Education Commons^™

Enhancing International Students' Participation In Online Courses Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: A Systematic Literature Review, Xiaoyan Song

Major Papers

With the increasing diversity of the K-12 student population, there has been a growing emphasis on the adoption of culturally responsive teaching practices (Lawrence, 2020). Additionally, online degree programs and courses provided by many universities in the United States and around the world offer people the chance to access higher education without leaving their homes and without considering the issues of age, time, and geography (Diaz, 2021). Also, the COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the prevalence of online courses (Bao 2020; Rapanta et al., 2020; Mollenkopf et al., 2020). According to Elshami et al. (2021), “satisfaction with online learning is …

Academic Outcomes Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Awareness And Action, Tanner B. Howe

Culminating Experience Projects

Research has shown that the online learning implemented during the COVID-19-related school closures had impacts on academic outcomes among secondary students. As schools operate in proximity to this event, it is crucial to investigate and understand those academic outcomes. Research suggests that mathematics and reading/language courses displayed negative academic outcomes for the period of online learning. Through this investigation, stress was observed to have played a major role during this period for secondary students and may have also contributed to the academic outcomes observed. This project seeks to raise awareness of possible student educational needs by shining light on the …

Parent Choice: Learning Pods Or Public Education During Covid-19 Pandemic, Shari Kinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the decision-making process of K-12 parents living in the Appalachian Highlands who chose to remove their children from traditional public schools to join learning pods (sometimes referred to as pandemic pods) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to answer this overarching question, the researcher focused her study on two areas: first, what were the possible push factors that influenced parents to remove their children from public schools, and secondly, what were the pull factors that lead parents to choose learning pods over other school choice options. Through the data collected …

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

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Students In The School Setting: The Adaptations Needed For Tiered Supports, Eleni M. Gajewski

Dissertations

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students in the school setting and identify necessary adaptations needed, particularly through a tiered system of support. The research aims for two primary objectives by employing a constructivist framework utilizing mixed methods for data collection. Firstly, it aims to provide districts with a foundation for understanding the social-emotional and academic consequences of the pandemic on students. Secondly, its purpose is to empower districts to leverage this comprehensive evaluation as a proactive approach to cater to the diverse needs of all students. This includes responding to the challenges posed …

Impact Of Using Gagne’S Nine Events Of Instruction On Student’S Academic Achievement And Satisfaction In An Online English Course For French Speakers, Yara Olive Paterne Loua

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

This dissertation explored the effect of Gagne's nine events of instruction on student academic achievement and satisfaction during an online English class for French speakers. A group of 30 Facebook users from French-speaking countries in North and Sub-Saharan Africa participated in the research. They were divided randomly into two groups: one receiving traditional instruction through an asynchronous online lecture with PowerPoint presentation, and the other using instruction utilizing Gagne's nine events of instruction integrated with an LMS designed for this purpose. This mixed methods study explored several hypotheses related to academic achievement and satisfaction in the two groups. While the …

Alumni Giving From Online Learners: A Logistic Regression Study, Jaqlyne S. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alumni giving is increasingly important to the vitality of institutions of higher education. With governmental financial support of public institutions steadily declining, understanding philanthropic giving is more important than ever. Advancement offices that serve alumni populations benefit from analyzing predictors of the behavioral phenomenon of charitable giving. It is also known that enrollment in distance education programs is on the rise in the United States. For university administrators and advancement professionals to be proactive in cultivating relationships with alumni that attended through an online modality, more research was needed to understand what motivates philanthropic giving from this alumni constituency. Using …

Post-Pandemic Student Attendance, Becki Delloyd

Dissertations

Student attendance has been a national concern since the start of compulsory education in America; however, since the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance plummeted to never- before-seen attendance rates. Nationally, by the end of the 2021-2022 school year, nearly one in three students were absent 10% or more of the school year (Attendance Works, 2023). My 39-question survey conducted in two vastly different states between April and May of 2023 corroborated the national data and resulted in nearly one in three students being absent 10 or more school days in a year. Through my study, I explored parents’ perceptions of post-pandemic K–12 …

Cue The Paralinguistics: A Qualitative Case Study Of Teacher Social Presence, Molly R. Bowden

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand teachers’ rationale and practices as they establish a social presence in a 100% online learning environment in a high school setting, with a specific emphasis on paralinguistic cues and symbols, such as emoji, emoticons, and Bitmoji. This case study focused on the meaning and understanding of teacher social presence in the virtual setting, utilizing a variety of data collection methods. In-depth interviews were conducted, followed by digital document collection and a focus group interview; transcripts of both interviews and the focus group were analyzed in order to establish the specific …

A Qualitative Study Of Literacy Tutoring In Virtual Environments During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Instructional And Relational Practices To Support Learners With Dyslexia, Megan G. Hills

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This qualitative collective case study examined the relational and professional practices literacy tutors used to support learners with dyslexia in virtual learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through individual interviews, literacy tutors who rapidly transitioned to online teaching described their lived experiences during this historic time. Three themes were identified through cross-case analysis: adapting instructional practices to virtual environments, caring for students and parents, and reflecting on professional practice. The results of this study described evidence which suggests implications for future practice, including teacher preparation, virtual tutoring, and reflective teaching.

Exploratory Case Study Of Online Teacher Professional Development At A Faith Based School Through The Lens Of A Community Of Inquiry Framework, Ericka Heide Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As online education continues to expand, a need has arisen for online teacher professional developments (OTPDs) that are tailored to fit the individualized needs of teachers. This qualitative, exploratory case study explored one faith-based, virtual school’s OTPD program within a community of inquiry framework. This study used purposive sampling to describe six teacher participants’ perceptions of the design and implementation of their OTPD as well as the pedagogical changes resulting from effective OTPD. Data were collected using two focus group discussions, a community of inquiry survey, and end-of-the-year teacher self-evaluations. Data analysis revealed three themes to answer the three research …

Investigating The Effect Of Universal Design For Learning On Learner Performance, Engagement, And Self-Efficacy, Ana Elizabeth Redstone

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This study sought to address the gap in knowledge about the effect of UDL features on asynchronous online postsecondary learners’ achievement, engagement, and self-efficacy. The study also described a process for redesigning an online course to incorporate UDL components and provided specific examples of the implemented UDL guidelines. The study was conducted in a three-phase multimethod research design, which included quantitative and qualitative data collected from the participants, the learning management system (LMS), and the course instructor.

In collaboration with the course instructor, the researcher redesigned an existing asynchronous online university Computer Science course using UDL guidelines to address learning …

A Shift Towards Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices In Workplace Education, Nancy M. Thompson

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) focuses on a nonprofit organization resolving a problem of practice (PoP) that was identified following the withdrawal of its funder’s support. The problem is an absence of culturally responsive teaching practices (CRTP) in the pedagogy knowledge of subject matter experts (SMEs) who are hired to instruct capacity-building programs within community partner organizations. These organizations are working to instil a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization. This OIP unpacks this PoP and creates a pathway forward to implement a change initiative based on a triad model solution: policy, beliefs, and practice. This multifaceted approach results …

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

Doctoral Dissertations

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

Mandated Learning: Administrators' Perceptions Of Unfunded Mandates In Online Education, Ronald Aaron Hennen

Doctoral Dissertations

Online education has become a solution for many states to facilitate the growing requests from state legislatures to lower educational costs while meeting the academic needs of students. Legislation from Florida provided the impetus for this study, after Florida CS/CS/HB 7197 mandated that all students enroll in an online class for 1 credit as a graduation requirement. While the rationale for such legislation may be cost savings, for most school districts, implementation may be viewed as an unfunded state mandate. The purpose of this study was to examine administrator’s perceptions of mandated online teaching as an additional financial burden on …

Examining The Impact Of Course Modality And Course Content Presentation Modality On Undergraduate Grade Outcomes And Course Evaluations, Valerie E. Hogan-Sandi

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was conducted with students previously enrolled in an introduction to educational psychology course during the fall 2019 “F2F”, fall 2020 “online”, and fall 2021 “mixed” semesters, (N =515). The primary goal of this study was to examine how course modality, online and F2F, impacts certain course variables. Specifically, research questions examine how course modality impacts overall course performance, exam performance, homework completion, homework timeliness, and student ratings. Overall course grade, exam grades, and homework completion information were downloaded from Canvas and students identifying information were removed. De-identified student evaluation data were shared with the investigator.

A Kruskal-Wallis H …

School-Wide Academic Outcomes And Instructional Modality Used During The 2018-2022 School Years, Matthew Bowser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between school-wide academic outcomes and the instructional modalities utilized by public schools during the 2019-2022 school years. This study also determined if there was a significant difference in assessment scores earned by public school students in Tennessee before and after the shift from in-person schooling caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The researcher used a chi-squared test for independence to determine if there was a significant relationship between the modality of instruction used within a school during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years and the school-wide …

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

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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

Online Education: Benefits And Challenges For Refugee Students, Roza Badritdinova

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Currently, only 3% of refugees are pursuing higher education opportunities compared to the 37% higher education participation rate globally. There is an urgent need for quality academic work to leave behind the endless descriptive accounts of refugee life and move toward identifying effective strategies and successful solutions that could facilitate the integration of refugees into higher education. Technology has proffered some hope in providing access to public education for marginalized populations. This study looked specifically at how one online education organization attempts to address refugee education and multiple barriers that prevent the majority of the world’s university-age refugee youth …

Latinx Students Higher Educational Trajectory Post Covid, Jonathan Felix-Martinez

University Honors Theses

COVID-19 caused many universities to go fully remote during the pandemic. Many Latinx students did not know how to navigate online learning. This paper examines the experiences of Latinx students in their university experiences while online to determine if their higher educational trajectory changed as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative project gathered data from 9 Latinx students using in-depth, in-person interviews. Recommendations are presented to help the university create resources that will help improve Latinx students' experiences within the context of online learning and the effects of the recent pandemic.

Off The Rez: Witnessing Indigenous Knowledges Through Social Media, Deborah Hales

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

The term “Off the Rez” is used, in the title, to mean research that is not done on a reservation or in urban areas. This study aims to discover if social media can be used as an innovative option for non-Indigenous allies to conduct respectful research. The study research questions were, (1) can social media be used as a research tool, to witness Indigenous Knowledges? (2) Can social media be used as research, by non-Indigenous research allies, to have the least impact on Indigenous communities?

This research was conducted using social media, with selected Indigenous participants who were 18, identified …

Predictors Of Secondary School Students’ Future Technological Academic And Professional Readiness: A Study Of Teachers And Students’ Factors In Learning Online, Autumn H. Ottenad

Education Dissertations

This research endeavors to investigate the factors that influence satisfaction with online learning among secondary students in hybrid or blended environments in the United States. With a focus on social-emotional learning and digital citizenship, the study begins the exploration and the impact of teacher interactions, teaching presence, self-management of learning, and academic self-efficacy on students’ satisfaction with learning online and how this satisfaction can impact their future readiness to use technology effectively. The study involved a sample of 320 secondary students and a supplemental survey of 32 teachers who completed online surveys that took no longer than 10 minutes to …

Effective Strategies For Third-Party Stakeholders To Promote Autonomous Student Learning, Meaghan Solenberger

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

Shifting the focus of learning to be centered around the student rather than the course content
presents a unique opportunity for third-party stakeholders to engage differently with students.
Traditionally, the behavior-centered approach in the classroom has driven the flow of
curriculum, the development of parent-teacher relationships, and the way that students
comprehend and retain important learning. This paper highlights the autonomous teaching and
learning approach which puts students as drivers of their learning experience. Also discussed are
the various strategies that parents, guardians, and caregivers can use to promote the use of these
learning practices. Finally, this project includes the …

Lms Problem-Posing Academic Relationships Between Faculty And Students: A Post-Intentional Phenomenological Study Of Dialogical Relationships In Asynchronous Online Courses, Sheri L. Prupis

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Drawing on Freire’s Engaged Pedagogy as a theoretical framework, I investigated the manifestation of dialogical relationships between faculty and students in fully asynchronous online courses. Employing a post-intentional phenomenological methodology, I examined how students and faculty held varying expectations for relationships in asynchronous online courses. The findings revealed that while students preferred transactional exchanges, faculty aspired to foster more profound and more enduring relationships with their students. This divergence can be partly attributed to the transactional exchange structure of Learning Management Systems (LMS), which heavily influences how faculty design and deliver courses and how students participate.

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

Master's Theses

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

English Pronunciation Skills And Intelligibility Of Native Russian Speakers, Zoia Palgova

Master's Projects and Capstones

The rapid growth of the native Russian-speaking population in the United States created an urgent need to improve their pronunciation skills and increase their second language speech intelligibility. The purpose of this field project was to present a research-based curriculum, with the use of embedded technology, that can be utilized to improve the American English pronunciation skills and intelligibility of native Russian speakers.

The body of analyzed scholarship demonstrated that speech intelligibility is the primary goal of second language pronunciation teaching, justified the importance of research-based pronunciation teaching, emphasized the significant role of technology in pronunciation research and teaching, and …

How Doctoral Students In A Formal Leadership Program Conceptualize Followership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Katy J. Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to determine how doctoral students in a formal leadership program conceptualize followership. The methods used to conduct this analysis included distributing a Qualtrics (released in August 2022) survey and conducting one-on-one interviews with a sample of degree-seeking doctoral students within a formal leadership program. The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data addressing students’ followership style, leadership attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions of followership. These data were analyzed concurrently using a triangulation design. A total of 67 students completed the survey, and seven students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the participants employ …

Percepción De Docentes En Integración De Herramientas Tecnológicas Utilizando El Modelo Picrat En Una Institución De Nivel Superior, Marangely Perez Montalvo

Theses and Dissertations

Este estudio tuvo como propósito analizar la percepción de los profesores sobre el modelo de integración tecnológica PICRAT y cómo este evalúa los niveles de reemplazo, amplificación y transformación que se le realizan a las herramientas tecnológicas para lograr una interacción pasiva, interactiva y creativa con el estudiante durante el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje. Se utilizó un enfoque cuantitativo con un diseño transeccional no experimental con un alcance descriptivo y correlacional. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 23 profesores universitarios que imparten al menos un curso de manera remota en el nivel académico de maestría con especialidades en Ciencias de …

Development Of Neuraxial Anesthesia Educational Videos For Nurse Anesthesia Students, Mackenzie Schutt, Kaylie Lajeunesse

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Development of Neuraxial Anesthesia Educational Videos for Nurse Anesthesia Students

Kaylie LaJeunesse, BSN, RN, SRNA & Mackenzie Schutt, BSN, RN, SRNA

Performance and evaluation of anesthetic procedures, specifically neuraxial anesthesia, are core components of nurse anesthesia curriculums. Teaching methods must provide nurse anesthesia students with the proper tools and knowledge to perform skills confidently and proficiently. Traditional teaching methods have fallen short of providing the necessary instruction for optimal student success. Incorporating video-learning resources on neuraxial anesthesia into course curriculums can significantly improve nurse anesthesia practice by better-preparing students for the clinical setting. Video learning increases student engagement and facilitates …

Engaging Online Learners Through A Technological Competencies Training For Student Services Professionals: An Action Research Study On Professional Development, Doungchit Sakoonphong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Student Services professionals’ perceptions of their technological competencies as they engage with students online and what an institution in the California community college system could do to develop technological competencies in Student Services classified professionals. Three questions guided this study and they were: (1) what technological competencies do California community college Student Services professionals indicate they have in order to engage with students online, (2) how does an online professional development training course increase technological competencies in California community college Student Services professionals so that they can engage with students online, (3) …