This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study aimed to investigate how undergraduate students' everyday texting experiences related to their social connectedness. This research was conducted through a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. The quantitative phase involved a survey distributed to a sample of undergraduate students,…

This study explores the role of social media in addressing educational inequity, focusing on prospective first-generation students' college exploration. The study answers two questions: (1) how do prospective first-generation students describe their social media usage related to college? (2) how do prospective first-generation students describe…

Youth with disabilities are overrepresented in the bullying dynamic and experience poor mental health and school engagement outcomes associated with this involvement. However, limited existing research has looked at differences in bullying involvement based on disability category, and how youth with disabilities make decisions about bullying…

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…

The purpose of this study was to assess adult English Learners' perceptions of using Microsoft Teams in classes. Specifically, the study aims to explore the strength and direction of the correlation between the elements of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and using Microsoft Teams in English language courses. This study addressed the…

Cyberbullying has become one of the most talked-about topics and problems in this highly connected society (Sun & Fan, 2018). Smartphones provide instant access to the internet and social media, making the user susceptible to being cyberbullied at any time (Barlett et al., 2016). Based on many cyberbullying studies, researchers have focused on…

The purpose of this study was to better understand how students use instantaneous automatic online feedback in introductory level tertiary mathematics courses and what factors may influence their use. This study delved into two factors such as a student's mathematical attitude and their self-determination and explores the relationship between the…

The level of diversity among colleges and universities is at its greatest level. This level of diversity has proven to be beneficial in several key areas for all students. With this increase in diversity, there have been other consequences as well. One form of bullying, cyberbullying, has been on the rise due to greater use of technology, increase…

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of social media in the lives of Multiracial college students as they build and maintain community. A phenomenological approach enabled answering the research question: How do Multiracial students use social media to build and maintain community? Informed by critical multiracial theory and…

Students need academic tools and digital skills for proper social interactions in a digital society. Researchers Ribble and Park (2019) designed the S3 Framework which stresses the importance of developing safe, savvy, and social digital citizens. Using this framework, a series of interventions were developed for students and staff to increase the…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to implement and evaluate the impact of a virtual reality book club on the social presence of students. This research examined participants using virtual reality headsets to study the works of William Shakespeare. This study examined two research questions: (1) How does the implementation of a virtual…

There is a growing interest in socially engaged engineering, which emphasizes the consideration of social, cultural, environmental, and economic factors to broadly benefit society. However, current workforce training and engineering education programs do not adequately support skill sets needed to link complex societal needs and contexts to design…

This dissertation examines the interaction patterns that happen in an online learning environment. While many studies look at online learning through the lens of the learner or the learning environment, few studies look at the interaction patterns that happen through the digital traces captured by computational tools. Based on the conceptual…

On July 14, 2021, the Pennsylvania State Universities Board of Governors collectively approved a proposal to merge six Pennsylvania state universities. The three institutions in the West were California, Clarion, and Edinboro. Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield were consolidated in the Northeast. The board then hosted a publicly available…

Place-based educators recognize the importance of place in shaping learning, as our sense of place serves as a lens through which we interpret our experiences. Despite the growing prevalence of online environments in education, their impact on our sense of place remains largely unexplored. This case study employed critical case sampling to explore…