Some states have attempted to streamline the process of providing prior learning assessment (PLA), also referred to as credit for prior learning (CPL), for work and life experiences. In terms of enrollment management, colleges nationwide look to increase student enrollment and positively impact attrition. Credit for work experience could have a…

This dissertation explores the utilization of a Knowledge Graph of "Micro-topics'' arranged into "Learning Pathways'' (KGMLP) through three learning activities: spaced retrieval, reading, and collaborative note-taking. The objective is to enhance four (out of six) levels of Bloom's digital taxonomy of cognitive processes: remembering,…

This three-article dissertation explores Learning by Evaluating (LbE), an educational approach that enhances student learning through the process of assessing and providing feedback on peer work. Leveraging principles of comparative judgement, students evaluate pairs of exemplars side-by-side to determine which is better and provide a rational for…

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study was to determine if there was a correlation between first-time pass rates on the USMLE Step 1 and the use of active learning strategies in medical school classrooms. For the utility of this study, active learning strategies were defined as any activity in which medical…

Decades of research indicate that formative assessment promotes achievement (Black & Wiliam, 1998a; Hattie & Timperley, 2007) and that we must learn more about how to implement formative assessment effectively in higher education settings (Bennett, 2011; Kingston & Nash, 2011; Morris et al., 2021) where most instructors deliver…

This study employs a transcendental phenomenology case study approach to explore graduate student perspectives on multimodal assessments (MMAs) within an online environment. The primary objective is to understand how these students experience and perceive MMAs. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect in-depth data…

While multimodality and multiliteracies has been a concept for 25 years (Kalantzis & Cope, 2023; The New London Group, 1996), research on and application of the concept within text complexity measures has been limited. Attempts to assess multiliteracies and multimodality (Jacobs, 2013; Schmerbeck & Lucht, 2017; Wyatt-Smith & Kimber,…

Instructor feedback strategies play a key role in the learning acquisition process, especially in online environments. In addition, educational improvement and reform cannot occur without timely and effective assessment approaches. This study, grounded on Bandura's 1967 "self-efficacy and social cognitive theory," focused on identifying…

In this dissertation, we propose a computer-supported method, called insightful learning systems, for tracking student progress that yields human actionable insights. We cover our theories, experiments and applications that aim to pave the way for more effective understanding of student progress, in key skills for a course, by looking at students…

In the instructional design field untrained instructional designers are creating educational content. In these instances, the content is created by subject matter experts. This growing subset of experts is known as instructional designers-by-assignment (DBAs). DBAs are prevalent in the equestrian education field. Unfortunately, in equestrian…

This study, grounded in a phenomenological exploration, investigates whether current teacher evaluation methods account for subjectivism in teaching, learning, and evaluation within the context of Georgia's Teacher Keys Effectiveness System TKES. Through focus groups with instructional evaluators IEs, the study reveals the significant impact of…

Serious or educational games have been a subject of research for a long time. They usually have game mechanics, game content, and content assessment all tied together to make a specialized game intended to impart learning of the associated content to its players. While this approach is good for developing games for teaching highly specific topics,…

The most effective way to increase students' academic performance is to improve the instructional practices of their teachers. Effective, research-based instruction responsive to individual students' unique needs is imperative for quality outcomes, particularly for students with disabilities. The high-leverage practices (HLPs; Collaboration,…

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a term for various methods by which universities accredit student experiential learning. One such method is the academic portfolio, a written reflective process in which students demonstrate that their personal or professional learning fulfills university outcomes. Proponents of academic portfolios claim that…

The purpose of this multiple-paper dissertation is to design a digital game and stealth assessments within the game to assess young second language learners' Chinese reading proficiency. In Chapter 2 (Paper 1), I describe the game designed for this dissertation and how it was implemented in a dual language immersion classroom. This study found…