Instructional Media Design Commons^™

Faculty Members' Lived Experiences Using Generative Ai During Course Development At A Midwest Faith-Based Institution Of Higher Education In The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Cassandra J. Huckstep-Spangler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of course developers using generative AI during course development at a Midwest faith-based institution of higher education in the United States. The theory guiding this study was the Technology Acceptance Model and subsequent extensions to the model including TAM2 and TAM3 as it explores the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, contextual factors that align with social influence processes, and experiences with implementation interventions. The central research guiding this study was: What are the experiences of faculty members using generative AI during course development at a …

Cognitive Autonomy In The Age Of Ai: A First-Year University Writing Teacher’S Case For Embodied Learning, Rachel M. Terry

Essays in Education

Cognitive autonomy in the age of AI is becoming an urgent concern in higher education. This article argues that first-year writing instruction should recover cognitive autonomy and embodied learning as correctives to technocratic habits shaped by generative AI, digital convenience, and an overreliance on optimization. Drawing on the author’s positionality as a first-year university writing teacher, it examines how students increasingly treat knowledge as detachable information rather than as something formed through disciplined engagement. The article includes examples of handwritten note-taking and annotation as embodied learning that slows thought, deepens synthesis, and supports student agency. It concludes that education should …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence In Case-Based Teaching: A Qualitative Study In Mba Education, Tianjiao Xu, Mohd Nazir Bin Zabit

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study examines the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into case-based teaching (CBT) within Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs in China, amidst the rapid digital transition in higher education. Guided by the Context–Input–Process–Product (CIPP) evaluation framework, the study adopted a qualitative design and conducted semi-structured interviews with five instructors from three core MBA courses. The findings indicate that AI enhanced classroom interaction and reduced teachers’ workload by supporting real-time feedback and dynamic discussion processes. Institutional support, including teacher training, digital infrastructure, and technical assistance, was recognized as a vital facilitator of effective implementation. Despite its various benefits, the study …

Impact Of Instagram Flyers In Higher Education: Within Resident Assistant Program Attendance Marketing, Mary J. Mcdonald

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

This exploratory pilot study examines whether posting Instagram digital flyers affects Resident Assistant (RA) program attendance in the higher-education Housing and Residence Life (HRL) context. Instagram has emerged as a dominant channel of communication among Generation Z (1997-2012). As a result, higher education institutions have increasingly used social media to prompt student engagement and foster belonging, in hopes of strengthening retention. Using a quasi-experimental matched comparison design, attendance data from the 2024 academic year without Instagram flyers were compared to the 2025 academic year with Instagram flyers. The independent variable was the implementation of Instagram digital flyers, and the dependent …

A Discussion Of Community: An Ethnography Of Designing Asynchronous Video Discussions To Reveal Student Perceptions Of Digital Presence In Online Learning, Chad S. Garcia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods digital ethnography investigates how video-based discussions (VBD) influence community building in asynchronous graduate education. Using the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework, this study looks at student experiences in a History of Higher Education class where traditional text-based discussions were replaced with video presentations and peer responses. The research explores how video discussions affect students' sense of presence, how video presence impacts engagement patterns, and which multimedia elements contribute to community development.

Data collection included semi-structured interviews with students and instructors, LMS analytics, video content analysis, and ethnographic observation throughout Spring 2024. Analysis revealed a notable disconnect between traditional …

Grounding Ai Use In Learning Science: A Conversation With Steven Miller, Steven Miller, Lieven Demeester

CASTLe: Collection of Articles on Scholarship for Teaching and Learning

In this insightful interview, SMU Associate Provost (Teaching and Learning Innovation) Lieven Demeester and Professor Emeritus of Information Systems Steven Miller discuss the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning, emphasising the importance of grounding AI use in the fundamentals of learning science. They explore the evolving role of education in the context of AI advancements, highlighting the need for educators to focus on the cognitive aspects of learning, such as goal-directed practice and feedback. They also address the potential of AI as a collaborative agent in group projects and the importance of maintaining accountability and quality control …

Instructional Designer Perspectives On The Pursuit Of Quality In Online Course Design, Jason K. Mcdonald, Stephen C. Yanchar

Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study we investigated the experiences of instructional designers as they sought to build quality into online courses. Through semi-structured interviews, we explored what enabled and hindered their pursuit of quality, how they experienced their efforts in this regard, what mattered to them, and complexities that accompanied this pursuit. Our analysis of participant experiences suggested four themes: (1) connections between quality and designers’ ability to act autonomously; (2) connections between quality and collaborative, team-based relationships; (3) ambivalence due to tensions between autonomy and collaboration; and (4) ways of coping with limits on autonomy and collaboration. We conclude our …

Reflective Practice Of Early Career Teachers: Identifying And Mitigating Major Instructional Challenges, Saheeh Shafi

Journal of Global Education and Research

This paper employs a qualitative descriptive research design to determine how early career teachers (ECTs) use reflective practices to identify and mitigate major instructional challenges in the context of Bangladeshi higher education. A questionnaire was given to 20 ECTs working in different universities to collect data on their reflective practices related to instructional challenges. Analysis of the responses of the ECTs to the questionnaire via thematic analysis revealed three major challenges: (a) inadequate logistic support, (b) diversity of students and pedagogical context, and (c) inadequate comprehension of the students. Solutions to these challenges include (a) three levels of collaboration, (b) …

From Space To Success: An Exploration Of Interior Design Practices For Optimal Learning Outcomes In Higher Education, Jenna Avery

University Honors College

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the impact of interior design practices on optimal learning outcomes in higher education. The design of learning spaces is crucial, as it influences student well-being, engagement, and overall academic success, especially as young people are navigating a new environment away from home for the first time. Creating a sense of belonging in the university environment helps make this a positive experience. This thesis also speaks to the broader context of the built environment, emphasizing its impact on human behavior, interactions, and experiences. Designing student-centered spaces is paramount in higher education in order …

Understanding Universal Design For Learning Implementation: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Higher Education Faculty And Instructional Designers, Breanne A. Kirsch

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Faculty face a rising challenge in supporting diverse student populations on campuses (Bastedo et al., 2013). Inclusive pedagogy, facilitated by UDL, helps alleviate learning barriers for diverse student groups (Basham & Blackorby, 2021). However, the ambiguous operational definition of UDL poses practical challenges in implementation and assessment (Diedrich, 2021), especially when it is described variably as a practice, framework, or intervention in the literature (Basham & Blackorby, 2021). This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the meaning faculty and instructional designers ascribe to the experience of implementing UDL in higher education.

The main question is: what is the meaning that faculty and …

Online Learning As A Tool For Accessibility For Autistic Higher Education Students, Keirnan E. Brown

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Online learning is becoming more prevalent (Aylmer, 2020) and institutions are seeing an increase in disabled students (HEFCE, 2017; Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of the University System and Research [ANVUR], & National Conference of University Delegates for Disability [CNUDD], 2021; Rao, Edelen-Smith, & Wailehua, 2015). Meanwhile, this group experiences an achievement gap concerning learning and outcomes (ECU, 2017; Eurostat, 2014; Eurostat, 2019; Pearson et al., 2019). Therefore, exploring potential uses of online learning may be beneficial. One related use for online learning is its potential as a tool for accessibility for autistic students. Moreover, a literature gap exists …

Information Literacy Across The Curriculum: A Faculty Professional Development Program, Jaime Corris Hammond

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

Information literacy is a set of skills that encompass conducting research, evaluating sources and authority, and ethically using information. While information literacy as a concept has existed for 50 years, higher education has struggled to meaningfully incorporate it into college curricula. The concept of “across the curriculum” instruction, most notably Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), empowers faculty to incorporate skills outside of their discipline to increase learning. This information literacy program uses the concept of “across the curriculum” instruction, an American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) High Impact Practice, to incorporate and contextualize these skills in a variety of …

Empowering Learners In Higher Education: Redesigning An Online Computer Science Course Through Universal Design For Learning Implementation, Ana E. Redstone, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This article focuses on the practical implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in an online computer science course, articulating the collaborative efforts between the instructional designer (the first author) and the faculty member to redesign the course using UDL principles. Specific instances of redesigned learning modules and artifacts in adherence to UDL principles and results and insights gained from the implementation are reported. The article concludes with recommendations for higher education faculty and instructional designers to consider when applying UDL in their online courses.

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Parenting Adult Learners Regarding Persistence In Two-Year Community Colleges, Michelle T. Webb Ed.D.

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the results of semi-structured interviews conducted with six parenting adult learners (ParentALs) enrolled in three public two-year community colleges in the United States. This study investigated the problem of a lack of understanding of the experiences of ParentALs enrolled in community colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine how the lived experiences of ParentALs enrolled in community colleges may influence their persistence. Three themes emerged from the literature review and data analysis: the identity of the ParentAL, characteristics and intersectionality of factors, experiences, and perceptions that may influence ParentAL persistence in community college, …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Universal Design For Learning Implementation In Higher Education: Survey Of Faculty And Instructional Designers, Breanne A. Kirsch, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Universal design for learning (UDL) is an inclusive design framework. Faculty and instructional designers were surveyed to investigate UDL implementation in higher education. This survey was based on one used by Westine et al. (2019). Results about how faculty and instructional designers learn about UDL, how instructional designers train and support faculty in UDL, and why and how participants choose to employ UDL are shared. The results from this study have provided new findings in relation to faculty and instructional designer UDL implementation efforts in higher education that have implications for training and supporting faculty with UDL application efforts.

Investigating Determinants Of Faculty Members’ Intentions To Use Mobile Learning For Educational Purposes, Ibrahim Abdullah Albahli

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Mobile learning is a rapidly growing field in education that has gained increasing worldwide attention in recent years due to the widespread availability of mobile devices and their potential to enhance learning experiences. In Saudi Arabia, higher education institutions have explored the use of mobile learning to support teaching and learning, though limited research examines factors related to the use of mobile learning by faculty members. To ensure the success of mobile learning integration in higher education environments, it is vital to examine faculty members’ behavioral intentions to use mobile learning for educational purposes. This quantitative study investigated how the …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

The Empirical Research On University Instructors’ Competencies In Virtual Reality Environment From The Perspective Of Students’ Learning Experience, Jing Ma, Yue Wang, Meng Jiang

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The integration of virtual reality (VR) and education is a key way to realize the modernization of higher education. Instructors’ competencies directly affect students’ learning experiences and achievements. Based on the IBSTPI competency standards compiled by the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI), this study developed an instructors’ competencies scale suitable for the VR environment from the perspective of students’ learning experience and conducted an empirical research on the current situation of instructors’ competencies in VR environment. The scale categorizes of instructors’ competencies included six dimensions: establishing and maintaining learning motivation competencies, expressing competencies, questioning competencies, …

A Nexus Of Literate Activity: The Design Of Writing Assignments In The Disciplines, Lauriellen Stankavich

English Theses & Dissertations

Writing plays a critical role in higher education as students are inducted into disciplinary practices through different genres, methodological repertoires and argumentation strategies. In Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) initiatives, the instructor serves as an embodied reservoir of disciplinary knowledge and an arbiter of literate practices but most crucially employs the mediating capacities of the writing assignment as a potent pedagogical nexus. In this practice space, the instructor acts as designer of the pedagogical experience—the course as a whole and writing assignments in particular. This study used interviews, survey, and the collection of syllabi and other instructional artifacts to examine …

Higher Education Leaders’ Perspectives Of Accessible And Inclusive Online Learning, Amy Lomellini, Patrick R. Lowenthal, Chareen Snelson, Jesús H. Trespalacios

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Online learning can potentially meet increasingly diverse students’ needs in higher education, including disabled students. However, institutions have historically struggled in providing accessible and inclusive online learning. Higher education online learning leaders, those who manage instructional designers, are in a unique position to help institutions strategize and create accessible and inclusive online courses. In this qualitative study, we interviewed nine higher education online learning leaders to understand leaders’ perceptions about how institutions provide accessible and inclusive online learning. Results demonstrated that despite varying conceptualizations of accessibility and inclusivity, online learning leaders perceive an insufficient but growing emphasis in higher education. …

Educators Synchronously Using Multiple Platforms And Devices For Teaching And Learning During Covid-19 Lockdown, Nyarai Tunjera, Agnes Chigona

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The 21st century coupled with the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic is indeed imposing new demands on teaching and learning. Higher education institutions affected extensively educational institutions are mandated with the responsibility of inclusiveness and preparing students for realities of the current and unknown future. There has been heightened attention to educational technologies to mitigate the COVID-19 instigated disruptions. To ensure inclusiveness during future pandemics, there is a need to pay attention to the forms of digital technologies that students have access to (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, as well as applications they are using) in their areas. The article reports the use …

Transactional Distance Theory And Scaffolding Removal Design For Nurturing Students’ Autonomy, Katsuaki Suzuki, Naoshi Hiraoka

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This paper prorposes eight design principles to nurture autonomy of college students, based on re-conceptualization of Michael Moore's Transactional Distance Theory (TDT). After proposed in 1970’s, TDT has been helping to concepturalize distance education in terms of psychological, not physical, distance among people involved. TDT, on the other hand, has been creating confusions and misinterpretations when utilized in the research and practices of distance education. COVID-19 has forced all educational practices to be offered as distance education, which made us realized the importance of student autonomy, when limited guidance could be offered. Utilizing the framework of TDT, this paper proposes …

An Exploration Of Factors Influencing Faculty Engagement With Open Practices At The School Of Education: A Pilot Study, Preeti Kamat, Jessica Kirschner, Hillary Miller, Sergio Chaparro, Jose Alcaine, Nina Exner

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Open practices in academia are emerging as affordable tools in widening research access by removing many barriers in the scholarly research and learning process. While faculty engagement with open practices is increasing, there remain some barriers to widespread participation. Though research to date suggests faculty perceptions about promotion and tenure (P&T) policies influence faculty engagement with open practices, many studies limit their focus on a few influencing factors. Answering calls for more research, this pilot study aims to explore the influence of various factors on faculty engagement with open practices, with a focus on promotion and tenure (P&T) …

Engaged Social Media In Higher Education While Avoiding The Label Of "Striving", Jessica Nerren

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Striving has become a word laden with problematic meanings in the world of higher education. For instance, if a university is too aligned with business, or becomes overly selective, or deviates from original purpose or mission, then, at times, those actions are seen as striving (O’Meara, 2007). O’Meara (2007) defines striving as participation in efforts to improve status and prestige in line with the hierarchy. Allen (2021) echoes the problematic nature of this practice witnessed abroad, equating striving educational practices with neoliberalism, potentially overshadowing primary purposes of the institution, such as learning and teaching, or drowning out important parts of …

The Hidden Costs Of Connectivity: Nature And Effects Of Scholars’ Online Harassment, Chandell Gosse, George Veletsianos, Jaigris Hodson, Shandell Houlden, Tonia A. Dousay, Patrick R. Lowenthal, Nathan Hall

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A growing body of research reveals that some scholars face online harassment and that such harassment leads to a wide variety of adverse impacts. Drawing on data collected from an online survey of 182 scholars, we report on the factors and triggers involved in scholars’ experiences of online harassment; the environments where said experiences take place, and; the consequences it has for personal and professional relationships. We find that online harassment is heavily entwined with the work, identity, and in some cases, the requirements of being a scholar. The online harassment scholars experience is often compounded by other factors, such …

Video Use In Online And Blended Courses: A Qualitative Synthesis, Eric S. Belt, Patrick R. Lowenthal

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The use of video has become commonplace in education today. Educators are engaging students with video communication technology more frequently than ever before, given COVID-19. However, questions remain on how instructors use video as a communication and teaching tool in online and blended courses. The purpose of this literature review was to synthesize research on the use of video as a teaching tool in online and blended courses. A systematic approach was used to identify 64 peer-reviewed studies published from 2010 to 2020. A qualitative synthesis of the studies resulted in four themes: delivering video lectures, fostering discussions with video, …

Faculty Job Satisfaction Related To Online Course Design, April Marie Hixson

School of Education Doctoral Projects - Higher Education

Online education has expanded and evolved slowly through the decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021 put online education at the forefront of teaching and learning worldwide and sped up the design and delivery of online courses. This study sought to examine faculty attitudes and opinions (amid a global pandemic) toward online course design that may affect their job satisfaction levels. Specifically, it explored factors that could inhibit or contribute to faculty job satisfaction during their engagement in online instructional design. Further, the study was designed to gain an understanding of how pedagogical and technological changes influence the degree of …

Community And Connectedness In Online Higher Education: A Scoping Review Of The Literature, Jesús Trespalacios, Chareen Snelson, Patrick R. Lowenthal, Lida Uribe-Flórez, Ross Perkins

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Community and connectedness are important concepts in online higher education. However, researchers debate how they are defined, operationalized, or enacted in practice. A scoping study was conducted to review the research literature on the extent, range, and nature of research in community and connectedness in online higher education. A total of 66 studies published from 2001 through 2018 were identified for review. The findings illustrate how research on community and connectedness has focused on areas such as course design, technology tools, faculty, and students as well as highlight the important role these concepts have played in the last two decades …

Online Teaching Self-Efficacy And Faculty Ict And Computer Attitudes In Higher Education, Sharifa Jomoke Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The digital age is reshaping learning and instruction and encouraging educational technology advances within higher education institutions. However, online faculty are not integrating technology into their classes despite the technology related professional development they receive. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship exists between online teaching self-efficacy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and computer attitudes and faculty participation in technology professional development activities, gender, and age within the context of institutions of higher education. Alfred Bandura’s social learning theory and Roger’s diffusion of innovations theory framed the study. Using Qualtrics, survey data were collected …