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.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2019, Educational Leadership

This study investigated students' attitudes toward massive open online courses (MOOCs) and their intention to use MOOCs for learning. Participants were administered a pre-existing survey that examined their future use of MOOCs based on the three theories: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), learning strategies, and cognitive appraisal. Demographic variables of gender, age, and education level were also assessed for MOOC usage. The sample included 787 students (592 males and 195 females) enrolled in a MOOC at five Research I and five Basic Universities in the United States. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that gender (females) was the strongest predictor of students' intention to use MOOCs in their learning process, followed by technology usage factors (i.e., perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use), a surface approach to learning, and appraisal factors of threat and challenge (i.e., students felt uncertain (threatened) by the subject matter but were confident (challenged) by using a MOOC for learning). A MANOVA analysis showed that age differences had no significant impact on usage factors or intention to use MOOCs. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed. Future research to understand the gender and racial imbalance in MOOCs, as well as the perspectives and experiences of female and low-income students (and underrepresented populations) taking MOOCs should be explored. Finally, as online platforms continue to evolve, policymakers and higher education administrators should consider partnerships with industry leaders and MOOC providers to develop innovative solutions for offering MOOCs in the workplace and in high schools to provide a seamless entry to college.

PHD, Kent State University, 2015, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Faculty satisfaction with designing online courses matters a great deal, for a number of reasons. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether applying the Quality MattersTM Rubric [QMR] as a foundation for online course design increases faculty's self-reported levels of satisfaction with online courses designed using the QMR, in comparison to faculty's self-reported levels of satisfaction with online courses that were not designed using the QMR. The local and national importance of this study is fully underscored by an increased emphasis from government, employers, and other stakeholders, on the rigor and role faculty play in creating efficacy through the medium of instruction, particularly online instruction. This study explored and answered the question: Does the design mode make a difference to faculty's self-reported levels of satisfaction in terms of online course design? The Online Faculty Satisfaction Survey [OFSS], originally developed by Bolliger & Wasilik (2009), was augmented as the Online Faculty Satisfaction Survey-Revised [OFSS-R], and was distributed throughout private higher education institutions in the state of Ohio. There is a clear link between an increased level of faculty satisfaction and an increased level of student satisfaction in their experiences throughout online course. Therefore, it was important for this researcher to establish whether the QMR provided different levels of satisfaction when compared to other instructional design models, and the hypotheses were established to test these differences. However, analysis found no significant difference in faculty self-reported satisfaction levels between the QMR and other instructional design methods in terms of designing online courses. For this researcher, this shall be a matter of future study.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2006, English

This analysis reviews key studies that report common ‘technical difficulties' encountered by many instructors as they implement online technology into their curricula and compares these problems with similar implementations that were more successful or that emphasized instructional strategies that may counteract or prevent such difficulties in similar curriculum modifications. Along with the pedagogical theories of noted psychologists and educational theorists John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Albert Bandura, this analysis further examines the program design of five online technologies utilized in university-level technology-based classes: course Web shells represented by the platform Blackboard, multi-user domain (MUD) environments represented by LinguaMOO, Weblogs (blogs) as maintained on public forums, personal data/file player devices represented by Apple's iPod, and email (as maintained through personal or university accounts/servers). With this analysis, ten final guidelines that emphasize multimedia literacy and cognitive/pedagogical value are offered as considerations for curriculum designers implementing technology into their instruction.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2007, Secondary Education

This research developed a model of how learners in an e-learning environment evolved into a learning community despite their temporal and geographical separation from each other. The constant comparative method of analysis was used throughout open, axial, and selective coding procedures akin to the Grounded Theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin). Microscopic analysis centered primarily on comprehensive threaded discussion board data (more than 6,000 speech segments) for five graduate level courses, including both learner and instructor posts. Analysis revealed a substantive theory entitled Online GROUP Development that detailed five categorical stages - Greeting, Relating, Operating, Unifying, and Parting. The five stages outlined the process of how individuals, through their asynchronous threaded discussion board postings, evolved in their dialogue with one another to forge into an online learning community that evidenced increasing levels of cognitive, social, and affective evolvement with one another across time. Four properties, labeled 4C Interaction, were identified and further differentiated each process stage. Additional analysis revealed a structure that promoted and nurtured conditions that fostered the development process. These conditions were labeled the Main Conditions Present and included three sets of variables that provided the foundation from which the evolution of Online GROUP Development occurred.

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

COVID-19 pushed online learning to a greater level of prominence in 2020 faster than anyone could have ever predicted. This sudden push highlighted the level of unpreparedness of many educators to effectively teach in online learning environments possibly due to their teacher education training. Demonstrating empirical best practices for effective online education for teachers is rarely done but necessary as we emphasize that the possibilities of online learning are infinite including creating opportunities not possible, practical, or requiring different approaches than in physical classrooms. In this dissertation, I investigated if commonly recommended active learning and design best practices combined with supports to enhance Vygotsky's popular Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory can create an effective online learning environment for teacher candidates (TCs) and are ZPD supports an additive theory in the design of online learning environments. Seventy-one TCs from a large mid-western university in the United States completed online learning modules designed using a leading online course design platform (Articulate 360), with learner-centered active learning activities, authentic assessments, and supports including tutorials, animations, and case studies. TCs completed a pre-post multiple-choice quiz and evaluated the online learning experience, using two validated surveys (course design and active learning) and a ZPD survey created for this study. Findings indicate that upon completing and evaluating the modules TCs perceived the active learning components (feedback, interest, interactive engagement, and problem-solving) and the online learning environment principles implemented in the intervention as present, and they had a positive perception of the design of online learning modules. Feedback and interactive engagement positively predicted problem-solving and were significant predictors however, feedback was only significant when used as a sole predict (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Education, Cleveland State University, 2018, College of Education and Human Services

Critical thinking is widely accepted as a primary goal of higher education. The skills and dispositions of critical thinking have much in common with those of information literacy, and instruction librarians could improve their information literacy instruction by integrating critical thinking. However, it is not currently clear to what extent instruction librarians encourage critical thinking in their teaching. Moreover, rather than credit-bearing courses, much of library instruction currently consists of either “one-shot” (single class period) sessions or online learning objects which students complete asynchronously. This study focuses on online learning objects, which are often created with great effort, have long-lasting value, and may serve as a substitute for classroom learning for distance students. This study attempts to determine the ways and extent to which online information literacy learning objects follow best practices for teaching and assessing critical thinking. To accomplish this, the researcher examined a sample of information literacy online learning objects archived in the Academic and Research Library Association's (ACRL's) repository of peer-reviewed information literacy online instruction materials, PRIMO (Peer-Reviewed Instructional Materials Online). A representative sample of PRIMO online learning objects from the five years preceding this study was assessed against a rubric of best practices for teaching and assessing critical thinking in online information literacy learning objects. The rubric was developed based on a thorough literature review. The resulting analysis provides evidence of the extent to which information literacy online learning objects adhere to best practices for teaching and assessing critical thinking. While not all critical thinking instructional and assessment strategies were well-suited to asynchronous online learning object platforms, some strategies were used creatively and effectively in online learning ob (open full item for complete abstract)

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

Critical thinking for profoundly gifted students in a blended learning environment is an area of research that has not been thoroughly explored. While the number of online and blended learning classrooms for gifted students has increased exponentially over the last decade, the scholarly literature in this area is limited, both by the small number of studies being done with gifted students and the limited research on higher order thinking in online blended learning environments. This research used a holistic single case study method to examine critical thinking in the online component of a blended learning environment using the Newman et al. critical thinking content analysis model as a theoretical framework. It is noted here that the categories of Newman's model are listed in italic bold throughout the dissertation in contradiction to APA style. The case study design was appropriate because it allowed the researcher to examine the phenomena of critical thinking taking place in various learning strategies using common asynchronous writing tools, through the lens of profoundly gifted high-school students. Online tools (discussion forums, blogs, Google Docs) did not seem to influence critical thinking in this case study. The data within all three tools (discussion forums, blogs and Google Docs) showed that justification, linking ideas, ambiguities, and outside knowledge were the strongest areas of critical thought. The data examining online strategies (structured, scaffolded, open-ended, debate/argument, role play, peer edits, and literary criticism) also showed that students were most comfortable using justification, linking ideas, ambiguities, and outside knowledge in their writing. It is unclear how much of an impact the lack of teacher presence and social presence had on tools and strategies implemented in this study. However, the poststudy responses from the instructor and students seem to support Garrison's theory of Community of Inquiry in suppor (open full item for complete abstract)

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)

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.

Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.) in Instructional Design Leadership, Franklin University, 2022, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

Online course persistence at community colleges is a serious issue, with students being between 3 and 15 percentage points more likely to withdraw than those taking the on-campus equivalent (Xu et al., 2019). Despite the continued growth in distance education, quality online course design is a concern throughout the literature. This quantitative, causal-comparative study aimed to investigate the existence of a statistically significant relationship between online course templates, using Quality Matters Specific Review Standards, and online course completion rates at one Midwestern Community College. An ex post facto causal-comparative method was chosen for this study because the Midwestern Community College progressively implemented Quality Matters Specific Review Standards over three Fall academic terms providing an opportunity to investigate increasing quality standards through online templates, retrospectively, in a naturally occurring environment. Descriptive Statistics, Linear Regression, and a One-Way ANOVA were employed in the data analysis. The study results revealed a statistically significant relationship between online course completion rates and online course templates using QM Specific Review Standards.

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

Online learning is one of the fastest growing trends in education. A practical problem faced by instructional designers and online instructors is how to design an interactive learning activity that benefits content mastery without adding technological barriers. The online discussion forum provides quick solutions because it is usually ready for use in mainstream online learning systems and affords peer interaction and online community building in a flexible manner. This dissertation sets the study site to asynchronous argumentative discussion, a type of online forum activity that minimizes the need of communication immediacy and maximizes the quality of communication. Asynchronous argumentative discussions can foster not only purposeful social interaction among online learners but also higher-order cognitive processing of learning content. Previous studies show promising results that learners engage in more cognitive elaboration and acquire argumentation knowledge when the discussion process is well facilitated. However, challenges exist due to the nature of asynchronous communication, the heavy load on reading and writing, and the declined participation before reaching learning objectives. This study applied self-regulated learning theory to explore the possible benefit of using self-regulatory strategies for asynchronous argumentative discussions. Specifically, the study examines how goals, writing, responding, and reflection strategies may influence students' participation performance from both quantity and quality aspects. The four research questions of the study are: (1) How do students set goals for asynchronous argumentative discussions? (2) Can goals predict students' participation quantity? (3) Can goals predict students' use of self-regulatory strategies (i.e., writing, responding, reflection strategies)? (4) What are the relationships between goals, self-regulatory strategies, and post quality? This study recruited 203 college students as participa (open full item for complete abstract)

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)

Master of Science, Miami University, 2019, Physics

The reading and study habits of students is of great interest to educators and those who study education. Additionally, e-book usage is becoming more prevalent in the classroom. We have conducted a study on the usage and integration of a social annotation e-book reader, Perusall, in introductory physics classes. Perusall allows annotating and commenting in a social environment on an assigned reading from a text. These annotations are based on predefined settings and proprietary algorithms. We have implemented Perusall in introductory level, calculus-based physics courses for two academic years. The classes met three times a week and each class included a reading assignment due before the next class. We obtained data that included time information, the number of annotations made, and data on how the class as a whole used the textbook on a page-by-page basis, in terms of number of page views and time on the page. Along with this data we also have information on how the students' final grades. Lastly, we have surveyed students on their experience using Perusall and collected demographic data. Here we examine the results of this two-year study on using Perusall in these classes and the students involved.

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

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two modes of instruction when teaching a complex topic in an online course. Additional variables included instructor monitoring and attitude towards group learning. Students in online courses that included Microsoft Access were the participants of the study. Participants were given either a problem based learning activity or a structured online tutorial to learn how to create an effective relational database. Using the difference between pre- and post-test scores, there were no significant results. However, there were several interesting trends. Participants who engaged in the problem based learning activity performed better on the posttest than those who were given the structured online tutorial. One hypothesis was that students who preferred working in groups would perform better when given the problem based learning activity, and those who preferred working alone would perform better with the tutorial; results showed that those who preferred working alone performed better regardless of activity, and students who preferred to work in groups scored much lower on the posttest when assigned the tutorial, indicating that attitude towards group learning was more important for those who preferred working in groups. Understanding how students learn and implementing the best ways to teach complex topics will result in greater comprehension and performance. More research is needed to determine best strategies, but this study introduced many combinations of teaching styles, attitudes towards group learning, and instructor communications, which all impact student achievement.

Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing​, University of Findlay, 2015, English

As online writing instruction (OWI) rises in prevalence at U.S. universities, the need for research into effective pedagogies increases. Using interview and observation data from first year composition instructors, this thesis argues instructors' experiences with course management systems (CMS) and therefore the way they teach in those spaces are shaped by the limitations and constraints they perceive as existing in those spaces. While instructors recognize the potential significance of CMS, there is still great disparity between instructors' practices in face to face and CMS spaces with many instructors failing to see their use of CMS as part of the teaching practice.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2005, Educational Policy and Leadership

With the turn to the 21st century, online schools have received a great deal of attention in that they provide students with another type of learning beyond traditional brick and mortar classrooms. Even though brick and mortar schools are still the major school system in the U.S., the number of students who enroll online schools has been growing remarkably during the past decade. Given that cyberspace is a cultural space, online schools can build online learning communities and provide students and teachers with social interactions. In this light, situated learning is an appropriate lens for investigating learning in cyberspace. Based on interpretive paradigm, this study was designed to explore how online school students become part of an online learning community through legitimate peripheral participation in the community of practice. A qualitative research in cyberspace was conducted in an online school over four and half months. My participants were sixteen 8th grade students and four 8th grade teachers. Participant observation, interviews, and document analysis were conducted for data collection. Using an inductive analytical approach, qualitative data analysis software, NUD*IST Version 6, was employed for data analysis. The primary finding of this study is that the online school had a very weak online learning community where participants rarely had social interactions with other students. This meaningful finding seemed to be related with many other important findings about the school system and its purpose and students' expectations to the school. The finding not only has several pedagogical implications but also raises a question of what schools' role should be. Some other important findings of the study include: a) factors that influenced my participants' transfer into the online school, b) not making students be engaged in situated practice in online textbooks, c) participants or their parents' active choice of online schools, d) participants' fluid person (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2012, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

Previous studies indicate that in comparison to face-to-face learning environment, online discussion requires students to engage each other at higher levels of thinking and not restrict themselves to recalling facts (Bell, 2006). A higher level of thinking in the learning process is observed when learners take responsibility of their learning process and exercise self-regulation. Although instructors usually use educational technology, such as online discussion forums, to encourage learners' interaction, at times the technology seems not to be fully integrated in instruction. (Scardamalia, (&) Bereiter, 2008). Scardamalia and Bereiter (2008) stated that educational technologies should not be regarded as mere technological innovations, but as a part of instructional design. Treating online discussion boards, chat rooms or wikis as part of instructional design encourages higher level learning practices (Nussbaum et al., 2002(;) Scardamalia, (&) Bereiter, 2008). This study explored the potential of online discussion board forums to support thoughtful dialogue that contributes to higher levels of thinking. Previous studies have indicated that although online discussion forums have the potential to enhance student engagement in reflective learning, the quality of this reflection is often shallow (Marttunen and Laurinen (2001(;) Nussbaum et al., 2002(;) Scardamalia, (&) Bereiter, 2008). Transformative learning theory enabled this study evaluate participants' perception of their learning experiences and progress in online discussion forums. The finding of this study was that participants of online discussion forum perceive transformative learning as a two-dimensional construct. This is inconsistent to previous studies proposing a four-dimensional construct (Mezirow, 2003). Further analysis of the collected data suggested that within the online discussion forums gender has no significant impact on learners' engagement in reflective learning practices. Neither do class-lev (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2007, Educational Research and Evaluation (Education)

This study investigated the influence of four identity-enhancing (IDE) features on online discussion participation, discussion quality, and students' sense of satifisfaction. IDE features included avatars, signatures, point systems, and rankings which are commonly found in digital games. From the perspective of sociology, communication theories, behaviorism, and metacognition, avatars and signatures could enrich the static presentation of students' virtual identities while point systems and rankings provide students with self-monitoring clues and a videogame-like competitive environment. A modified PhpBB2 Forum was used as the platform to implement the experiment. The experiment was conducted in six sections of an introductory instructional technology course and an introductory philosophy course at two Midwestern universities. The 124 students were assigned to either the experimental group, which 4 used the IDE discussion forum, or the comparison group, which used the same forum but without the IDE features. The results found that a forum designed with IDE features could significantly promote discussion participation and increase students' sense of satisfaction with the discussion forum. We also found that students of different backgrounds have differential preference for each IDE feature. Students who have more video game experience and online discussion experience prefer avatars and signatures more than those who have less experience.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2007, Instructional Technology (Education)

This study considered Appalachian Ohio public school district superintendents and high school principals and their perceptions of and experiences with online courses. Paper and pen surveys were mailed to all superintendents and principals in the 29 county Appalachian Ohio region. Of the 263 survey packets mailed, 77% of the principals and 74% of the superintendents responded to the survey. Of the returned surveys, 55% of the high schools in the region reported offering online courses to students. This is considerably higher than the national average. Schools not offering online learning opportunities had larger student bodies, offered more traditional Advanced Placement courses, and had principles with fewer years experience in the position. Administrators agreed that online courses required independent and responsible learners. Analysis of the closed-ended survey items revealed principals and superintendents agreed that online courses could be used to expand course offerings including Advanced Placement courses, for remediation, and for homebound students. Principals and superintendents reported that online courses should only be used as an alternative and not a replacement for the traditional classroom. Analysis of the open-ended survey items showed administrators had strong reservations toward using online courses for anything but an alternative to the traditional classroom. Administrators cited lack of student motivation and lack of social interaction as particular problems with online courses. Several administrators who were happy with their online program cited the use of a mentor as key to a student's completion and achievement in an online course.