California Community Colleges are not producing enough educated graduates to meet future workforce needs; to address the issue, goals and initiatives have been developed in an effort to increase completion (Foundation for California Community Colleges, 2017). In this study, the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analytic framework was used to understand…

The goal of learning analytics is to optimize learning and the environments in which it occurs. Since 2011, when learning analytics was defined as a separate and distinct area of academic inquiry, the literature has identified a need for research that presents evidence of effective learning analytics, as well as, learning analytics research that…

Currently, educational games are designed with the educational content as the primary factor driving the design of the game. While this may seem to be the optimal approach, this design paradigm causes multiple issues. For one, the games themselves are often not engaging as game design principles were put aside in favor of increasing the…

Recently, there have been many calls for an increase in instruction on the nature of science (NOS) in schools (i.e. NRC, 1996; NGSS Lead States, 2013). These calls recognize the importance of this topic at all levels of science education, but there is little guidance in terms of how to address it effectively in curricula. Similarly, there have…

Online training is a mainstay of the corporate environment in the twenty-first century. However, creating online instruction presents different challenges than those for traditional classroom-based learning. Instructional design for the online environment is considered to be in its formative stage, which suggests that there is no set path, model,…

We used an "approach to learning" theoretical framework to explicate the ways students engage in scientific modeling. Approach to learning theory suggests that when students approach learning deeply, they link science concepts with prior knowledge and experiences. Conversely, when students engage in a surface approach to learning, they…

The "big data revolution" has penetrated many fields, from network monitoring to online retail. Education and learning are quickly becoming part of it, too, because today, course delivery platforms can collect unprecedented amounts of behavioral data about students as they interact with learning content online. This data includes, for…

The purpose of this study is to investigate science teacher identity development as climate change educators. In applying the theoretical construct of identity as narrative to investigate the climate change related instructional experiences, I posed the overarching question: How do teachers' lived experiences shape their science teacher identity…

This study examined how ESOL teachers working with grades K-6 th provide ESOL services in the general education classroom. ESOL teachers were asked to describe and define their roles and provide examples of different language development activities. In addition, the perceptions and overall experiences of the ESOL teachers were analyzed. A basic…

This study applied the researcher-constructed Integrated Triadic Model (ITM) to an elementary social studies teaching methods course and measured the extent that preservice teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) changed throughout the semester. The study also gathered preservice teachers' beliefs about the…

This dissertation aimed to understand the influence of cultural patterns on international students' perception and experience with online learning. This case study utilized Hofstede's cultural dimension model as an interpretative framework to understand what are the international students' perceptions and experiences with online courses. Two…

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) reported a greater than 90% chance that human activities are responsible for global temperature increases over the last 50 years, as well as other climatic changes. The scientific report also states that alternative explanations (e.g., increasing energy received from the Sun) are less plausible…

This qualitative research study examined how student teachers and novice history teachers learn to teach adolescent bilingual learners (BLs) from coursework to the classroom. The purpose of the study was to investigate to what extent five participants drew upon social justice-oriented pre-service preparation when they taught history to bilingual…

Most teachers of English language learners (ELLs) have had virtually no specialized, in-service training in adapting instruction for their students. Prior research fails to investigate the impact of professional development (PD) specifically designed for teachers of ELLs. This dissertation examines a PD program that attempted to prepare teachers…

The concept of teaching effectiveness is challenging for researchers to define. Hypothesized as a multidimensional construct, it encompasses content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, personality characteristics of the teacher, and classroom dynamics. No single dimension, trait, or behavior, however, fully captures what it means to be an effective…