Digital Commons Network^™

Family Writer's Workshop: A Case Study, Alisa Innes

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Today’s students need to be prepared for a successful future in our competitive world. Families and educators need to work together to provide children with a comprehensive literacy foundation. Currently, there are many school-based and community-based family literacy programs that are being implemented. While these programs are successful, they are missing a crucial component: writing intervention. Writing is a skill that our students will need for higher education and future careers.

The problem for this study was that research is lacking in regards to ways to assist parents who are interested in working on writing with their child outside of …

Combining Cognitive And Noncognitive Assessments To Predict First Year Gpa And Persistence In Community College Students, David Harris Larman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Standard assessments of cognitive ability have been the preferred method of assessing the probability of student achievement at community colleges, but there is a growing trend in the use of noncognitive factors to assess student potential. Factors related to a student’s race/ethnicity and family income have been shown to be correlated with placement tests scores and high school grades. There is a gap in the literature about the use of noncognitive measures in conjunction with standardized placement tests to predict the achievement and persistence of community college students. The purpose of this study was to examine the strength of cognitive …

Teacher Perspectives On Formative Assessment Within A Primary Classroom, Dawn M. Macdonald

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Research has acknowledged the importance of the beliefs of educators and how their beliefs have implications impacting their classroom practices (Clark, 1987; Doyle 1997; Zhou & Urhahne, 2018; Graham & Pajares, 1997). Teachers’ beliefs have been a significant topic for researchers due to the contribution they provide for the development of teaching and learning (Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2017). Above all, with increasing attention on teacher quality and effectiveness internationally there has been little research looking at the influences between teachers’ classroom practices and their judgments on student learning (Devine, Fahie, & McGillicudy, 2013).

Further research may benefit teachers who are …

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 …

The Effects Of Body Posture On Vigilance Performance, Jeremiah Gabriel Ammons

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Drivers of vehicles that use a driving automation system were tasked with supervising the vehicle to ensure it was functioning properly. This task required drivers to stay vigilant of the roadway while being ready to intervene in the case of an unexpected hazard that the driving automation system may not have detected. This study investigated whether reclining a drivers’ seatback to more comfortable postures would affect their vigilance performance over time. Vigilance performance was measured by correct detections, false alarms, response sensitivity, response bias, and response time to hazardous events. Forty-five participants were recruited and randomly assigned to a postural …

Can Obsessive Thoughts Predict Problematic Alcohol Use Through Thought Suppression?, Laura Pettigrew

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol misuse, which is a prevalent issue among college students, often coincides with psychiatric disorders or symptoms. Treatment of one facilitates treatment of the other. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or just obsessive-compulsive symptoms, is connected to alcohol misuse.

This study adapts part of the cognitive control model of OCD, which states that intrusive thoughts will only lead to distress if the individual interprets them in a dysfunctional manner and tries to control them. When the thought control attempt fails, if the individual interprets the failure in a dysfunctional way as well, they will become distressed. If …

Trauma And Crisis Counselor Preparation: The Relationship Of An Online Trauma And Crisis Course And Counseling Self-Efficacy, Julia Leigh Lancaster

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The field of trauma and crisis is growing and ubiquitous to all counseling specialties. Updates in 2009 and 2016 to the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) counselor preparation standards added mandated teachings on crisis, trauma, and disaster counseling in counselor preparation programs’ (CPPs) curricula. Since then, some CPPs have created stand-alone crisis courses, while the majority have infused various related content and trainings into already established counseling courses. Research does, in fact, support an increased crisis, trauma, and disaster readiness with more hours dedicated to the study and practice of domain specific content, and confirms …

Learning Curve Characterization Within Complex Low-Rate Production Environments, Robert J. Gies

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Traditional and current learning curve approaches, methods, and theories were deficient when addressing complex low-rate production systems. The purpose of this research was to address this problem and develop a learning curve approach that characterizes learning in low-rate production environments such as naval ship construction. This research identified the principal aspects that influence learning within this environment and developed a learning characterization more reflective of this environment.

There obviously exists a large body of knowledge covering learning. However, the research contained herein addresses learning as it relates to learning curves in low-rate production environments, such as naval shipbuilding. The various …

An Exploration Of Different Motivations Between Stakeholders And Visitors Of The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Colin Mccormack

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Visitors have different motivations associated with parks and protected areas, and the people who run those areas are also different from visitors due to their unique positions. This is especially true for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (POHE), where stakeholders – ranging from park managers and Department of Transportation planners to volunteers of nonprofits and historical societies collaborate to manage sections along the 822-mile extent of the trail. Building on previous work itemizing the diversity of motivations for visitation to parks and protected areas, this study investigates similarities and differences in stakeholder and manager Recreation Experience Preferences by clustering …

Development And Validation Of A Three-Dimensional Optical Imaging System For Chest Wall Deformity Measurement, Nahom Kidane

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Congenital chest wall deformities (CWD) are malformations of the thoracic cage that become more pronounced during early adolescence. Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common CWD, characterized by an inward depression of the sternum and adjacent costal cartilage. A cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) image is mainly used to calculate the chest thoracic indices. Physicians use the indices to quantify PE deformity, prescribe surgical or non-surgical therapies, and evaluate treatment outcomes. However, the use of CT is increasingly causing physicians to be concerned about the radiation doses administered to young patients. Furthermore, radiographic indices are an unsafe and expensive method of …

Fear And Trembling While Working In A Pandemic: An Exploratory Meta-Analysis Of Workers’ Covid-19 Distress, William P. Jimenez, Ian M. Katz, Elissa A. Liguori

Psychology Faculty Publications

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of workers and taken its toll on health and well-being. In line with recent calls for more inductive and abductive occupational health science research, we exploratorily meta-analyzed workers’ COVID-19 distress, defined as psychological and psychosomatic strain contextualized to experiencing the virus and pandemic broadly. We identified many existing COVID-19 distress measures (e.g., Fear of COVID-19 Scale by Ahorsu et al., 2020; Coronavirus Anxiety Scale by Lee, 2020a) and correlates, including demographic variables (viz., gender, marital status, whether worker has children), positive well-being (e.g., quality of life, perceived social support, resilience), negative well-being …

Instructional Systems Design And The Diffusion And Adoption Of Technology: (Volume 1), Miguel Ramlatchan (Author & Editor), Mark Parsons (Author), Meghan Soldani (Author), Josie Joswick Mendoza (Author), Maria Satre (Author), Brittany Spitz (Author), Jasmine Bundy (Author), Amanda Kline (Author)

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Books

Instructional designers, instructional systems designers, and other educational technologists are, by their nature, innovators. These professionals apply and extend the applied science of learning, systems, communication, and instructional design theory to help students learn. Technology in some capacity is used to make the connections between subject matter experts, teachers, instructors, and their learners. It is common for instructional designers to seek new tools, techniques, and innovations for the improvement of learning, access, quality, and student satisfaction. However, the adoption and diffusion of new educational technology and innovation is a complex process that depends on many variables. Understanding these processes and …

Instructional Message Design: Theory, Research, And Practice (Volume 2), Miguel Ramlatchan (Author & Editor), Elisa L. Shaffer (Author), Marissa A. Jimenez (Author), Spyridoula Tsouganatou (Author), Yolanda Montague (Author), Maria Satre (Author), Brittney Heath (Author), Bradley Sanders (Author), Jim Shifflett (Author), Meghan Soldani (Author), Shuree Altantsetseg (Author), Melissa Hatfield (Author), Casey Kohler (Editor)

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Message design is all around us, from the presentations we see in meetings and classes, to the instructions that come with our latest tech gadgets, to multi-million-dollar training simulations. In short, instructional message design is the real-world application of instructional and learning theories to design the tools and technologies used to communicate and effectively convey information. This field of study pulls from many applied sciences including cognitive psychology, industrial design, graphic design, instructional design, information technology, and human performance technology to name just a few. In this book we will visit several foundational theories that guide our research, look at …

Consider The Heavens: Featuring The Celestial Music Of Thompson, Whitacre, Pinkham, And Haydn, Old Dominion University Concert Choir, F. Ludwig Diehn Chorale, Nancy K. Klein (Director), Cristina Loyola (Assistant Director), Bobbie Kesler-Corleto (Accompanist), Virginia Wind Symphony, Capt. Brian Walden (Director)

Ensemble Performances

No abstract provided.

Using Strategic Options Development And Analysis (Soda) To Understand The Simulation Accessibility Problem, Andrew J. Collins, Ying Thaviphoke, Antuela A. Tako

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Simulation modelling is applied to a wide range of problems, including defense and healthcare. However, there is a concern within the simulation community that there is a limited use and implementation of simulation studies in practice. This suggests that despite its benefits, simulation may not be reaching its potential in making a real-world impact. The main reason for this could be that simulation tools are not widely accessible in industry. In this paper, we investigate the issues that affect simulation modelling accessibility through a workshop with simulation practitioners. We use Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA), a problem-structuring approach that …

Illuminator, Volume 5, Issue 3, Batten College Of Engineering And Technology, Old Dominion University

College of Engineering & Technology Newsletter

October 2022 issue of Illuminator, a monthly publication of ODU's Batten College of Engineering and Technology.

Chapter 01: Message Design For Instructional Designers - An Introduction, Miguel Ramlatchan

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Instructional message design is the use of learning theories to effectively communicate information using technology. Design is guided by theories including gestalt, cognitive load, multimedia learning, media selection, media attributes, and general communication systems. Our communication designs can be based on a wide variety of technologies or a combination of technologies. Technology in the form of tools and techniques includes, among others, the study and the use of typography, color, illustrations, photographs modeled graphics, augmented reality, animation, video, video games, simulations, and virtual reality. This introduction serves as a brief overview of these theories, tools, and techniques while subsequent chapters …

Chapter 02: Cognitive Load Theory And Instructional Message Design, Elisa L. Shaffer

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Cognitive Load Theory’s (CLT) purpose is to aid in the design of messages, instructional and otherwise, so that learning and message retention are more effective. CLT was introduced in 1998 by John Sweller and his colleagues. They used the constructs of three areas of memory, sensory, working, and long-term memory, to develop a theory to address the limited capacity of working memory. Through these efforts, they created the concepts of intrinsic, extraneous , and germane cognitive load and used these concepts to explain how various loads are placed on working memory. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the …

Chapter 03: Multimedia Learning Theory And Instructional Message Design, Miguel Ramlatchan

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Multimedia learning theory describes how the designers of instructional messages, systems and learning environments can optimize learning. The principles and heuristics of multimedia learning theory have application in traditional and online environments, with young and adult learners, in K-12, higher education, military, corporate, government, and informal learning environments. This diversity of application is based on the foundational premise that all learners can independently process auditory and visual information, have limited working memory resources, and require cognitive resources to process new information and to learn. This chapter describes the basic tenets of multimedia learning theory, best practices that can improve our …

Chapter 05: A Brief Introduction To Instructional Message Design In Synchronous Online Learning Technologies, Spyridoula Tsouganatou

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

This chapter will analyze and discuss concepts related to instructional message design as it relates to synchronous online learning technologies. Synchronous online learning is becoming increasingly popular especially in the pandemic era and it is able to provide students with a lot of opportunities and benefits for their learning processes. This chapter specifically will provide an analysis of the major benefits and challenges of synchronous online learning technologies. It will also discuss learning platforms such as Zoom, that can be used to further provide the reader with concrete examples of an online tool that is able to successfully develop a …

Chapter 06. Instructional Applications Of Augmented And Virtual Reality, Yolanda Montague

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Virtual and augmented reality are two examples of message design tools in the arsenal of educators that can be employed in order to create relations between content and the real life experiences of students. Virtual reality can take many forms and augmented reality may be an option that provides more relatable hands on experience for learners. As leaders in education are on a continual journey towards more innovative means of teaching, these two choices provide opportunities for educators to be innovative, while maintaining learning as the primary focus. Within the realm of both virtual and augmented reality, there are many …

Chapter 04: Instructional Message Design In Moocs, Marissa A. Jimenez

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are appealing to higher education institutions, as they consider MOOCs a way to reach a large, varied group of students. With a completion rate of less than 10%, however, institutions struggle to maintain MOOCs (Major, 2016). While there is little to no cost for students to enroll in them, the cost for the institution to develop and maintain MOOCs can be high from a time and resource perspective. Improving student motivation and interaction in MOOCs may impact completion rates. Designers of MOOCs could leverage instructional message design strategies to improve social presence, and as a …

Chapter 11: Instructional Message Design In E-Learning, Meghan Soldani

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Instructional message design is an essential aspect of an effective e-learning experience for learners. E-learning is the use of online and mobile technologies to develop learning material, content, and applications for online learners. As an instructional designer, it is important to analyze and know your audience, engage the user, use relevant information, and provide a good user experience. Other critical aspects of message design for e-learning include the reduction of extraneous cognitive load, the aesthetic look and feel of the design, designing for learner motivation, and a focused simplicity of design. User engagement can also be encouraged by relevant content …

Chapter 10: Game Literacy And Message Design, Jim Shifflett

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

The popularity of video games with today’s learners requires that educators and instructional designers develop game literacy, or an understanding of game mechanics and design. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss game literacy within the context of instructional message design and to illustrate how video game designers apply and adapt principles of instructional message design to manage cognitive load through an immersive experience. These techniques include customizing the screen to display only necessary information and signaling changes in gameplay through sound cues and cinematic perspective. Game mechanics that foster germane load include tutorial missions and interface design. …

Chapter 12: Perception In Instructional Message Design, Shuree Altantsetseg

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

This chapter aims to discuss perception from various academic disciplines and its relations and effects on information processing in instructional message design. Improved awareness of this concept assists instructional designers in conveying their message effectively and improves effective instruction in immersive learning environments. In this chapter, Gestalt, neurological, ecological, and computational perspectives and processes on perception are first discussed and followed by applications in instructional message design and instructional design.

Chapter 13: Web Conferencing Best Practices For K-12 Online Teachers, Melissa Hatfield, Miguel Ramlatchan

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

There is no shortage of online advice on how to use web conferencing applications like Zoom, that allow for real-time audio, video, and content engagement between teachers and students. While much of this advice is based on practitioner experience, a growing number of guides are now based on applied research and theory. This is one of those later guides, presenting best practices based not only on practical experience but on applied research from instructional message design. While not meant to be an all-encompassing treatise on all things Zoom, this chapter does present and encourage the use of Zoom’s functionality to …

Chapter 14: Zoom Conferencing Best Practices For Professional Presentations, Conferences, And Events, Brian Watkins, Miguel Ramlatchan

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

The adoption and diffusion of online web conferencing has allowed for expanded access to professional seminars, workshops and webinars. However, unlike in-person, face-to-face presentations, delivering a Zoom Meeting or Webinar creates a number of new and different concerns and configuration challenges that are not present in an in-person event. This chapter summarizes instructional message design best practices for Zoom conferencing and serves as a guide for how to set up your computing environment, physical location, presentation, and how to keep your audience engaged. This section of our instructional message design book also presents a guide to planning for the delivering …

Chapter 07. Message Design For Healthcare Simulation, Maria Satre

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Simulation is a teaching method that motivates and engages learners (Ifenthaler et al. 2020; Martin & Betrus, 2019), can provide better student performance outcomes compared to traditional classroom education (Chernikova et al. 2020; D’Angleo et al., 2014; Di Natale et al., 2020; Gralnick & Levy, 2011; Pellas et al., 2019), and can even replace some real-world learning experiences (Alexander et al., 2015). Instructional designers who develop healthcare simulations should use relevant learning theory and instructional message design to ensure that the simulation is learner-centered and based in evidence-based practice to maximize the potential for the learning experience.

Chapter 08: Designing With Disabilities In Mind, Brittney Heath

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Instructional message designs are everywhere, and not everyone that interacts with the messages do so with ease. We need to begin thinking about those with disabilities while we are creating our designs to make understanding the importance of each message easier for everyone. Some strategies that can be used are: chunking information, using one main theme, and visual supports. This chapter focuses on a few common disabilities that can easily be accommodated: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Chapter 09: Messaging For Performance - Instructional Message Design In Human Performance Technology, Bradley Sanders

Instructional Message Design, Volume 2

Human performance technology (HPT) is the practice of applying systematic models and methods to uncover the causes of systemic performance issues, particularly within organizations. HPT seeks to improve human performance outcomes by placing an emphasis on the investigation of causal factors outside of training and education deficiencies; only looking for those causes after all factors outside of the individual have been exhausted. In these instances, instructional interventions are chosen to close the identified performance gap and improve performance. This chapter defines HPT as a practice and provides the professional foundation of prominent models and methods used to improve performance. In …