Navigating indoors without a map can be challenging, especially for visually impaired individuals in unfamiliar settings. Many existing indoor navigation methods rely on building maps, pre-deployed infrastructure (like BLE beacons or RFID), or visual-based systems that require a clear line of sight to a camera. These requirements can make…

As the digital revolution unfolds, individuals are increasingly transforming their traditional homes into smart homes, adopting semi- and fully automated smart devices. This transformative shift, fueled by advancements in information technology, presents vast social and economic opportunities. Despite the burgeoning number of smart devices in the…

Children's exposure to technology primarily depends on parental decisions concerning when and how to introduce them to technology and some parents are not aware of the dangers on cognitive and social growth. However, there are significant research gaps on the factors that influence parental decisions on introducing preschool-aged children to…

Stress can have a negative effect on overall well-being, trigger physical disease, and contribute to mental health disorders. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is frequently used in research. However, there are limited studies on the test-retest reliability of the PSS-10 with adults, and no studies could be identified that tested this…

This study explored how developing digital literacy skills could influence digital self-efficacy, cognitive load, mindfulness, and productivity among Generation Z college students in Karachi, Pakistan, using the Pauseitive app. With digital tools playing an ever-growing role in education, understanding their impact on students' mental processes…

Research with adults suggests that contemplative practices such as meditation and relaxation techniques have a variety of benefits, from improving awareness to reduced stress and anxiety. Increasingly, these practices are being adapted in educational settings to foster the development of key self-regulatory skills required for improved learning…

Recent advances in mobile technologies have prompted their investigation as tools for language learning. Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) offers the advantage of flexible language support, enabling learners to choose when and where they learn and the methods that suit them. The constant connectivity of modern mobile phones allows learners…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience skill deficits when interacting with typical peers, which can inhibit their ability to form friendships and participate in inclusive educational settings. In the current study, the researcher evaluated the effects of delivering textual prompts using an Apple Watch® to increase appropriate…

Mindfulness apps have shown promise to reduce stress and improve well-being among college students however the mechanisms of these beneficial effects are less clear. In addition, findings are inconclusive about the necessary dose of mindfulness app usage to achieve improvements in mental health. Thus, more dose-response research is needed on…

Social skills deficits are common for children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research indicates there is a need to continue to find ways to support parents in enhancing social skills acquisition in their children with ASD. The present study evaluated the effects of using behavioral skills training (BST), delivered via mobile…

This dissertation was developed in response to a significant rise in stress, anxiety, and depression within the adolescent population during 2019-2021. The research was exploratory in nature to determine the feasibility of utilizing targeted social emotional mobile applications with high school students. A single case study design with changing…

Modern advances in communication technology have allowed for the expansion of asynchronous online sport coaching services. In this intra-individual repeated time measures study, the effects of coaching communication scheduling on athletes' affective state and the coach-athlete relationship were observed as well as measures of performance in the…

This study examined the differential effects of a GPS based navigational app displayed on a smartwatch and a paper map on the ability of individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities (ID) to independently navigate unfamiliar walking routes. A single case alternating treatment design was used to compare the effectiveness of these…

With the increasing data security awareness of mobile crowdsensing (MCS) participants, smartphone app developers are continually developing technical security protections, but with little consideration on human behaviors. Information technology (IT) advancements seen in the introduction of homomorphic encryption and privacy preserving…

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has resulted in research on treatment efficacy, lending itself to quantitative analyses. In contrast, ethnographic studies have offered the benefits of analyzing lived experiences and exploring the uniqueness of ASD individuals. Using the Linguistic Ethnography (LE) perspective, this case study…