This dissertation conducts an evaluative case study on a community college's Career-Technical Education (CTE) Cultural Resource Management (CRM) technical certificate program to bridge the CRM workforce gap. The study assesses the program's design and development quality by aligning the program theory with stakeholders' needs, including…

In a British Overseas territory, a smoking cessation program was implemented in 2014 and had not been evaluated since inception. The problem that was addressed in this study was that despite the implementation of the "I Can Quit" program, it was unknown which curriculum and instructional strategy interventions participants thought were…

Adjuncts continue to be an integral part of higher education; however, they are rarely onboarded at higher education institutions. Onboarding involves systematically introducing a new employee to an organization's values, processes, and procedures. For adjuncts, they also need formalized training in pedagogy. Without onboarding adjuncts, higher…

Empathy plays a vital role in improving student engagement and supporting organizational change in schools. In fact, empathy is widely recognized as an essential skill for integration during such efforts. In collaboration with Battelle for Kids, the Cumberland Valley School District in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, launched a vision for school…

More than a century of research exists on summer learning loss and summer learning programs. However, many schools continue to underutilize the summer as a period of time in which students with academic deficits can catch up to their peers. Few studies have explored the impacts of summer learning experiences on concentrated, school-level…

The problem addressed in this study was that online training designers experience barriers when implementing evaluations to assess knowledge transfer after 3-6 months. This qualitative exploratory case study aimed to explore online training designers' experiences and perceptions regarding the barriers faced when working with project stakeholders…

Today's college students can choose from a multitude of learning modalities. Many students elect to earn their degrees through 100% online college programs; however, online learners present higher attrition rates than their on-ground peers (Grau-Valldosera et al., 2019). Many theorists attempt to explain how students can succeed in college,…

This qualitative study explores how five Jesuit universities in the United States maintain their mission and identity when partnering with online program managers (OPMs) to develop and support online degree programs. Focusing on the history of online learning and Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy, and using cultural reproduction theory as a lens,…

Many organizations utilize formal mentoring as a means of human resource development. Positive mentoring experiences can lead to positive outcomes for the mentor, mentee, and organization; however, negative mentoring experiences can have the opposite effect. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine how mentees describe…

Wyoming's construction sector faces a growing number of job openings yet contends with a decreasing number of skilled workers. This study explored the Wyoming Construction Workforce Training Program (CWTP) from an inclusivity perspective, investigating the accessible, usable, and relevant instructional design and delivery conditions. Through…

Trends in teacher education increasingly emphasize the need for quality ongoing teacher professional development that is accessible, flexible, fosters advanced skillset development, and has the power to change teachers' practice. Participatory approaches to learning that are situated, collaborative, dialogic, and inquiry-oriented promote the…

This Design-based research study aimed to develop a design framework that would help learning designers to apply learning theory principles when designing learning objects. The study examined the experiential learning theory, information processing theory, and cognitive load theory to develop the iterative learning development (ILD) model. Several…

Quality online course design requires course designers to make carefully informed decisions based on current resources and considerations for the learner. Some faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) design online learning without the assistance of instructional designers, training, or a technological infrastructure that…

Change is a constant in academia, instructional design, delivery, and assessment strategies. Academics must adapt to ensure a continuum of courses that meet learning objectives. This qualitative case study was an exploration of the perceptions, experiences, and strategies used by faculty in higher education institutions who experienced…

The purpose of this study is to investigate how designers of commercial educational mathematics game apps describe various aspects of "integration". My investigation addresses several research questions, including what integration means to designers, why they build it into games, and how they do so. Integration is a concept described in…