This research examined how a Digital Escape Room (DER) about accessibility contributed to the potential change of faculty behavioral intentions toward developing accessible online course content. This paper describes the design of the DER and a pilot study of its initial implementation that consisted of two phases, (1 a usability test with 3…

Online courses include the design for student interaction to support effective learning. Studies have shown that online discussion boards are a useful option to engage students. However, with new emerging digital technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), the question remains to what extent or in what ways these immersive technologies can be used…

As artificial intelligence (AI) plays a more prominent role in our everyday lives, it becomes increasingly important to introduce basic AI concepts to K-12 students. Currently, most K-12 AI research focuses on introducing fundamental AI concepts using pure virtual platforms like webpages or software. However, robots, as helpful and popular tools…

Advances in technology, non-traditional students, and a new generation of e-learners all challenge institutions of higher learning to support innovations that create relevant distance education opportunities for their students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic dramatic shifts to education occurred, requiring schools of social work to consider new ways…

Virtual reality (VR) as an emerging technology has extreme potential to revolutionize online higher education for adult students through immersive and engaging learning experiences. Lower cost and advancing research in VR technology and immersive simulation software offers unique opportunities for adult students to engage in a virtual learning…

Many education researchers have advocated grounding abstract mathematical and scientific concepts in students' lived experiences, environmental interactions, and perceptions. This dissertation explores the causal effects of various grounding strategies in instructional settings, specifically on the topic of statistical sampling. The first chapter…

This study employs legal research methods to explore how federal protections for individuals with disabilities apply in the context of postsecondary extended reality (XR) learning, such as for classes taught in virtual reality. Other examples include the use of 360 degree, interactive videos in online courses and activities that leverage digital,…

This mixed methods study examined the development of Intercultural Knowledge and Competence (IKC) among American undergraduate students in various disciplinary courses using the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Virtual Exchange (VE) model in institutions of higher education in the U.S. in 2022. There is a gap in the literature…

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students, in a public university in the Northeast, utilizing brief mindfulness interventions as a method of coping with the anxiety associated with high fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-seven students enrolled in an…

This mixed-methods study involved implementation of virtual field trip (VFT) projects in an online undergraduate foreign language (FL) course, with a close focus on four student participants' use of VFTs over four weeks. Participants explored an Italian city using desktop virtual reality; narrated their experiences, and created an annotated…

Online learning has grown rapidly over the past decade in higher education. In 2019, 2.8 million higher education students were learning online, a 129.1% growth from 2018 (Straut & Boeke, 2020). Technology allows students from all over the world to learn, which has aided in the enrollment growth of online learning. Technological innovations…

The appropriate implementation of collaborative technology tools in online courses leads to a culture of social learning where technology empowers students to take central roles in their learning. Yet, critical questions still exist about how faculty design, develop, implement collaborative eLearning activities using technology tools that support…

The purpose of this action research study was to measure the transactional distance of computer science students who participated in an online virtual community after completing a college preparation program. Using data and results generated from previous cycles of research I developed and moderated an online virtual community designed to lessen…

In the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines the laboratory has been the major component for understanding theoretical knowledge. The laboratory is the workplace for scientific research where students develop scientific thinking, conduct scientific investigations, and acquire knowledge of physical principles and…

This dissertation addressed the question of how the virtual world of Second Life used in combination with a distance learning course platform contributed to improving the oral communication skills of adult learners in an English as a second language context. Over recent years, research in the field has attempted to explore the different classroom…