Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Arousal Presented By A Pedagogical Agent On English Language Learners' Situational Interest, Cognitive Load And Reading Comprehension In Online Reading Tasks, Jack Drobisz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research examined how four different animated pedagogical agent implementations, which focus on perceptual and inquiry arousal conditions of attention as defined in Keller’s ARCS model of motivational design (Keller, 2009), impact English language learners' situational interest, cognitive load, and reading comprehension in online readings tasks. Animated pedagogical agents (APA) are computer characters embodied with speech, gestures, or movement (Sweller, Ayres, & Kalyuga, 2011), which according to cognitive-affective theory of learning with media (CATLM; Moreno, 2005; Moreno & Mayer, 2007), can provide a mechanism for triggering situational interest in reading materials through different arousal conditions. In this study, perceptual arousal …

Effects Of Metacognitive Monitoring On Academic Achievement In An Ill-Structured Problem-Solving Environment, Naomi Malone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education courses are increasingly moving online while educational approaches are concurrently shifting their focus toward student-centered approaches to learning. These approaches promote critical thinking by asking students to solve a range of ill-structured problems that exist in the real world. Researchers have found that student-centered online learning environments require students to have self-regulated learning skills, including metacognitive skills to regulate their own learning processes. Much of the research suggests that externally supporting students while they are learning online, either directly or indirectly, helps them to succeed academically. However, few empirical studies have investigated what levels of support are most …

Mobile Learning Technology Acceptance Among Saudi Higher Education Students, Talal Mohammed Alasmari

Wayne State University Dissertations

The rapid development of technology has encouraged Saudi universities to establish initiatives to improve learning. Mobile learning technology is one of the technologies targeted by eLearning and distance education deanships among Saudi universities. However, few studies have been done in investigating mobile learning technology acceptance in the Saudi context. This study aims to provide policy and decision makers in the Saudi higher education with reliable data in order to employ mobile learning technology in learning process. Therefore, this study modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to investigate students’ acceptance of mobile learning technology. To this end, …

Relevant Versus Extraneous Music In Multimedia Instruction: A Study Of The Coherence Principle, Jonathan Gunnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the inclusion of nonessential music in an instructional multimedia presentation affected learners’ ability to recall information in retention, cued-retention, and transfer cognitive measures. This study tested the coherence principle of multimedia learning which holds that the addition of nonessential content that is not relevant to the instruction is detrimental to learning. This study tested this principle by analyzing differences across three groups; a control group which included no additional music, a group including bland music selected at random, and a group including music that has been intentionally designed to align with …

Synergy: Game Design + Qur'an Memorization, Sultana Jesmine Moulana

Theses and Dissertations

The rise of digital technology has transformed nearly every part of our daily lives, including the way we learn and memorize. Such transformations raise interesting questions for one of the most long-standing and demanding memorization tasks in the world: the memorization of the Islamic holy book, The Qur’an. For Muslims, The Qur’an is a timeless, sacred text, cradling within its covers many profound images, stories, and parables. Despite rigorous research in the fields of game design and memorization techniques, very little work has been done in combining these two areas of research to create a game-based memorization experience of The …

The Impact Of An Online, Mastery, And Project-Based Developmental Math Curriculum On Student Achievement And Attitude, Steven Ray Zollinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to anxiety, low confidence, and inadequate content knowledge, many college students struggle to complete their developmental math coursework. As colleges redesign their programs to address these issues, careful research is imperative to determine the factors that best meet the needs of these struggling students. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of one college's redesigned program (integrating online, mastery, and project-based learning) compared with the traditional program. Using Weiner's attribution theory of achievement motivation and emotion as a guide, this mixed methods case study used a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design in conjunction with a qualitative …

Careers In Stem Begin With Elementary Student Interest In Mathematics, Linda Ertrachter Brimmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I investigated why math capable students are not entering science, technology,

engineering, and math (STEM) careers. To research the problem, I explored how highly

effective elementary math teachers (HEMT) create student interest in mathematics using the self-

efficacy (SE) theory and information and communication technology (ICT). The purpose

of the study was to discover if teacher training and instructional strategies can influence

student interest in mathematics to improve STEM career entry. The theoretical

framework adopted for this study was the SE theory, and the 4-phase model of interest

development was the conceptual framework. Participants in this multi-case qualitative

study included …

The Effect Of Haptic Interaction And Learner Control On Student Performance In An Online Distance Education Course, Marty J. Park

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Today’s learners are taking advantage of a whole new world of multimedia and hypermedia experiences to gain understanding and construct knowledge. While at the same time, teachers and instructional designers are producing these experiences at rapid paces. Many angles of interactivity with digital content continue to be researched, as is the case with this study.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a significant difference in the performance of distance education students who exercise learner control interactivity effectively through a traditional input device versus students who exercise learner control interactivity through haptic input methods. This study …

Identifying Professional Development Needs Of High School Teachers Tasked With Online Course Design, Debbie Jean Lugar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To satisfy demand for online learning opportunities at the high school level, 3 school districts in the northeast United States established a consortium to share resources to develop and deliver online courses. High school teachers who volunteered to develop courses for the consortium attempted the task without previous training in online course design and facilitation. High school students enrolled in the courses often did not successfully complete them, which obstructed the mission of the consortium. The purpose of this qualitative single critical case study was to explore teachers' experiences with and perceptions of designing and developing online courses without accompanying …

School Has A Bad Storyline: Gamification In Educational Environments, Irene L. Pynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School often has low engagement and frustrating or absent options for the kind of agency the Federal Government's 2016 National Education Technology Plan now recommends educators include in their curriculum. Video games offer opportunities for people to participate in critical problem solving through creative projects. From balancing character statistics, to collaborating with other players, to making ethical and tactical decisions that can change the outcome of the story, successful games draw on the player's interest in learning and analyzing numbers, locations, visual clues, narrative elements, people, and more. One useful example may be found in visual novels (VNs), a medium …

Aligning Talent Development Performance Outcomes With Organizational Objectives, Iris Ware

Wayne State University Dissertations

*The value proposition for learning and talent development (LTD) is often challenged due to human resources’ inability to demonstrate meaningful outcomes in relation to organizational needs and return-on-investment. The primary role of human resources (HR) and the learning and talent development (LTD) function is to produce meaningful outcomes to support organizational change, performance improvement and organizational impact.

This study proposes an empirically-based descriptive process model to align LTD performance outcomes with organizational objectives. This study builds on the knowledge base of previous studies and seeks to enhance the application of research and theory. This study supports multidisciplinary knowledge enhancement and …

Using Google Applications As Part Of Cloud Computing To Improve Knowledge And Teaching Skills Of Faculty Members At The University Of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia, Bandar Abdullah Alshihri

Wayne State University Dissertations

Dissertation Abstract

By

Bandar A. Alshihri

March, 2017

Advisor: Dr. James L. Moseley

Major: Learning Design and Technology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Cloud computing is a recent computing paradigm that has been integrated into the educational system. It provides numerous opportunities for delivering a variety of computing services in a way that has not been experienced before. The Google Company is among the top business companies that afford their cloud services by launching a number of business and educational Apps. Google runs these Apps for free to be used for educational purposes, which saves a huge amount of expense for …

New Or Novice Teacher Integration Of Mobile Learning Instruction, Carolyn Anne Beisel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition (SAMR) model is designed to help teachers integrate technology in the classroom. In a district with 1:1 mobile technology, teachers expressed frustration and inconsistency about the use the SAMR model for effective teaching and learning. In this project study, the SAMR model conceptually framed the exploration of teachers' integration of mobile learning and their perceptions about using technology in the classroom. Guiding research questions addressed teacher's integration of the SAMR model and elements that contributed to their instruction with mobile technology. A qualitative case study of a school district included purposeful sampling of 12 …

Impact Of Online Orientation For First-Time Online Students On Retention, Academic Success, And Persistence, Lynda Marshall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A challenge faced by higher education is whether online orientation that is offered before the start of class can impact academic performance for online students. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if there are significant differences in retention, academic success, and persistence between first time online students who have participated in an online orientation and those who did not participate and if there was a significant difference in retention, academic success, and persistence by gender of first-time online students. The sample for this study was extracted from archived data originating from 433 first-time online undergraduate students …

Examining K-12 Teachers' Affective Job Satisfaction And Perceptions Of Blended Instruction, Michael Hiett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing use of blended models of instruction within the U.S. public school system is transforming the K-12 education. However, few studies have been conducted of the innovation-adoption process involving blended instruction within the K-12 public school sector. In this nonexperimental, quantitative study, Rogers's five perceived attributes of innovations was used as a theoretical lens to explore how teachers' affective job satisfaction might affect the innovation-adoption process at the individual level. Research questions pertained to the relationship, if any, between affective job satisfaction among teachers and their perceptions of the complexity, compatibility, and relative advantage of blended instruction. Surveys were …

An Examination Of Blended Learning And The Traditional Classroom Using Achievement Scores, Brandy Hiett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although varying models of blended learning are being adopted in schools, research on the effect of blended learning on students in different subjects and grade levels has not been examined. This naturalistic, quasi-experimental study examined the effect of the rotation model of blended learning at the middle school level on students' language arts performance to determine how the rotation model of blended learning compares to the traditional model of learning. The study's theoretical framework consisted of Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning and Bloom's theory of mastery learning. The population consisted of 979 non-Title 1, Georgia public middle school students …

A Teacher Retrospective Of A Decade Of One-To-One Devices, Sarah J. Irish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One-to-one electronic devices have become commonplace in many educational settings across the globe, but it has been unclear how long-term teaching practices using such devices have evolved and how they relate to recognized best practices for using technology in the classroom. This study examined what a generation of teachers has over time identified as best applications of using these devices; their benefits, drawbacks, and challenges; and whether their use reflected previously identified best application of technologies in the classroom. This case study, conducted in one school system in New England, used the theories of Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition (SAMR) …

Instructional Design: How Secondary Teachers Promote Student Comprehension Of Informational Text, Patti Strukel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examined how secondary teachers supported their students’ comprehension of informational text. Four content-area teachers – English, science, social studies, and vocational – were observed and interviewed in this study based on hermeneutic phenomenology methods. In addition, the teachers provided a sample of lessons delivered outside the observed processes. The findings exposed processes and actions that teachers intentionally engaged in to make informational text accessible to their students, create conditions that celebrated and supported the learning process, and that led students to valuable understandings when their students read informational text. The research also unveiled varied points of emphasis in …

Course Quality And Hosting Platforms: Implications For Massively Open Online Course (Mooc) Design And Delivery, Rita Diane Schmallegger

Theses and Dissertations

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) began as an experiment in connectivist learning in 2008 (Downes, 2012). While the number of MOOCs offered has risen, as has the number of universities offering MOOCs (Brown, Costello, Donkon, & Giolla-Mhichill, 2015), perceptions of the quality of MOOCs have been mixed (Bali, 2014; Peterson, 2014). From a perspective of Merrill’s first principles of instruction (2013), this qualitative study examined MOOC delivery platforms to determine what learning platforms and what specific characteristics may best promote and sustain MOOC quality. MOOCs selected for this study include those offered in English, open to anyone with Internet access, …

The Effect Of Ged Candidate Race And Motivation Factors On Exam Outcomes, Kathi L. Middleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Earning a General Educational Development (GED) credential can have positive results in a student's life including higher wages and better job opportunities. The 2014 version of the GED exam changed the format from a paper-based test to a computer-based test. This change coincided with a 35% decline in the pass rate indicating not all students are prepared to pass the new computer-based test (CBT). The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the influence of a candidate's race and reason for taking the exam on the pass or fail outcome of the new computer-based GED exam. The study used …

Technology-Based Professional Development For Teaching And Learning In K-12 Classrooms, Nijia Byrd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban Georgia school district, teacher satisfaction surveys revealed that technology-based professional development was not equipping teachers with the skills or support needed to implement technology into their teaching practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to explore teachers' experiences and perceptions of technology-based professional development and its effect on self-efficacy. Guided by Piaget's constructivist theory, this study was based on the perspective that teachers often construct knowledge rather than gain it. Guiding questions explore the experiences teachers have had with technology integration in daily teaching practices, their self-perceived competency level and self-efficacy regarding technology, their attitudes …

Examining The Integration Of Technology In The Early Childhood Classroom, Kerri Lynn Willmann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading achievement scores in the United States are low and educators need more strategies to support young students in literacy. It is important to identify the technologies and implementation strategies that educators find beneficial for literacy instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate perspectives on instructional technology and literacy strategies intended to promote student-centered learning opportunities. The conceptual framework was Bloom's mastery learning, Bransford's anchored instruction, and Piaget's constructivist theory. Each theorist encouraged exploration and hands-on interactive learning opportunities. The research questions addressed how teachers perceive the implementation of technology tools to enhance literary performance and engagement …

Examining The Relationship Between Math Achievement And Self-Efficacy In Developmental Math Students, Ellen Prescott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students today lack preparedness for college-level math. Colleges and universities offer developmental math courses; however, students are failing these developmental courses and they often have low math self-efficacy. Educational technology and alternative classroom models are used to try to alleviate low success rates in developmental math courses. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between math self-efficacy and math achievement in students in developmental math courses that used the software platform Connect Math. Research questions focused on self-efficacy and math achievement differences between students in computer mediated and traditional lecture-based developmental math courses, as well as …

Postsecondary Instructor Attitudes Toward Tablet Use For Collaboration And Critical Thinking Development, Jerry Hubbard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although research has identified critical thinking (CT) as an objective of higher education, limited quantitative research has focused on how postsecondary instructors view using handheld devices for classroom collaboration to support CT. There are studies examining how the use of tablet technologies influence collaborative learning (CL), showing a link between CL and CT, and connecting CT to academic achievement. However, understanding how instructors perceive the intersection of these factors has not been well studied. Applying Vygotsky's social cognitive theory as a foundation of CL, using adapted questions from two questionnaires (Technology Acceptance Model and Cooperative Learning Implementation) and two frameworks, …

Technology Integration By General Education Teachers Of English Language Learners, Marie Simone Anglin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a growing population of English language learners (ELLs) in elementary schools across the United States, and a current academic achievement gap between ELLs and non-ELLs. Researchers have found that integration of Web 2.0 tools has benefitted ELLs in language learning settings, outside of the general classroom. The research problem addressed in this study, based on TPACK, explored general education teachers' experiences with integrating Web 2.0 technology to support academic language acquisition by ELLs and revealed the successes and challenges the teachers encountered. The 6 female participants in this qualitative interview study were required to have experience (a) as …

Online Facilitation Of Early Childhood Education Preservice Teacher Field Experiences, Catherine Meier Meier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have determined that field experience is crucial in education preparation programs, yet little information is available about field experience within online early childhood education (ECE) programs. Educators who work in online ECE programs need to understand how to facilitate field experience effectively. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to understand the processes, procedures, and experiences of instructors who facilitate preservice teachers' field experience in online ECE programs. A constructivist framework was used to examine facilitation practices. Nine instructors from online ECE programs in the United States participated in 2 semistructured interviews that lasted approximately 1 hour each. …

Educator's Technology Integration Barriers And Student Technology Preparedness As 21st Century Professionals, Joy Anne Pine-Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions of dollars have been spent to acquire educational computing tools, and many education, government, and business leaders believe that investing in these computing tools will improve teaching and learning. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether charter school educators face technological barriers hindering them from incorporating technology into their classrooms. If they experienced self-efficacy issues integrating technology in their classrooms and if they believed their students were technologically prepared as 21st century professionals. A 5-point Likert scale survey, validated by a pilot study, was completed by 61 charter high school teachers. Their responses were analyzed, scores …

Evaluating Student Use Patterns Of Streaming Video Lecture Capture In A Large Undergraduate Classroom, Nathan E. Whitley-Grassi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large classes that allow smaller amounts of instructor-student interaction have become more common in today's colleges. The best way to provide needed opportunities for students to overcome this lack of interaction with instructors remains unidentified. This research evaluated the use of video lecture capture (VLC) as a supplemental method for teacher-student interaction and what, if any, impact it and attendance have on student performance in large lecture courses. This ex post facto study conducted at a Northeastern research university utilized cognitive and andragogical frameworks to examine the relationships between the independent variables frequency of video viewing, quantity of videos viewed, …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Virtual Game Developers' Experiences Using Jacob's Ladder Pre-Production Design Tactic, Jasmine Brown-Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Edutainment refers to curriculum and instruction designed with a clear educational purpose, including multi-faceted virtual learning game design. Tools such as the Jacob's Ladder pre-production design tactic have been developed to ensure that voices of both engineers and educators are heard. However, it is unclear how development team members experience and perceive their collaborative work while designing a virtual game using such tactics. This phenomenological study examined the experiences of agile software team members using Jacob's Ladder pre-production design as an interdisciplinary collaboration tool while designing a virtual learning game. Seven design team members (3 educators and 4 engineers) participated …

The Impact Of The Digital Divide On First-Year Community College Students, Malinda Mansfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some students do not possess the learning management system (LMS) and basic computer skills needed for success in first-year experience (FYE) courses. The purpose of this quantitative study, based on the Integrative Learning Design Framework and theory of transactional distance, was to identify what basic computer skills and LMS skills are needed for first-year students to be successful in FYE courses. A survey was offered to 368 first-year students and 47 first-year instructors at a large Midwestern community college to compare instructors' perceptions of the computer literacy skill levels necessary for FYE student success with FYE students' self-reported current computer …