Education Commons^™

Translating Bridges Through Social Media For Parental Engagement, Janelle Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Recent studies show that children tend to do their best in school when their parents are engaged in their early childhood development. However, when parents do not instill the importance of education or engaged in their children’s education journey; than this can lead to numerous consequence. There is a higher chance that these children will continue to be unprepared for school, a higher chance of becoming truant students and a higher chance of dropping out of school at an early age. Unfortunately, parental engagement among Hispanic/Latino population has fallen short to support the academic success of their children. Hispanic/Latino parents …

The Effectiveness Of Using Leadership Practice Lnventory (Lpl 360) Feedback On Leaders' Lnsight Into Their Leadership Behaviors In Higher Education, Abdulrahman S. Alajlan

Dissertations

One of the most popular 360-feedback processes for leadership development is the Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI 360). According to the Leadership Challenge website the LPI tool has been translated into six languages. In addition, it has been implemented in a variety of organizations around the world and there are about 500 studies that have been built around it. However, the popularity of the LPI 360-feedback is not enough reason for it to be adopted for higher education without assurance that it aligns with a higher education organization’s specific vision and goals. After reviewing approximately 153 LPI studies across 766 databases …

Critical Success Factors For Agile Project Management In Non-Software Related Product Development Teams, Jeff Totten

Dissertations

The use of agile project management methods in the software development industry is well established and researched. The purpose of this study is to understand whether agile project management methods (Scrum in particular) used successfully in the software industry are also being used in full, or in part, in non-software development industries when managing product development projects.

Using an online survey instrument, data was collected from 329 non-software/IT global practitioners to identify in what industries and work functions agile project management methods are used, to find the independent variables that have a significant relationship with project success, and to determine …

Faculty Experiences With Instructional Innovations: A Phenomenological Study Of Faculty Use Of Instructional Video, Timothy Patrick Oneal

Theses and Dissertations

Colleges and universities create learning environments that strive to optimize strengths and minimize weaknesses of learners. Media rich environments have changed the current generation of learners just as it is now changing higher education. There is currently a need to examine the experiences and perceptions of instructors when adopting innovations such as instructional videos for use in their media enriched curriculum delivery. This study used a phenomenological approach to discover why and how faculty at a 4-year public university use the innovation of instructional video in their classrooms. The phenomenon studied was the adoption process and the motivation of the …

Community College Second Language Students’ Perspectives Of Online Learning: A Phenomenological Case Study, Li-Lee Tunceren

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this phenomenological case study, I elicited the perspectives of first-year community college second language (L2) students enrolled in an online general education course, Studies in Applied Ethics. Four L2 participants narrated their lived experiences and impressions of distance learning via Skype interviews at early, mid, and end-of-semester junctures. The Distance Education instructional model Community of Inquiry (COI) served as the theoretical framework for the inquiry. The multilingual participants suggested the COI components Teaching Presence (design and facilitation of the course) and Learning Presence (self-regulated learning behaviors) led to Cognitive Presence (the understanding of and ability to demonstrate content …

The Development Of Organizational Training: Identifying Generational Differences And Perceptions In Computerized Learning Systems In Government Organizations, Gregory Negron

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the degree of effectiveness and preferences as it related to various computer-based training (CBT) and instructor-based training (IBT) types as perceived by baby boomer, Generation X, and millennial generational Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) employees based in San Diego, California, as measured by the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) Extended Learning Institute Survey.

Methodology: The study used a descriptive, causal-comparative research design. A survey was administered to collect demographic data and responses that described and determined the degree of difference and effectiveness for various CBT types …

An Analysis Of Factors That Impact Diffusion And Adoption Of Digital Badges, Kimberly L. Carey

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Digital badges are electronic icons used to recognize learning or participation in activities. Open digital badges offer the additional affordance of embedded metadata that can link to the criteria for earning the badge, evidence of the skill, and other information including issuer details. Badge systems have prompted instructional designers to consider teaching and learning in new ways. Open digital badges offer an alternative and innovative approach to pedagogy and assessment (Grant, 2016).

This qualitative multi-case study examined digital badge programs being used at three higher education institutions, at the course level, the department level, and the university level. The study …

The Effects Of Group-Based Context Personalization On Learning Outcomes And Motivation, Jessica J. Resig

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The rise of online course enrollments in higher education has highlighted the need to establish and validate effective online instructional strategies focused on improving learning outcomes and affective responses towards instruction. One such strategy, group-based context personalization, frames instructional materials within contexts relevant to shared interests among groups of students. This study sought to investigate the effects of group-based context personalization on learning outcomes and motivation towards the instruction when materials were contextualized based on a learner’s academic major.

This study employed a true experimental design to explore the effects of group-based context personalization on learning outcomes and motivation for …

The Use Of Reflective Questioning As A Peer Coaching Strategy In An Asynchronous Online Cognitive Apprenticeship, Jennifer Ashley Scott Brown

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The cognitive apprenticeship framework melds situated, authentic learning with social learning theory. The learning strategies included in a cognitive apprenticeship are modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploration. Previous research indicates that the most beneficial strategy for the learner is coaching, and is also the most time-consuming strategy for the instructor. However, no previous research has been conducted to determine which coaching strategies can be utilized in order to lessen the burden on the instructor, while being beneficial to the learner.

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of guided reflective questions as a strategy for enhancing …

An Analysis Of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies, Academic Performance, And Satisfaction Among Recent Online High School Graduates, Jenifer Lee Price

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Recent studies indicate a positive correlation between academic performance and metacognitive self-regulation (MSR) and effort regulation (ER). This relationship was explored across performance (e.g., higher and lower) and satisfaction (e.g., satisfied and dissatisfied) levels to help identify which self-regulated learning (SRL) skills were most critical for 102 recent graduates of online high schools. A mixed-methods design was employed to determine use of SRL strategies and to better understand participant experiences while learning online. Responses to surveys, open-ended questions, and ten follow-up interviews were compared and contrasted to assess the level of corroboration between quantitative and qualitative data in this study. …

An Exploration Of Career Decision-Making Among Domestic And International Instructional Design Students, Erin L. Mills

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Graduate students encounter specific career difficulties in making career decisions, and turn to various sources of assistance, help-seeking resources and guidance (Gati, Gadasi & Shemesh, 2005). Previous research into graduate student career needs have not sought to better understand the specific differences between international and domestic graduate students in instructional design. As a result, the factors that influence and impact graduate students in the context of their career decision making within an instructional design graduate program remain unexplored.

This mixed methods study captured actual career related difficulties of graduate instructional design students through a conceptual framework based on Bandura (1986) …

Student Demographic And Academic Characteristics That Predict Community College Student Success In Online Courses, Jennifer L. Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Online student success is a concern for higher education institutions especially community colleges with open enrollment admission. This study analyzed online student success using online GPA (dependent variable) and both demographic and academic characteristics of online students (independent variables) to determine which characteristics significantly correlated to and predicted student success in online courses. The sample included an unduplicated count of 4,046 online students enrolled in at least one online course during fall 2015 and spring 2016 at a public, Midwestern community college. Six research questions and twelve hypotheses were used to determine which independent variables led online students to a …

Toward Culturally Responsive Online Pedagogy: Practices Of Selected Secondary Online Teachers, April Lawrence

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Proponents of K-12 online learning claim that it can provide more equitable learning opportunities by offering access to courses that might not otherwise be available to students, and by providing personalized learning experiences. Despite the growth of online learning in K-12 public schools, very little is known about what constitutes good online teaching. The purpose of this interpretivist investigation was to learn about some of the ways in which culturally responsive teaching can occur online. This study focused on the practices of four full-time online high school teachers. Using the methods of grounded theory research, I analyzed data generated through …

Reconceptualizing The Work Of A Content Provider For An Online Audience: A Case Study For How Pedagogical Strategies Can Provide Models Of Engagement For Producers Of Entertainment, Diane Cooke

English Theses & Dissertations

With the interconnectivity of the Internet, and the availability of affordable media compositional tools, the proliferation of online media continues to grow exponentially. However, each day is still comprised of a fixed 24 hours, with far fewer hours spent in active media consumption. Considering the global potential for content to be found (Moreville), discovered (Cormier) or spread (Jenkins), content providers are looking for ways to attract, cultivate and hopefully expand their audiences amid all this digital clutter. In the field of entertainment, this challenge is complicated when small content providers are not aligned with an online, curated network such as …

Learning While Using An Instructional Simulation, Tayyaba Batool

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Learner control is thought to be valuable by some scholars who believe that it allows learners to adapt instructions to their needs while reducing cognitive load (Mayer & Moreno, 2003). Although learner control offers some advantages to the learner, the importance of an instructor cannot be denied. In instructor-controlled settings the instructor provides guidance to the learners. Direct instructional guidance provides information to the learner that explains the concepts and procedures that are to be learned along with the instructional strategy support that is compatible with human cognitive architecture (Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark, 2006). This study compared the effects of …

Exploring Teacher’S Attitudes And Behaviors In Implementing Instructional Technology Into Curriculum, Letitia Walters

Dissertations

This program evaluation explored how effective integration of technology resources and systems with teacher training and curriculum development can occur despite teachers limited technology competencies. Theses competencies increase when teachers have desire and opportunities to become better acquainted with utilizing digital tools. Perceived technology integration skills of teachers solely, cannot predict the effective integration of technology in student products to address new learning (Ertmer, 2005). Technology integrated lesson plans, the relationship between teachers' beliefs and their use of various strategies to integrate technology and a model that teachers can use to guide them through the necessary changes they will need …

The Importance Of Using Information Communication Technology For Learning And Teaching The English Language In Kurdistan Of Iraq, Nabaz Noori Kareem

English (TESOL) Master Theses

Kurdistan as a region in north of Iraq has undergone significant changes regarding its educational system, and using ICTs (information communication technologies) for teaching and learning English has been given a great role in the system. There are many researchers who wrote about the benefits and the challenges of using ICTs. As the term ICT includes many kinds of devices and applications, students and teachers in Kurdistan are using various types of ICTs inside or outside of the schools. Students and teachers use ICTs for teaching and learning the skills of the English language such as reading, writing, speaking, and …

Applying Affective Engagement To Change Organizational Culture: A Secondary Analysis Of Sexual Assault Prevention And Reporting Curriculum Outcomes On U.S. Air Force Technical Training Campuses, Stephen Bryce Ellis

Dissertations

Sexual assault, sexual harassment, and unprofessional relationships are inconsistent with U.S. Air Force vision to foster a culture that promotes dignity and respect. These problems reduce military readiness and retention of talented personnel while increasing costs to taxpayers. To combat these problems, the U.S. Air Force revised its sexual assault prevention and reporting curriculum to employ affective engagement techniques at four technical training campuses. Curriculum developers employed plausible vignettes, storytelling, and classroom debate to create an emotional connection to the sexual assault prevention and reporting lessons. The objective of the revised curriculum was to change the organizational culture to one …

A Descriptive Case Study Of Writing Standards-Based Individualized Education Plan Goals Via Problem-Based Learning In A Virtual World, Peter J. Blair

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The goal of this study was to examine the professional development experiences of two participants while they were creating standards-based individualized education plan (IEP) goals using a virtual world called TeacherSim. The focuses of the study were how did special educators engage with the task of creating standards-based IEP goals using TeacherSim and how did TeacherSim support or hinder this? This research used a descriptive case study selecting two participants from the larger data set of seven participants. The data was analyzed using qualitative coding which compared the observed experiences with the case propositions. This case study demonstrated that special …

Crowdsourcing Cognitive Presence: A Quantitative Content Analysis Of A K12 Educator Mooc Discussion Forum, Kathryn Dawson Shields

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer participants opportunities to engage with content and discussion forums similar to other online courses. Pedagogical components of MOOCs and the nature of learning are worth of examining due to issues involving scale, interaction and the role of the instructor (Ross, Sinclair, Know, Bayne & McLeod, 2014). The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework provides a basis for measuring cognitive presence in online discussion forums. As voluntary point of entry to a community of learners, it is important to consider the nature of participant contributions in terms of cognitive presence. This study focused on an educator …

Perceptions And Practice: The Relationship Between Teacher Perceptions Of Technology Use And Level Of Classroom Technology Integration, Laura Marie Sawyer

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This correlational-predictive study investigated the relationship between teacher perceptions of technology use and observed classroom technology integration level using the Technology Uses and Perceptions Survey (TUPS) and the Technology Integration Matrix-Observation (TIM-O) instruments, developed by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) at USF. Anonymized data were obtained from FCIT that included 51 teachers from a Florida school district who completed the TUPS and were observed using the TIM-O. Linear regression was used to determine the overall relationship between perceptions and technology integration, as well as the overall predictive value of teacher perceptions on technology integration level. Both were found …

Triviaprep®: The Design And Development Of A Competitive Academic Trivia Application, Sean D. Bailey

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Sean D. Bailey on April 20, 2017.

Exploring The Use Of Technology To Support Literacy Of Sixth Grade Students With Reading Disabilities, Jaime R. Inman

Dissertations

University of Missouri-St. Louis

College of Education

Ed.D. Learning Community of Practice

Curriculum and Instruction

Exploring the Use of Technology to Support Literacy of Sixth Grade Students with Reading Disabilities

Jaime R. Ball-Inman

Abstract

The degree to which the utilization of technology supports the academic achievement of sixth grade students with reading disabilities was examined using a quantitative research design. The data analysis involved the results from the Educational Technology Assessment Program to measure achievement. The Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR) provided 2015-2016 scores regarding academic accomplishment of middle school students with reading disabilities. The central research …

Varying Feedback Strategy And Scheduling In Simulator Training: Effects On Learner Perceptions, Initial Learning, And Transfer, Sonya Bland-Williams

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This experimental study investigated the effects of visual feedback on initial learning, perceived self-efficacy, workload, near transfer, far transfer, and perceived realism during a simulator-based training task. Prior studies indicate that providing feedback is critical for schema development (Salmoni, Schmidt, & Walter 1984; Sterman, 1994). However, its influence has been shown to dissipate and is not directly proportionate to the frequency at which it is given (Wulf, Shea, & Matschiner, 1998). A total of 54 participants completed the study forming six treatment groups. The independent treatment, visual feedback, was manipulated as scheduling (absolute—every practice trial or relative—every third trial) and …

Assessing Learning Strategies With An Educational Video, David James Harrison

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Even though educational films and videos have been in used for a century, there remains insufficient research into efficacious learning strategies that can be used alongside them. This study sought to investigate active learning strategies as a method to improve learning from video. This true experimental study, supported and informed by qualitative data, examined three active learning strategies utilized within video-based instruction: Guided Notetaking, Personal Notetaking, and Guided Summaries. Outcome measures included three dimensions of learning (factual, conceptual, and procedural) on an immediate posttest, perceptions of extrinsic cognitive load, likelihood that participants would use the strategies again, how often participants …

The Effect Of Device When Using Smartphones And Computers To Answer Multiple-Choice And Open-Response Questions In Distance Education, Thomas Royce Wilson

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Traditionally in higher education, online courses have been designed for computer users. However, the advent of mobile learning (m-learning) and the proliferation of smartphones have created two challenges for online students and instructional designers. First, instruction designed for a larger computer screen often loses its effectiveness when displayed on a smaller smartphone screen. Second, requiring students to write remains a hallmark of higher education, but miniature keyboards might restrict how thoroughly smartphone users respond to open- response test questions. The present study addressed both challenges by featuring m-learning’s greatest strength (multimedia) and by investigating its greatest weakness (text input).

The …

Facilitating Higher Levels Of Thinking And Deeper Cognitive Processing Of Course Texts Using Reciprocal Teaching Strategies In Asynchronous Discussion Forums, Jenifer R. Marquis

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Reciprocal teaching is an interactive instructional procedure that improves students’ text comprehension skills through instruction that utilizes scaffolds of four comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing (Palincsar & Brown, 1984, 1986; Palincsar, Brown, & Martin, 1987). Reciprocal teaching involves student-led instruction, modeling, practice, and feedback in metacognitive self-monitoring and evaluating strategies (Brown, Campione, & Day, 1981). The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of reciprocal teaching to facilitate deeper cognitive processing and higher levels of thinking related to course texts in an online, asynchronous community college course. The strategies and peer teaching were incorporated …

An Eye Tracking Study To Investigate The Influence Of Language And Text Direction On Multimedia, Arwa Adulwahab Mashat

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated how native language orientation influences spatial bias, first visual fixation on screen, first visual fixation on pictures, learning outcomes, and mental effort of learners. Previous studies supported the effect of native language writing or reading direction on spatial bias, examining written text and images created by the participants (Barrett et al., 2002; Boroditsky, 2001; Chatterjee, Southwood & Basiko, 1999; Spalek & Hammad, 2005). However, no study investigated writing direction in multimedia presentations using eye tracking. This study addresses this gap.

A total of 84 participants completed the study forming four groups. The first group (NativeLeft_InstrEng) consisted of …

Exploring Teacher Assessment Literacy Through The Process Of Training Teachers To Write Assessment Items, Heather Peltier Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the process and impact of assessment training content and delivery mode on the quality of assessment items developed by the teachers in a two-year assessment development project. Teacher characteristics were examined as potential moderating factors. Four types of delivery mode were employed in the project: synchronous online, asynchronous online, in-person workshop, and blended (a combination of online and in-person training). The quality of assessment items developed by participating teachers was measured via: 1) item acceptance rate, 2) number of item reviews (as an indicator of how many times accepted items were rejected …

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 …