Thesis (M.A.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2004. / Vita. Bibliography: 93-98.

Thesis (M.Comp.)--Unitec New Zealand, 2008. / Coda (electronic version) title page has 2009 date. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-85).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1995. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-214).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Florida, 2005. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 164 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of motivation in the persistence of adults enrolled in online higher education. Since the 1990&rsquo;s, online courses and programs have proliferated across higher education, with adults (ages 25 and over) currently making up the largest portion of online enrollments. Online courses, however, suffer from a higher rate of student attrition than their hybrid and face-to-face counterparts. Although it is difficult to attribute the high rate of attrition in online education to any one factor, research has identified a lack of motivation as a primary cause of student dropout. Likewise, studies have shown that when motivation is present, learners are more likely to persist in their coursework. In order to develop a deeper understanding of this issue, a phenomenological approach was chosen as the most appropriate method for this study. </p><p> Participants for this study were at least 25 years of age and were enrolled in an online class at a large public university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. In adhering to the phenomenological method, open-ended, in-depth interviews were used to investigate how adult learners experience motivation in online higher education. Transcendental phenomenological analysis was then used to determine the essence of this experience. During the first stage of this process, twelve distinct themes emerged from the data, including Relevance and Applicability, Communication, Flexibility, and Instructor Presence. During the next stage, three additional structural themes were identified: Relation to Self, Relationship with Others, and Time. During the final stage of analysis, the essence of this experience was revealed as the participants&rsquo; Goal Commitment and their Need for Guidance. </p><p> Key findings from this study include the confirmation of motivation as a critical component in the persistence of adult online learners. In addition, a number of factors were identified as key facilitators and barriers to persistence in adults learning online. In developing an in-depth understanding of the link between motivation and persistence in this particular sample of learners, the results of this study may potentially contribute to addressing the overall larger problem of high rates of attrition in online higher education. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to develop a methodological approach using secondary data that researchers, faculty, and staff can utilize to assess student course performance and to identify the input and course environment factors that best predict student course success in an undergraduate lecture capture quantitative methods course. Using the Astin and Antonio (2012) Input Environment and Outcome (IEO) Model as a framework, this quantitative study examined both input variables that students bring to a course as well as the course environment factors that students experience in the course. Three secondary data sources were utilized and analyzed using descriptive and multi-variate statistics. </p><p> The findings revealed that students with higher levels of student course engagement and academic self-concept were more likely to achieve student course success in this lecture capture quantitative methods course. In addition, prior University GPA along with live-class attendance, discussion board posts, and course quiz and exam scores were the strongest predictors of student course success. </p><p> The largest implication from this study was the methodological approach developed to identify factors that predicted student course success. This approach can be used to help faculty identify course-embedded measures for assessment as well as develop Keys for Success to help future students succeed in difficult courses. While this study added significantly to the limited research on lecture capture courses, future research should further explore qualitative aspects of the course, such as motivation and student video-viewing behaviors, as well as additional impacts on physical attendance in lecture capture courses.</p><p>

<p> This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of mobile phones as learning tools in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. It also aimed at exploring learners&rsquo; and teachers&rsquo; attitudes towards the integration of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) tools such as mobile phones in English language teaching and learning. To this end, a mixed method research design was implemented. 60 Moroccan high school students took part in the study. They were divided into two groups, experimental (N = 30) and control (N = 30). The two groups underwent the two treatments that lasted for two weeks. During the first week, the first experimental group was sent two vocabulary items three times a day every day for a period of seven days via WhatsApp messenger while the control group was given a printed list of the 14 items at the start of the week. In the second week, the two groups switched places and the experiment was repeated with another 14 words. </p><p> At the outset of the study, a pretest was used to measure participants&rsquo; vocabulary knowledge with regards to target items. Two immediate posttests were used during the period of the experiment which learners took at the end of each week to measure vocabulary learning. A delayed test was administered four weeks following the end of the experiment to see vocabulary retention. The results of both the pre and delayed tests were not significant as they did not show any difference between the groups. However, the immediate posttests&rsquo; scores showed a significant difference between the two groups. The experimental groups&rsquo; scores in the two weeks were higher than their counterparts in the control groups., The results of the surveys showed that EFL teachers and learners hold positive attitudes toward the use of MALL in an EFL context such as Morocco. </p><p>

<p> For decades, the cohort model has been utilized to bring graduate degrees to working adults who cannot put their family lives and careers on hold to attend a university in the more traditional way. With the growing access to reliable digital tools, some cohorts have taken advantage of the ability to meet online with live-streaming applications such as Skype, GoToMeeting, and Adobe Connect. The blending of online instruction and face-to-face interaction has given birth to blended learning, a hybrid of synchronous and asynchronous learning. With this evolution of curriculum and instruction delivery, questions arise regarding the quality of graduate programs. Are the students who are investing time and money into these graduate degrees receiving the high-level of quality that they would expect if they were attending the university in a traditional way? How are they interacting with their peers in a scholarly fashion? How are the professors engaging the students in meaningful and scholarly ways? How do students and institutions know what is working for the success of the student and what needs to be improved? This study sought to uncover answers to some of these questions as it researched 16 doctoral students in one blended cohort in central California. With primarily qualitative methods, the study attempted to describe the phenomenon that is the blended doctoral cohort, specifically researching the participants&rsquo; perspective of themselves and the blended cohort model at the beginning of their program and, again, at the end of their program. </p><p>

<p> Effectively integrating technology into the educational system is paramount to the continued success of the U.S. educational system. Not meeting the needs of students can be detrimental to the continued growth and competitiveness of the United States. Educational systems must reflect the rapid changes in society and the way students communicate, socialize, and think. K-12 educational leaders have an increasing interest in understanding how to equip students with 21st-century skills designed to enhance their ability and willingness to become productive and knowledgeable citizens. This qualitative descriptive case study examined the perceptions of a purposive sample of middle school educators to determine what skills and competencies influenced their use and promotion of technology in education. The following three research questions guided this study: How do rural Virginia middle school educators describe the use of technology in middle school education? What challenges do rural Virginia middle school educators face when attempting to integrate technology in education? How do rural Virginia middle school educators prepare for and view effective integration of technology in education? The theory of constructivism provided the conceptual framework for examining how the participants in this study used and promoted technology in their educational settings. Data were collected by conducting in-depth interviews of 10 rural Virginia middle school educators. The anecdotal responses of the participants provided insight into their perceptions and practices. Four major themes emerged in this study: motivations for using technology, obstacles, training, and technology perceptions. </p><p>

<p> In an ever-changing labyrinth of standards, accountability, and standardized testing, educators seek ways to improve instruction. Teachers need learning experiences that help them navigate an environment in which a growing list of student performance standards and standardized tests determine their success in teacher evaluations (Crawford, 2015; Terehoff, 2002). In this same pursuit, many administrators are challenged in their efforts to provide meaningful professional development to support teachers (Terehoff, 2002). The goal of this study is to gain insight into which TPD delivery types and which levels of student presence create the most meaningful and applicable learning for educators and to provide insight and guidance to administrators and TPD planners who are seeking ways to provide quality TPD. </p><p> The study data was gathered through qualitative methods, including participant observation, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The data was exlored through the SPLT model. The major findings of the study suggest that higher model levels&mdash;which included student physical presence&mdash;led to an increased application of teacher-learning in the classroom and an increased confidence in attempting to apply newly learned techniques and tools. Teachers also suggested that these in-classroom session were more valuable when a pre- or post-discussion accompanied the session. The results demonstrated that learning at all model levels had value for different intended learning purposes. They also suggested that the TPD learning could be more effective when lower model level sessions are followed up with higher-level SPLT model sessions that occur in the classroom during instructional time with students physically present.</p><p>