Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2015, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

Painting is believed to predate recorded history and has been in existence for over 35,000 (Ayres, 1985; Bolton, 2013) years. Over the years, painting has evolved; new styles have been developed and digital media have been explored. Each period of change goes through a period of rejection before it is accepted. In the 1960s, digital media was introduced to the art form. Like all the painting mediums, it was rejected. It has been over 50 years since it was introduced and yet, it has not been fully accepted as an art form (King, 2002; Miller, 2007; Noll, 1994). This exploratory study seeks to understand the artist's perception on the use of digital media as an art tool and its benefit to the artists and art education. Grounded theory was used as a methodological guide for the study. Eleven participants participated in this study. Participants for the study were drawn from art instructors who teach at 4-year higher education art colleges located in Ohio and Illinois. The research explored the perception of artists on the use of digital media, otherwise known as digital media in painting. The study relied on interviewing as a method of data collection, which was triangulated with reviewed literature relating to the research. The emergent theory describes how an artist's perception of digital media and digital paintings can be interpreted. It takes into account three main variables: how the artist defines painting, how their definition influences their tool of choice, and their view on the importance of the role and function of painting in the lives of individuals, in society and culture and in art education.

PHD, Kent State University, 2013, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceived technology capabilities of different levels of undergraduate students of Kent State University in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services teacher education programs; to determine if the perceived technology capabilities of students beginning the teacher education program differ from those nearing completion of the program; and, if the perceived technology capabilities of students change from the start to the end of the Educational Technology course. Examining student perceptions may provide insight on whether preservice teachers think they can prepare students for the 21st century once they become inservice teachers. To determine whether preservice teachers perceive that they are being prepared to teach 21st century skills by integrating technology into teaching and learning, three groups of students were surveyed: incoming students, junior-level students at the beginning and end of the Educational Technology course, and students nearing graduation. The TPACK survey for preservice teachers (Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler & Shin, 2009) was used to examine preservice teachers’ perceptions of their technology capabilities as related to teaching. Teachers comprise an integral factor in the effective incorporation of technology into classroom activities, yet many current teachers remain unable or unwilling to employ technology fully or effectively. The findings from this study led to several conclusions, including that the students perceived themselves to have better technological abilities after completing the Educational Technology course and as seniors near the end of the teacher education program, and the results of this study should challenge teacher education faculty to consider how their beliefs, attitudes, and use of technology in teaching and learning are transmitted to their students.

Master of Sciences (Engineering), Case Western Reserve University, 2024, Biomedical Engineering

The Ulnar Collateral Ligament, one of the main stabilizers of the elbow joint, provides valgus stability during the act of overhead arm movements. An injury to this ligament can lead to pain and significant time off due to the duration of rehabilitation required to regain neuromuscular deficits. Current rehabilitation approaches for UCL tears involve subjective assessments (pain scales) and objective measures. However, there still remains a lack of ongoing, continuous monitoring of collegiate baseball athletes during their season to both better understand and predict athlete performance and injury risk at this level. The objective of this study was to assess possible biomarkers that can monitor internal and continuous physiologic data and track internal training load for baseball athletes. The aim was to design an experimental protocol which can determine the performance of the kinetic chain of overhead throwing. A pilot clinical trial was conducted with the long-term goal of developing a reconstruction training tolerance model for athletes whose sports perform the same repetitive overarm movement mechanics. However, a single unique biomarker was not established.

Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.), University of Dayton, 2024, Early Childhood Education

In this qualitative study, we examined the effects of augmented reality (AR) and physical-digital interaction in educational applications on preschoolers' engagement, skill development, and collaborative learning in the classroom. Drawing on Creswell's (2018) systematic method, the research design included immersive participant observation and semi-structured interviews to document the lived experiences of young learners using the Osmo Genius Kit. The study, conducted across three varied preschool classrooms affiliated with a Midwestern university, included a representative sample of children aged 3 to 5 years, allowing for a thorough examination of AR's complex influence in early childhood education. This methodology allows us to address the research questions and gain a thorough grasp of how AR technology can be used to improve education in preschool settings.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Business Administration

Two essays explore how the adoption of AI technologies – AI-powered chatbots in particular – impact consumer well-being. The first essay focuses on the role of chatbots as a customer service representative and identifies two distinct types of interaction consumers have with chatbots: interactions when a chatbot's identity is (1) not disclosed and therefore ambiguous or (2) disclosed. The work finds a key psychological factor that impacts consumer response in these two types of interactions, namely self-presentation concerns. Six studies demonstrate that when self-presentation concerns are high, consumers (1) infer that an ambiguous chatbot is in fact a human and (2) prefer to interact with a clearly disclosed chatbot over a human service representative. The second essay focuses on the emerging role of chatbots as a digital tool aimed at improving consumer well-being and identifies why consumers are reluctant to use digital tools powered by chatbots geared toward improving mental (vs. physical) wellness. Four studies show that consumers are less interested in digital tools for mental (vs. physical) wellness because the very use of the tool cues them to think about how they lack close others in their “real” lives who can provide social support and thus feel negative about themselves. The essay further identifies an intervention that can help mitigate the reluctance toward the digital chatbot tool for mental wellness. Taken together, the two essays explore why consumers use AI-powered technologies and how that impacts their well-being.

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2023, English: Composition and Rhetoric

In this dissertation, I articulate and reclaim African rhetorical traditions and apply an African rhetorical lens for examining how contemporary Ga communities can use digital communications to further cultural practices. I examine ancient Egyptian African rhetorical traditions, exploring the theories and practices of Maat so as to articulate themes and characteristics of African rhetoric. I focus on African rhetoric from Ancient Egypt and then highlight some of its practices in contemporary Ghana, including Akan and Ga rhetoric. This dissertation centers and attempts a practice of rhetoric to a local/Indigenous people, The Gas of Ghana, whose cultural and linguistic survival might depend on how they use the Internet and digital technologies to share and celebrate their rhetorics. The Gas, Indigenous to Greater Accra, the capital city of Ghana, have a rich culture similar to the Akans. However, their dwindling population, cycles of poverty, lack of education, and exclusion of their language (Ga) education in the teaching curriculum by successive governments have all contributed to a near-loss of a rich Indigenous cultural heritage. Drawing from interviews with cultural preservationists in Ghana and Ga leaders, I examine how the Gas have used and could use the internet to engage in rhetorical acts of survivance. Some of the research questions shaping this study are: (1) How might minority Indigenous peoples (specifically in this study the Gas of Ghana) use the digital to assert their cultural practices and achieve visibility and survivance? And (2) In what ways can we Africans contribute to the cultural design and decolonizing of our material and digital rhetorics? I apply a combination of local methodological frameworks to understand how local research works with Indigenous communities. These include Indigenous concepts like Sankofa, which means return to the past and fetch from it, Ga samai (symbols), decoloniality, Indigenous storytelling. Finally, I close my diss (open full item for complete abstract)

MFA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Communication and Information

The combination of variable fonts and digital signage presents a unique and practical solution to the various challenges wayfinding systems face. These challenges include issues with readability, monolingual signage, low visibility, minimal readership, material waste, and limited adaptability to environmental conditions and space functionality. Variable fonts, on the other hand, are incredibly versatile and adaptive. They can be easily modified, and their display methods can be customized for any resolution or medium, static or digital. With new infrastructures and spaces emerging, typographic and display technologies are continually evolving. Designers must capitalize on and leverage these advancements to instill a better experience for those interacting with them. This investigation examines the directional attributes of a partially formed typeface to ascertain whether typography alone can aid users in navigating a given space. The findings of this investigation set the foundation for shaping the future of environmental graphic design and type design.

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

The proliferation of educational technology currently marketed by textbook publishers reflects the neoliberal influence in higher education that emphasizes automated, standardized delivery and skills-based curriculum. Inclusive access programs are publisher developed digital packages that include access to digital course materials at a lower cost to the student, claiming to provide equitable access despite evidence that a digital divide still exists. This embedded single-case study is a critical analysis of the decision-making power of faculty and administrators as it relates to the adoption of inclusive access programs at a community college. The purpose is to explore if the adoption of inclusive access contributes to inequality in the form of digital structural violence. Hegemony is used as the theoretical framework. Data collection methods include student and faculty focus groups, faculty and administrator interviews, and faculty and student surveys. Findings indicate that while faculty members do hold some hegemonic power, the greater hegemonic force belongs to publishers and bookstores. Student data shows an appreciation for the lower cost and immediate access, but they prefer printed textbooks for academic reading. The data also suggests the possibility that inclusive access contributes to digital structural violence, but further research is needed.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

This dissertation and research study is dedicated to the exploration of critical posthuman educational technology. Research in this study determines, evaluates, and considers educational technology in U.S. art museums through a wide-reaching survey and case study evaluations of the implementation of digital content creation in museums during the COVID-19 era. Critical posthumanism provides a way to understand and restructure expectations of the educational goals of museums that are aligned with the experiences and expectations of digital learning as well as incorporate a multitude of ontological considerations through Critical Race Theory, Queer Theory, and Critical Disability Studies. Beyond simply assessing what has happened in museums, this study seeks to find opportunities for greater change within the system of museum practice and education.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Educational Studies

As mobile learning (m-learning) becomes increasingly prevalent in education, it is recognized for its potential to enhance the overall quality of teaching and learning. Despite the many benefits, m-learning apps often experience low retention rates, which directly impede learners' benefit from using them and cause a waste of resources in app design, development, and maintenance. To investigate the critical factors influencing learners' acceptance of m-learning outside the classroom, this study introduced a novel model, the Mobile Learning Acceptance Determination (mLAD) Model, based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the updated DeLone and McLean Information System Success Model. Through the mLAD model, the study identified the critical app quality factors that influence learners' acceptance of m-learning. The moderating effects of the type of m-learning apps on learners' acceptance of m-learning were also revealed. An online questionnaire named the m-Learning Acceptance Questionnaire (mLAQ) was developed and disseminated through Amazon Mechanical Turk. A total of seven hundred forty-seven adult learners in the U.S. participated in the study. The descriptive statistical results of the examined factors revealed that m-learning apps available in the market demonstrate high mobility and content quality. Still, their interactivity and service quality could be improved. Furthermore, the results of the structural equation modeling analysis indicated that learners' two beliefs, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use, are the two essential determinants of learners' intention to use m-learning apps outside the classroom. Quality factors, such as content quality, interface design, mobility, and service quality, are the antecedents of learners' m-learning acceptance, given that they significantly and directly influence perceived usefulness and ease of use and indirectly impact learners' intention to use m-learning apps through learners' two beliefs. Through (open full item for complete abstract)

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

This is a study of the digital divide across African based higher educational institutions using the SCImago Institutions Rankings and other country level technology variables as predictors. Based on the study and past studies, a consolidated rankings of higher educational institutions by country as the dependent variable was analyzed using independent variables classified as either technology or offline (non-technology) variables. Independent technology variables used include pricing data relating to levels of data band sizes measured in megabytes (MB), data on overall quality of internet service within individual countries using metrics like download and upload speeds, as well as data packet roundtrip times. Offline variables used included educational expenditure data based on GDP spending on higher education, the quality of education, participation in tertiary education by gender (students and staff), the rurality of a population and good governance indicators.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Wright State University, 2022, Electrical Engineering

Binary multipliers are ubiquitous in digital hardware. Digital multipliers along with the adders play a major role in computing, communicating, and controlling devices. Multipliers are used majorly in the areas of digital signal and image processing, central processing unit (CPU) of the computers, high-performance and parallel scientific computing, machine learning, physical layer design of the communication equipment, etc. The predominant presence and increasing demand for low-power, low-cost, and high-performance digital hardware led to this work of developing optimized multiplier designs. Two optimized designs are proposed in this work. One is an optimized 8 x 8 Booth multiplier architecture which is implemented using 32nm CMOS technology. Synthesis (pre-layout) and post-layout results show that the delay is reduced by 24.7% and 25.6% respectively, the area is reduced by 5.5% and 15% respectively, the power consumption is reduced by 21.5% and 26.6% respectively, and the area-delay-product is reduced by 28.8% and 36.8% respectively when compared to the performance results obtained for the state-of-the-art 8 x 8 Booth multiplier designed using 32nm CMOS technology with 1.05 V supply voltage at 500 MHz input frequency. Another is a novel radix-8 structure with 3-bit grouping to reduce the number of partial products along with the effective partial product reduction schemes for 8 x 8, 16 x 16, 32 x 32, and 64 x 64 signed multipliers. Comparing the performance results of the (synthesized, post-layout) designs of sizes 32 x 32, and 64 x 64 based on the simple novel radix-8 structure with the estimated performance measurements for the optimized Booth multiplier design presented in this work, reduction in delay by (2.64%, 0.47%) and (2.74%, 18.04%) respectively, and reduction in area-delay-product by (12.12%, -5.17%) and (17.82%, 12.91%) respectively can be observed. With the use of the higher radix structure, delay, area, and power consumption can be further reduced. (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2022, Educational Studies

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, digital technology has become an indispensable tool to realize distance learning and online activities in schools throughout the United States. As a result, online learning has become an important topic for researchers in the field of education. The present is situated within the growing bodies of research that investigate how confident students feel as they use technology, how they perceive their own roles in an online community, and how both impact their participation and engagement in online education. Eighty-seven students from two school districts participated in a three-unit social studies curriculum during the 2020-2021 academic year. Results indicated that students' perceptions of digital citizenship moderate the relationship between their technology efficacy and synchronous online engagement. Students with a medium level of digital citizenship tended to be more engaged in synchronous online activities as they are more confident in using technological skills in their online learning. This research finding suggested the importance of teaching students about digital citizenship at an early age and helping students with technology use, especially for those from less wealthy districts in order to improve the learning quality and students' academic performances in online learning environment.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2022, Leadership and Change

Because of the gatekeeping practices of the Hollywood film industry, and the high cost of both filmmaking and distribution in general, Afro-American filmmakers have struggled to produce films with “global reach.” This study visits the possibility of Afro-American filmmakers using alternative technologies and infrastructures to produce high-quality films, thereby bypassing the high cost and exclusionary practices of Hollywood studios. Using new 21st-century digital technology, this study involved the creation of a small geographically dispersed virtual film production team. The study's foundational framework was a constructivist qualitative research paradigm, using Action Research, and supported by 24 months of triangulated data from field notes and a Likert-type end-of-study survey, both of which were then addressed in an end-of- research online group discussion using the Zoom platform. The research question was, What are the most effective leadership and team-building practices/processes for creating a virtual geographically dispersed Afro-American film production team, with the intent of producing digital films, using new digital technology, social media, and the default global infrastructure of the Internet? The major conclusion of the study was that it is possible for a small virtual team to produce broadcast quality digital film using only consumer-level computers and cameras, audio and lighting equipment, and readily available software. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Master of Sciences (Engineering), Case Western Reserve University, 2021, EECS - Computer and Information Sciences

Wearable Data has become prominent in the field of digital health due to its wide variety of data categories, high availability and ease of acquisition. A well-designed platform to recruit participants and collect their behavioral survey and wearable data should be easy to monitor and cost-efficient, as well as secure and HIPAA compliant. In this study, we developed a full-stack platform for data-driven digital health studies, the HeartBit Platform, consisting of a mobile application and a backend infrastructure. The platform implements Quality Control protocols to alert researchers of any issues, utilizes automated programs that can be conveniently supervised and employs state of the art security to ensure privacy and data security. We demonstrated the application of the HeartBit Platform on two human studies, in which we recruited 231 participants contributing to 10,158 behavioral surveys and 70,761 wearable data files of various categories to date.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

Students' value for mathematics often declines, especially in the middle school years. Value, however, and expectations of success are predictors of performance and achievement in mathematics. To improve performance, we need to influence students' beliefs about the value of mathematics and their expectations that they can be successful. Digital mathematics curriculum that incorporates authenticity, interactivity, and ease of use may influence utility value beliefs and expectations, which may lead to higher application knowledge. For this study, a quantitative research methodology was employed. Surveys were used to determine students' perceptions of digital curriculum, their utility value beliefs about mathematics and their expectations of success in mathematics along with post-test measures to determine students' mathematical performance. Using path analysis, this study found that authentic and easy to use curriculum is related to students' utility value and expectations of success, and that higher expectations of success predict higher performance on assessments of application knowledge. This study makes a contribution to the literature by highlighting the importance of utility value and expectancies interventions through the use of digital curriculum.

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2022, Educational Administration (Education)

The view on education in the Appalachian region is not always painted in the best light. The concept that the low socio-economic stricken areas are low-performing and their inability to prepare its students for the next level is not always correct. Rather, these students and their education should not be dismissed, nor should these students be discounted for their potential. The push for 21st century skills and technology integration has become a standard that all schools must adhere to. If not for a standard to follow, schools must be able to implement technology to get students ready for our global economy. This study provides a perspective that is often left outside of formalized research. A voice not always heard from a population that is expected to be lesser performing and sheltered from innovation and the possible resolve that they are incapable of major breakthroughs. Furthermore, the very seats occupied in these Appalachian settings provide a quantitative understanding of how these students perceive their education and how it is enriched with digital activities.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2021, Mass Communication (Communication)

Despite high adoption rates of new communication technologies in Kenya, the role of emerging technologies in the Kenyan child trafficking market and the influence of online anti-child trafficking activists in combating child trafficking remain under-researched. In this study, I have used digital ethnographic approaches that included virtual interviews, online participant observation, and social media analytics to realize five main findings. First, emerging media technology has been used by criminals to traffic children, whereas it also provides opportunities to online activists to combat child trafficking. Second, there are different types of online claims-makers actively advocating against child trafficking. Third, the claims-makers framed the exploitation and risky situations that victims of child trafficking go through as sexual exploitation, organ harvesting, infant trafficking, child marriage, organized begging, terrorism, organized crime, and child labor. Fourth, the claims-makers used the 5P framework to diagnose and offer a prognosis of the child trafficking situation. Finally, the claims-makers were able to influence diverse sentiments among their target audience. This study has practical and theoretical recommendations for researching and designing social and behavior change interventions against child trafficking and other social challenges.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Agricultural and Extension Education

During the second week of March 2020, work shifted from the county extension office to home during the Coronavirus pandemic. During COVID-19, workers were shifted into new all-digital work environments without establishing boundaries that melded the work and home environment into one (Katsabian, 2020). While this shift to remote work was possible due to technology, work-life boundaries became even blurrier. Professionals who do not have good boundaries find themselves always connected to both spheres of work and home because of their digital devices (Richardson & Rothstein, 2008). OSU Extension professionals not only made the switch to remote work from home, but they had to adjust to an all-digital 4-H program delivery at the same time. By rapidly shifting to digital work, 4-H professionals had to adapt to this change. The Change Style Indicator (Musselwhite & Ingraham, 1998) assessment classifies a person as a Conserver, Pragmatist, or Originator. Conservers prefer gradual change. Pragmatists desire change that serves a function. Originators are the most adept to change and favor quicker, more expansive change. These preferences to change would have impacted their approach to dealing with the pandemic and remote work. This study explored the adaptation of county-based OSU Extension 4-H Youth Development professionals to an all-digital environment during the virtual work period of COVID-19. Specific objectives included: (a) to describe the population by their Change Style Preferences, (b) to describe the adaptations to the all-digital work environment, (c) to describe the types of digital tools used, (d) to describe the types of digital skills learned, (e) to describe the types of digital youth development programming implemented, to describe the types of digital youth development strategies generated, and (f) to explore these selected variables (a-e) and their relationship to the Change Style Preferences. Data were gathered in two parts. The Change Style Ind (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2020, Curriculum and Instruction Science Education (Education)

The purpose of this study was to examine science teacher perceptions of digital simulations and virtual labs as digital tools in the 7-12th science classroom. The first study research question was: In what ways do science teachers use digital simulations and virtual labs in the 7-12th science classroom? The second study research question was: What factors influence teachers' use of digital simulations and virtual labs in the 7-12th science classroom? The theoretical framework used for this dissertation included the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), self-efficacy, and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). The research was a mixed methods sequential explanatory research design divided into two phases. Phase one consisted of a survey that was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and open response items were quantitized using inductive analysis. Phase two consisted of semi-structured interviews that were coded and analyzed inductively for emerging themes. Findings from each phase were integrated using an integrated results matrix, and meta-inferences were drawn. The findings indicate that science teachers use digital simulations and virtual labs for purposes of integrating scientific practices; providing safe, alternative science experiences, and visualizations. Findings concerning factors affecting their use included value of digital simulations and virtual labs; lack of adequate, formal professional development, learning curve, availability of functioning technology; cost, quality, and validity; and lack of general support. Based on this research, implications arise for teacher education, professional development, classroom practice, and the development of digital simulations and virtual labs. Implications include providing formal professional development opportunities that emphasize successful models of implementation, development of digital simulations and virtual labs that meet the needs of teachers, providing time (open full item for complete abstract)