This study explores the development and implementation of a five-day curriculum designed to enhance students' understanding of algebraic concepts through the integration of educational robotics and growth mindset principles. The study is structured around three research questions that investigate influences on decision-making in curriculum design,…

Today's youth are growing up in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) technologies shape how we live, work, play, socialize, and navigate our world. This rapid technological change is already significantly shifting individuals' lives and the opportunities they can obtain. Thus, researchers, educators, and government leaders must consider how…

This dissertation presents the results and outcomes of an effort to design educational tools and curriculum to improve student learning in introductory programming courses. The work was conducted at the University of California, Merced (UC Merced), situated in the Central Valley of California, and home to a diverse student population. The findings…

This capstone is an exploration of an online learning environment for teachers to receive professional learning at any time, anywhere. The focus of this capstone was to design a series of self-paced, asynchronous learning courses to help teachers implement one-to-one Chromebooks in the Fayette County Public School District. Additionally, the…

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered K-12 education, compelling physical education (PE) instructors to adapt swiftly to remote teaching. This dissertation explores the integration of instructional technology among Missouri PE teachers, analyzing practices before, during, and after the pandemic. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, the…

The purpose of this capstone project was to develop a curriculum product in the form of professional development training that would prepare college faculty to use Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE) course management software in their community college classes. This curriculum project provided faculty members with…

The purpose of this study was to determine in-service teachers' ability to integrate instructional technology into their lesson plans. The Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM 2) survey was used to measure self-reported perceived ability of technology integration. Teacher self-efficacy, computer self-efficacy, and self-efficacy towards technology…

Students in the United States are obtaining more college degrees than ever before. In 1975, 21.9% of Americans held bachelor's degrees, and in 2012, 33.5% of Americans held bachelor's degrees (Rampell, 2013). A study in 2011 indicated that Americans possessing a bachelor's degree earn approximately $2.27 million, those with master's degrees earn…

This dissertation consisted of three different, but conceptually related manuscripts. The series of manuscripts examined psychosocial factors of learning including attitude towards mathematics, motivation to learn mathematics, and satisfaction from the mathematics instruction in both redesigned and traditionally- taught college algebra courses at…

To satisfy demand for online learning opportunities at the high school level, 3 school districts in the northeast United States established a consortium to share resources to develop and deliver online courses. High school teachers who volunteered to develop courses for the consortium attempted the task without previous training in online course…

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how instructional technology impacts teaching and learning. Specifically, in this study I show how learning analytics could be implemented to encourage student responsibility for learning and identify effective faculty course designs that help. Typically, learning analytics focuses on data mining student…

This qualitative design based research study examined the Connected Learning theoretical framework coupled with academic language scaffolds for Long Term English Learners (LTELs) in a secondary public school setting. The participants of this study were students that have been in the United States for more than six years and have yet to be…

The purpose of this institutional ethnography was to explicate the social relations of broadband adoption through the public programs implemented by the Media Mobilizing Project (MMP) between 2009 and 2013, when they operated for the first time in alignment with federal regulations that orchestrated the practice of the Broadband Technology…

The blended learning model, which combines the traditional face-to-face learning method with an online application such as a learning management system (LMS), became popular and more practical for both teachers and learners in foreign and second language education because of its effective methodology for course delivery and socialization…

Preparing teachers for roles in 21st century learning environments has been a challenge for higher education institutions in the United States. In particular, researchers have documented that college preparatory programs should examine current standards as well as pertinent trends in the external environment as a means to tailor coursework. The…