Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Instructional Technology (Education)

Lawler, Beverly E., Ph.D., May 2023, Innovative Learning Design & Technology Instructional Design as an Occupation: The Lived Experiences of African American Women Accessing That Occupation Director of Dissertation: David R Moore Most women have faced challenges in the workplace. They often encounter sexual harassment, gender bias, challenges with working motherhood, unequal pay, and for people of color racism (State of Black Women in Corporate America, 2021). African American women particularly deal with a unique set of problems. They remain underrepresented at every level causing them to stay behind white men, men of color, and white women (Dutta, 2021). The goal of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American women accessing the occupation of instructional design and identify issues of concern as viewed by African American women in this occupation. Participants noted strategies African American women use to navigate their professional lives. The participants selected included 13 African American women currently working as instructional designers. A particular focus was on African American women's unique experiences from corporate America to the private sector; regarding race, gender, sexism, compensation, and diversity and how these identities intersect and influence their careers. Another goal of the research was also to examine income and how these women viewed the distribution of wealth. Finally, the participants revealed how they believed work conditions had shaped African American women instructional designers' career paths.

Committee: David Moore (Advisor); Greg Kessler (Committee Member); Candice Thomas-Maddox (Committee Member); Dwan Robinson (Committee Member) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Design; Educational Technology; Information Technology; Instructional Design

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology

With the growth of online learning, as well as the use of technology to supplement in-person learning, technology has enabled many opportunities for creating highly interactive and highly accessible learning environments. However, it is important to design learning environments to be accessible to diverse learners and learners with disabilities. Educational institutions must comply with legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as moral and ethical concerns related to inclusive institutional cultures. As a result, educational institutions should provide professional development and the resources necessary to help faculty members develop accessible course content. Furthermore, the theory of Universal Design for Learning provides a framework for ensuring access to learning opportunities as a part of the course design process. UDL helped to ensure all learners can benefit from accessible learning experiences. This research study explored the use of online professional development and its role in creating accessible online learning environments. A questionnaire was distributed to faculty members to determine if the participation in professional development resulted in positive beliefs towards accessibility. In addition, faculty skills for creating accessible content were evaluated. Courses taught by participating faculty members were evaluated for accessibility using Blackboard Ally, and faculty members were asked about their familiarity with UDL. The research study determined that there was not a significant difference between faculty members who took online professional development compared to those who did not take professional development in relation to attitudes towards accessibility, as well as faculty skills in creating accessible content. The research study identified a significant difference in accessibility of online content, using Blackboard Ally accessibility scores, between faculty members who participated in professional develo (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Berhane Teclehaimanot (Committee Chair); Mingli Xiao (Committee Member); Greg Stone (Committee Member); Judy Lambert (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Technology

MDES, University of Cincinnati, 2020, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Design

A proliferation of introductory visual programming language raises the question of how to introduce VPLs to more creators and how to improve the usability and learnability of the VPL platform. This paper compares two different teaching methods and visual programming paradigm software to observe the influence of different factors on the use of visual programming software by adult learners in the designer group. A more constructive teaching style using gamification between participants and a more behaviorist teaching style using small lecture and interaction were exposed to participants in different instruction group. Different visual programming platforms were also tested in each group. User experience scores based on performance score and self-reported scores were collected during and after participants operating on the visual programming software. The independent-sample t-tests were used to answer the research question that: is there a mean difference in scores for operating and self-rating between different instruction groups and different visual programming platform. The test result shows that there is a mean difference in the efficiency (performance score) between the behaviorist instruction approach and the constructivism instruction approach for using visual programming software. The performing scores in the constructive teaching group are statistically significantly higher than the performing scores in the behaviorist teaching group. In addition, designers who exposed to the imperative visual programming software also perform better than those exposed to declarative visual programming software. The study of constructive education in teaching visual programming language worth further exploration, in fact, under the trend of digital learning, constructive learning mechanism and the auxiliary of visual programming, a combination of both to learn programming, especially for programming beginners' introductory courses, has a positive effect.

Committee: Renee Seward M.Des. (Committee Chair); Chia Han Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Software

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Educational Studies

As technologies emerge and create new job roles requiring new expertise, workplace learning and the role of instructional designer have become increasingly important. This study seeks to better understand the work of high-performing instructional designers and the ways in which they successfully create training materials to meet specific educational or performance objectives, specifically examining how instructional designers are trained for their work, how they interpret theories related to learning, to what extent those theories are consciously applied in the development of learning experiences, and how designers evaluate and engage with emerging technologies. Following an interview-based qualitative research methodology, the study combined a “think-aloud” strategy with stimulated recall, asking interviewees to share their reasoning for various design decisions while exploring an instructional artifact, something the participants had previously designed, such as a training website, an e-learning module, or an online course. In discussing their thinking and the motivations behind the various design choices, the 12 research participants—high-performing or expert-level instructional designers—illustrated how many of the “best practices” employed by instructional designers are supported by educational research, even when the designers themselves are unaware of the evidence supporting their use. These participants also shared how they approach professional development, highlighting the wide array of venues and sources for professional development, from podcasts and learner-directed study to conference presentations and practitioner-focused publications. Designers also shared how they evaluate emerging educational technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, and how they determine whether such technologies might be useful for either the creation or delivery of educational experiences and training materials. The analysis of the discussion showed a spectrum o (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ana-Paula Correia (Advisor); Jackie Blount (Committee Member); Rick Voithofer (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; Instructional Design; Vocational Education

EDD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the higher education undergraduate student body and the structure of course offerings have drastically changed. As we continue to transition from emergency remote courses to quality online learning experiences, we must respond thoughtfully as well as empirically. The purpose of this study was to examine quality learning experiences as perceived by students in online courses and use the new knowledge generated to add to current research and enhance practice. Through qualitative data collection, I intended to answer the following research questions: (a) What do students perceive as quality learning experiences in their online courses? and (b) How can understanding the student experience and perception of quality in their online learning environments improve course development procedures in online courses? Eight participants were interviewed regarding their experiences of quality in online courses. Results of the study determined Barriers, Interaction, Structure, and Community are the themes that students identify when defining quality online learning experiences. It was also indicated that students were more satisfied with their high quality online learning experiences. Implications and recommendations for improved practice and action steps are also provided. The researcher contends that these findings demonstrate the need to systematically build quality into online courses, which will offer students better learning experiences.

Committee: Elizabeth Kenyon (Committee Chair); Enrico Gandolfi (Committee Member); Christina Collins (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2020, Higher Education Administration

The purpose of this study was to provide a phenomenological description of peer interaction and to explore the sense of community experienced by online learners in an accelerated online course delivered asynchronously. Though research indicates the importance of peer interaction and community in online learning, and online learners indicate their desire to feel a sense of community in online courses, there is a gap in literature that qualitatively details the essence of peer interaction and online learners' perception of community. To address this gap, I interviewed six post-traditional online learners regarding their experiences interacting with peers and the way those experiences contributed to their sense of community in an accelerated online course. Five main themes emerged based on participants' experiences and perceptions: (1) Routine, (2) Technology, (3) Course Design, (4) Perceptions of Interaction, (5) Sense of Community. The findings represented throughout this research align with the two research questions that guided this study: (1) How do students describe their experiences interacting with peers in an accelerated online course? (2) How do students describe their experiences of interacting with peers as contributing to their sense of community in an accelerated online course? This research contributes to a deeper understanding of factors that shape peer interaction and the sense of community felt in an accelerated online learning context. The findings evidence implications for online pedagogy, learning management systems, and for the implementation of the Community of Inquiry framework. Future research that focuses on the experiences and perceptions of online learners who share similar or different demographic characteristics through various methods would enhance understanding of peer interaction and community in online learning contexts. The need for such research is evident as diverse student populations' exposure to learning through distance, onl (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kenneth Borland Ph.D (Advisor); Marlise Lonn Ph.D. (Other); Ellen Broido Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jessica Turos Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Continuing Education; Education; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Social Research; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2020, Instructional Technology (Education)

Emotional design refers to those features of design that do not have any specific informational or pedagogical function, but are aimed at stimulating the affective dimension of learning. In this study, I investigated the effect of two types of emotional design of learning materials on undergraduate students' learning outcomes and perceptions, within the theoretical framework of the Cognitive Affective Theory of Learning with Multimedia (Moreno, 2007; Moreno & Mayer, 2007). The research design was experimental, with participants randomly assigned to each condition. The independent variable was the type of design of the learning materials (a short biology lesson). The materials were designed in four versions: plain lesson consisting of text with simple black and white graphics; text with images that were designed based one emotional design principles for visual design (using warm colors and anthropomorphisms); text with simple black and white graphics plus basic storytelling elements (a character, a very simple plot, and narrative tenses); lesson with both enhanced graphics and storytelling elements. After studying the lesson, the students were tested on retention and transfer, once immediately after the lesson and once after one week. The students were also asked to rate the effectiveness of the instructional content and the visual design of the content. The dependent variables were the scores on the retention and transfer tests, immediate and delayed, and the student ratings for content effectiveness and for visual design. Both the immediate and delayed retention scores were based on the answer to an open question asking students to recall the process in detail. The immediate transfer score was based on the answers to five open questions, and the delayed transfer score was based on the answers to five multiple-choice questions. The number of valid cases was 220 for the initial task and 143 for the delayed task. The results showed that graphical emotional d (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kessler Greg (Committee Chair); Brooks Gordon (Committee Member); Moore David (Committee Member); Girton Sam (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Technology; Instructional Design

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2017, Instructional Technology (Education)

In recent years, efforts are being made at all levels of education to prescribe instructional actions that would optimize desired instructional outcomes. Component display theory (CDT), a micro level instructional design theory proposed by Merrill (1983), offers guidelines and prescriptions to present components of instruction to teach facts, concepts, procedures, and principles. In this study, CDT prescriptions were used to design two instructional modules on (copyright and fair use concepts) for undergraduate students at a large public university in the United States. Formative research methods and restricted quantitative methods were employed to explore the instances by using debriefing (semi-structured) interviews, observation, document analysis, and achievement test items as data. Despite the evidence that supports CDT, most of the empirical studies were conducted in the early development of the theory. Based on available literature, there are no empirical studies that have investigated strengths, weaknesses, or possible improvement of CDT using a formative research approach. Hence, the purpose of this study is to evaluate CDT prescriptions by answering the following questions: 1) What are the strengths and challenges of utilizing CDT in computer-based instruction? 2) What improvements or modifications can be made to CDT to increase its relevance to computer-based instruction? And, 3) Are all CDT presentation forms necessary for designing quality computer-based instruction? The findings of the study suggest that the presentational sequence of CDT's primary presentation form (i.e., generality + instance + practice) could engage the learner in concept knowledge acquisition. Learner perception of the content presentation was positive. In general, it was evident that the secondary presentation forms offered substantial support to the learner and it is recommended that they are treated as a requirement instead of an option. However, design priority should (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Moore (Committee Chair); Krisanna Machtmes (Committee Member); Greg Kessler (Committee Member); Edna Wangui (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Technology; Instructional Design

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2012, Industrial, Interior Visual Communication Design

This thesis research is constructed around leveraging applied, professional art practices coupled with emerging technologies to expand the educational experience in the Design classroom. By extending the classic theories of teaching Color Theory, rooted from the Bauhaus School, into a digital and interactive space, students are likely to have a better understanding and appreciation for the interaction of color in the digital space. The experimentation of several interactive prototypes could potentially be used as options for enhancing different tasks in digitally manipulating color. A different concept for each prototype allows for a wider evaluation of the effectiveness of each prototype and create a more creative and exploratory experience for the final product. The difficulties that programming presents prohibit the completion of several conceptual prototypes. It would be interesting to examine the effectiveness of contracting the knowledge and abilities of one or two Computer Science students to assist in creating fully functional prototypes to strengthen the results of this research and to have the ability to create a final product for usability analysis and investor presentations. This product will not only teach designers and emerging artists basic color theories in the digital space, but will allow the students to explore various color harmonies and color nomenclature based on the teacher's lesson plan and allow a cognitive approach to manipulating the interaction of color in a digital setting. Several prototypes were designed and developed containing various components centered around color theory. Each platform offers the student different ways to explore the interaction of color, with thorough explanations of color interactions in the digital setting, such as color relationships, perception hue, and saturation and value. Lessons were reinforced by different interactive exercises throughout the system. Secondary research shows that various defined user (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: R. Brian Stone (Advisor); Paul Nini (Committee Member); Dr. Phillip J. Smith (Committee Member) Subjects: Design; Education; Educational Software; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; Experiments; Fine Arts; Higher Education; Instructional Design; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, ED Policy and Leadership

Higher education in the U.S. is experiencing a wave of distance education activity, with nearly twenty percent of all U.S. higher education students taking at least one online course in the fall of 2007 (Allen & Seaman, 2008). Accompanying this activity is a renewed concern on the part of distance learning administrators, faculty, and professional associations about the overall quality of these efforts. Governments and institutions use a variety of approaches to measuring quality—internal and external committee reviews, formal assessments using standards and benchmarks created by government or professional bodies, and reviews of inputs and outputs akin to the quality assurance approaches of business and industry. This interpretive study explored the interaction between quality standards, faculty, staff, and managers by conducting an instrumental case study of one institution's efforts to implement quality at the level of course creation and design. Big Town Community College's Department of Distance Education and Instructional Support currently uses a widely available set of course design standards to assess and improve quality in its offerings of online courses. The course design standards, in the form of a rubric, are made available by an organization called Quality Matters (MarylandOnline, 2006). The study uses activity theory to analyze data and theorize about the case (Engestrom, 2008). The primary finding of this study is that the Quality Matters rubric supported the design work of faculty and staff in significant ways—especially by helping to create a shared object for their course design activity. However, it also led to contradictions in the activity—both between staff and faculty and the design standards themselves, and also between staff and faculty and the division of labor used at the college for designing a Web-supported course. Other findings revolved around the question of how the project management model in use at Big Town supports and hinders t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Voithofer PhD (Committee Chair); Anika Ball Anthony PhD (Committee Member); David Stein PhD (Committee Member); Zhenchao Qian PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Higher Education

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2012, Career and Technology Education/Technology

Cloud-based collaborative learning environments are used in many companies today. The problem of this study was to identify if cloud-based collaborative learning environments were actually being used in the business world and what behavioral change, if any, comes about due to their use. The objectives of this study were to: 1.) Study the use of cloud-based collaborative environments in the business world. 2.) Investigate how the editing capabilities are used. 3) Examine whether or not the collaborative systems in place have any impact on user behavior in the company. To complete this study, both qualitative and quantitative measures were utilized to gather data. Surveys, as well as interviews, were the methods used in conjunction with a company that currently uses a cloud-based collaborative system in the workplace. This study brings some new data and issues to light in how these new collaborative cloud-based systems are used in the business environment, but it is recommended that further research be continued to get a different perspective on how other companies use these technologies.

Committee: Terry Herman PhD (Committee Chair); Fei Gao (Committee Member); Anthony Fontana (Committee Member) Subjects: Instructional Design

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Career and Technology Education/Technology

The problem of this study was to develop and evaluate an educational role-playing game aimed at the instruction of fourth-grade Ohio State Mathematics Standards. The program Realmcrafter was used to create the virtual environment in the study. For this study, a combination of Educational Research and Development or (R & D) and iterative design was selected for the research design. Educational (R & D) “… consists of a cycle in which a version of the product is developed, field-tested, and revised on the basis of field-test data …” (Borg & Gall, 1983, p. 771). Alternatively, the method of iterative design as detailed in Salen and Zimmerman's Rules of Play Game Design Fundamentals is defined as “… a cyclic process that alternates between prototyping, play testing, evaluation and refinement …” (2004, p. 11). A hybrid of these methods was chosen to supplement the general research model described by Borg and Gall in 1983 for educational product design with the specific techniques for game design found in Salen and Zimmerman (2004). Dickey (2007) states that MMORPGs, “… may be of great relevance in the design of interactive learning environments …” (p. 254) and the bottom line is that the program created in the study can be used by educators to help enhance the learning that goes on in and out of their classrooms. What, in summary, was developed by a teacher practitioner was a prototype mathematics educational game using a simple but powerful gaming engine. The study used the R & D refinements from Borg and Gall (1983). While the R & D process was shorter than in a commercial applications development, its purpose was fulfilled in creating a potentially viable educational gaming prototype.

Committee: Larry Hatch (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.) in Instructional Design Leadership, Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

Many universities in the United States are experiencing a decline in student enrollment and struggling with poor retention rates. Student attrition has long been recognized as a critical issue for institutions of higher learning globally. The consequences of students failing to complete degree programs include reduced university revenues, which, in turn, can negatively impact the local economy. Given the broader issue of declining enrollment and retention across universities, it was particularly important to examine these trends within specific fields of study, such as music business programs. Understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within this niche can provide valuable insights for addressing retention issues more effectively. The research questions of this study were: (a) What are the positive and negative factors that music business program faculty, staff, and administrators perceive to impact student retention in music business programs?; and (b) What instructional design and curricular practices do music business program faculty, staff, and administrators perceive to impact student retention in music business programs? Participants were purposefully selected, including faculty, staff, and administrators. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews and analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis. Themes were developed inductively, relying on the raw data rather than any predetermined coding scheme. The findings revealed that emphasizing experiential learning, fostering engagement, and creating supportive educational environments are critical for improving retention rates. External influences, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and unpreparedness for college, negatively impact student retention. The findings also revealed that instructional design and curricular practices that positively impact student retention include experiential learning and diverse teaching approaches characterized by teaching various subjects and providing options.

Committee: Joel Gardner (Committee Chair); David Ni (Committee Member); David McCurry (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Education; Higher Education; Instructional Design

Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.) in Instructional Design Leadership, Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

This phenomenological research study explores the lived experiences of full-time faculty experiencing both organizational and instructional changes within their institution. Higher education organizations are facing increased challenges to sustainability, forcing them to make structural changes within the organization. When organizations adopt new instructional designs and models, it is imperative to understand the faculty experience to improve the institution's overall success. This qualitative study employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, conducting in-depth interviews with twenty faculty members from three merging institutions who experienced organizational restructuring and instructional changes. Interviews with participants were analyzed using the hermeneutic circle, showing the importance of administrative choices during change, the role of organizational culture when merging cultures, and faculty need for support when adopting new instructional modalities. This study illuminates the lived experiences of faculty amidst institutional transformations, offering valuable insights for higher education leaders to support faculty and navigate change processes effectively.

Committee: Matthew Barclay (Committee Chair); Joel Gardner (Committee Member); Yuerong Sweetland (Committee Member) Subjects: Instructional Design

Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.) in Instructional Design Leadership, Franklin University, 2023, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

This study used qualitative methods, collecting data from seven semi-structured interviews to understand the perception the employees had regarding their multinational organizations training and materials that were provided to them. The seven employees were in three regions, employed by different multinational organizations to show how to support employees in the cultural aspects of designing professional training and materials. At the close of the interview window, transcriptions of the recordings had coding to supply a layout that showed common themes within the seven interviews. Key findings from the interviews included the need to understand the importance of having a subject matter expert to build out the training for the specific region rather than translate it because items get lost in translation, causing a delay in implementing the new learning. Some participants preferred to learn by doing. The opportunity to collaborate and build relationships echoed through all seven interviews. Many local cultures pride themselves on being personable, and the ease of learning can be due to how the training and materials relate to them, drawing the heightened need for local cultural representation. Future research will need to investigate even deeper into the local cultural norms, the economic environment of the region in question, the educational background of the employees, the employee's language and communication styles, the workplace expectations, and the employee's aspirations.

Committee: Jessie Kong (Committee Chair); Niccole Hyatt (Committee Member); Crissie Jameson (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Instructional Design

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology

Online learning continues be the largest growth sector in higher education (IPEDS, 2019), however, students enrolled in fully online programs are retained at a lower rate than students enrolled in traditional face to face programs. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study is to determine if online students who participate in an online eCampus Orientation are more likely to be enrolled, retained, and succeed academically in their first course than students who elect not to participate in the orientation. The researcher hypothesizes that online students who participate in the eCampus Orientation will have a significantly higher enrollment and retention rate than those who do not. Further, it is expected that online students who participate in the orientation are more likely to have a higher GPA than those that do not. The researcher used one academic year of archival data (Fall 2020-Summer 2021) to compare two groups of students: students who chose to participate in the online orientation and student who chose not to participate. The target population for this study were newly admitted eCampus students at Bowling Green State University, all of which were adult learners with an average age of 30. A chi-square test of independence was used to measure the relationship between participation in the eCampus Orientation and enrollment and retention. A t-test was used to measure the relationship between participation in the eCampus Orientation and academic success as measured by GPA.

Committee: Judy Lambert (Committee Chair); Peter You (Committee Member); Savilla Banister (Committee Member); Berhane Teclehaimanot (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Educational Technology; Educational Theory

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2023, Education

The objective of this dissertation was to explore how the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) can inform the design of a junior high school curriculum to enhance science learning by providing meaningful learning experiences to all students. The transformative paradigm provided a framework used as a lens to emphasize the importance of understanding the social, cultural, and historical context in which individuals and communities are situated. CSP and Backward Design Model were applied to develop a curriculum for a sheltered science literacy elective class for below grade level readers. The purpose of using CSP in the curriculum design was to create a more inclusive and culturally sustaining learning environment that would support students in developing strong science literacy skills. Project–based learning (PBL) was used with CSP to allow for flexibility and creativity in project designs that give students the opportunity to explore and experiment with different ideas and approaches in the learning environment. The California Department of Education's descriptions for effective use of CSP in a classroom was incorporated into the curriculum to be used as an assessment tool measuring the effectiveness of the curriculum. The implications of this curriculum development suggest the effectiveness of CSP on science literacy and its connections enhance student performance in science. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, https://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

Committee: Michael Raffanti Ed. D. (Committee Chair); Emiliano Gonzalez Ph. D. (Committee Member); Heather Curl Ed. D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Literacy; Multicultural Education; Pedagogy; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Instructional Technology (Education)

This study sought to provide an examination of the instructional design strategies used in an entrepreneurship clinic (EC) and determine their influence on the post-graduation outcomes of its alumni. The conceptual lens for the study comprised Merrill's (2002) first principles of instruction and Lent et al.'s (1994) social cognitive career theory (SCCT). Merrill's first principles provided a standardized set of instructional principles to examine the instructional strategies used within clinic and the SCCT examined the influence of these strategies on building the necessary competencies for participants to pursue entrepreneurship after graduation. The case for this study was the EC organized by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This case is bounded geographically on the KNUST campus in Ghana. This case is situated contextually in the larger issue of graduate unemployment and how entrepreneurship education and training can be used to address it. Data sources for the study were interviews and documents (Patton, 2015). The data was analyzed a priori through the lenses of Merrill's (2002) first principles of instruction and Lent et al.'s (1994) SCCT constructs--self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, and personal goals. Also, the data was analyzed inductively to discover emergent patterns, categories, and themes to arrive at the findings (Patton, 2015). There were three key takeaways from the study. The first is the importance of an entrepreneurship ecosystem to fill the gaps in entrepreneurship knowledge. The second is the temporal nature of entrepreneurship education and the importance of life-long learning. The third is the personality of the participant is important in pursuing entrepreneurship. The study has implication for scholarship in that it extends research by identifying the possibility of building self-efficacy through observation of role-models or mentors. An implication for practice is to provide a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Arthur Hughes (Committee Member); David Moore (Committee Chair); Dwan Robinson (Committee Member); Greg Kessler (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; Entrepreneurship; Instructional Design

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Instructional Technology (Education)

Learner autonomy as a necessary concept in foreign language learning is one that has evolved with time especially considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational landscape. In this qualitative study, the experiences of Spanish language instructors and nonnative learners were collected and further analyzed to determine how learner autonomy was fostered and demonstrated in a computer-mediated environment. Instructors in this study the autonomy of their learners by revolutionizing their course preparation approaches, remodifying their course delivery methods and experimenting with technological tools. They achieved these by taking action steps such as brainstorming, asking questions within communities of practice, allowing flexible general accommodations, trying out different applications among many others. Students on the other hand demonstrated their autonomy by exploring social media spaces, engaging in peer and collaborative learning and directly interacting with teaching agents. All these strategies employed by students contributed to them remaining autonomous in the period of brief academic hiatus across the globe. This study expounds on possible recommendations and implications for future research in the area of learner autonomy and foreign language pedagogy.

Committee: David Moore (Committee Chair); Yuchun Zhou (Committee Member); Greg Kessler (Committee Member); Emilia Alonso- Sameño (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Instructional Design

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2021, Curriculum and Instruction

The purpose of this multi-participant qualitative case study was to investigate effective teachings practices among highly-regarded second language teachers and how they developed during teacher education programs and in their careers. Furthermore, since COVID-19 has had a remarkable impact in every aspect of living worldwide, including in the field of education, this study also attempted to illustrate how highly-regarded second language teachers adapted to emergent remote teaching. The focal participates were six highly-regarded second language teachers, who were recommended by second language researchers, educators, and professional organization leaders as having outstanding and even innovative teaching practices. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed qualitatively. Activity Theory and Ambitious Teaching guided this study and were utilized as theoretical frameworks. Themes related to the theoretical frameworks and patterns that appeared among these highly-regarded teachers were discussed. In order to cultivate second language learning and create effective second language classes, highly-regarded language teachers nurtured student-centered classrooms, that were enriched with inspiring and encouraging activities, multimodule tools, diverse literature and teaching materials, constructive support systems from teachers, peers, and parents, and inquiry-based instruction. These second language teachers also commonly demonstrated the caring features which were observed as they “went beyond the classroom” to connect with students at both academic and personal levels. In regard to adapting to remote teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants demonstrated the ability to be adaptive, and they were able to modify their lessons, strengthened with technological tools, and took advantage of students' home learning environments.

Committee: Susanna Hapgood (Committee Chair); An Chung Cheng (Committee Member); Mark Templin (Committee Member); Jenny Denyer (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Education Philosophy; Educational Psychology; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; English As A Second Language; Foreign Language; Higher Education; Instructional Design; Modern Language; Teacher Education; Teaching