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There is literature available on the characteristics of good teachers and there is also literature that shows teaching differences by gender and by level of experience. Additionally, there are models of instruction that relate to distance education, as well as a model of good practice in undergraduate education. There is, however, a lack of research on whether those who teach distance education classes use these principles of good practice. There is also a lack of research on whether there are differences in the degree to which they use these practices by gender or by level of teaching experience. This study attempted to address the gap in the existing literature by examining whether distance educators use the principles of good teaching practice. Additionally, this study attempted to examine whether there are differences of use by teaching experience and by gender of instructor. For purposes of this study, one instructional design model was used (Chickering & Gamson, 1987). A 52-item survey, the Online Teaching Practices (OTP) Inventory, was developed specifically for this study. The OTP consisted of seven sections that measured the extent to which instructors implemented the seven principles in the design of their course curricula. The response options asked participants to numerically rate how well each item described their online class. Mean scores were used to assess the degree to which the principles were being used in general. Then ANOVAs were run to determine if differences existed between/among groups. Finally, in cases where there were three or more groups, independent t-tests were used to determine where those differences lay. Results revealed that instructors are implementing the seven principles into course curricula design. Additionally, a significant difference was found between males and females on one scale. Three significant differences were found based on level of teaching experience and three more differences by discipline were identified. / Master of Arts

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College and university administrators are interested in the development of their students. Developmental theorists, such as Chickering (1969), provide a lens through which to view developmental task, and issues facing those tasks. One influence on development is friendship and student communities including siblings. This study expanded the available knowledge based on siblings in general, and addresses gaps in the literature by looking at sense of competence among siblings in college. The purpose of this study is to explore the sense of competence between older and younger siblings who were both college students at the same institution during an overlapping period of time. As defined by Arthur W. Chickering (1969), sense of competence is a feeling of self-confidence about one's interpersonal and intellectual skills. The intellectual and interpersonal competence of students were evaluated through the Sense of Competence Scale (SCS) (Janosik, Creamer & Cross, 1987). The SCS consists of 20 questions that focus on the interpersonal or interpersonal skills of the respondents. Ten items from the SCS are assigned to the interpersonal competence subscale, and 10 items from the SCS are assigned to the intellectual competence subscale. I created a web-based version of the SCS to collect data from college students who had a sibling at the same college with them simultaneously. The population for this study consists of participants who are one of at least two non-twin siblings who are enrolled at the same institution of higher education at the time of data collection. Data was collected from three institutions located in the southwest region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The research found no statistically significant differences in the intellectual and interpersonal competency between older and younger siblings. Although the study examined a limited number of siblings, the results did not contradict the current research on sibling relationships, which suggests that older siblings demonstrate higher intellectual competence and younger siblings demonstrate higher interpersonal competence. / Master of Arts

Master of Science / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Doris Wright Carroll / The college environment is often made up of a variety of people, fulfilling various roles throughout the campus climate. There are students, staff members, faculty, and administration. In examining the roles, students of Asian ancestry make up a part of a sub-category of students. In a campus population where students of different ethnic backgrounds come together to receive an education, Asian students have remained one of the minorities on a college campus. Even with a growing presence on campus, Asian American students have often been faced with additional struggles that their non-minority student counterparts face. The report will include a wide range of literature review looking at the different theoretical models, foundations, and outlines of ethnic identity development in higher education. The purpose of the report is to provide an outline of the different experiences of Asian Americans during their time at a university. The report will also acknowledge the differences, while drawing on similarities, to discuss potential outcomes for minority students. The final section of the report will include a review of recommendations and best practices for student affairs to implement in their work with Asian American students.

This case study investigated the adoption and diffusion of the Blackboard platform, a widely used Learning Management System (LMS), as an instructional tool within a community college setting. The study explored faculty members’ adoption patterns, perceptions, and factors influencing the utilization of the Blackboard platform, drawing on Rogers’s diffusion of innovation theory and Chickering and Ehrman’s “Seven Principles: Technology as a Lever” as theoretical frameworks. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted to gather insights from faculty members, capturing their usage patterns, perceptions of the Blackboard platform, and specific components and tools utilized when integrating the LMS into their courses. An overall theme emerged, where nonusers expressed agreement more than did users regarding their lack of exposure to the Blackboard platform, limited opportunities to observe its usage, and the inability to try it properly. The study revealed that the majority of users employed various components of the Blackboard platform, including announcements, full grade center, course copy, tests, surveys, pools, and discussion boards. However, other components such as export/achieve course, dashboard, import course cartridge, course calendar, course report, and journal were employed by fewer faculty members. These components have the potential to enhance communication between faculty and students. The study’s findings highlight the need for targeted professional development activities to address the concerns of nonusers and encourage the adoption and utilization of the Blackboard platform. The limitations of the study suggest the importance of a comprehensive research design to fully grasp the complexities and factors influencing the adoption of learning management systems in community college settings. The recommendations derived from this research contribute to a better understanding of the adoption and use of learning management systems as instructional tools, emphasizing the significance of user satisfaction, effective strategies for promoting adoption, and implications for faculty training and institutional strategies.