Honors Theses, Ohio Dominican University, 2023, Honors Theses

This paper describes the process of development and evaluation of an open educational resource (OER) e-module on the Central Limit Theorem written for an Introductory Statistics college-level course. The purpose of this project is two-fold. First, the e-module bridges the knowledge gap between introductory topics and Hypothesis Testing – one of the most challenging concepts in Statistics. Second, the project focuses on developing tools that allow instructors to analyze the effectiveness of the module and reveal student patterns of interaction with the platform. The overall goal of the project is to improve the quality of open educational resources, provide students/instructors with additional study materials in response to rising cost for textbooks and higher education, and provide more data for further research on student behavior while interacting with e-textbooks. The interactive e-module was developed using LaTeX markup language and Overleaf editor, uploaded to the XIMERA platform and tested on two sections of MTH 140, a college-level Statistics course. Once the experiment has been performed and the data collected, the results were analyzed using Python programming language. As a result of the study, some tools for analysis of user data have been developed, and an OER has been created.

Committee: Anna Davis (Advisor); John Marazita (Committee Chair); Kristall Day (Committee Member); Lawrence Masek (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science; Education; Mathematics; Psychology; Statistics

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Higher Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent that contingent faculty from Michigan's 15 public universities engage with on and off-campus professional development (PD) to improve their teaching practice. Addressing a spectrum of research questions, this study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, to provide a nuanced understanding of the experiences and motivations of contingent faculty members. The initial quantitative phase surveyed 4,745 contingent faculty members through a web- based survey, exploring the availability of on and off-campus PD offerings and the factors influencing their participation. The subsequent qualitative phase was conducted through ten Zoom interviews with contingent faculty from nine universities. This phase delved into the various PD resources utilized by contingent faculty and the underlying motivations driving their engagement. The on-campus exploration revealed the prevalence of in-person seminars and computer-based training from Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs), that aligned with broader institutional trends. However, faculty interviews exposed discontent rooted in CTL unfulfilled promises, insufficient communication, and a perceived emphasis on theory over practical application. Contingent faculty expressed a strong desire for peer interactions, mentorship, and discipline-specific development, emphasizing the importance of immediately applicable knowledge. The study further explored on-campus factors influencing contingent faculty. Transitioning to off-campus PD, the study uncovered a significant commitment to continuous learning among contingent faculty. Engagement in live in-person seminars, conferences, social media, and internet resources emerged as critical elements in their professional growth. Notably, the unexpected involvement with artificial intelligence (AI) in discussions around lesson planning and academic integrity reflec (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Edward Janak Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Michael Prior Ph.D. (Committee Member); Judy Lambert Ph.D. (Committee Member); Debra Brace Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education