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open access

2D and 3D Fabrication Devices: Can They Improve Spatial Reasoning Skills in Children?

Description: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential benefit of two hours of activities involving 2D and 3D fabricators on the spatial reasoning skills of children in Grades 4 and 5, ages 9 to 10, from a private school in Southeast Texas. Can the introduction to hands-on activities with products created with these devices and learning about how these devices operate improve spatial reasoning skills? The research also evaluates the use of the Shapes Test as a valid measure of the spatial reaso… more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Zimmerman, Ellen L
open access

Adult Learning: Evaluation of Preferences for Technology and Learning Sources for Workplace Learning

Description: The purpose of this research was to provide an initial investigation of the preferences for both technology and learning sources that are available today in the modern workplace at a large financial institution with a national presence in the USA. In addition to the preferences of the participants, the research includes insights about the culture of the learning organization by using the Dimension of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) and two preference surveys. The research methods … more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Kaiser, Robert Cresswell
open access

American and Canadian Parents' Perceptions of Virtual Education: A Case Study of K-12 Students Living in Saudi Arabia

Description: This exploratory study investigates how American and Canadian parents living in Saudi Arabia perceive enrolling their children in an online virtual school. This research is relevant to North Americans living and working overseas and how these parents access educational opportunities for their children. North American parents living in Saudi Arabia with children have limited local educational options. If parents decided not to enroll their child in traditional private local international educati… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Lackey, Karen Michelle
open access

Analyzing Learning Acquisition and Retention in a WebVR Environment

Description: The primary purpose of this study was to determine if WebVR enhances the knowledge retention regarding mechanical components of high-risk moving machinery, specifically elevators. There were 23 participants divided into a treatment group and comparison group. The treatment group used WebVR to take a virtual elevator machine room tour while the comparison group studied printed images of the same elevator machine room. These alternative activities were conducted prior to a field trip to a real el… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Lepcha, Samson Den
open access

Associations Between Collaborative Learning and Personality/Cognitive Style Among Online Community College Students

Description: This research study investigated associations between online community college students' personal characteristics and experiences in online courses (n = 123). Specifically, students' personalities and cognitive styles were examined alongside the perceived quality and outcomes of collaboration. Negative correlations were found between the conscientiousness personality style and both the quality of collaboration (p = .09) and the outcome of collaboration (p = .05). This finding indicates that con… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Sheffield, Anneliese
open access

Comparison of Learning Performance Between Students Who Do and Students Who Do Not Use Mobile Technology-based Activities

Description: This study examined if using mobile technology-based activities would increase student performance in biological science courses. The study compared two groups of students in lectures and labs. Each group had about 20 students. The mobile group had mobile technology-based activities and the non-mobile group received conventional instruction. The mobile group used links to the website, or a QR Code to access the activities. The non-mobile group had handouts and worksheets over the same content. … more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Stowe, William A., Jr.
open access

A Content Analysis of Sustainable Information and Communication Technology Use in K-12 Education

Description: The purpose of this study is to provide a content analysis of specific studies that involve sustainable information and communication technology (ICT) use in K-12 education in the U.S. The results from the content analysis were used to identify factors that may contribute to the sustainable implementation of technologies in K-12 instruction. Factors from specific studies from 2000 to 2018 that have implemented ICT in instruction for three years or more were analyzed. The findings from the analy… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Martinez, Bonnie M.
open access

The Current State of Professional Development for Higher Education Faculty: An Examination of Four-Year, State Supported Universities in Texas

Description: This mixed methods study examined professional development for higher education faculty members at four-year, state supported universities in Texas and the perceptions of professional development leaders at these institutions. The quantitative data was generated through an electronic survey aligned to the second iteration of the technology acceptance model while the qualitative data was generated through semi structured interviews with those that participated with the survey. Univariate analysi… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Boudreaux, Kyle
open access

Current Trends in the Availability and Requirement of Learning Technology Courses for Pre-Service Educators at US Universities

Description: This multi-faceted research study examined the current approach of educational technology courses and how integrating modern learning technologies into curriculum effectively is addressed in pre-service education programs at U.S. universities. The primary goal was to explain the current trends in the reviewed pre-service programs in relation to how future educators are prepared by the universities to incorporate educational technology and use technology enhanced curriculum. This study was an ex… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: West, Tessa Renae
open access

Customizable Modality Pathway Learning Design: Exploring Personalized Learning Choices through a Lens of Self-Regulated Learning

Description: Open online courses provide a unique opportunity to examine learner preferences in an environment that removes several pressures associated with traditional learning. This mixed methods study sought to examine the pathways that learners will create for themselves when given the choice between an instructor-directed modality and learner-directed modality. Study participants were first examined based on their levels of self-regulated learning. Follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted to ex… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Crosslin, Matthew B.
open access

Design of Informal Online Learning Communities in Education

Description: The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Ed Tech Future Ready program has encouraged the use of open informal learning communities as professional learning opportunities for educators. This study categorizes 46 state Twitter chats by their moderation techniques and design. A purposive sample of Twitter chat designers participated in this phenomenological exploration that demonstrates how the designs of these informal learning spaces are aligned with the designers' pedagogical philosophies. R… more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Kilgore, Whitney Kay
open access

Differentiation: A Taxonomy of Online Learner Types in Higher Education

Description: Online learning is no longer considered novel within higher education. It has emerged as an accepted distinct channel and environment for instructional engagement. There is a notable deficit of works and theoretical constructs specifically addressing the identification and differentiation of online learner types and examining them as a distinct system within the learning environment. Learning effectiveness within an online instructional environment is affected by the individual student engaged … more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Darby, Douglas
open access

Digitally Curious: A Qualitative Case Study of Students’ Demonstrations of Curiosity in a Technology-Rich Learning Environment

Description: Curiosity is an important construct for educators as it is connected with knowledge and higher-order thinking, goal-oriented behavior, motivation, and persistence. It is also negatively correlated with boredom and anxiety. While research documents this strong connection between learning and curiosity, no studies existed exploring curiosity in a technology-rich learning environment. The purpose of this study is to identify and examine whether students demonstrate curiosity in a sixth grade mathe… more
Date: August 2011
Creator: McLeod, Julie Kiser

Diverse Learners in the Classroom: Students with Special Needs Enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Texas Public Classrooms

Description: The purpose of this study was to determine if students with special needs participating in an inclusive classroom can learn the skills related to a STEM career as compared to the general student population. The study involved seventh grade students from two rural middle schools in north central Texas and was framed through a constructivist lens using a quasi-experimental design with a convenience sample. The Solenoid Invention Kit Assessment and the STEM Semantics Survey used in this study were… more
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Date: August 2019
Creator: Briones, San Juanita G
open access

Educational Technology: A Comparison of Ten Academic Journals and the New Media Consortium Horizon Reports for the Period of 2000-2017

Description: This exploratory and descriptive study provides an increased understanding of the topics being explored in both published research and industry reporting in the field of educational technology. Although literature in the field is plentiful, the task of synthesizing the information for practical use is a massive undertaking. Latent semantic analysis was used to review journal abstracts from ten highly respected journals and the New Media Consortium Horizon Reports to identify trends within the p… more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Morel, Gwendolyn
open access

Effect of Makerspace Professional Development Activities on Elementary and Middle School Educator Perceptions of Integrating Technologies with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

Description: This study investigated a Makerspace professional development program, the Makers' Guild, provided to teachers within north Texas over the course of a semester. The research employed a constructionist approach delivered via 2D and 3D technologies during STEM instructional activities within a creative space. Participants reported statistically significant increases in self-reported competence in technology integration, confidence levels toward integrating World Wide Web, Emerging Technologies fo… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Miller, Jennifer R
open access

Effects of Student-Created Question Process on Learning Biomedical Statistics in a Specialized Master's in Medical Sciences

Description: This study explored the effectiveness of a student question creation process engaging students actively in self, peer, and instructor interaction in development of affective, cognitive, and meta-cognitive skills. Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design assigning both treatment and control activities sequentially in an alternating pattern over a six week period, students' performance on exams as well as their perceptions of various aspects of the student question creation proces… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Bashet, AbuZafar (AZ) M.
open access

Essential Competencies for Entry-Level Management Positions in the Food and Beverage Industry in Taiwan and Mainland China

Description: The purpose of this study was to identify the essential competencies for entry-level management positions in the food and beverage (F&B) industry based on the perspectives of Taiwanese industry professionals across three groups: work experience in Taiwan and/or mainland China, two F&B sectors (Hotel F&Bs and restaurants), and three management levels (first-line, middle, and top). A total of 515 Taiwanese F&B industry professionals participated in this study with 104 participants currently emplo… more
Date: August 2019
Creator: Huang, Tai-Yi
open access

The Evolution of Learning Technologies within the UNC German Consortium 2000-2016: A Hermeneutic Phenomenlogical Analysis of German Faculty Member Experiences

Description: Beginning in 2000 and continuing today, the University of North Carolina (UNC) German Consortium offers online German courses to undergraduate students across sixteen of the seventeen UNC public universities. The delivery of online classes differs per faculty member and little previous research investigated the UNC German Consortium's learning technologies. This dissertation investigates the evolution of learning technologies within the UNC German Consortium over the last sixteen years among Ge… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Underwood, Zackary W.
open access

Exploring the Effectiveness of Curriculum Provided Through Transmedia Books for Increasing Students’ Knowledge and Interest in Science

Description: Transmedia books are new and emerging technologies which are beginning to be used in current classrooms. Transmedia books are a traditional printed book that uses multiple media though the use of Quick Response (QR) codes and augmented reality (AR) triggers to access web-based technology. Using the transmedia book Skills That Engage Me students in kindergarten through second grade engage in curriculum designed to introduce science skills and careers. Using the modified Draw-a-Scientist Test (mD… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Ponners, Pamela Jones
open access

Exploring the Impact on Self-regulated Learning: a Comparative Analysis of Learner Experiences Using Problem-based Learning, Game Play, and Computer-based Instruction

Description: The ability to transfer what you know to new and different contexts is a sign of successful learning. While students often graduate from college with the required number of courses many lack the skills necessary to apply appropriate strategies to solve problems in different contexts, to reason, and think critically. More than a decade ago the Boyer Report (1995) pointed to this fact as a sign that Universities were falling short in adequately supporting their undergraduate populations. As a res… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Najmi, Anjum A.
open access

Extending the Apprenticeship through Informal Learning on Facebook: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Music Faculty

Description: Facebook studio groups/pages are commonly used by applied music faculty to communicate with current students, recruit new students, share students' activities, and promote faculty members' professional performances and academic endeavors. However, the blurred lines between academic, professional performance, and social activities in the field have led to a wide variety of approaches to Facebook use by music faculty. This dissertation documents the first generation of music faculty social media … more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Meredith, Tamara R.
open access

Factors Impacting the Accuracy of Self-report Perceptions of Expertise in Technology Integration

Description: The focus of this study is to determine how closely self-report perceptions of technology integration skills align with the observations of an external evaluator. Participants were elementary and secondary teachers in a north Texas school district. The district is in the process of implementing a one-to-one initiative using a major vendor’s tablet devices. The study utilized both quantitative survey methodology, and a qualitative observational tool to record learning activities in the K-12 clas… more
Date: December 2014
Creator: Mayes, Garry W.
open access

Factors influencing parental attitudes toward digital game-based learning.

Description: The purpose of this non-positivistic mixed-methods study is to examine parental attitudes towards the use of computer and video games in their child’s classroom and to investigate how the sociocultural contexts in which parents live affect those attitudes. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods triangulation design, including both quantitative and qualitative techniques. First, the study tried to identify which groups of parents were better positioned to accept and support digital ga… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Piller, Yulia
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