The purpose of this qualitative study was to collect data from 18 published augmented reality researchers to determine their perceptions on: (a) how augmented reality will influence high school education in the future; (b) how augmented reality will impact curriculum and instruction, taking into account specific content areas (e.g., science,…

This mixed methods research study explores the university student learning experience of IP subnetting. Using a constructivist perspective, VR software was designed, written, and utilized in a learning process to gather both quantitative and qualitative data about the experience of learning IP subnetting. Participants underwent pre-test and…

The purpose of this mixed methods study is to determine if virtual reality (VR) instruction may support learning in community college automotive technical education by measuring learners' levels of presence and faculty perceptions of learning when using VR instruction. Presence is "the subjective experience of being in one place or…

In the three papers that form this dissertation, I inquire about the future of learning (Ross, 2023) through a "postdigital" stance (Jandric, 2017) that I apply to place-based education (PBE) methods and practices (Sobel, 2005; Greenwood, 2008). I argue that a postdigital approach -- one that presupposes technology is "part" of…

The focus of this dissertation is to explore the knowledge that nursing education students access and use during a high fidelity patient simulator experience. Thirty-six nursing students, in groups, participated in a high fidelity patient simulation followed by a stimulated recall procedure wherein students viewed a video recording of themselves…

Nurse education uses an apprenticeship model to teach students clinical skills. However, lack of faculty, clinical preceptors, early hospital discharges, and lack of clinical practice areas limits nursing students' exposure to patients which could impact patient care. The use of virtual simulation may bridge the theory-practice gap in nurse…

This qualitative study utilized video games and virtual reality in an eighth-grade public middle school media literacy elective classroom in which the head researcher was also the official teacher for the students in the study. The nineteen students and their teacher used video games in small groups for five consecutive weeks. The teacher and…

Traditional teacher education programs focus on pedagogy and, to a lesser extent, assessments of knowledge (Siedlecki, 2012). Pedagogy and assessments should be fundamental components of any secondary teacher's curriculum planning (Knight, Shum, & Littleton, 2014). This study sought to consider the possible effects of three pedagogical…

Technology integration is a critical and longstanding issue in mathematics education. As access to various technology resources increases, so too has the expectation for teachers to use technology to enhance student engagement and understanding. Despite the potential benefits to integrating technology into teachers' instructional practices,…

Caring is considered a paradigm embodied by the profession of nursing. Caring behaviors of nurses therefore, becomes a fundamental component of everyday nursing practice. Despite this accepted reality of caring in nursing, little research has focused on how to teach caring behaviors to nursing students. The purpose of this quasi-experimental…

This capstone addresses an instructional gap in the Morehead State University Veterinary Technology Program and in other similar programs around the globe. Students do not retain the knowledge needed to proficiently complete suture patterns nor do students receive sufficient instructional time during the year to master each suture pattern that is…

Nursing profession accrediting agencies and associations, including the National League for Nursing, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and the Institute of Medicine, have called for the implementation and evaluation of educational innovations. Many nursing schools have attempted to be…

The United States Air Force (USAF) trains C-130H Loadmaster students at Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB) through a civilian contract. The Aircrew Training System (ATS) contractor utilizes a Fuselage Trainer (FuT) to provide scenarios for the Loadmaster students to practice loading and unloading a simulated aircraft. The problem was the USAF does…

As a subset of distance education, online learning takes place primarily in learning management systems through asynchronous interaction, that can cause transactional distance between instructor and learners. This study investigated how transactional distance may be affected by the use of Second Life, a 3-D virtual world, as a learning environment…

Virtual Patient Simulations (VPS) are web-based exercises involving simulated patients in virtual environments. This study investigates the utility of VPS for increasing medical student clinical reasoning skills, collaboration, and engagement. Many studies indicate that VPS provide medical students with essential practice in clinical decision…