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)

Committee: Ana-Paula Correia (Advisor); Minjung Kim (Committee Member); Richard J Voithofer (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Software; Educational Technology; Information Systems; Information Technology; Technology

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2014, English

Many different non-profit organizations, companies, government groups, and individual developers have built hundreds of mobile applications aimed at improving environmental issues in communities, helping people change their actions and behaviors towards the environment, or raising awareness regarding environmental concerns. Applications supporting the environment are just some in a larger category of applications built to serve social and civic change. Although these applications are developed and designed with the best of intentions, oftentimes the standard usability practices and heuristics used to develop these applications do not accommodate the complexities surrounding applications for social and civic change. Therefore, this thesis uses qualitative research practices, interviews with developers and mobile action research with users, to build new research practices and heuristics for those developing user-focused mobile applications for social and civic change.

Committee: Michele Simmons (Committee Chair); Jason Palmeri (Committee Member); James Porter (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition; Rhetoric; Technical Communication

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2019, Instructional Technology (Education)

The aim of mobile learning (M-learning) is to overcome traditional constrictions of education such as the place and the time at which learning occurs. M-learning has been investigated in many areas; however, the impact of M-learning on graduate international students and their experiences have not yet been investigated. The research aims to answer the following questions: 1) What are the international students' perceptions of M-learning in Instructional Technology program; 2) What are the international students perceived benefits and challenges of M-learning while using this method in their courses; and 3) How do participants describe their use of M-learning? To answer these questions, a modified version of the UTAUT2 model was used to analyze interview data from eight international student participants who at the time of the study were enrolled in a post-graduate instructional technology (IT) program. The UTAUT2 model was used to analyze adoption rate and usage M-learning among specific populations by investigating how performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), and social influence (SI) determine behavioral intention (BI) to integrate. Data from the interviews were analyzed by using thematic analysis to identify relationships and patterns. The researcher developed narrative stories for each of the interviews to discover the overarching ideas. Identifying the key themes led to discovery of relationships, patterns and ideas to answer the research questions and to add to wider discussion on M-learning in the international student community in the United States. Findings suggest that M-learning may help increase learning productivity and academic gains. M-learning is convenient due to accessibility and usability and is becoming more ubiquitous in the informal learning setting. Participants indicated that they are likely to implement a hybrid model of face-to-face and M-learning techniques and tools in their teaching practice because it helps increase interact (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Greg Kessler (Committee Chair); Krisanna Machtmes (Committee Member); Danielle Dani (Committee Member); Min Lun Wu (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Instructional Design; Social Studies Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2015, Instructional Technology (Education)

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the nexus of video games, mobile devices, and augmented reality in an educational light. This is accomplished in part by studying the self-reported demographics, attitudes, habits, and motivations of players of Google's commercial augmented reality mobile game Ingress. An application of a review of the literature informs how games like Ingress can be leveraged for educational means. Presented is a review of relevant literature, including the historical development of the nature of play and learning, the history and educational usage of massively multiplayer online games and simulations, the use of mobile devices in games and learning, how augmented reality is developing and being used in educational and noneducational settings, and what effects playing video games may have on the player, including problematic gameplay and addiction, gendered concerns, aggressive thoughts and actions, and physical changes identified in gamers or promoted using games. Also included is an examination of a theoretical framework of discovery learning that ties instructional design, learning, and games to Ingress. Data is gathered with an online survey of Ingress players worldwide. A total of 2,276 cases from 59 countries were analyzed. The instrument used has been modified from an original aimed at other massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). The results presented here showed significant demographic and motivational differences between players and between games. Principle component and multiple regression analyses revealed a number of components that describe the motivations of players and related predictors. By comparing these components to scores on an addiction scale, self-reports on interpersonal skills and learning items, valid and reliable predictors emerged. The components identified differ from those found when surveying players of other massively multiplayer online games. Reliable scales for components, an (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Teresa Franklin PhD (Advisor); Seann Dikkers PhD (Committee Member); Greg Kessler PhD (Committee Member); David Moore PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Demographics; Education; Educational Software; Educational Technology; Instructional Design

Master of Arts, University of Toledo, 2014, College of Languages, Literature, and Social Sciences

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in incorporating one of the innovative technologies, the iPad, into the learning-teaching process to enhance students' academic success in different educational contexts. However, there are a number of factors that may influence the students' choice whether or not to use the iPad. Therefore, assessing the students' behavioral intentions towards using the iPad is necessary. Accordingly, this paper examines students' behavioral intentions towards using the iPad in their language learning courses through utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model of Davis (1989). Twenty five undergraduate student participants completed the iPad-usage questionnaire to measure their perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitude towards usage (ATU), and behavioral intention to use the iPad (BIU) in their integrated language learning courses (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). The results of the study indicated that students' perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the iPad positively predicted the students' attitudes towards using the iPad and their behavioral intentions to use it in their language classes and other contexts.

Committee: Douglas Coleman PhD (Committee Chair); An Chung Cheng PhD (Committee Member); Gaby Semaan PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Behavioral Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Educational Technology; English As A Second Language; Experiments; Modern Language

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2014, Leadership Studies

Individual access to mobile devices has increased dramatically in recent years, and faculty and students are beginning to use smartphones and tablets to support teaching and learning. This correlational study surveys faculty and students at a private, liberal arts university to better understand perceptions about the devices for use in an academic setting. Student and faculty responses are compared using adopter categories and innovation attributes developed by Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovations. Two survey instruments were developed for this study. The Faculty Smartphone and Tablet Diffusion of Innovations (FSTDIS) and Student Smartphone and Tablet Diffusion of Innovations (SSTDIS) were created based on a previous survey aimed at faculty adoption of a course management system. The surveys were sent to approximately 250 faculty members and between 1,700 and 1,900 students. Results from the surveys were used to address four research questions comparing faculty and students, as well as perceptions of the value of smartphones and tablets in higher education. Findings from this study can be used by university administrators to increase the adoption of mobile devices for academic purposes. Rogers' (2003) diffusion of theory provides a framework for technology adoption in organizations.

Committee: William Ingle (Advisor); Rachel Reinhart (Committee Member); Allison Goedde (Committee Member); Chris Wolverton (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Technology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2014, English (Rhetoric and Writing) PhD

This dissertation compares the writing practices of students on desktops and laptops with their writing practices on mobile computing devices, namely tablets and smartphones. While there is much scholarship on computer-mediated writing (e.g., Eldred, 1991; Dave and Russell, 2010; Haas, 1989; Hochman and Palmquist, 2009; Palmquist et al., 1998), there has been less attention paid to how mobile computer devices mediate writing practices and promote (digital) literacies. This study used mixed methods, specifically quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Using a process-oriented first-year research writing class as a research site and the research paper as the genre of analysis, the study found that there are significant differences between the writing, research, and reading practices done on these computing devices. The student survey found that students indeed use mobiles for academic writing purposes, are less likely to revise on mobile devices than on desktops and laptops, and generally make local edits to global revisions when they do revise. It also found that students are more likely to access sources that are not typically considered scholarly, preferring to use unscholarly and advertisement-supported sources. The literacy narrative took a closer look at the research practices of a student in the first year writing program. Several emerging themes arose that are relevant to writing studies, including that the period between high school and the first year of college is a critical time in acquiring and losing different literacies, socioeconomic sponsors and barriers greatly influence writing practices, and some students' expectations and values make them unsure of the place of mobile technology in education.

Committee: Kristine Blair Dr. (Committee Chair); Lee Nickoson Dr. (Committee Member); Donna Nelson-Beene Dr. (Committee Member); Radhika Gajjala Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition

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

The transition from high school to college is challenging for many students. Moving from a highly structured educational environment to one with significantly less time spent in the classroom and less oversight can be academically detrimental for those who have not yet learned study habits that can support them in this transition. Executive function in the context of higher education looks like keeping track of assignment due dates, breaking projects into smaller chunks over time, planning time to complete work and study, and choosing to do homework or study when more attractive alternatives may be present. To be successful in college, students must learn study habits that support executive functioning. Mobile learning technology has evolved rapidly since the introduction of the smartphone. Students use their phones to communicate, complete work, check the weather, listen to music, scroll through social media, and occasionally make phone calls. Many of them, however, do not use their phones to help them organize or manage time. This empirical study explored the idea that an intervention using mobile learning technology could improve the motivation, concentration, and time management of first-year, traditionally aged, residential undergraduate students at a private liberal arts university in the Midwest of the United States. Using an experimental design and randomized control trials, students who used Google Calendar for six weeks were compared to students who did not. Both groups took the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), 3rd edition, before and after the intervention, and the scores on the motivation, concentration, and time management scales were analyzed. Two-factor, split-plot Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted with each of the three scales, and while concentration increased significantly for both groups, there were no significant differences between the groups over time. It was also hypothesized that the increase in motiva (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ana-Paula Correia (Advisor); Penny Pasque (Committee Member); Tracey Stuckey (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Technology; Higher Education

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

This research study was inspired by the quest to use technological strategies to enhance maternal and child healthcare delivery in Kogi State. Given the technological innovation that the human race has witnessed in every sphere of life in the contemporary world, this study focuses on mobile text messaging as an aspect of that revolution that could improve maternal and child healthcare in Kogi State. With mobile phones commonplace among both rural and urban dwellers, the study looked at the possibility of using the device to construct culture-sensitive messages that would motivate pregnant women and new mothers to keep regular hospital appointments. The World Health Organization's (WHO) approval for the exploration of ehealth strategies in healthcare has become the incentive to governments and non-governmental organizations to leverage its offerings. This qualitative research study was undertaken within the contemplation of Creswell and Creswell's (2018) postulation that health science researchers begin with the theoretical framework of adoption of health practices for improved quality of life. Data were collected from community and religious leaders, maternal and child healthcare providers, as well as pregnant women and new mothers in the state. A thematic coding of data was adopted while textual analysis was used for data synthesis. Results show enthusiastic support of all participants for the strategy.

Committee: David Moore Professor (Committee Chair); Dwan Robinson Associate Professor (Committee Member); Greg Kessler Professor (Committee Member); Benjamin Bates Professor (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education; Technology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Nursing

Breast cancer survivors are at risk of cancer recurrence and other cancer-related chronic diseases. Lifestyle modification reduces these risks; however, traditional approaches are costly and often lack efficacy. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions may offer advantages over traditional risk-reduction approaches, but limited knowledge about survivors' use of mHealth interventions restricts scientific advancement. The goal of this dissertation research was to develop a substantive theory to understand the process associated with the use of mHealth interventions by breast cancer survivors for lifestyle behavior improvement. Using a grounded theory approach, 16 female breast cancer survivors from central Ohio were enrolled. Each participated in an interview and an interaction with a prototype mHealth intervention. Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. The resultant substantive theory describes the synergy between mHealth Engagement and Self-regulation of lifestyle behaviors. The basic process enabling this synergy consists of 5 non-linear phases: adopting, sustaining, habituating, disengaging, and re-adopting. Four main concepts form the basis of this theory and include mHealth Engagement, Self-regulation, Relationships, and Functionality and Features. These findings may inform future mHealth intervention research and development. However, more research is needed to validate and test this new substantive theory.

Committee: Sharon Tucker PhD, RN, FAAN (Committee Chair); Randi Foraker PhD, MA, FAHA (Committee Member); Mary Beth Happ PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA (Committee Member); Jennifer Kue PhD (Committee Member); Rita Pickler PhD, RN, FAAN (Committee Member); Po-Yin Yen PhD, RN (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Computer Engineering; Computer Science; Health; Health Care; Health Care Management; Health Education; Information Science; Information Systems; Information Technology; Medicine; Mental Health; Nursing; Organization Theory; Psychology; Public Health; Systems Design; Systems Science; Technology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Information Technology

The recent advances in smartphone technology have dramatically changed our life from transportation to health care services. The usage of mobile applications has also substantially increased in justice information field to provide swift and actionable information to end users including public. In the same time the opioid crisis in the United States is declared as national disaster that must be addressed using the most efficient and effective strategies. Citizens, law enforcement and technology can work together in coordinated and collaborative way to achieve solid communities and to have better services. This thesis discusses the beneficial of using mobile technology in different fields and analysis different data sources to identify the patterns of opioid overdose in the city of Cincinnati, also it propose a new smartphone app that unifies the efforts of law enforcement and public citizens in fighting the opioid epidemic.

Committee: M. Murat Ozer Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Xuetao Wei Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Information Technology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2019, English

Planning, developing, and assessing sustainable mobile strategies is a challenge that many non-profit organizations face as they build mobile sites, native applications, and mobile experiences with community members. Through interviews with community organization leaders (n=3), community members (n=11), and a survey of a non-profit organization's members (n=266) in the southern Ohio region, this project, Designing Mobile User Experiences for Community Engagement, extends mobile literacy scholarship within the field regarding community-based work and, more recently, mobile communication literacies. Seeking to fill a gap in writing studies research concerning mobile communication strategy in non-profit organizations, this study's research questions include: (1) How do community organizations use mobile technologies and mobile communication practices for community engagement?; (2) What does the mobile technology and strategy development process look like in community organizations? (3) How do community members and leaders define the affordances of mobile technologies?; (4) What purpose do mobile technologies serve in community engagement?; (5) What are the challenges and benefits of using mobile technologies for community engagement purposes? Findings show participants encountered major breakdowns in motivation in using the application regarding three key areas: pertinence, personalization, and duplication of content, rather than issues that would be typically defined as breakdowns in ease of use. Ultimately, this dissertation offers a methodological framework based in activity theory and space as practiced place for studying mobile communication and mobile user experience that highlights identifying motivations and breakdowns that exist across communication ecologies and offers key strategies and practices for building, using, and developing mobile communications for community engagement.

Committee: W. Simmons PhD (Committee Chair) Subjects: Composition; Rhetoric; Technical Communication

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Wright State University, 2017, Engineering PhD

Employing effective and modern educational systems that support augmented learning methods such as mobile-based learning, may offer a promising solution to lowering dropout rates and to improving learning interests in engineering education. Mobile-based learning is capturing tremendous attention due to the affordances mobile devices can offer. This project outlines efforts to integrate mobile-based educational technology into the classroom. Leveraging the affordances, we designed a mobile augmented education tool for basic math and physics concepts that allows access to information and additional learning content within the context of classroom learning. Results from the study indicate that there is significant improvement in overall performance in mathematics and physics for all students. Based on the form-factor analysis, we found that the students highly preferred 7-inch tablet devices for the overall presentation of the content and portability. This research aims to present the framework and design guidelines for mobile-based augmented learning tools intended to enhance engineering education. The design guidelines presented in this research can universally be applied for any classroom assisting mobile augmented education tool. Structural equation model analysis of the questionnaire based data collected from the students also suggests that the designed model predicts the behavioral intention of the test participants accurately. It also proves the validity and reliability of the collected data. Model development process forms a systematic metric to understand the performance of mobile augmented education tools and develops a framework to assess the students' overall attitude towards it. According to the horizon report, as education practices move from formal to informal and collaborative, mobile devices are playing a major role in the transition process. This research is an attempt to provide students with an ability to leverage their day to day devices to assist (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Subhashini Ganapathy Ph.D. (Advisor); Mary Fendley Ph.D. (Committee Member); Xinhui Zhang Ph.D. (Committee Member); Nathan Klingbeil Ph.D. (Committee Member); Wayne Grant Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ling Rothrock Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Engineering

MS, Kent State University, 2017, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Computer Science

Mobile apps and devices provide educators and students many advantages over traditional education technology such as being interactive, immersive and engaging, increase in student's motivation and the ease of personalized and collaborative learning. Research also has provided some evidence that mobile apps and devices are also being used to support learners with special needs and disabilities. Thousands of special educational applications are launched on the iTunes and Google Player daily, but the question for parents, educators, and therapeutic professionals is, how they can identify which applications are worth using. Additionally, in order to know how to effectively use mobile applications in the classroom, educators, and therapeutic professionals need some professional instructional guidance. However, many teachers and therapeutic professionals have rarely received any formal training in the knowledge, skills, and practices that are necessary to integrate mobile technology in ways that will affect positive changes in students. New mobile applications are emerging every day, and one-time training is not possible. In this thesis, we aimed to design and implement a Special Education Apps information management system called SpedApps. SpedApps is not only a scientific, informative and timely applications management system, but also is a searchable online database that catalogs high-quality applications for special education, especially those focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). The database categorizes each app by the app name, publisher, price, objective, content area, domain, audience, and disability tags. Most of the app evaluation reports contain an objective review, evaluating whether the app provides the information such as: practice, feedback, progress, usability, and customization. Users can query the database through different filters such as: app keyword search, app name search, cost, topic search, etc. We first (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Cheng-Chang Lu (Advisor); Richard Ferdig (Committee Member); Austin Melton (Committee Member); Xiang Lian (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2017, Allied Medicine

Background: Many health care providers make an assumption that only certain patients will use online patient portals to access their health information and engage in their own health care. They assume that if patients possess certain characteristics such as being older, less educated or uninsured, they will not have the ability or the means to use a patient portal. They therefore do not offer patient portal access to these patients, contrary to the requirements established by the HITECH Act's Meaningful Use objectives. This assumption has the potential to negatively impact patients who might otherwise utilize these resources to actively engage in their own health care. Previous research has focused on patients' age, gender, geographic location, and socioeconomic status and how those characteristics affect whether patients are offered access to an online patient portal and then whether they use the portal. The research is limited, though, because it has not addressed how these patient characteristics impact patient portal access once it is offered, nor does it address usage via mobile technology. Smartphone usage has become ubiquitous. Patients without regular access to a desktop computer may possess a smartphone or tablet, enabling them to access patient portals via mobile applications. This study evaluated the characteristics of patients using a mobile application to access their patient portal. It determined, based on identified characteristics, whether there were differences between patients who accessed the patient portal via desktop computer and patients who accessed the portal via a mobile application. Design and Methods: Data for the study was collected from the electronic health record reporting database of a large academic medical center in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. The target population for the study consisted of all patients 18 years of age or older who were enrolled in the MyChart® patient portal (Epic Systems Corporation, Vero (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Laurie Rinehart-Thompson JD, RHIA, CHP (Advisor); Jill Clutter PhD (Committee Member); Timothy Huerta PhD, MS (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, EDU Policy and Leadership

Mobile technology and online engagement have rapidly increased in access and use and have become embedded aspects of students' daily lives (personal, social, and academic) due to ubiquity and capability for personalized online interactions; and may have a positive or negative effect on students' use across formal and informal learning environments and students' overall academic success. The purpose of this study was to examine and explore the frequency of students' use of mobile technology for academic and non-academic purposes as well as frequency of students' online engagement in non-academic activities across formal and informal learning environments (e.g. while in class, while studying, and during personal leisure time) and their overall relationship to students' self-regulation & metacognitive tendencies and academic achievement/success. In addressing this purpose five groups of research question were developed. To inform my investigation of post-secondary students' mobile technology use, I developed a conceptual framework that connects three fields of study: (a) Educational technology, (b) Educational psychology, and (c) Student engagement in higher education. The conceptual framework was informed by Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory and triadic reciprocal causality model which was developed focusing on personal, behavioral, and environmental factors that constantly interact and influence one another. This study is among the first to explore connections between these various areas and factors in regards to students' mobile technology use and online engagement across formal and informal learning environments. Participants consisted of 604 students from a large Midwestern university. I developed the Student Mobile Technology Experience (SMTE) Survey. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, one-, two-, and three-way ANOVAs, and various factorial repeated measures ANOVAs (p < 0.05). Significant correlation (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Anika Anthony (Advisor); Richard Voithofer (Committee Member); Kui Kui (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Technology; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Information Technology; Instructional Design

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, Human Ecology: Family and Consumer Sciences Education

Service innovation is crucial to sustaining companies' long-term success. As the role of customers in the process of service production and delivery has increased, service innovation has been proposed as an interactive process that involves input and feedback from consumers. Companies today cannot operate alone in the design and delivery of service innovations. Theories have labelled this interactive innovation process “co-creation of value,” which offers many benefits for both companies and consumers. The conceptualization of value co-creation is supported with technological advancement and technologically sophisticated consumers—Generation Y. Members of Generation Y, with their enthusiasm and facility with mobile technology, have prompted a notable shift in firms' innovation strategies. However, academic research on Generation Y and strategies of value co-creation engagement is limited. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the factors that influence Generation Y consumers to engage in co-creation via mobile technologies in various service contexts (e.g., hotels, restaurants, airlines, healthcare, etc.). Due to the exploratory nature of this study, a sequential mixed research design with qualitative and quantitative phases was employed. In the qualitative phase, two studies (focus group interviews and content analysis of business commentaries) were conducted to explore the research problem and develop an appropriate instrument to measure the construct of engagement in value co-creation, and the antecedents of customer engagement in value co-creation via mobile technologies. In the quantitative phase, a pilot and main study were employed to assess the validity of the measurement scales, as well as to test the proposed relationships. Results indicated that Generation Y consumers are motivated primarily by their peers and other social groups. Specifically, having solid interpersonal and peer networks, and engaging in informal communications are paramount to G (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jay Kandampully (Advisor); Milos Bujisic (Committee Member); Robert Cudeck (Committee Member); Blair Kidwell (Committee Member) Subjects: Behaviorial Sciences

PHD, Kent State University, 2016, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

Current evidence supports the idea that children's physical activity is highly variable, and may be influenced by a variety of factors. Potential factors known to alter children's physical activity behavior that were examined within this dissertation include the use of mobile, internet-connected devices (e.g., tablet computers) or with whom children play (e.g., parents, peers). Therefore, the purpose of Specific Aim #1 was to measure physical and sedentary activity with and without the presence of an Apple iPad in a gymnasium. The purpose of Specific Aim #2 was to measure children's physical and sedentary activity on an outdoor playground during three conditions: playing alone, with their parent participating, and with their friend participating. Twenty children participated in each study where physical and sedentary activity was monitored. Results of Specific Aim #1 concluded that children accumulated fewer accelerometer counts and increased their sedentary behavior (p < 0.05) with the iPad present (1748 ± 1321 counts, 21.6 ± 13.5 min sitting) versus without the iPad present (3328 ± 781 counts, 6.2 ± 5.0 min sitting). The results of Specific Aim #2 concluded that children accumulated fewer sitting minutes and greater physical activity (p < 0.05) when playing with their parent (2.7 ± 7 min sitting, 87503 ± 37063 counts) or friend (0.9 ± 1.4 min sitting, 93363 ± 22608 counts) versus when playing alone (7.8 ± 8.2 min sitting, 70672 ± 35228 counts). These results provide additional information when creating physical activity interventions with the overall goal of increasing children's physical activity behavior.

Committee: Jacob Barkley (Advisor); Ellen Glickman (Committee Member); Andrew Lepp (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2016, Instructional Technology (Education)

Mobile technology has inundated modern society in the form of small always-on and connected devices that can be carried and accessed from nearly everywhere, enabling a wealth of continuous information. As society embraces this norm and technology-driven standards continue to emerge in education, preparing K-12 students for digital media use and information fluency is necessary. Also, finding ways to leverage always-on and connected devices that are already embedded in the lives of school-aged youth, advances opportunities for flexible classroom activities that are not only useful in presenting content, but learner engagement as well. Accordingly, this study explores the lived experiences of teachers' educating students in a bring your own device (BYOD) middle school setting, by which students' have access to and use always-on and connected personal technology in class. The inquiry took place at a suburban science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) middle school in Central Ohio. The participants included five teachers of students from grades 5-8 and two facility administrators from the school. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews; classroom and lab observations; and a follow-up teacher interview survey. The findings revealed that teachers were open to using always-on and connected technology to support both personal and classroom activities. Teachers also embraced and leveraged Chromebooks and smartphones for content delivery, student engagement, and to access internet-based applications for learning. It was also found that the teachers attitudes toward educating students in the connected environment was primarily positive. However, they were more pessimistic about middle school students capabilities for self-guided learning by means of their always-on and connected technology.

Committee: Teresa Franklin (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Middle School Education; Teaching; Technology

Doctor of Engineering, Cleveland State University, 2015, Washkewicz College of Engineering

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have declines in executive function and attention that are accompanied by postural instability and gait dysfunction (PIGD). PIGD and cognitive deficits are debilitating symptoms in PD patients, which become more pronounced during performance of complex tasks, such as performing two concurrent tasks. A significant gap remains in the ability to effectively characterize postural instability in individuals with PD. Clinical evaluation of postural declines is largely subjective while objective biomechanical approaches are expensive and time consuming, thus limiting clinical adoption. Recent advances in mobile devices present an opportunity to address the gap in the quantification of postural stability with and without a concurrent cognitive task. The goal of this dissertation was to determine if a mobile device (Apple iPad) could be used to accurately characterize postural stability and cognitive function under various levels of difficulty and detect differences in performance between individuals with PD and healthy older adults. In Study 1, 17 patients with PD and 17 controls completed a series of postural stability tasks. The motion analysis system and mobile device provided similar measures of stability across groups and kinematic data were capable of discriminating patients from controls. In Study 2, 14 patients with PD and 14 controls completed the Sensory Organization Test (NeuroCom International). Center of mass acceleration measures of stability were sensitive in discriminating sensorimotor function across populations. In Study 3, 28 patients with PD and 28 controls completed a series of postural stability and attention distracting cognitive tasks both alone and simultaneously. Under less complex postural demands, patients prioritized postural stability over the cognitive tasks. During more complex balance conditions, patients exhibited significant decreases in both postural stability and cognition compared to controls, sug (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jay Alberts PhD (Committee Chair); Susan Linder DPT (Committee Member); Andre Machado MD, PhD (Committee Member); Cameron McIntyre PhD (Committee Member); Sridhar Ungarala PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Biomechanics; Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Research; Neurosciences