Subsequent rounds of coding and peer review were conducted to develop two principal themes of technology and institutional/personal preparedness. Kotter’s Change Model was utilized to evaluate …

Online Program Management Providers And Higher Education: A Revelatory Case Study On Value Co-Creation, Britta Svoboda

Doctoral Dissertations

With an increase in distance learning and online degree programs, many higher education institutions have partnered with online program management (OPM) providers, leading to a dramatic growth of the OPM industry over the past decade. The purpose of this study was to develop an empirically based understanding of the value proposition of entities of higher education partnering with OPMs through an in-depth, revelatory case study of value co-creation as experienced in the partnership between a doctoral research institution, specifically an academic department, and its OPM provider. The following research question guided this study: How does an OPM co-create value with …

Pakistan’S First-Ever Participation In An International Large-Scale Assessment (Timss): Critique And Implications, Sohail Ahmad, Sherwin Rodrigues, Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA) is a rapidly growing field in education which has gained considerable attention of stakeholders across the globe. Historically, ILSA emerged from the developed context which has drifted to the developing contexts in a short span of time due to globalisation. Pakistan has participated in ILSA (i.e., TIMSS) for the first time in the 2019 cycle. In light of the global critique on ILSA, this paper presents a critical analysis on Pakistan’s participation in TIMSS by raising questions embedded in contextual realities. The discussion adds to the understanding of ILSA in terms of historical developments, theoretical …

Educational Technology Workshops For The Seniors Adults, Maria Guadalupe Martinez Bribiesca

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The City of Watsonville Parks and Community Services works with various ages, from toddlers to seniors, depending on the program or organization. The main focus of this project was to work towards keeping seniors up to date with advanced technology. The problem was that many seniors don’t have the knowledge when it comes to using technology properly. The project's purpose was to educate as many senior citizens with basic computer skills. The workshop was offered both in Spanish and English once every month. The individual appointments are every week on Tuesdays. The project has exceeded expectations. The individual appointments get …

The Creation Of Successful Student Subjects: Foucault’S Power/Knowledge Framework And The Danger Of Failing Early Alert, Sue Ann Cecilia Curran

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of learning analytics is to improve and optimize learning using student data (Siemens, 2013). An early alert warning is learning analytics designed to promote student success (Baneres et al., 2019; Foung, 2019; Lawson et al., 2016; Villano et al., 2018). An early alert has an intervention component that includes, at minimum, an email that provides information about college resources to address the issue (Arnold & Pistilli, 2012). Some early alert interventions include a personal outreach by a staff member at the college through a phone call or text message (Choi et al., 2018).

At Care Community College, when …

Leadership Competencies For Instructional Designers: Identifying Critical Incidents Used To Lead Design Projects That Improve Performance, Heidi Elaine Kirby

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Even though an instructional designer may not have formal authority or direct reports, to be successful, they need leadership skills. Although the literature calls for instructional designers to possess several critical leadership skills, it does not consistently present the same important skills and often defines them very broadly. Further, authors who have argued that leadership skills are not taught to instructional designers in a sufficient way often call for more education on leadership competencies in graduate school, but the literature does not state where these skills are currently being learned and fostered.

This qualitative research study used methods of grounded …

Incorporating Andragogy And Cognitive Theory Of Multimedia Learning Into Self-Paced Training And Development Programs, Shanshan Gao

Doctoral Dissertations

In the modern higher educational system, technology permeated almost all the provisions of educational processes and transformed individual learning transactions. Empirical evidence reveals students’ skill gaps in the digitized campus and the real-world work environment driven by technology. Technical training is of high value and in high demand in helping students to develop the skills necessary to carry out schoolwork and be prepared for the real-world work environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the combined method of Andragogy and Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) in enhancing learning results and optimizing students’ learning experience …

Learning To Reason About Code With Assertions: An Exploration With Two Student Populations, Sarah Blankenship

All Theses

Code tracing is fundamental to students’ understanding of a program, and symbolic reasoning that entails learning to use assertions with abstract input and output values, as opposed to concrete values, enhances that understanding. Symbolic reasoning teaches students valuable abstraction and logic skills that will serve them well in all aspects of programming and their software
development careers.
We use lessons integrated into an online educational tool to supplement classroom instruction to help students learn symbolic reasoning. We explore two ways for students to learn about assertions: Writing assertions to capture the behavior of given code and solving Parsons-style problems in …

Differences In Elementary Students’ Self-Regulated Processes For Computer Versus Printed Reading Assignments, Katerina Sergi, Anastasia Elder, Tianlan Wei, Kristin H. Javorsky, Jianzhong Xu

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of this study was to investigate metacognitive self-regulated learning (SRL) differences in computer- and paper-based reading assignments across elementary students. Students in two after-school programs in a southeastern U.S. public school district were recruited. The final sample consisted of 48 students in Grades 2–5 who participated in two counterbalanced conditions involving a computer- and a paper-based reading assignment. The study employed a 2 x 4 (condition-by-grade) mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) and followup tests to examine metacognitive SRL differences between conditions and grades. The results indicate that elementary students used various metacognitive SRL skills across both conditions. The …

Game-Based Learning: Examining Factors That Influence K-12 Classroom Usage, Sean Ward

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Video games have become a popular and accepted part of digital culture and are becoming more accepted as an engaging instructional tool in schools. Integration of games can help develop students’ intrinsic motivation for learning and are a great way for teachers to incorporate student interests and make connections to the curriculum. Classroom usage of digital games is becoming more widespread, but prior research suggests that game-based learning is underutilized as a tool in the teacher toolbox. This study seeks to understand the factors that influence teachers’ decisions to use or not use digital games in their classroom and make …

Understanding Students' Experience With 1:1 Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning In A Mathematics Classroom, Oscar Antonio Perales Aguilera

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

There has been a move towards integrating educational technology into K-12 mathematics classrooms. This emphasis has been partly driven by policy, increases in technology resources available, and a need to engage students in their mathematical learning. Most studies on technology integration in mathematics education are focused on teachers’ perceptions or students’ academic achievement. However, we need to learn how students perceive their learning in this type of environment. This dissertation is a basic qualitative study aimed at understanding the experiences of students with 1:1 computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) in an Algebraic Reasoning classroom. The study used the mathematical software, Desmos, …

Lived Experiences Of Women In Collegiate Esports Leadership, Kim S. Johnson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

A leadership gender gap exists in politics, business, and higher education, and there appears to be one in collegiate esports. Researchers have conducted studies on some aspects of esports; however, we know little about women’s experiences leading collegiate esports programs. The purpose of this qualitative study - a descriptive (transcendental) phenomenology – was to explore and describe the essence of women’s lived experiences in leading collegiate varsity esports programs at higher education institutions. In-depth interviews were the research method. Seven women employed as collegiate varsity esports coaches or directors described their historical context, present experiences in the profession, and how …

Accessible And Inclusive Online Course Design In Higher Education, Amy Lomellini

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The growth of online learning has expanded the reach of higher education to more diverse students than ever before; however, students often face barriers to equitable access to online instructional materials, course activities, and assessments. The challenge of meeting the needs of diverse learners was both highlighted and exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid shift to remote teaching and learning at many institutions. Disabled students were one group that was particularly affected. Research has explored faculty and students’ (with and without disabilities) perceptions of online learning; however, less is known about instructional designers’ and their team leaders’ roles …

Impact Of Online Learning On Academic Success Of College Students, Natalie Carbonel

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Online learning has become more prominent in higher education institutions due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic and has ultimately impacted the academic success of college students. The purpose of this capstone is to examine the impact of online learning on the academic success of college students. Through the use of literature review and a survey with 20 students at the community college and four-year colleges, the findings reveal that online learning has negatively impacted their attitude, motivation, self-efficacy and accessibility toward learning. This capstone concludes with suggestions on ways to improve their attitudes and acceptance of the adaptation of the …

Responsive Technical Education Curriculum: An Exploratory Case Study Approach Toward Understanding Human Skills Alignment, Kari Lamoreaux

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Globalization and rapid changes in technology have led to a shift in the skills employers need. These changes have resulted in a gap between the skills people have and those required by industry. This exploratory case study sought to better understand the uniquely human skills employers desire and technical educators should teach in order to address this gap in a local context. The study was conducted in four phases. 1) Current literature was analyzed to identify commonly recurring human skills discussed in studies and reports. 2) These skills were then used as search terms in an analysis of occupational advisory …