Educational Technology Commons^™

Leading For Impact: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study On Leadership Actions Driving Academic Gains Beyond Mock Projections, John Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how principals lead schools to achieve academic outcomes that exceed projected performance. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study first identified campuses that demonstrated statistically significant improvement between projected outcomes based on mock assessments and actual performance on state accountability measures. Quantitative analyses, including paired-samples t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and correlation analyses, revealed significant differences between projected and actual outcomes, variation across assessment cycles, and increasing alignment between mock and summative assessments over time. Standardized mean difference scores were used to identify campuses that demonstrated the greatest positive deviation from projected performance.

In Phase 2, …

Teaching Under Restriction: Pre-Service Teachers’ Experiences With Censorship, Johnny Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the perceptions of pre-service teacher candidates at a predominantly minority university in South Texas about educational censorship in K–12 schools. Grounded in critical theory, the research explored how restrictive policies—including book bans and legislation related to race, gender, and identity—affect candidates’ developing professional identities and career aspirations. Data were collected through an anonymous, open-ended questionnaire and analyzed to identify six interconnected themes: autonomy and fear, book bans, policy and legislation, race and identity, subject-specific impacts, and readiness and confidence. Participants described an increasingly tense educational climate marked by heightened scrutiny and ambiguous policy expectations. They voiced …

A Case Study Of One-To-One Mobile Teaching And Learning Environments Measuring Creativity In A Rural Elementary School In Deep South Texas, David Warren Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how creativity is enacted within rural one-to-one mobile teaching and learning environments in Deep South Texas. Grounded in the frameworks of mobile learning affordances (Klopfer et al., 2002), the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, and the SAMR model, the study explored how instructional practices, student agency, and contextual conditions influenced creative learning experiences in an elementary school setting. Data were collected from five elementary teachers at a rural South Texas district and included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and samples of student-created artifacts. Data analysis followed a systematic process of first-cycle coding, second-cycle axial …

Understanding Student E-Textbook Satisfaction And Learning Outcomes: Does The Instructor Still Matter?, Qinyu Liao, Edith Galy, Lin Zhang, Xiaodi Zhou

Datasets

Background: With the increasing cost of textbooks and new generations of technology savvy students, universities and textbook publishers are promoting e-Textbooks as a more accessible and affordable alternative. Studies comparing adoption, preference, and learning effectiveness of print books and e-Textbooks provide conflicting results. There are a few research studies focused on student e-Textbook learning outcomes but no empirical studies have included the instructor as a factor.

Methods: This study proposes a holistic model to investigate the antecedents of college student e-Textbook satisfaction and learning outcomes. A survey of 261 college students investigating factors related to students, e-Textbook, and …

Factors Influencing Teacher Professional Autonomy And Career Satisfaction: The Effects Of Unrealistic Professional Expectations Surrounding Student-Centered And Technology Implementation Tropes, Karla Gabriela Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The research problem is to investigate to what extent unrealistic professional expectations stemming from a predominant emphasis on the tropes of student-centeredness and technology integration impact teachers’ experiences of professional autonomy and career satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to find out what factors impact teacher autonomy and career satisfaction while also considering how teachers can be effectively supported to improve these areas. Utilizing a narrative inquiry approach, this qualitative study will be held in the Rio Grande Valley and will analyze interviews of both current teachers and teachers who have recently left the profession. Therefore, this study will …

A Study Of Preferred Modality Of Education And Perceptions Of Academic Success Of Post 9/11 Student Veterans, Jason R. Wakefield

Theses and Dissertations

Veterans are pursuing higher education at increasing rates due to the benefits available upon separation or retirement from military service. Many choose online programs for flexibility, while others prefer traditional, in-person instruction. Regardless of modality, student veterans often face significant challenges completing their degrees. “When student veterans first enter college, they must transition to the overwhelming, independent, and fast-paced lifestyle of a college student” (Semer & Harmening, 2015). While online learning may contribute to these difficulties, other factors also hinder success.

Colleges and universities continue to explore why student veterans struggle to complete their programs, yet underlying issues may distort …

Examining The Relationship Between Teaching Presence In The Community Of Inquiry Framework And Student Satisfaction In Online Graduate Educational Technology Courses, Vianna Madrid

Theses and Dissertations

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework, comprising three key elements, social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence, provides a theoretical foundation for understanding how students engage with and perceive their online learning environments. Among these elements, teaching presence, encompassing course design and organization, facilitation of discourse, and direct instruction, plays a fundamental role in shaping students’ perceptions of instructional clarity, support, and overall satisfaction. This quantitative study, grounded in the CoI model, examines the relationship between the categories of teaching presence and student satisfaction among graduate students enrolled in online Educational Technology courses. Accordingly, a survey instrument incorporating the CoI …

Reducing Transactional Distance With Ai: Examining The Role Of Chatbots In Online Student Satisfaction And Achievement, Joseph Rene Corbeil, Maria Elena Corbeil

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

This study explored graduate students’ perceptions of an AI-powered chatbot integrated into an online education course, guided by Moore’s (1997) Theory of Transactional Distance. A total of 47 students completed a survey assessing Dialogue, Structure, Learner Autonomy, Satisfaction, Perceived Achievement, and Intent to Continue Use. Regression analyses revealed that all three transactional distance dimensions significantly predicted student satisfaction, with Dialogue as the strongest predictor. Dialogue and Structure were significant predictors of perceived achievement, while Learner Autonomy significantly predicted students’ intention to use chatbots in future courses. Qualitative responses reinforced these findings, emphasizing the chatbot’s helpfulness and responsiveness. Overall, results suggest …

The Shift: Web 2.0 Tools And Learner Engagement From The Teacher Perspective, Deig Aaron Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 epidemic has altered the educational technology landscape and made Web 2.0 tools' potential for online instruction more apparent. This study uses the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) paradigm to examine teachers’ perceptions of Web 2.0 tools and online learning. The study aims to investigate and advance the expanding body of research on teachers' perceptions of Web 2.0 tools' potential to increase student participation in the classroom. The research questions examine how ready instructors are to utilize Web 2.0 tools, how they feel about using them, how perceived behavioral control variables affect their intents, and how subjective norms …

Online Learning Communities And Secondary Educators' Tech-Enhanced Instructional Practices: A Correlational Study, Oscar R. Carrera

Theses and Dissertations

This correlational study investigated how secondary educators' engagement in online learning communities relates to their tech-enhanced instructional practices, a relationship that gained importance following the COVID-19 pandemic's acceleration of educational technology adoption. Through the lens of Keller's ARCS Model of Motivation (Keller, 1987) and demographic analysis, the research examined three key aspects: the relationship between community engagement and tech-enhanced instructional practices, demographic predictors of engagement, and correlations between ARCS motivational components and engagement. Data collected through a cross-sectional survey of 115 secondary educators revealed a statistically significant moderate positive correlation between engagement in online learning communities and tech-enhanced instructional practices. …

Enhancing Educator Technology Skills In The Digital Age: A Comparative Analysis Of Video And Screenshot Microlesson Professional Development, Brittni Knebel Kalich

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined video and screenshot microlesson formats as a technology professional development for enhancing educators’ technology skills. As educators face increasing demands for technology proficiency in the twenty-first century classroom, this study was conducted to help address a need for further investigation into whether screenshot or video microlessons can serve as effective PD tools for teachers (Bowman, Vongkulluksn, Jiang, and Xie, 2020). Using a comparative design, this study evaluated three groups: one receiving video microlessons, another receiving screenshot-based microlessons, and a control group receiving no lesson. Data were collected through post test scores (multiple choice questions), a Likert-scale survey, …

Understanding Social Media As A Communicative Tool To Facilitate Critical Discourse: Using #Blackgirlmagic To Explore How Black Women In Higher Education “Talk Back", Crystal Spruill Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Black women have engaged through social media platforms, as a mechanism to uplift their embodiment, despite being relegated to the margins. The hashtag #BlackGirlMagic (BGM) is linked to narratives of Black women in higher education that are empowering and problematic. The development of the popular social media movement during a time when Black women were being portrayed negatively made engaging in the discourse "talking back" possible. This study explores the lived experiences of Black women college students and recent graduates, using currere as an analytical tool for my own communication journals entries as a data source to structure my reflections …

Exploring 3rd-8th Grade Teachers’ Conceptions Of The Nwea Map Assessment And The Relationship On Grade Level, Content Area, And Students’ Academic Growth, Dymphna Jewelle Canales

Theses and Dissertations

In education, assessment helps shape teaching practices and student outcomes, as it influences how teachers perceive their roles, approach instruction, and engage with students. This study investigated 3rd-8th grade English Language Arts and mathematics teachers' conceptions of the NWEA MAP Growth assessment, focusing on four key factors: (1) improvement for teaching and learning, (2) school accountability, (3) student accountability, and (4) assessment irrelevance. The research examined the relationship between teachers' conceptions and variables such as grade levels, content areas, and students' academic growth as measured by NWEA MAP scores. Using a descriptive correlational design, data were collected from 61 teachers …

How Fun Overcame Fear: The Gamification Of A Graduate-Level Statistics Course, Mai P. Trinh, Robert J. Chico, Rachel M. Reed

Management Faculty Publications

Innovative instructional methods can help improve student engagement and learning outcomes when teaching difficult subjects, such as statistics. This instructional innovation article illustrates how gamification can be applied in management education to improve students’ learning experience, engagement, and acquisition of knowledge. Our purpose is to demonstrate how gamification is not only a powerful way to build on the use of games and game thinking in our field, but also a versatile application of education technology that could potentially enhance the way management knowledge is taught. Furthermore, it is a low-risk way for management educators to join and contribute to the …

Care-Teach: Proposing An Open-Source Approach To Personalized Learning, Jaime Augusto Alvarez Perez

Theses and Dissertations

Care-Teach is an algorithmic educational model that provides teachers and educators with the tools to create interactive, text-based lessons that address a student’s need for continuity and reinforcement. Care-Teach is built around two core components: a Student Behavior Profile and the Skill Tree. These models work together to give each student a personalized learning experience that reinforces their pre-existing strengths and inclinations. The Student Behavior Profile model keeps track of a learner’s inclinations and mood, utilizing metrics such as average response time and accuracy to categorize opportunities for educator involvement. The Skill Tree is an organizational …

Uncovering Insights On Remote Learning Through A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Tweets At The Start Of The Pandemic In The United States, Douglas Wayne Bridges

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the discourses surrounding remote learning during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic through Twitter conversations. Employing a Critical Discourse Analysis informed by Michel Foucault’s theories of discourse and power, this study explores how the pandemic has transformed educational interactions over social media platforms. It particularly focuses on the relationships between language, power, and social structures, highlighting the transformative potentials of remote learning amidst a global crisis.

The research reveals how discourse on Twitter reflects broader societal and cultural dynamics, serving as a microcosm of the shifts within the educational sector. Analysis of Twitter threads, retweets, and …

Mitosis Mystery!, Lluvia Garcia

Critical Proceedings of the STEM ED Conference (2023)

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Educational Technology Integration From District And School Leaders Before, During, And After The Lifting Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions, Alma Delia Cardenas-Rubio

Theses and Dissertations

The integration of educational technology is pivotal in enhancing classroom instruction. School administrators must possess a clear vision and the necessary skills to leverage emerging technologies effectively (Yu & Prince, 2016). This mixed methods research study explores trends, challenges, and experiences related to educational technology leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing an autoethnographic approach and survey data, the study aligns with the Future Ready Framework's seven interconnected components: curriculum, instruction, and assessment; personalized professional learning; budget and resources; use of space and time; robust infrastructures; data and privacy; and community partnerships. The narrative provides insights into a …

Addressing Engagement: Student Perceptions Of Meaningful Gamification In Online Courses, Jessica M. Sanchez-Barrera

Theses and Dissertations

Although there is high enrollment in online college courses, there are concerns about student engagement (Martin & Bolliger, 2018; Dumford & Miller, 2018). Gamification has been shown to have the potential to improve student engagement. The purpose of the study was to describe how academic student engagement is impacted by Nicholson’s Meaningfully Gamified online course compared to traditionally taught online course. An embedded multiple case study research design was employed using self-determination theory as the theoretical framework to measure engagement. The theory constructs analyzed were autonomy, competence, relatedness, and student engagement. The research was conducted …

Professional Development, Digital Platforms, And Middle School Education During Covid-19, Cynthia Susan Castro

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 outbreak shifted towards online learning, requiring educators and administrators to adapt to new digital platforms and technologies quickly. The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine whether there is a significant difference in the frequency of use of digital platforms among middle schools. Secondly, it explores the relationship between teachers' attendance at professional development sessions and their integration of Nearpod lessons during the pandemic. Lastly, it investigates the relationship between the time campus principals invested in technology-related professional development and teachers' adoption of digital platforms at their respective campuses. Surveys and administrative records were …

The Effect Of Microlearning And Multimedia Design On Knowledge And Skills Acquisition Of Students In E-Courses, Rene Corbeil, Didem Tufan, Maria Elena Corbeil

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

Although the term microlearning has been around since 2005 (Hug, 2005), its use, and research in the area, have resurged in recent years as adult learners have become increasingly more mobile and must deal with competing work, family, and educational priorities. Today’s learners, in both formal and informal academic and corporate learning environments, can benefit from microlearning’s smaller, single objective lessons that can be consumed quickly and easily. However, there are many variations of microlearning and ideas on how to create the instructional materials they include. While it may seem simple, the development process requires applying instructional design strategies and …

Professional Development For Teaching In The Digital Age: Addressing Teachers’ Digital Competency, Blanca Nery Ibarra

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify teachers’ digital skills proficiency gaps in order to determine preparedness for teaching in the digital age. Using a survey research design helped identify teachers’ digital skills self-confidence, attitudes towards the use of technology in the classroom, and current uses of technology for instructional purposes. The participants in this research study consisted of 320 middle school teachers from a border school district in south Texas. The data was collected using a survey instrument consisting of the TPSA C-21 and researcher-developed items. The data was analyzed using the Spearman-rank order correlation to describe the …

Innovating With In-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Development: The Intersection Among Mixed-Reality Simulations, Approximation-Of-Practice, And Technology-Acceptance, Jair J. Aguilar, Seokmin Kang

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

In-service teachers must be provided with high-quality professional development (PD) opportunities that not only effectively improves and develops their skills, but also engage, and motivate them to continue growing. In this project, we studied in-service teachers’ perceptions, opinions, and mindset toward the use of mixed-reality simulations (MRS) as a potential tool for PD to advance and enhance their pedagogical knowledge for mathematics. We followed a convergent parallel mixed-method approach with 49 in-service teachers who were exposed to a series of simulations sessions. We found evidence that the use and integration of technologies like MRS as a tool for PD is …

Can You Escape? Using Mobile App Escape Games To Create A Holistic Experiential Learning Process Online, Mai P. Trinh

Management Faculty Publications

Mobile app escape games are excellent tools to create an experiential learning process in online contexts. Through the act of solving puzzles to escape the rooms, students experience a process in which they need to discover new information and clues, adjust their strategies repeatedly, and become more aware of the way they learn. Their emotional and behavioral reactions when they encounter difficulties can shed light on their learning identity and learning flexibility. The experiential learning cycle is complete with the addition of after-game reflection, debrief, and discussion. Escape games are versatile and can be used to teach a variety of …

Flipping A Virtual Efl Public Speaking Class Integrated With Moocs During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Zhuo Li, Xiaodi Zhou

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This case study explored Chinese undergraduate EFL students’ attitudes to and perceptions of an online English public speaking course, which employs a virtual flipped classroom model and MOOCs during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Since all classes were moved online, a previously flipped public speaking course integrated with MOOCs was converted into a virtual flipped classroom. All 25 participants of the study were undergraduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field. Zoom, Blackboard, and QQ instant messenger were platforms utilized in instruction. There were weekly two-hour Zoom meetings with learning activities using MOOCs on Blackboard. The study collected …

Learning To Teach In Mixed-Reality Simulated Virtual Environments At A Hispanic Serving Institution (Hsi), Veronica Lopez-Estrada, Carmen Pena, Denise Love

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty at a Hispanic serving institution shifted from face-to-face to totally online teaching. The authors describe two assignments for teacher candidates that required them to design and deliver lessons that focused on practicing two high-leverage practices utilizing Mursion, a mixed-reality simulation (MRS) software and platform. MRS sessions were delivered through Zoom video conferencing and were delivered asynchronously. Benefits, challenges, and limitations of using MRS in conjunction with Zoom in online courses were identified and discussed. Detailed logistics for planning, preparing, and executing MRS effectively were provided. The authors describe implications for remote learning …

Assessing The Use Of Student-Developed Clerkship Guides For Improving Clerkship Expectations And Experiences: An App-Based Approach., Jose Chavez, Lauren Muenchow, Matthew Hidalgo, Jiyun Lim, Jose Campo Maldonado, Lori Berry, Michael Machiorlatti

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background: The transition for medical students from pre-clinical education to the clinical learning environment introduces different expectations, methods of evaluation, and new working conditions. A mobile-friendly web application with clerkship specific information was developed to assess whether clinical preparedness increased among third-year medical students at transitioning to their clinical curriculum.

Objectives: To determine whether medical students’ clinical preparedness increased as they transitioned into clinical rotations by using a mobile-friendly web application that contained information and advice shared by senior medical students that had already completely their rotations.

Methods: Third-year medical students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School …

Perceptions And Opinions Of The Usability Of Simulations In A Mathematics Methods Course For Elementary Pre-Service Teachers, Jair J. Aguilar, James A. Telese

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

The acceptance and perceptions of a technology is relevant and pertinent because it would facilitate its adoption and integration (Jurison, 2000). In this regard, the integration of new technologies in education, and especially in teacher preparation programs, offer future teachers a variety of opportunities to be better prepared. Pre-service teacher’s perceptions, views, and opinions on how technology can help them acquire new knowledge and teaching skills, can be influenced if technologies are integrated, presented, and linked to the goals and objectives of the courses in a preparation program (Gordon, Brayshaw, & Grey, 2015; Russell, Bebell, O'Dwyer & O'Connor, 2003). For …

Adoption Of Multimedia Technology For Learning And Gender Difference, Chongwoo Park, Dong-Gook Kim, Sunyoung Cho, Hyo-Joo Han

Information Systems Faculty Publications

While more educators are increasingly using multimedia technology for online and blended learning, there has not been much research on whether and how multimedia technology is accepted and used by learners. In this study, we examine the adoption of multimedia technology for online and blended learning. In order to better understand its adoption mechanism, we propose an integrated model, which extends the technology acceptance model with task technology fit theories. Furthermore, this study investigates gender difference as a moderator in the integrated model. The proposed research model has been assessed with the data collected from three online and blended …

Transformation Or Resistance? A Case Study Of Pre-Service Teachers Engaged In Technology Integration, Leticia De Leon, Janet Martinez, Zulmaris Diaz, Michael Whitacre

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

This case study examined the context of one social studies methods course and its use of technology in instruction. The purpose was to determine to what extent pre-service teacher views and practice transformed to embrace technology use in their own teaching. The lens of Transformative Learning Theory (Mezirow, 2012) was used to analyze and describe the results of this embedded single case study. Results suggest that some transformation of beliefs occurred among participants, but that more sustained exposure and experience is needed for practice to change.