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

Stakeholders are interested in using technology to integrate nutrition education into the regular school curriculum as one strategy, among many, to combat the childhood obesity epidemic. The primary purposes of this study were to: (a) gain a better understanding of elementary teachers' perceptions concerning technology integration in nutrition education, and (b) identify factors influencing elementary teachers' self-efficacy for integrating technology into nutrition education. An online survey was used to collect demographic information, teacher perceptions of barriers to using technology to teach nutrition, teacher perceptions of barriers to teaching nutrition in general, teacher perceptions of supports for using technology to teach nutrition, and technology integration self efficacy for teaching nutrition. Frequencies, means, and standard deviations were calculated to gain a better understanding of teacher perceptions related to technology integration and nutrition education. Multiple regression analysis examined whether the variables (nutrition training and technology training) could predict elementary teachers' self-efficacy for utilizing technology to teach nutrition. One hundred sixteen elementary educators from a six county region in West Virginia completed the survey. All educators taught at schools participating in Marshall University's Nutrition Education Program. Results indicate that “Unavailability of personal technology for students' home use to learn nutrition (iPad, laptop, fitness tracker)” was the greatest challenge for teachers in using technology to teach nutrition. The two greatest challenges for teaching nutrition in general were “lack of appropriate resources” and “lack of instructional time.” Results of the multiple regression revealed an overall significant regression (p = .011) with a small effect size. Multiple regression analysis with four forms of training revealed that the variables professional development, undergraduate course, gr (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Greg Kessler PhD (Advisor); Darlene Berryman PhD (Committee Member); Christopher Guder PhD (Committee Member); Min Lun (Alan) Wu PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Elementary Education; Health Education; Nutrition; Teaching

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2018, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

The purpose of this study is to measure factors that may lead to adaptations by teachers in their instructional practices as they relate to technology integration in a 1:1 laptop environment in a Western Pennsylvania school district. Much has been done around the concept of technology integration in schools and the impact or lack of impact on student achievement. Most of the literature on technology use in schools centers around availability and access to technology in the classroom setting. This study looks at the actual integration of technology through instructional delivery in the classroom. Teacher perceptions with regard to their own instructional practices were gathered using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Framework and measured next to classroom observational practices as gathered by building administrators throughout the school year. If teacher perceptions using TPACK correlate with instructional technology delivery as measured by classroom observation using SAMR and the Charlotte Danielson Framework, then districts may be able to ensure their investment in technology by focusing on factors that increase likelihood of actual use in the classroom. Participants in this study reported above average comfort with regard to technology as related to technology knowledge and technology pedagogy knowledge which may be attributed to the time and investment in teaching staff by the district through ongoing professional development activities. In addition, teachers were observed implementing technology in their classrooms, in some cases at a higher level of implementation on the SAMR scale, as observed through walkthrough observations. Finally, the district in this study saw tremendous gains by first time test takers on state the mandated standardized test since the inception of the 1:1 initiative which might be attributed to the above mentioned professional development activities focused on technology, technology content creation, and (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Advisor); Lauren Cummins PhD (Committee Member); Matthew Erickson PhD (Committee Member); Salvatore Sanders PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Inservice Training; Pedagogy; Technology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2022, Instructional Technology (Education)

Using the TESOL Technology Standards for Language Teachers as a framework and following the After Action Review method, this research adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to (a) investigate language teachers' knowledge and skills to integrate technology into instruction in the initial quantitative study (first phase), (b) explore recommendations for developing the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate technology into instruction in the follow-up qualitative study (second phase), and (c) examine the validity/appropriateness of the TESOL Technology Standards for Language Teachers through the mixed results analyses (third phase). The findings of the quantitative phase reveal that participating teachers performed at different levels among the foundational knowledge and skills in technology (Goal 1), the pedagogical knowledge and skills with technology (Goal 2), the knowledge and skills to apply technology in record-keeping, feedback, and assessment (Goal 3), and the use of technology to improve communication, collaboration, and efficiency (Goal 4). The findings of the quantitative study also show that there are correlational relationships between the four goals. The qualitative results in the second phase indicate that interview participants in Group Experienced and Group Novice could provide recommendations and articulate types of support needed at different levels, and both groups need support to improve their technology integration knowledge and skills in instruction. Finally, the mixed results, through the joint displays of the qualitative results and the quantitative results, reveal that the TESOL Technology Standards for Language Teachers remain applicable and helpful to teachers in current educational contexts. However, the findings indicate that due to evolving technology and issues emerging over the decade, further updates for performance indicators are needed. The findings include recommendations for potential updates. This research is (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Greg Kessler (Advisor); David Moore (Committee Member); Jesse Strycker (Committee Member); Yuchun Zhou (Committee Member); Sara Hartman (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Information Technology; Instructional Design; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2022, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

This dissertation explored the systemic factors influencing learners' technology outcomes in a teacher preparation program, specifically addressing technology fluency and the ability to integrate technology into instruction. Using a combination of grounded theory and qualitative program evaluation, this study identified the scope, contexts, and systems of influence and control that have an impact on technology skills development for teacher candidates. Using backward design, this study mapped the learning experiences of teacher candidates, identifying key contributors of technology skills development within the program. Using this analysis, a conceptual framework outlining the flow of systemic influences was created, and a data collection tool was developed to quantify the technology fluency and disposition of program faculty. These tools can be used to identify and evaluate a teacher preparation program's technology outcomes, and evaluate the technology abilities of program staff. Through qualitative interviews, this tool was used to identify the overall temperament toward technology within the program and identify areas in which improvements could be made. Recommendations were made for the specific program in the final chapter.

Committee: Frans Doppen (Committee Chair); Sara Helfrich (Committee Member); Sara Hartman (Committee Member); Greg Kessler (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Software; Educational Technology; Elementary Education; Higher Education Administration; Information Technology; Instructional Design; Organization Theory; Organizational Behavior; Pedagogy; Preschool Education; Reading Instruction; School Administration; Secondary Education; Special Education; Teacher Education; Teaching; Technology

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Leadership Studies

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore how and to what extent teacher educators evaluate, align, and demonstrate technology within teacher preparation programs. The literature revealed the need for teacher educators to follow frameworks, taxonomies, and standards containing technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge utilized appropriately within various contexts. In addition, teacher preparation program leadership can provide relevant and purposively professional learning as well as the support needed for teacher educators when the TPP leadership possesses a basic understanding of adult learning. Using Teacher Educator Technology Competency #1, ten teacher educators were interviewed regarding their experiences utilizing technology within their teacher preparation program. The findings revealed teacher educators, whose technological knowledge, skills, and attitudes varied, utilized a variety of paths in the evaluation, alignment, and demonstration of technology. When their knowledge and skills were put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic, most teacher educators transitioned smoothly to the various formats required by the pandemic and have also seen the “blessings in disguise” from this global challenge. Leadership varies among the institutions represented in the study, particularly in the area of technology integration. Many teacher educators have stepped up to the plate and provided the needed leadership in technology integration. This study has implications for policy and practice in the realms of teacher educator technology competencies, technology infusion throughout teacher preparation programs, professional learning, and leadership.

Committee: Patrick Pauken Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Ellen Gorsevski Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kristina LaVenia Ph.D. (Committee Member); Savilla Banister Ph.D. (Committee Member); Teresa Foulger Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Higher Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Educational Studies

Recently, the United States Department of Education and the main accreditation body of teacher education in the US have called for new teachers to be prepared to effectively use technology upon graduation. To accomplish this, the literature emphasizes targeting their beliefs about technology's value and their abilities to use it. Until now, studies focused on changing these beliefs have largely explored classroom interventions rather than the effect of an entire teacher education program. Furthermore, the traits of the teacher educators and the actions of mentor teachers in the field are often overlooked, with the focus emphasizing specific approaches to technology integration training. To address this gap, this study used online surveys to sample preservice teachers across ten different institutions regarding their field experiences, university coursework, personal beliefs, and application of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in their student teaching placements. Analyses with structural equation modeling indicated that preservice teachers' intrinsic interest and beliefs in the utility of technology in education predicted their application of TPACK. Additionally, their self-efficacy to improve student learning with technology predicted all value beliefs as well as preservice teachers' TPACK application. Regarding the impact of a teacher education program, preservice teachers who rated the Teacher Educator Technology Competencies (TETCs) as prevalent in their coursework had higher self-efficacy and greater levels of TPACK application. Surprisingly, the prevalence of TPACK in field experiences did not impact any of the studied beliefs, though it directly predicted their personal TPACK application.

Committee: Rick Voithofer Ph.D. (Advisor); Kui Xie Ph.D. (Committee Member); Minjung Kim Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Teacher Education

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2019, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

PreK-12 technology leaders are the men and women in senior-level school technology leadership positions. The role of the PreK-12 education technology leader is complex and serves as the centerpiece of school technology leadership. The purpose of this Q methodology study was to examine and emphasize the importance of PreK-12 technology leader perspectives of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs. The unique mix of data gathered in this study provides the information needed to answer the research questions posed; What are the benefits of BYOD from the PreK-12 technology leaders perspective and what are the drawbacks? The findings conclude that BYOD is seen as less of a pedagogical approach and more as a technical one that grants access to the school network and online resources. Technology's role in pedagogy is reflected in the benefits identified by participant viewpoints. The current study found that technology is viewed as improving collaboration, differentiation, and assessment methods. BYOD is seen as having many drawbacks like creating problems when students forget to charge their device, providing increased opportunities for hacking, creating excessive bandwidth usage, not providing a cost savings, exacerbating equitable access concerns, and not improving school-to-home communications. The current study indicates that some participants do not see BYOD itself providing benefits to teaching; they view technology in all its forms as being beneficial to instruction. This distinction is important because it provides evidence of a tarnished view of BYOD. Globally, participant views indicate that 1-to-1 technology programs are the preferred method of getting technology into the hands of students.

Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Advisor); Lauren Cummins PhD (Committee Member); Shawn Golden PhD (Committee Member); Salvatore Sanders PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Information Technology; School Administration; Teaching; Technology

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.

Committee: Teresa Franklin PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Art Criticism; Art Education; Art History; Educational Technology; Fine Arts; Higher Education; Technology

EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2007, Education : Curriculum and Instruction

An Examination of the Relationship between Teachers' Technological Experiences, Skills, and Integrative Practices The purpose of this study was to examine the experiential differences of teachers with respect to technology and to determine whether these differences impact how technology is integrated into the classroom. Changes in the skills sets of younger teachers who have had many years of exposure, training, and use of digital devices suggest possible advantages that novice teachers have over their veteran counterparts. Conversely, teachers with many years of experience have a clearer vision and a practical understanding of what works and what does not work in an instructional setting with diverse learners. Quantitative data was collected from 36 subjects who completed a survey distributed to 63 elementary school classroom teachers. In addition, following an invitation to participate in email interviews, qualitative feedback was received from seven individuals who agreed to provide written reflections about their technological experiences. Data obtained included information about demographics, perception of technical skills, frequency of use, and perceived usefulness of teaching methods in the integration of technology. Comparisons were made based on years of teaching experience as well as gradelevel assignments. Analysis and interpretation of the magnitude of differences was accomplished through the calculation of effect sizes. Use of this descriptive measure provided a means by which to determine whether the differences between the two groups were substantial. The data analysis indicated that while the novice teachers consistently rated themselves more proficient in technical skills than the veteran teachers, both groups perceived their pedagogical skills to be at a comparable level. Overall, however, both groups ranked themselves at or below the midpoint on the scale of expert to novice. Additionally, while many individuals in both groups found particular app (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Janet Bohren (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, ED Teaching and Learning (Columbus campus)

The need for effective teachers is growing while national and state standards are putting ever-increasing demands on teachers and raising expectations for student achievement. Low science and mathematics standardized test scores, particularly in the middle grades, reflect unprepared adolescents, perhaps because of ineffective teaching strategies which result in fewer students seeking STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) careers.The researcher examined the use of problem-based learning, or PBL, with computer simulation, an example of which is the National Engineers Week Future City Competition. A model is to investigate the impact of PBL with computer simulation on a generalized use of inquiry-based instruction, use of technology in instruction, integration of science disciplines, and understanding of the nature of middle level learners. Following a review by a panel of experts and a field test, a questionnaire was given to all Ohio teachers who had enrolled and competed in the program on the state level during the 2008-2009 academic year, as well as those teachers competing at the national level. In addition to demographics and background questions, the teachers were asked to self report on the impact of problem-based learning with computer simulation on frequency of inquiry-based teaching strategies and agreement on technology education,integration of science disciplines, and their understanding of their middle level students. Via sampling of the participants, 15 interviews were conducted after the questionnaire. Significant areas were found regarding the teachers' Internet access at home and science agreement, number of technology college courses and inquiry frequency, technology professional development and both technology agreement and understanding of middle level learner agreement, past use of problem-based learning with computer simulation and inquiry frequency, gender and inquiry frequency, the teachers' Internet access in the classroom and t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Haury PhD (Advisor); Karen Zuga PhD (Committee Member); Robert Hite PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Science Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Educational Policy and Leadership

In this inquiry it is argued that examining teacher issues and needs is profoundly important in understanding the successes and failures in the process of integrating technology into education. Given this argument, the study sought to understand those issues and needs by exploring the implementation process of four teacher educators involved in an implementation grant whose goals were to integrate technology into teacher education programs. This qualitative study (1) described the issues and needs of four teacher educators; (2) examined the processes in which the teacher educators engaged to transform their pedagogy; (3) analyzed what impeded or encouraged a beneficial transformation of pedagogy; and (4) reflected critically upon my role as a researcher-technologist-graduate student in this process. Based upon participant observation, unstructured interviews, weekly group meetings, material culture, and a researcher log, it was seen that the teacher educators implemented a variety of technological processes. Such processes were faculty development, technology exploration in the classroom, asynchronous communication, and on-line courseware. The inquiry found that the teacher educators experienced issues and needs that directly affected the success or failure of their technology attempts. Such issues were time, relevance, centrality, community, and money. It was also asserted that the researcher was often conflicted in her role as a researcher, a graduate student, and an educator. These roles often contradicted each other and affected the manner in which interaction among participants occurred. Further, it was hypothesized that the technological goals for the researcher often varied from those of the teacher educators, and it was asserted that understanding the teachers' goals, objectives, and philosophical beliefs are essential to a technologist – teacher relationship. Conclusions drawn in this study regarding the teachers' evolution of technology integration were sl (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Suzanne Damarin (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Technology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2009, Curriculum and Instruction Instructional Technology (Education)

The use of technology in education is one of the major trends in educational reforms all over the world. Integrating technology into the learning and teaching processes is widely perceived as a great assert in those reforms. However, the implementation process of technology integration has been surrounded by skepticism concerning its effectiveness. Challenges to and gaps in technology integration have been identified and discussed by scholars based on different contexts. In the context of higher education in developing countries, despite notable progress, many challenges loom concerning the use of technology.The purpose of the study was to investigate and evaluate the nature of technology implementation at the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. The study examined the classroom practices and what surrounded the learning and teaching processes using technology from the perspective of teachers and students. It also evaluated the use of technology at the University based on four of Ely‚s eight conditions for adoption of innovations and ACOT‚s stages of development of technology integration. Two research strategies were used: Interviews and document analysis. Twenty-four students, ten faculty members, one head of a department, and one faculty dean were interviewed. They were selected from the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Education. The findings revealed that although there were significant efforts and positive attitudes toward the use of computers in learning and teaching, the process of technology integration at the university faced impediments that affected its effectiveness. The impediments included lack of enough computers, absence of sound computer knowledge and skills of teachers and students so as to effectively integrate technology into learning and teaching, absence of adequate and effective teachers‚ professional development programs on technology, and lack of effective technology planning and technology plans. The result of this study indicated that (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Teresa, J. Franklin PhD (Committee Chair); Sundra Turner PhD. (Committee Member); Scott Jarvis PhD. (Committee Member); Adah, W. Randolph PhD. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Teaching; Technology

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

This study was designed to investigate the relationship of teacher education faculty members' attitudes and their perceptions of technology professional development needs with faculty technology use for teaching and learning in two Ghanaian tertiary teacher education institutions. The study was based on Rogers' (1995) Diffusion of Innovations (DoI) theory, the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) of Hall and Hord (1987), and Ely's (1999) conditions for educational technology innovations as theoretical frameworks. The study used survey methodology supplemented by interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed using multiple regression. Participants in the study were 132 faculty members of the University of Education, Winneba and the Faculty of Education of the University of Cape Coast, both Ghanaian teacher education institutions. The faculty technology survey consisted of 65 items factored into five factors. The results showed that: (i) faculty perceptions of the effects of technology use on pedagogy and students' learning, (ii) faculty perceptions of barriers and challenges to the adoption and use of technology for teaching and learning, and (iii) faculty motivation for adoption of instructional technology made unique significant contributions to explaining faculty use of technology for teaching and learning. According to the interviews and responses to an open-ended question on the survey, this study also found that the contextual conditions that facilitate educational technology innovations were not met in the two participating universities. The majority (55.7%) of participants were at the non-adopter stages of technology adoption, based on the CBAM stages of adoption survey. The study offered faculty members an opportunity to voice their concerns and views concerning their institutions' technology integration programs. The findings could inform university management about technology decisions to promote the use of instructional technology among faculty members. (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sandra Turner (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Education, Miami University, 2008, Educational Psychology

The purpose of this study was to investigate special education teacher beliefs, knowledge and use of assistive technology for students with learning disabilities in writing. A ten question survey was administered to a random sample of special education teachers in Ohio. Participants viewed technology as beneficial, but use and knowledge of assistive technology was limited. Reasons revealed were demands for training and resource availability and student needs. Value placed on technology, current education, and years of teaching experience did not correlate with participants feeling adequately trained to use assistive technology or have an impact on level of assistive technology integration. Possible reasons included inadequate teacher training, lack of teachers seeing student need for assistive technology, and the rate of technology change.

Committee: Leah Wasburn-Moses PhD (Committee Chair); Doris Bergen PhD (Committee Member); Lori Tanner PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2011, Career and Technology Education/Technology

Visual information, technology, and the Internet are transforming the fundamental structure of education in many ways and this includes art education. Technology is a key component in today's classroom and knowing how to use it effectively to engage today's media savvy culture can be difficult. Students today expect technology to be an integral part of their education. The problem of this study was to identify strategies for enhancing college level art photography courses through the creative integration of technology. The results of this study indicate that technology is an important part of education in today's digital world. Encouraging creativity by teaching students about art and exploring art challenges them to use creativity to solve problems and conceive new ideas. As education evolves in the 21st century it will be important to integrate technology into traditional studio art courses in order to facilitate technology literacy. A final checklist of strategies for enhancing higher education art photography courses through the creative integration of technology is presented in appendix J and includes important information regarding learning goals, learning outcomes, technology resources, and effective pedagogical integration of technology into art photography courses in higher education.

Committee: Terry Herman EdD (Advisor); Donna Trautman PhD (Committee Member); Thomas Siebenaler M.Ed (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Pedagogy; Technology

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Leadership Studies

Despite technological advancements intended to enhance teaching and learning in the 21st century, numerous teacher and school factors continue to impede quality classroom technology use. Determining the effectiveness of educational technology is challenging and requires a detailed understanding of multifaceted, complex, contextual relationships. The purpose of this correlational study was to identify factors that predict quality classroom technology use and inform educators about effective technology integration.The researcher analyzed both Technology-Related (Risk-taking Behaviors and Comfort with Technology, Perceived Benefits of Using Technology in the Classroom, Beliefs and Behaviors about Classroom Technology Use, Teacher Support for Technology Use, Teacher Technology Proficiency, and Technology-Related Professional Development) and Non-Technology-Related (Teacher Self-Efficacy, Teaching Philosophy, Teaching Professionalism: Hours Beyond Contract, and Teaching Professionalism: Years Teaching Experience) variables in regard to Teacher, Student, and Overall Technology Use. Five research questions were developed to investigate factors of quality classroom technology use. This study relied primarily upon two frameworks to identify factors that predict and a method of measuring quality classroom technology use. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) is a conceptually-based theoretical framework for understanding the complex relationships between Technology, Pedagogy, and Content that pertain to classroom technology use. In addition, the study also utilized a framework, the Tiers of Technology Integration into the Classroom Indicators (TTICI), which was developed by the Washington State Technology Integration into the Curriculum Working Group (2005). The researcher applied the TTICI framework in order to generate technology integration scores, based upon levels (low, moderate, high) of quality classroom technology use. Two online surveys were administere (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rachel Vannatta Reinhart (Advisor); Judith Zimmerman (Committee Member); Beth Christoff (Committee Member); Savilla Banister (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; School Administration; Teaching; Technology

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2006, Career and Technology Education/Technology

Public education in the United States is in a notable state of transition regarding its use of computer technology as a tool to help educate K-12 students, but usage in the classrooms of American public schools is inconsistent and far from reaching its full potential, according to a report issued in 2003 by the National Research Council. Advocates who endorse interactive multimedia as part of computer based instruction believe that it can enhance teaching and learning because it can combine the benefits of visual and audio media with sophisticated programming to offer useful feedback during instruction. If interactive multimedia truly has the potential to enhance teaching and learning, then it should be studied. This descriptive study explored the use of interactive multimedia as an instructional resource in middle schools located throughout northwest Ohio. The research method for this study was a survey sent to middle school teachers. The sample was a stratified convenience sample of schools selected from urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout northwest Ohio. Teachers were asked if they used interactive multimedia in their classrooms, and were also asked what subject matter they taught, how many years they had been teaching, and what their gender was. A slightly larger majority of the teachers that responded to the survey indicated that they do use interactive multimedia as part of their classroom instruction, but responses were different between the strata, and it became apparent that most teachers still used interactive rarely during the school year. It was also discovered that a majority of teachers who indicated that they do not use interactive multimedia listed reasons that seemed more circumstantial in nature, rather than due to choice or personal preference not to use it. Lack of computers and lack of training emerged as the two most common deterrents as to why those teachers were not using interactive multimedia as part of their instruction. The (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Gene Poor (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Technology

Master of Computing and Information Systems, Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems

The field of coding education is rapidly evolving, with emerging technologies playing a pivotal role in transforming traditional learning methodologies. This thesis introduces Dr. Lego, an innovative framework designed to revolutionize the assessment and understanding of block-based coding through the integration of sophisticated deep learning models. Dr. Lego combines cutting-edge technologies such as MobileNetV3 (Howard, 2019), for visual recognition and BERT (Devlin et al., 2018), and XLNet (Yang et al., 2019) for natural language processing to offer a comprehensive approach to evaluating coding proficiency. The research methodology involves the meticulous curation of a diverse dataset comprising projects from the LEGO SPIKE app (LEGO Education, 2022), ensuring that the models are subjected to a broad range of coding scenarios. Leveraging the dynamic educational environment provided by the LEGO SPIKE app (LEGO Education, 2022), Dr. Lego empowers users to design and implement various coding projects, fostering hands-on learning experiences. This thesis delves into methodologies aimed at enhancing coding education by exploring model integration, data generation, and fine-tuning of pre-trained models. Dr. Lego not only evaluates coding proficiency but also provides cohesive and insightful feedback, enhancing the learning experience for users. The adaptability of the framework highlights its potential to shape the future of coding education, paving the way for a new era of interactive and engaging learning experiences.

Committee: Abdu Arslanyilmaz PhD (Advisor); Feng Yu PhD (Committee Member); Carrie Jackson EdD, BCBA (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science; Engineering; Information Systems; Robotics; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2024, Educational Leadership

Faculty professional learning on integrating educational technology in instruction is a critical part of the professional growth of Caribbean medical school faculty. Integrating educational technology in instruction to facilitate learning may be effective when faculty engage in intentional and reflective professional learning activities. Despite the significance of faculty professional learning in this area, a lacuna appears in the research done in the Caribbean region hence the study I conducted to understand how medical faculty make sense of their experiences. I conducted a phenomenological study with seven participants at one Caribbean medical school. I used purposive sampling to recruit the seven faculty members based on their active participation in professional learning activities geared toward integrating educational technology in their teaching in the past four years at their school. I conducted semi-structured interviews via Microsoft Teams to gather data on this common phenomenon. I then used Moustakas's (1994) modified Van Kaam Phenomenological Data Analysis Method to analyze the data and obtain the horizons of the experience. Using the horizons of the experience (Moustakas, 1994), I produced a textural portrait of the experience of each participant. Following imaginative variation that reveals the structures contributing to the quality of the experience, I constructed a structural portrait of each participant's experience. Gazing at the textural and structural portraits, I constructed a composite structural portrait of the participants' experience from which nine universal themes emerged. The themes were: diversity of professional learning activities; the centrality of pedagogy; curiosity and motivation; the significance of educational degree programs; the illusion of learner digital nativity; supportive leadership; technological unpreparedness for the pandemic; enticement by technological substitution; and pedagogical wisdom in technology selection. The (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Thomas S. Poetter (Advisor); Dr. Sherrill S. Sellers (Committee Member); Dr. Guy Parmigian (Committee Member); Dr. Joel Malin (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Instructional Design; Pedagogy; Teaching

Bachelor of Arts, Walsh University, 2023, Honors

Pediatric occupational therapy is a common form of therapy used to treat children with all types of developmental delays and diagnoses. One main developmental delay for school-aged children six to twelve years of age are fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are movements that are smaller than that of gross motor and involve the hands, wrists, and fingers. In school, fine motor skills include things like cutting, coloring, drawing, and handwriting. School-based occupational therapists (SBOT) play a significant role in supporting developmentally delayed children through individualized interventions to help each individual student be able to accomplish crucial fine motor milestones. In this research, interview data was collected from nine SBOT practitioners concerning the most effective interventions for fine motor delays from their perceptions and compared to that of supported research articles. The significance of this study was to identify if a group of local SBOT practitioners utilize evidence-based fine motor interventions or other approaches in practice. This results determined that SBOT practitioners' intervention techniques for fine motor skills aligned with that of empirically supported research. The main point of this research study was supported, but other findings concerning fine motor intervention in schools were recognized for future direction. Several SBOT practitioners and several research articles noted the need for collaboration of teachers, parents, and aids in expediting student fine motor development.

Committee: Dr. Joseph Wayand (Advisor); Dr. Nina Rytwinski (Committee Co-Chair); Dr. Carey Minard (Committee Chair) Subjects: Continuing Education; Early Childhood Education; Health Education; Occupational Therapy; Teacher Education