Education Commons^™

Interactions Between Patterns Of Gamer Behaviors And Time-On-Task For Mathematics Remediation In A Game-Based Hive, Marvin Gene Fuller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the presence of digital game-based learning increases in United States classrooms, understanding their impact on achievement is critical. Digital games for learning offer many potential benefits, including reducing the number of students trapped in a remediation cycle, a contributor to college dropout. Despite the recognized potential of game-based learning, few researchers have explored the relationships between specific patterns of behaviors and types of digital game-based learning environments. The underlying theory for this study was patterns of gamer behaviors may predict in-game behaviors. Archival, third-party data regarding The Lost Function - Episode 1: Sum of the Forgotten Minds by Advanced …

Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perspective Of Technology Integration: A Qualitative Case Study, Patricia Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many studies have documented that technology integration increases summative assessment scores, yet many teachers do not integrate technology in their teaching. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the extent to which middle school mathematics educators are or are not integrating technology in a school district where summative scores were below mathematics state benchmarks. Guided by instructional constructivism and the technology acceptance model, this case study examined how teachers perceived advantages and barriers to mathematics instruction that uses technology. Five of the nine mathematics teachers at the middle school volunteered to participate in a semi-structured interview and be …

Exploring Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Jill I. Sorbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although research supports the blended learning methodology as a way to personalize and engage students, research also documents the widespread hesitation among educators when it comes to embracing technology. District leaders believe that such is the case in an upper Midwest school district where all high school students are provided devices, yet these leaders note that few teachers are fully exploiting the tools. Framed by the connectivism and social constructivism theories, this qualitative case study focused on teachers' views of blended learning, its influence on their teaching practices, and how they see it helping students to learn. The guiding research …

Social Studies Teachers' Use Of Twitter And #Edchats For Collaboration, Eric Langhorst

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past studies have indicated that teachers in the United States have limited opportunities to collaborate with peers; this limitation has been found to be particularly problematic for social studies teachers. An increasing number of educators are using the social media application Twitter to collaborate. Little research exists concerning social studies teachers' use of #edchats, a weekly recurring Twitter session. The focus of this qualitative case study was the collaboration that exists among social studies teachers participating in Twitter edchats. The theoretical framework was communities of practice. Transcripts of 10 edchat sessions in 2013 were coded with an a priori strategy, …

Faculty Willingness To Complete Information Technology Training On Course Management Systems, Audrey S. Pereira

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The literature suggests that information technology (IT), including Course Management Systems (CMSs), allows higher education faculty members (HEFMs) to adopt better methods for teaching and learning, and that training contributes to adoption. However, many HEFMs are unwilling to complete IT training on the CMS, contributing to low adoption rates. Yet, little is known about what influences HEFMs to complete IT training on their institution's CMS, even though CMSs are widely available. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature through a quantitative, cross-sectional study of HEFM perceptions of CMS characteristics, based on Rogers' diffusion of …

Recent Graduates' Perspective On The Efficacy Of Nursing Simulation Laboratory Experiences, Holli Sowerby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It has become progressively difficult to find suitable clinical placement for nursing students. To help meet this need, local schools of nursing are turning to high-fidelity simulation manikins to substitute for clinical experience. There is a lack of research that explores recently graduated nurses' perceptions about the efficacy of simulation experiences. Guided by the constructivist theory, this qualitative case study identified how recent RN graduates viewed simulation experiences and whether associate's-degree RN program graduates and bachelor's-program RN graduates viewed simulation differently. Nine recent graduates participated in individual face-to-face interviews. The data were coded and grouped into 5 major themes in …

An Investigation Of Teacher Librarians' Use Of Interactive Whiteboard Technology For Literacy Instruction, Judith Carroll Stanton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although school systems have made investments in technology with the intention of raising student scores on state and national tests, improvements in student achievement have not always followed. The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher librarians' use of interactive whiteboards to improve student literacy. This qualitative case study was guided by the theory of social constructivism, wherein individuals learn through interaction with peers and knowledgeable others. The research questions were focused on how teacher librarians integrated multi-literacies and technological skills into pedagogical goals. Data were collected from a 4-member focus group interview, a questionnaire delivered to a subset …

High School Graduates' Perspectives On The Creation Of Online Identities, Lisa Koh-Herlong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technological advancements continue to increase online accessibility and the virtual population. As students engage with these advancements, their lives and identities will be on a worldwide platform. The realities of online identities present a challenge for educators to teach students how to manage those online identities. Researchers have studied the after-effects of online identities, but there is a gap in understanding the individual's thought process during the creation of online identities. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to understand the perspectives of working high school graduates regarding the creation of online identities. The research questions were designed to …

Technology And Social Media In Motivating At-Risk High School Students To Complete High School, Rebecca Mix Yard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overall, 11% of high school students leave school without a diploma, and the percentage is higher for at-risk populations. High school graduates earn higher salaries and are healthier and more law abiding than dropouts. Research is limited on the motivation of at-risk students to graduate from high school related to their technological identity to include technology and social media in their learning schema. This qualitative case study explored at-risk students' perceptions of social media, personal learning networks, and informal learning in facilitating their graduation. Pink's concept of motivation, Siemens's connectivism theory, and Bingham and Conner's theory of engagement and social …

Reforms In Relation To Research-Based Theories Resulting In Successful Test Results, Veronica Renee Christian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study school in Bibb County, Georgia had a passing rate of approximately 60% on 9th grade literature and composition End of Course Tests (EOCT). An instructional paradigm was needed to help provide quality instruction and facilitate students' efforts to meet the mandate for performance. Research supports differentiated instruction (DI), instructional technology (IT), Gardner's multiple intelligences, and Vygotsky's theory of constructivism as the foundation for quality instruction. This ex post facto study used a cluster sample to explore 2 questions. One research questions explored the effect of DI enhanced with IT on students' learning in 9th grade literature and composition …

Diffusion Of E-Textbooks In K-12 Education: A Delphi Study, Sheila Cartwright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This basic interpretive qualitative study was conducted to discover why e-textbooks had not been adopted extensively in K-12 education as a replacement for printed textbooks. The objective was to determine the barriers and challenges being confronted by state educational technology directors when introducing this innovative technology in a formal learning environment that could greatly impact teaching, learning, and creative analysis. This research was based on diffusion of innovation theory using a Delphi method of inquiry. The Delphi panel consisted of 12 experts who had knowledge of digital text technologies and were the most influential when making purchasing decisions when introducing …

The Role Of Online College Courses In Rehabilitating Offenders, Niares Hunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research and testimonial evidence indicate the importance of postsecondary education in the rehabilitating inmates and in decreasing reoffending. However, limited research exists on improving critical thinking skills and cognitive processing among inmates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to (a) examine the influence of a psychology course on the critical thinking scores for individuals who took an online psychology course and to (b) analyze how the scores of inmates and other students in the course differed. Using a social cognitive theoretical framework, pretest and posttest scores were compared using a paired t test of statistical analysis of secondary, archival …

Contextual Factor Profiling: Teacher-Created Classroom Website Design In Texas High Schools, Carolynn Mortensen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With increasing student access to technology and the Internet, Texas school districts have invested in content management systems (CMS), improved technology infrastructure, and professional development with little research available about best practices and current use of class websites. Using the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, this study investigated how contextual factors predicted the number of website components related to the teacher information, communication, classroom management, and teaching content section of a class website designed by a Texas high school teacher. This quantitative, predictive correlational research design included data collected from a proportional allocation of 191 Texas high school teacher …

Motivating Higher Education Faculty For Technology Integration: A Private College's Approach, Jacinth Coultman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some faculty in higher education are not embracing technology in their face-to-face classes. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe faculty members' techniques for improving the technological integration within the curriculum at an urban college. This study investigated the incorporation of professional development activities within the college structure to determine if these mandated requirements resulted in enhanced technology use. Interview and observation data on technology integration practices were collected from 15 faculty members who taught within 5 departments of an urban college for 5 or more years. A combination of open and axial topic and …

Implementing Technology For Science Classrooms In São Tomé And Príncipe, Maria Dolores Rodrigues Jardim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative bounded case study was designed to understand how technology integration in schools could be addressed in a first-wave country. The integration of educational technology in São Tomé and Príncipe (STP), a first-wave agricultural civilization, can narrow the divide between STP and third-wave information age societies. The conceptual framework was based on theories of change, learning, and context. Toffler’s wave theory described how societies changed while Fullan’s change theory examined how the people might change. Roger’s diffusion of innovations addressed how processes change. Bandura, Vygotsky, and Siemen provided the framework for the learning within the model of change. Finally, …

Skype As A Scaffolding Tool For Underprepared Freshmen English Composition Students, Conswellor Denise Ogden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nontraditional students enrolled in online courses tend to drop out within their first year because they do not have the basic literacy skills or essential college skills needed for success. They often need the guidance of an online instructor. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perceptions of instructors and students about the effectiveness of Skype as a scaffolding tool for increasing academic achievement for underprepared students in online remedial English composition courses through interactions with their instructor. The conceptual framework included Bruner's cultural-psychological theory of education, Vygotsky's social constructivist theory, and Siemens's connectivism theory. The study …

The Experiences Of Military Parents Homeschooling Using Online Teaching Resources, Georgia George Watters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. military members and their families relocate from one duty station to another on average once every 3 years. Children in military families change schools often, introducing potential problems such as struggling to make new friends, having trouble adjusting to new teaching styles, and losing academic credits due to the transition from one school to the next. Homeschooling that incorporates online resources can provide instructional continuity, social interaction opportunities, and submission of required periodic assessments. The primary purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of military parents involved in homeschooling their children using online resources. The research …

Educators' Perceptions Of A 21st Century Digital Literacy Framework, Stephen Spengler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of literacy has expanded to include understanding and effective utilization of information, media, and technology. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires school districts to teach proper online use and behavior. The lack of a technology requirement in a rural, public school district in Northeastern Pennsylvania that meets the needs of 21st century learners and the conditions of the Children's Internet Protection Act was the rationale for the development of this project study. The study's conceptual framework stemmed from theories related to new literacies, multimodality, computer education practices, and millennial learners. The research questions examined educators' perceptions of topics …

Concept Mapping As A Tool For Enhancing Self-Paced Learning In A Distance Scenario, John Allen Richbourg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have determined that concept maps serve as effective tools in the traditional science classroom. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate concept mapping as a tool for student knowledge acquisition in 10th grade science for students in distance learning situations. Research questions were designed to investigate the influence of concept mapping on rate and quality of student knowledge acquisition and retention. This study was a pretest-posttest 2-group comparison study, constructivist in nature and based on the theory of cognitive learning. Participants included 36 students in the 10th grade at an inner-city school in the United States. Control …

Mathematics Boot Camps: A Strategy For Helping Students To Bypass Remedial Courses, Marilyn Ann Louise Hamilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many community colleges struggle to find the best strategy to help incoming at-risk students prepare for the placement test. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study, was to answer the question as to which of 2 programs, a 2-week, face-to-face mathematics refresher program, Math Boost-Up, or an online-only program, might increase the ACCUPLACER posttest scores of incoming community college students. The study used archival data for 136 students who self-selected to either participate in the Math Boost-Up program (the experiment group), or in the online-only program (the comparison group). Knowles's theory of adult learning, andragogy, served as the theoretical framework. …

Principals' Perceptions Of The Bully Busters Program In Combating Cyberbullying In Elementary Schools, Sheila Ann Cuffy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over time and with both the increasing ubiquitousness of the Internet and children's technological knowledge at young ages, cyberbullying has grown more widespread and acts of bullying have become more intense. However, little is known about the effectiveness of different antibullying programs for decreasing cyberbullying behaviors. This study addressed that gap in the literature by exploring one elementary school's use of the Bully Busters program for combating cyberbullying. The decision-making model was used as the conceptual framework for this qualitative interview study. Participants were 3 principals from 3 schools using the program. Data were gathered from the participants via interviews …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Facebook And Its Perceived Impact On Social Connectivity, Janet Staker Woerner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While the number of students using web-based social networks has increased, the effects of such networks on education have been unclear. Therefore, this research used a case study approach to study the relationship between social connectivity and the use of Facebook in a higher education classroom as well as the relationship between age and the use of Facebook. The intent was to understand the perceived impact of the use of a social media tool on bonding, bridging, and linking. The conceptual framework was built around the theories of social capital of Lin, Portes, Putnam, and Woolcock. The research questions addressed …

Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology integration continues to be a professional development concern, especially in elementary schools. It remains unclear why there is a difference between how teachers talk about using technology and how they apply it in teaching reading. The purpose of this study was to explore professional development options that would help teachers connect theory to practice by studying their decision-making process. The conceptual framework was based on elements of the knowing-doing gap and reflective practices. The research questions explored (a) the decision-making process, (b) reflective practices used during decision-making, (c) professional development that facilitates closing the knowing-doing gap, and (d) recommendations …

Teacher Use Of Assistive Technology For Students With High Incidence Disabilities In Small Rural Schools, Heather Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A significant achievement gap between students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities has led to increased inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Assistive technology (AT) has the potential to improve access to the curriculum for students with high-incidence disabilities. Teachers are challenged with learning about, recommending, and implementing AT; yet little is known about how teachers in New Hampshire use AT or the needs for professional development (PD) in AT utilization. The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand how teachers in small rural New Hampshire schools utilized AT with students with high-incidence …

Factors Influencing The Adoption Of Learning Management Systems By Medical Faculty, Kristy Burrough

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite recommendations by the Association of American Medical Colleges regarding

the adoption of technology in medical universities, faculty are still reluctant to adopt new

learning technologies. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to determine

the factors existing in the adoption of learning management technology among late

adopters within the faculty of colleges labeled as comprehensive academic medical

centers. Using the Everett Rogers diffusion of innovations theory as its framework, this

study sought to ascertain the factors late adopters identify as preventing them from

adopting technology and to determine what measures they suggest to increase technology

adoption among their …

Perceptions Of High School Teachers On Integrating Technology Following Professional Development, Charnice Starks Ray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers integrate technology to make the learning environment interactive and appealing to students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore perceptions of teachers at one high school working to integrate technology into instruction following participation in professional development. Guided by Dewey's constructivist theory and Mishra and Koehler's technological pedagogical content knowledge model, this study explored teachers' perceptions of pedagogy and technology integration following participation in professional development and the strategies they used to overcome barriers to integrating technology. Twelve purposefully selected high school teachers from English, social studies, mathematics, science, electives, health education, and special education provided …

Promoting Information Literacy Through Teacher - School Library Media Specialist Collaboration, Pamela Denise Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schools that support collaboration between teachers and school library media specialists (SLMS) outperform those that do not. Teachers at a rural Georgia middle school were not using the library media program or being trained on how to collaborate with the SLMS to promote student achievement. Guided by Bruner's socioconstructivist theory of learning, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to investigate teachers' experiences with integrating technology and information literacy into the curriculum and to examine the collaborative services the SLMS could provide to enhance integration. Eight teachers in Grades 6th through 8th comprised the sample. Data sources included teacher …

An Assessment Of Middle School Teachers' Efforts To Integrate Technology Effectively, Plas Williams Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study focused on a middle school that, according to the website of its district, should be classified as Target Tech, which is the highest level of technology integration on the Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) chart. The middle school has failed to meet this goal in 3 out of 4 focus areas. This mixed method project study investigated how teachers at the school currently use technology to support their teaching and student learning, situations under which teachers would use more technology, and specific technology trainings teachers have taken. The theoretical framework for this project study, diffusion of innovation, …

Professional Development For The Use Of Ipads In Instruction, Daphne Marie Poore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary teachers at a school in the southeastern United States received iPads and iPad training to improve teaching and learning in the content subject areas. Despite the iPad training provided by district technology personnel, teachers expressed a need for more content-specific training. Teachers need adequate and appropriate professional development to assist in preparing integrated computer-based technology instruction to increase student academic achievement. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore the descriptions of 10 purposely selected 4th and 5th grade teachers who used iPads in content subjects and 1 instructional technology facilitator who provided district iPad training …

Engaging College Students In Online Remedial Mathematics Courses With Video Instruction, Elizabeth Henley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students entering college in the United States need assistance in at least one academic area, causing remedial courses to be commonplace in higher education. This study evaluated the impact of video instruction in learning the content found in an online remedial math course. The instructional videos were created using the guidelines of Universal Design and cognitive load theory. A quantitative, quasi-experimental method was used to evaluate a dataset made available by a regionally accredited private New England college's online division. The online division offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certifications, and the students are located all over the …