The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how contingent graphic design faculty in the US describe and interpret knowledge applications and real-world experiences from their accumulated conceptual repertoire in the execution of the classroom environment. Data was collected from 12 one-on-one semi-structured interviews and 16…

As college graduates transition to practice in their chosen professions, research findings have indicated that SDLR is foundational to continual learning on the job. The Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education (SDLRSNE) was the basis of this quantitative correlational study. Graduates from accelerated, blended media arts…

Graphic design students no longer need to attend institutions of higher education (IHE) to gain entry-level skills for a variety of design related areas with the rise of new learning platforms like YouTube, edX, etc. A recent series of studies found that 70% of respondents (working designers) reported learning their craft online. This study…

The purpose of this study was to examine how institutional mission is expressed in the physical environment. Theoretical frameworks from institutional identity, campus ecology, and organizational strategy literature inform the paradigm of this inquiry. Content analysis was utilized to examine the mission statements and campus master planning…

In the age of computing, we rely on software to manage our days, from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep. Software predicts the future based on actualized data from the past. It produces procedures instead of experiences and solutions instead of care. Software systems tend to perpetuate a normalized state of equilibrium. Their application…

This research revealed promising results by merging old principles to new approaches in visual design education. Initial empirical analysis of participants who tested the "mDes" application applying four of the principles of design in comparison to conventional methodologies showed the most significant results of retention for the…

This research focused on benchmarking techniques in online graphic arts college courses. The problem addressed in this study is the gap of knowledge and scholarly research on the use of benchmarking techniques within online college-level graphic arts degrees. The purpose of this study was to determine if final course grades can increase after…

This exploratory study uses the convergent design of mixed methods to integrate adaptive expertise theory to study how individual student participant from graphic design or non-graphic-design majors to solve a novel ideation problem in graphic design. Adaptive expertise includes six dimensions: metacognition, flexibility, dynamic knowledge,…

In this exploratory case study, the ultimate goal was to examine how effective electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) are from the perspectives of former undergraduate graphic design students in terms of developing career readiness by graduation with the intent of finding employment in their studied fields. The study also aimed to explore what…

The overarching purpose of this study was to improve upon critical thinking through the use of scenario-based design challenge interventions. The study was conducted within an introductory graphic arts course in higher education that focused upon Adobe Photoshop and image manipulation tools, techniques, and terminology. Twelve introductory level…

Since student retention in online courses is related to the students' community, this dissertation explores the effect of discussion board prompt format on students' sense of community of inquiry (CoI). The quasi-experimental study design examined the participation levels, sense of CoI (i.e., social, teaching, and cognitive presence), and final…

This qualitative phenomenological case study is designed to investigate the learning outcomes, lived experiences, and perceptions of eight post-secondary teachers participating in a sketch-based infographic development training program. This research is designed to assess the viability of infographics as a learning and assessment strategy,…

This study examined the phenomenon of what it takes to be a successful graphic designer. With an identity crisis in graphic design education, design curriculum is faced with uncertainties. With the diversity of programs and degrees in graphic design, the competencies and skills developed among the various programs reflect different purposes, thus…

The present action research study involved a participant-researcher and her undergraduate students enrolled in the Course: Visual Arts Computing, at the University of South Carolina from 2012 to 2013. This research examined six sections of the course with an average of 20 students in each section, totaling 120 participants. The overarching…

This dissertation is comprised of two manuscripts resulting from a single study, which examines a) the types of graphics that appear, and in what frequencies, in children's informational texts, and b) the defining features of different graphics. Graphics are ubiquitous in children's informational texts and a lot is known about the impact…