The overall goal of this study was to better understand how the academic system affects change in instructional practices, referred to as instructional change, in engineering education. To accomplish this goal, and acknowledging the complex nature of academia, I used a technique designed to understand complex systems called System Dynamics Modeling. With such technique, I created a conceptual System Dynamics Model (SDM) that illustrates how the factors in the academic system interact dynamically to drive or hinder faculty motivation to adopt Research-based Instructional Strategies (RBIS) in their courses. The creation of this model followed a process that combined research literature with data gathered from 17 professors at an Engineering Department in another country. The model was constructed through an iterative process of systematically reviewing the literature, gather empirical data and creating Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD). The CLD are representations of the different causal relationships between elements in a system which ultimately create what we called virtuous or vicious (reinforcing) cycles and balancing cycles. The whole idea was not to find the causes for professors' motivation to change but how the factors in the academic system reinforce or limit such motivation. With this model I offered a different answer to the calls for change in engineering education toward increasing the pedagogical quality of our learning environments. My biggest argument is that previous instructional change initiatives have yielded low to moderate success, because effective instructional change would require a perspective that accounts for the complex nature of academia. With this study I am providing a different understanding of instructional change by using a system perspective that shows the interactions of elements within a complex system that ultimately influences faculty to adopt RBIS in their courses. / Doctor of Philosophy / The overall goal of this study was to better understand how the academic system affects change in instructional practices, referred to as instructional change, in engineering education. To accomplish this goal, and acknowledging the complex nature of academia, I used a technique designed to understand complex systems called System Dynamics Modeling. With such technique, I created a conceptual System Dynamics Model (SDM) that illustrates how the factors in the academic system interact dynamically to drive or hinder faculty motivation to adopt Research-based Instructional Strategies (RBIS) in their courses. The creation of this model followed a process that combined research literature with data gathered from 17 professors at an Engineering Department in another country. The model was constructed through an iterative process of systematically reviewing the literature, gather empirical data and creating Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD). The CLD are representations of the different causal relationships between elements in a system which ultimately create what we called virtuous or vicious (reinforcing) cycles and balancing cycles. The whole idea was not to find the causes for professors’ motivation to change but how the factors in the academic system reinforce or limit such motivation. With this model I offered a different answer to the calls for change in engineering education toward increasing the pedagogical quality of our learning environments. My biggest argument is that previous instructional change initiatives have yielded low to moderate success, because effective instructional change would require a perspective that accounts for the complex nature of academia. With this study I am providing a different understanding of instructional change by using a system perspective that shows the interactions of elements within a complex system that ultimately influences faculty to adopt RBIS in their courses.

The demand for online education has significantly increased in recent years, prompting many educational institutions to consider its continued adoption in many ways. However, some faculty members have encountered challenges in teaching online due to a lack of adequate training and guidance on effective online teaching practices. This study aims to provide evidence-based guidance for higher education instructors in selecting effective instructional strategies in online learning environments. It employs design and development research methodology to create instructional strategy selection guidelines for online courses in higher education. The guidelines, rooted in pedagogical approaches, are designed to assist faculty in selecting appropriate instructional strategies for online learning. They comprehensively outline the various instructional strategies and the factors influencing the decision-making process for selecting instructional strategies in online learning environments. The study makes contributions to research and content development by providing strategy selection guidelines for quality online education. / Doctor of Philosophy / Online education has become increasingly popular in recent years. Preparing for online teaching can be a complex process, and some instructors find it challenging to teach effectively due to a lack of preparation and guidance. As part of online teaching planning, selecting the appropriate instructional strategy is crucial to providing a quality online learning experience. Thus, instructional strategies aid in ensuring that students comprehend academic material, facilitate effective teaching and learning, and encourage student engagement. To address this issue, this study has been conducted to provide evidence-based guidelines for instructors in selecting effective instructional strategies for online courses in higher education. These guidelines are designed to assist faculty in choosing the right strategies for online learning, taking into account various factors that can influence this decision-making process. This study employs the design and development research (DDR) methodology to create an instructional strategy selection guide for online courses in higher education. The DDR methodology involves a systematic and empirical approach to developing and evaluating instructional and non-instructional products, tools, and models (Richey and Klein, 2007). The guidelines were created in four phases: analysis, design, development, and evaluation and validation. Each phase had a specific purpose in creating and refining the guidelines. These guidelines have been developed based on a foundation of theoretical concepts, a thorough analysis of relevant literature, and extensive evaluation and validation by experts in the field. By providing well-planned strategies for quality online education, this study contributes to research and content development in the field of online learning.

<p> This qualitative phenomenological study explored the personal insights, preferences, and experiences of individuals who graduated from a community leadership development program. Fifteen Bay Area Leadership Program graduates from the Burlington and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada program between 2002-2007 participated in this study. Several inter-related themes emerged from the respondents&rsquo; stories and narratives regarding the program elements that influenced the learning experience. Respondents&rsquo; acknowledged and recognized that the program had positively impacted their development as a community leader and the community. Through findings from extensive interviews of the graduates, the study: (1) extends current knowledge concerning the development of community leaders; (2) offers community program board members and management an understanding of key program elements that contribute to the learner&rsquo;s experience; (3) extends evaluation approaches to the personal learning experience and developing theories of leadership to practice; and (4) provides an understanding of long-term program benefits in assisting future funding, supporting long-term sustainability of the community leadership development movement and ultimately strengthening communities.</p>

The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional leadership practices of a statewide sample of Arizona school superintendents. Superintendents' practices in 12 areas were analyzed in relation to the degree of district academic improvement over a three-year period, the relative size of the district, and the gender of the superintendent. Differences in principal-superintendent perceptions were also analyzed to determine the extent of these differences, and their correspondence to the level of academic improvement achieved by districts.Among superintendents that had served in the current district for at least three years, there were significant differences in their reported involvement in 2 of 12 areas. Superintendents in higher-performing districts reported being more involved in planning for instruction and developing principals as instructional leaders.While male and female superintendents reported similar instructional leadership practices, female superintendents reported being more involved in reviewing research and developing instructional policies. Male superintendents reported being more involved in developing principals as instructional leaders.Superintendents in districts of different sizes responded similarly to the survey. The one exception was in the area of supervising instruction, in which superintendents in medium-sized districts reported being less involved.There were significant differences in the views of superintendents' instructional leadership held by principals and superintendents. On the whole, principals perceived superintendents as being less involved in instructional leadership than did superintendents themselves.There were significant differences between the responses of the subjects of this study and Watts' 1992 study. Superintendents in the present study reported being significantly more involved in seven instructional leadership tasks than their 1992 counterparts.The findings from this study may be of use to superintendents as they consider the many responsibilities they face in providing leadership for their districts. These findings may also be of interest to researchers who are concerned with better understanding the instructional leadership role of the school superintendent.

No description available.

<p> Technology usage in educational setting has gained ground in African countries, especially in Nigeria. Although technology resources in education are financed by the Nigerian government, the teachers required to use and implement such technology are not always accepting of technology use. The purpose of this quantitative correlational research was to examine any if there was a relationship between teachers&rsquo; perceptions of technology integration, level of technology integration, teachers&rsquo; age, educational level, grade level taught, years of experience, and content areas taught. The theoretical framework of the study was Bem&rsquo;s self-perception theory. Participants included 374 teachers from the Oyo State teaching service commission (TESCOM) drafted from two zonal offices in the Ibadan metropolis. Participants completed the Teacher Technology Integration Survey (TTIS) which was adapted from the Technology Integration Survey (TIS). Data analyses included both descriptive and correlational Spearman&rsquo;s rank. The results indicated there is a positive relationship in teachers&rsquo; gender, grade level taught, years of experience, or content areas taught and technology integration. A moderate positive linear relationship was found between technology integration between teachers aged 30 and below and 50 and above; whereas there was a weak positive linear relationship between teachers of age 30 and below and 31&ndash;40. A statistically weak negative relationship was found in levels of education; between a doctoral degree and Nigerian certificate of education (NCE), and also between a doctorate and bachelor&rsquo;s and master&rsquo;s. Recommendations include increased technology orientation and training for teachers.</p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the generational cohorts of Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y/Millennial, as defined by Howe and Strauss (2007), in terms of learning style preferences in the United States. </p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> A non-experimental, retrospective, causal-comparative research design was used to determine whether the independent variable, generational cohort, was correlated with the dependent variable, learning style preference, by comparing Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y/Millennials. Participants were recruited through an online survey and invited to participate via email to electronically complete the Felder-Soloman Index of Learning Styles (ILS), a 44-item assessment of learning style preference. Results were analyzed using non-parametric chi-square tests of independence in SPSS software. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> The chi-square analyses did not result in a significant difference between the learning style preferences of the generational cohorts. The cohorts were similar on the four dimensions of learning style preferences. On a macro level, the generations were predominately represented by preferences for reflective, sensing, visual, and sequential learning styles. Generation Y&rsquo;s preference for active and visual learning was higher than the other generations. On a micro level, Baby Boomers and Millennials were the most similar (identical on 12 metrics), followed by Generations X and Y (identical on seven metrics), and by Baby Boomers and Generation X (identical on three metrics). </p><p> <b>Conclusions.</b> The variety of learning style preferences and the similarities among the sample inform decisions about the design and delivery of training. A variety of learning style preferences are present in any generation, and organizations should be cautious about adopting stereotypes that lack empirical evidence to support assumptions about generational differences in learning style preferences. </p><p> <b>Recommendations.</b> Focusing on generational differences is not necessary when designing and delivering training. Organizations will benefit from applying adult learning theory and evaluating the learning style preferences of their unique training audiences. Future studies should include a larger sample size from a global population, include Generation Z, and use additional or different learning style assessments.</p>

<p> This study sought to identify the instructional strategies used by developmental mathematics instructors in Missouri&rsquo;s public 2-year colleges to engage students in the learning process, determine the cognitive complexity of the instructional strategies, and find out the support needed by these instructors to engage their students in the learning process. A sequential mixed method design was employed in which quantitative and qualitative data was collected. Initial participants in this study included developmental mathematics instructors from all 13 of Missouri&rsquo;s 2-year public community colleges, making for a total of 494 instructors. Quantitative data statistical analysis was completed on the demographic data, as well as on the rating and implementation of recommended instructional strategies using the <i>Qualtrics</i> survey tool. Qualitative analysis was completed on the instructor descriptions of strategies for engaging students in the learning process. Additionally, three participants were chosen from the survey for case study analysis in which three observations, post-observation interviews, and artifact collections were used to obtain more extensive qualitative data.</p><p> Results indicate that developmental mathematics instructors describe the methods they use to engage students in the learning process comparably to those instructional strategies as recommended by the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC, 2006) to promote active learning, while also including additional strategies. How the instructors rated the instructional strategies as recommended by AMATYC (2006) are given in depth. An overview of the instructional strategies employed by three instructors who were observed, and the cognitive complexity of the tasks and questions used in these instructional strategies is given. Furthermore, recommendations are given for the support needed by developmental mathematics instructors to aid them in engaging their students in the learning process. Implications are offered for the (1) AMATYC (2006) Framework, (2) Professional development on discovery-based learning, (3) Professional development on cognitive complexity of tasks and questions, and (4) Support needed to implement instructional strategies.</p>

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Embodied interactions and learning have garnered a lot of interest among researchers and game designers in past years, especially with the recent development of consumer-level body sensory devices like the Microsoft Kinect. This study focused on examining whether embodied interactions, enabled by the Kinect, could lead to greater knowledge acquisition compared to traditional mouse-based interactions working with STEM-related (numeric systems) and language-related (Chinese character) learning in a virtual learning environment for adult learners. Embodied cognition, body movements and learning, cognitive processing theories were discussed as a theoretical framework for this study. A 3D virtual learning environment was designed, in which learners could interact with the instructional materials through either their body movements, or a mouse. The study utilized an experimental, two-group, pre- and posttest design. The experimental group used the Kinect-enabled embodied interactions and the control group used the traditional mouse-based interactions during an on-site learning intervention. Fifty-three adult participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. Scores from immediate posttest and delayed posttest between the two groups were compared with ANCOVA using pretest score as the covariate. Statistical results informed that embodied interactions enabled by the Kinect facilitated learning in numeric systems and Chinese characters for the participating adult learners. However, compared with the mouse interaction, the embodied interaction enabled by the Kinect did not lead to significantly better knowledge retention and application results in both immediate posttest and delayed posttest in numeric systems learning. And for Chinese characters learning, compared with the mouse interaction, the embodied interaction enabled by the Kinect did not lead to significantly better knowledge retention results in the immediate posttest either, but achieved significantly better performance in the delayed posttest. The study outcome implies that Kinect-based embodied interactions do not necessarily lead to better learning performances over traditional mouse-based interactions for adult learners. The performances may depend on subject areas, and at what time learners’ knowledge retrieval were evaluated. When designing computer-mediated learning modules, researchers and practitioners should not only look at the new technology and novel approaches to interacting with the computers, but also take the subject areas, learners, and time issues into consideration as well. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / June 23, 2017. / Embodied Interactions, Kinect, Learning / Includes bibliographical references. / Fengfeng Ke, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gordon Erlebacher, University Representative; Valerie J. Shute, Committee Member; Allan C. Jeong, Committee Member.