Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Institutional Culture On Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge In Higher Education, Kenna Spiller Vowell

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching and learning online is an increasingly important aspect of higher education, especially post-Covid-19. Previous studies have shown a relationship between Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and teaching efficacy and teaching efficacy and student success. However, the contextual factors impacting TPACK have not been adequately explored. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the contextual factor of institutional culture impacts TPACK among online higher education faculty at institutions in the Southeastern United States as well as to what extent specific dimensions of institutional culture effect TPACK levels. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey that was …

Examining The Relationship Between Student Age And Modality Choice In A Community College’S New Student Orientation Program: A Preregistered Study To Examine The Assumption Of Self-Directed Learning, Amy L. Foree

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Understanding and navigating college rules, resources, and expectations is a considerable barrier for students accessing and transitioning to college (Conley, 2007; Williams, 1996; Hooker & Brand, 2010; Ardoin, 2013; Sheppard, 2012). To improve students’ acquisition of pertinent, time-sensitive information, many institutions have implemented mandatory new student orientations (NSO). Orientations provide information such as academic policies and procedures, institutional expectations, campus resources, and financial aid assistance. They also allow students to meet faculty, staff, and other new students. By providing these resources, institutions acclimate students to their new environment. Although colleges realize that new student orientations support students’ success, they …

Addressing Engagement: Student Perceptions Of Meaningful Gamification In Online Courses, Jessica M. Sanchez-Barrera

Theses and Dissertations

Although there is high enrollment in online college courses, there are concerns about student engagement (Martin & Bolliger, 2018; Dumford & Miller, 2018). Gamification has been shown to have the potential to improve student engagement. The purpose of the study was to describe how academic student engagement is impacted by Nicholson’s Meaningfully Gamified online course compared to traditionally taught online course. An embedded multiple case study research design was employed using self-determination theory as the theoretical framework to measure engagement. The theory constructs analyzed were autonomy, competence, relatedness, and student engagement. The research was conducted …

An Evaluation Of Clemson University’S Cooperative Extension Services Online Learning Programs And Framework For Program Development And Evaluation, Christina Leard

All Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic brought online learning to the forefront with the need to define online learning with best practices. Clemson University Extension conducted a retrospective observational study compiling survey data from virtual extension agents and supervisor’s conducting online programs. A literature review analyzed terminology for online learning to obtain a standardized definition to define online learning for Clemson Extension Services programs; evaluate and identify through literature strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges (SWOC) of on-line learning; determine and identify online learning competencies for instructors, assessment and evaluation; and analyze and evaluate response data from virtual extension agents delivering online programs in …

Online Instructional Clarity: A Phenomenological Study Of Students’ Experiences, Erin Cathleen Bryan Sutliff

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was a phenomenological exploration of five undergraduate students’ experiences with clear and unclear instructors in online courses at a large southeastern research university. The specific aim was to privilege the voices of undergraduate students about their experiences communicating with their online instructors, particularly with regard to their instructors’ clarity (or lack thereof), and analyze the essence of their experiences using an interpretivist, and specifically, phenomenological perspective. The research was envisioned to address gaps in the instructional clarity literature as well as to respond to calls within both the online learning and the instructional communication literature to explore instructor …

Fostering A Sense Of Online Community: Faculty Reflections Through Narratives, Brittany D. Anthony

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study will explore how MSW faculty describe a community in online courses and what strategies they use in fostering a sense of community within courses from an online Master of Social Work program at the University of South Florida. There is an imperative need to ensure online courses provide a sense of community to support students for success. During the timespan of an online course, strategic pedagogical approaches to fostering a community are essential to enriching the overall learning experience for students. Many studies tend to focus on the challenges faced when building an online community. Still, the …

Informal Learning In An Online Book Club: A Qualitative Case Study, Toni E. Pilcher

Theses and Dissertations

This article examines the online book club called Victober, which is held every October on Youtube and other social media apps. As a qualitive case study, the research uses interviews, observations, and digital documents to explore the interactions and informal learning experiences of four women who participated in Victober 2022. The author identifies five overarching themes that emerged from the data: content creation, community identity, individual identity, rewards, and anticipation. These themes highlight the significance of content creation for YouTube and social media platforms, the sense of community fostered by Victober, the balance between individuality and belonging, the rewards of …

Ensuring Culturally Inclusive Online Learning For International Students: A Delphi Study To Identify Requisite Instructor Competencies, Kristen Lina Heaster-Ekholm

Doctoral Dissertations

The dramatic expansion of online learning in U.S. higher education has been accompanied by a notable shift in the demographics of students enrolled in these courses. International students are among those participating in online courses in growing numbers, infusing the virtual space with greater cultural diversity. Many instructors are unprepared for this change. Culture plays an influential role in how we learn, yet instructors rarely consider it in the design and facilitation of their online courses. This can have a negative impact on learners and often affects international students in disproportionate ways. The purpose of this study was to identify …

Fostering An Inclusive Learning Environment Through Course Development: A Program Evaluation, Rachel K. Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This evaluation was chosen to address the desire of students to see themselves and their lived experiences in their coursework at University College, the location of this study. The purpose was to complete a utilization-focused evaluation that assessed first, the formal and informal practices involved in the course development process within an academic department at University College, University of Denver, and second to determine the extent to which the course development process contributes to an inclusive learning environment. Data were collected using qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders in the course development process, observations of weekly course development …

Exploring Blended Learning Supports For First-Generation And Underrepresented Minoritized Undergraduate Students, Krista Marie Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

First-generation students are frequently underrepresented minoritized (URM), low-income students (Douglas, 2019; Postsecondary National Policy Institute [PNPI], 2021). They are often highly motivated (Haney, 2020) but frequently experience unique or exacerbated challenges in post-secondary education (Moore et al., 2018; Soria et al., 2020). These challenges may continue into online spaces. In the first paper of this dissertation, we performed a scoping literature review and uniquely identified and categorized the challenges of these students in the online environment. We placed these challenges within the model of student engagement by Borup et al. (2020) to offer theoretical perspective for potentially better student support. …

Service Learning In The Digital Age: Understanding Nontraditional Students And Their Experiential Journey Through Electronic-Service Learning, Qianhui Hub

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Service learning (SL) is an experiential learning pedagogy that merges real-life community service activities with structured reflection. Electronic-Service Learning (e-SL) is a blended pedagogy that combines online education and SL. The pandemic has significantly prompted the evolution of SL toward e-SL. In planning pedagogy initiatives, educators must not overlook the changing demographics of their student bodies. Within higher education in the U.S., 75% of students have at least one nontraditional student characteristic. Yet, the perceptions and experiences of nontraditional students on e-SL are critically underexplored. Thus, this dissertation examined the potential and value of developing e-SL with particular attention to …

Post-Pandemic Digital Experiences & Attitudes Among Adult Immigrant Esol Learners, Lacey D. Goodloe

Master's Theses

This mixed-methods study considers the current reality of the “digital divide” as experienced by adult immigrant ESOL learners following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. Although prior research often assumes foreign-born individuals to have lower rates of access, skills and motivation to engage with technology, or to lack it altogether, this study seeks to contribute a more realistic picture which encompasses the full diversity of digital experiences among the foreign-born population. The review of the literature first covers two levels of the digital divide that often evince socioeconomic disparities: primarily access, skills and usage; and more recently, attitudes and motivation. Then, …

The Impact Of Environmental Education Delivery Methods And Outreach Messaging On Attitudes, Interests, And Intended-Behavior Changes Toward Nature, Vanessa Elizabeth Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental education (EE) is important for environmental awareness and stewardship. Involving youth and adults in EE ensures current and future generations will conserve natural resources. This thesis explores impacts of delivery methods on participants’ environmental attitudes and behaviors toward nature through middle school classroom- and camp-based EE instruction, focus group interviews with rural minority youth, and adult responses to aquatic conservation outreach messaging. I observed no difference in environmental attitudes between online versus in-person delivery of EE lessons for middle-schoolers. Outdoor-based learning may be more impactful for EE than experiential, classroom-based learning. Focus group outcomes suggested youth EE programs should …

Leadership Education In A Changing World: The Efficacy Of Service-Learning As A Pedagogical Asset In Online University Leadership Courses, Sam Perry

Student Scholarship

The purpose of this study is to explore the domains of service-learning, leadership education, and online education to generate new ideas relevant to providing a comprehensive educational experience that successfully aids students to lead in subsequent positions. This is an in integrative literature review with supporting information from 35 sources including journals, books, dissertations, relevant media, and surveys that are used to discuss leadership education, online education, service-learning, and the leadership development potential for students when service-learning assignments are utilized in online leadership courses. Themes from each section will be identified and combined to produce new ideas in employing service-learning …

Doctoral Students' Experiences Of Community Of Practice In A Hybrid Cohort-Based Program: A Case Study, Celeste Avery

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Graduate enrollment in the United States is increasing. With the advent of the cohort learning model and online delivery methods, adult learners now have greater access to higher education. The cohort learning model, which is based on elements of Community of Practice, has been shown to provide learners with a sense of community while also having a positive impact on retention. In a hybrid cohort-based learning model, many institutions provide the convenience of both online and face-to-face classes. Doctoral student attrition remains high, ranging from 40-50% across all programs, with rates as high as 70% in Education programs. The purpose …

The Effects Of Lecture Capture Design On Student Performance In An Online, Asynchronous Nonmajors Biology Course, Melissa Ann Gutierrez

Dissertations

Lecture capture technology, the ability to provide multimedia recordings of instructional content, has become an essential technology for online learning. One of the ways online courses have tried to appeal to the digital lifestyle of today’s students is providing different lecture capture styles, such as audio (podcasts), video, or interactive videos, due to the popularity of mobile media players providing anytime and anywhere learning. Although lecture capture technology provides educators with a diverse set of tools on how content is delivered, studies have shown mixed results on the impact of lecture capture styles on learning.

For this study, the main …

Effective Resources For Online Learning A Study On Elementary Aged Children, Marlene Mora-Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify which resources have been most effective by examining an elementary school site with 22 parent and teacher participants. The increase in online learning in the past 5 years across kindergarten through 6^th grade students required educators and students to know which are the most effective and relevant resources that supplement learning. Online Google surveys were used to gather data which was inputted into SPSS to examine a univariant analysis. The results determined Lexia Core 5 to be the best resource for academic improvement and Google Classroom to be the most effective …

Evaluating Readiness To Teach Online By Examining The Relationship Between Faculty’S Perceptions Of Importance Of Course Design, Course Communication, Time Management, And Technical Competency, And Their Readiness To Teach Online, Francisco Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty’s perceptions of the importance of online teaching competencies and their perceptions of their ability to teach online. Two aspects of readiness are focused on in this framework: 1) faculty attitude on importance of online teaching competencies and 2) faculty perception on their ability to confidently teach online, and four competencies were utilized in this study: Course Design, Course Communication, Time Management, and Technical Competency. A quantitative research design was utilized to analyze data and show the degree of correlation between importance and ability in the four competencies. MANOVA was used to …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Classroom Behavior Of Elementary School Students, Emma Ballesteros

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone project is to inform parents, current and future educators about the harms that COVID-19 has brought into the classroom after the period of isolation. During this period, families were forced to stay indoors for their safety. Parents had to juggle between their jobs, their children, and themselves. All of these were going on while a child should be focusing on learning in the classroom. Through extensive literature review and interviews with elementary school teachers, the result finding indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause of student behaviors in the classroom that have affected many …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Use And Implementation Of Online Learning In Secondary Career And Technical Education Programs, Jared C. Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally altered the course of education and this is no more evident than in the world of Career and Technical Education (CTE). When the education world was thrust into the remote learning environment, CTE instructors were forced to discover ways to provide students in their programs with high-quality learning experiences without the ability to conduct the hands-on learning experiences that are the hallmark of CTE programs. As we have moved into an endemic stage, a significant opportunity exists in finding ways to create improved methods of instruction in CTE programs that provide students with enhance learning experiences …

A Grounded Theory For The Dissatisfaction Of Asynchronous Online Education Among Community College Students, Scott Sandok

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

As higher education institutions face the pressures of decreasing enrollment, online education is experiencing significant growth. Students are attracted to asynchronous online courses’ flexibility but often have inconsistent experiences. Previous research focused on drivers of satisfaction for online learning; this study concentrated on identifying the drivers of dissatisfaction for asynchronous online delivery among community college students. This study utilized a survey and semi-structured interviews to generate a grounded theory answer to the drivers of dissatisfaction. A survey based on Moore’s Transactional Distance Theory model broadly identified the areas of most significant concern for students with experience with asynchronous online courses. …

Pathways To Success For Black Women Leaders In Online Higher Education: Intersectionality Of Gender, Race, And Personality Traits, Shanaya Kuykendahl Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has been used by researchers to suggest that Black women face challenges and obstacles seeking leadership roles at higher education institutions (HEIs). Many of these Black women have consistently and pervasively faced prevailing stereotypes, biases, and barriers as they seek career advancements at online HEIs (Nigar, 2020; Tarbutton, 2019). This qualitative phenomenological study was undertaken in order to examine the intersectionality of gender, race, and personality traits of Black women leaders who hold positions of department chair level or higher in HEIs. Using the theoretical framework of Black feminist thought, this research was conducted to understand better the …

Evaluating Healthcare Student Learning Performance During The Initial Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study, Maria D. Garcia-Villarreal

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a mass interruption to daily life lasting almost an entire academic year. Return to normalcy was hard won and phased over the following academic year. Neither time-period offered “traditional” learning experiences in academic institutions. The extent to which the operational shut-down affected academic institutions and their learners is just now beginning to be elucidated. Human resource development (HRD) is uniquely positioned to apply established and newly developed theories and applications to the study of this phenomenon. One particular case lends itself to observation. A major academic medical center launched a technology-driven state-of-the-art simulation education center mere …

Exploring Head Teachers’ Support For Online Learning During The School Closure As A Result Of Covid-19: A Case Of Two Primary Schools In Mombasa County, Kenya, Juma Rashid Haji

Theses & Dissertations

The emergence and spread of COVID-19 in the world prompted most governments to close all educational institutions to halt the spread of the virus. Schools in Kenya were closed for nearly 7 months, resulting in a learning loss. The Kenyan government promoted online learning through mass media such as television and radio, while the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) uploaded learning resources to their i-cloud educational portal. However, students and teachers faced several challenges that made it difficult for such headteachers to provide effective support for online learning. The researcher selected two primary schools, two headteachers, two deputy headteachers, …

Historically Black Colleges And Universities' Faculty Experiences With Online Course Design, Ashley Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality online course design requires course designers to make carefully informed decisions based on current resources and considerations for the learner. Some faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) design online learning without the assistance of instructional designers, training, or a technological infrastructure that supports online learning. To date, there is a shortage of scholarly research about how HBCU faculty design online courses and what supports or barriers exist for them. Thus, this basic qualitative research study aimed to understand faculty’s online course design experiences at HBCUs. Instructional design, adult learning theory, and the HBCU context formed the conceptual …

Historically Black Colleges And Universities' Faculty Experiences With Online Course Design, Ashley Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality online course design requires course designers to make carefully informed decisions based on current resources and considerations for the learner. Some faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) design online learning without the assistance of instructional designers, training, or a technological infrastructure that supports online learning. To date, there is a shortage of scholarly research about how HBCU faculty design online courses and what supports or barriers exist for them. Thus, this basic qualitative research study aimed to understand faculty’s online course design experiences at HBCUs. Instructional design, adult learning theory, and the HBCU context formed the conceptual …

Technological Tools And Methods Used In Formative Assessment Activities, Lisa E. Goldsmith

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the use of technological tools in formative assessment activities. These phenomena have left teachers searching for timely methods to perform formative assessment or assessment for learning activities. The problem addressed by this study was that standardized testing, large class size, and increasing distance learning at all educational levels, achieving formative assessment tasks necessary for successful learning can be a challenge. The sample from which data was gathered was 189 studies and academic articles. The target of the assessment process became apparent in many of the sections studied, which led to information about the impact of the …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Discourse Analysis Of Knowledge Construction In An Online Teacher Education Course, Elsa Richter

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Peer discourse is a valuable tool for knowledge construction in the higher education classroom environment, and can sometimes be neglected in asynchronous online classes, which have become increasingly prevalent in the past several years. Students interact in different ways online than they do in person, which can affect the class dynamic and the way in which knowledge is constructed within it. Using Weinberger & Fischer’s (2005) Framework to Analyze Argumentative Knowledge Construction in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, this single-case qualitative case study utilizes self-study, content analysis, and discourse analytic methods to investigate undergraduate students’ approaches to knowledge co-construction via discussion boards …