Search Results

open access

Students' Attitudes toward Educational Gamification in Online Learning Environments

Description: This study explored undergraduate and graduate students' attitudes toward the pleasurability of educational gamification in online learning environments. The study is a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research that investigated students' attitudes quantitatively, then qualitatively. In the quantitative phase, an online survey, the Pleasurable Learning Experiences scale (PLLEXs), was administrated at one of the largest public southwestern universities in the U.S. (N = 119). The qualitative … more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Abu Dawood, Sumayah Mohammadlutfi
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Self-Directed Leadership Development with Adaptive Learning 360-Feedback Platform

Description: Leadership theories have evolved since their inception and leadership development should also evolve in response to the changing needs of their organizations. There is a gap in the literature on the functionality of the various 360-feedback platforms that are mentioned in literature which makes it difficult to understand what reporting functionality is available in existing systems. The goal of this study was to examine participants' views of a newly developed Adaptive Learning 360-feedback (AL… more
Date: August 2022
Creator: Ali, Zainul
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring the Dual-natured Impact of Digital Technology on Student-classroom Engagement in a Texas Public High School

Description: The past decade has become rife with an eagerness to integrate new digital technology into teaching. While there have been decades of research done on the importance of curriculum and pedagogy on student engagement, findings of actual technology integration are scarce. Moreover, what does it take to engage students in classroom activities and lessons when technology is introduced? The purpose of this study was to explore how digital technology, when integrated into classroom teaching and activi… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Ayers, Joseph J.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Student reflections as artifacts of self-regulatory behaviors for learning: A tale of two courses.

Description: The rapid growth of online and blended learning environments in both higher education and K-12, along with the development of innovative game based, narrative driven, problem-based learning (PBL) systems known as Alternate Reality Games (AltRG), has led to the need to understand student’s abilities to self-regulate their learning behaviors and practices in these novel environments. This study examines student reflections and e-mails related to self-regulatory practices for learning across two d… more
Date: December 2011
Creator: Bigenho, Christopher William
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Does an Online Post-baccalaureate Secondary Teacher Certification Program Produce Certified Teachers Who Remain in the Field?

Description: Given issues in education concerning teacher shortages, the omnipresence of alternative certification programs and the growth of online programs in higher education, this study investigated teacher retention for 77 secondary education teachers who completed an online teacher preparation program in Texas. Teacher retention was examined from 2003-2013 and investigated the influence of factors such personal characteristics, working conditions and school setting characteristics on teacher retention… more
Date: August 2015
Creator: Brooks, Kanini Wanjira Ward
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Student Information Gathering: Examining What Happens when School Librarians Attempt to Convey Online Information Search Strategies to Meet Information Needs

Description: There is a growing expectation that school librarians function within their job descriptions beyond the role of reading promoter and resource manager. With college and career readiness standards, technology use and digital learning standards and information literacy standards now in place for student learning expectations, it is vital that students have opportunities to acquire, develop and practice such skills for future success in the global market economy. For students to receive such opport… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Chetzron, Jackie B.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

User-Centered Evaluation of the Quality of Blogs

Description: Blogs serve multiple purposes, resulting in several types of blogs that vary greatly in terms of quality and content. It is important to evaluate the quality of blogs, which requires appropriate evaluation criteria. Unfortunately, there are minimal studies on framework and the specific criteria and indicators for evaluating the quality of blogs. Moreover, quality is related to user perception, and should therefore be evaluated by the receivers. This dissertation examines the criteria and indica… more
Date: August 2011
Creator: Chuenchom, Sutthinan
Partner: UNT Libraries
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.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Global Village Playground: A qualitative case study of designing an ARG as a capstone learning experience.

Description: The Global Village Playground (GVP) was a capstone learning experience designed to address institutional assessment needs while providing an integrated, contextualized, and authentic learning experience for students. In the GVP, students work on simulated and real-world problems as a design team tasked with developing an alternate reality game that makes an impact on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the design of the… more
Date: May 2009
Creator: Dondlinger, Mary Jo
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Analyzing Visitors’ Discourse, Attitudes, Perceptions, and Knowledge Acquisition in an Art Museum Tour After Using a 3D Virtual Environment

Description: The main purpose of this mixed methods research was to explore and analyze visitors’ overall experience while they attended a museum exhibition, and examine how this experience was affected by previously using a virtual 3dimensional representation of the museum itself. The research measured knowledge acquisition in a virtual museum, and compared this knowledge acquired between a virtual museum versus a real one, employing a series of questionnaires, unobtrusive observations, surveys, personal a… more
Date: May 2012
Creator: D’ Alba, Adriana
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring the Relationships Between Faculty Beliefs and Technology Preferences

Description: All too often faculty are asked to implement technology into their teaching without the knowledge necessary to use the technology effectively. Due to the evolution of technology in everyday settings, students have come to expect to be engaged through technological means. This often creates undue stress on faculty members. The purpose of this study is to investigate technology integration by exploring the relationships between a faculty member’s technology preferences and educational beliefs. Th… more
Date: May 2015
Creator: Faulkner, Christopher G.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Teacher Perception of Project-Based Learning in a Technology-infused Secondary School Culture: a Critical Ciné-ethnographic Study

Description: Project-based learning has long been used in the educational realm as it emphasis a student-centered strategy which promotes meaning, enriched learning that enhances inquiry and problem-solving skills in a rich, authentic environment. The relevance and authentic design of projects may further be enhanced by the use of technology in the classroom. Technology is rapidly changing the face of American education in ways that were barely thinkable as little as five years before and provides the possi… more
Date: December 2012
Creator: Gratch, Jonathan
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Presence of Instruction regarding Technology Leadership in Texas University Principal Preparation Programs: An Exploratory Study

Description: This study investigated the presence of technology leadership components in Texas principal preparation programs. Programmatic and course information of principal preparation programs holding accreditation with Texas Education Agency were analyzed to determine presence of technology leadership instruction. Results were compared with Shrum et al.'s 2011 research, and showed a slight increase in presence. This study also examined possible differences in technology leadership components based on … more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Hall, Michelle Raegan
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Faculty Attitudes Towards Institutional Repositories

Description: The purpose of the study was to explore faculty attitudes towards institutional repositories in order to better understand their research habits and preferences. A better understanding of faculty needs and attitudes will enable academic libraries to improve institutional repository services and policies. A phenomenological approach was used to interview fourteen participants and conduct eight observations to determine how tenure-track faculty want to disseminate their research as well as their … more
Date: December 2014
Creator: Hall, Nathan F.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Determining the Reliability and Use of the Center for Community College Student Engagement Survey of Entering Student Engagement As a Tool to Predict Student Success in a Large Urban Community College District

Description: As community colleges have gained more recognition as a viable pathway for students to enter higher education, they have faced greater accountability that has prompted both practitioners and policy makers to attempt to find solutions and tools, such as National Survey of Student Engagement, Community College Survey of Student Engagement, and Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE), to aid in improving student success outcomes. This study addressed the validity and reliability of the SENS… more
Date: December 2014
Creator: Harris, Sheryl
Partner: UNT Libraries
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
Partner: UNT Libraries
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
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Teaching through the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experiences and Perspectives of United States Lower Elementary Teachers

Description: The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to identify and describe the perceptions and experiences of lower elementary public-school teachers in the United States teaching with educational technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a demographic survey and semi-structured interviews, teachers shared their experiences regarding the barriers they encountered teaching and learning with educational technologies in face-to-face, remote, and hybrid classrooms. The multi-phase cod… more
Date: December 2021
Creator: Kinard, Widad S.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Multiple Case Study Examining the Perceptions of Teacher, Planning, Use, and Implementation of the Constructivist Learning Theory in a Suburban School District

Description: This qualitative multiple case study aims to identify and describe the perceptions and experiences of kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers in a small suburban public school district. Through a demographic survey and semi-structured interviews, seven teachers shared their lesson design experiences. This study identified how teachers understand the constructivist learning theory. Three research questions guided the study, with three themes responsive to inquiries used to describe how teach… more
Date: December 2022
Creator: Lamb, Heather Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An investigation of the use of instructional simulations in the classroom as a methodology for promoting transfer, engagement and motivation.

Description: Innovative educators seek technologies to facilitate or enhance the learning experience while taking nothing away from the message of instruction. Simulations have been shown to meet this requirement. While simulations cannot replace the teacher or the message of instruction, they can provide a deeper and more cognitively engaging learning experience. Classroom use of simulations has been ongoing since the 1960's. However, substantive research on their efficacy remains limited. What research ha… more
Date: August 2007
Creator: Lunce, Leslie Matthew
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Teacher Perceptions of Student Engagement as Related to Technology Implementation in the Classroom

Description: The challenges of at-risk students are not new. Newspaper articles from the 1860s presented information about communities seeking to help students to complete school and find employment to provide a livable wage. Today's solutions focus on legislation intended to affect societal change and provide equitable opportunities for at-risk students. Much research regarding how to improve academic outcomes for at-risk students addresses high school level, identifying those factors that encourage second… more
Date: December 2018
Creator: Mata, Jodi Lane
Partner: UNT Libraries
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
Partner: UNT Libraries
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