The purpose of this study was to examine if the implementation of a technology-based music class in public high schools in the northeastern United States had any significant impact on the overall music department enrollment and on enrollment in traditional performance ensemble courses, such as band and chorus, as they are the courses most offered in high schools in the United States. The two phases of the study included identifying eligible schools and collecting data from schools. A six-year history of music department and school enrollment data was collected from participating schools (n = 12). Individual music classes in each school were categorized as Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Technology-based, or Other Music Classes. Results found a statistically significant increase in overall Music Department enrollment and no statistically significant change in enrollment in Band or Chorus after the implementation of a technology-based music class. Reductions in enrollment did occur in Other Music classes. No significant change to the number of teachers in music departments was found. This study suggests that implementing a technology-based music classes may help increase overall music department enrollment without negatively impacting enrollment in traditional performance ensembles and may not necessitate funding for additional faculty.

This mixed methods study examined teacher attitudes towards technology and their relationship to the integration of technology in technology-rich learning environments.

As social media evolves, educators and other professionals have taken advantage of it as a teaching resource. This research focused on exploring the role of Instagram as a learning technology on health and fitness. In this research, there are references to literature that document the impact of social media on health and fitness. This study also highlights several features found on Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and other similar platforms to deliver learning content in real time. Several articles in this dissertation mentioned how social media content can influence the audience and their thoughts on health and fitness. Social media presents the opportunity to access information, impart knowledge as well as other forms of interaction.

This purpose of this study examined the effectiveness in technology integration among Texas educator preparation pathways and identified successful approaches in developing the technology competencies of preservice teachers. Existing data collected by the Texas Education Agency's Exit Survey by preservice teachers completing an educator preparation program was used to conduct a quantitative study. Data was imported into SPSS to conduct statistical analysis. The findings are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided to inform future development of technology integration in educator preparation programs.

The objective of this study was to locate and describe the learning affordances used within research studies on instructional design. Allowing an instructional designer to see what was used and how applicable it might be for future design would assist with better course creation. Current and past literature supported the importance of this concept after examination of how course creation has evolved within the field of instructional design. Further, the findings elucidated how to help the field evolve in the future by expanding knowledge about learning affordances and providing the broadest set of conceptual definitions by the academics working in the field to include them in their research and instructional designs.

This qualitative multiple case study attempts to capture and document the lived experiences of a group of elementary educators surrounding the COVID-19 emergency school closures of the 2019-2020 school year. The purpose of this study is to capture the observations and reactions of teachers after their experience using the Collabrify Roadmaps digital curriculum platform in both remote and face-to-face instructional settings to document and analyze the perceived benefits and challenges in using such a digital curriculum. By utilizing a semi-structured interview process, this study documents experiences and advice from educators in the field regarding the use of digital curricula. The findings from this study offer insight regarding the tools and features teachers want and need in digital curricula.

Libraries can have a significant impact on today's students and the schools of today and tomorrow. The way students learn is changing as technology changes: rapidly. The knowledge and skills that today's librarians carry can influence the students immensely, including their use of technology. However, with many districts suffering budget cuts, one of the first positions to cut is the certified librarian, replaced by a library paraprofessional. These budget cuts will impact what the libraries can offer students. It is vital that districts support their library program and the person in charge, whether a paraprofessional or certified librarian, to positively impact the students for their future. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of library programs within a technology-rich school district that utilizes paraprofessionals supported by a certified librarian.

This mixed methods study examined professional development for higher education faculty members at four-year, state supported universities in Texas and the perceptions of professional development leaders at these institutions. The quantitative data was generated through an electronic survey aligned to the second iteration of the technology acceptance model while the qualitative data was generated through semi structured interviews with those that participated with the survey. Univariate analysis was performed on the survey data and the qualitative data was categorized using pattern coding. Limitations and future recommendations were also discussed.

This validation study examined the Triple E Rubric for Lesson Design as a measurement tool to test the effectiveness of a lesson when using technology to support learning goals. This study also measured the content and concurrent validity as well as reliability of the Triple E Rubric developed by Liz Kolb.

This study showcases the perceived affordances of learning management systems (LMS)in the private sector and in the non-academic public sector. The qualitative study consisted of 9 interviews of industry professionals. The semi-structured interviews captured current practices of how LMS were utilized within their organization as well as the perceived benefits that their organization obtained by utilizing an LMS. The findings showcased that the affordance category with the highest overall frequency was Operations Management 3. The affordance type with the highest overall frequency was Operational Process OM3, and the code with the highest overall frequency was Professional Development OD1-OL.

Children of today are gaining exposure to electronic reading environments at earlier ages and in greater frequencies than prior generations, as evidenced by the ubiquity of modern technologies. Such technologies provide affordances beyond basic text by supporting the screen-based rendering of aural, visual, and gestural elements. This research investigates, by way of a fixed effects meta-analysis, the overall effect of electronic reading environments on the comprehension outcomes of children between the 4th and 8th grades. Findings yielded three published studies between 2016 and 2020. Results from a total population sample of 2,125 students across the United States, showed small but significant effects of reading technology on comprehension. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of their pedagogical applications and future research directions.

This study investigated a Makerspace professional development program, the Makers' Guild, provided to teachers within north Texas over the course of a semester. The research employed a constructionist approach delivered via 2D and 3D technologies during STEM instructional activities within a creative space. Participants reported statistically significant increases in self-reported competence in technology integration, confidence levels toward integrating World Wide Web, Emerging Technologies for Student Learning, Teacher Professional Development, and attitudes toward math, technology, science, and STEM careers.

This study employed Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model to better examine the reactions and learning experiences of a group of pharmaceutical industry sales professionals who participated in pandemic-related virtual compliance training in spring 2020. The field of learning technologies has few examples and limited knowledge regarding the evaluation of virtual training in the context of pandemic-related compliance training in the biopharmaceutical sector. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from industry participants, allowing an examination of their experiences relative to the first three stages of Kirkpatrick's training evaluation framework, namely the reactions of the trainees, the knowledge transferred to the trainees, and the performance as it relates to the trainees' changed behaviors because of their participation in virtually delivered training.

MakerBuses are travelling makerspaces that deliver hands-on tools and resources to community-wide locations to foster 21st century learning and development. Often found in K-12 schools, MakerBuses provide accessible and tangible learning opportunities for all learners, even in the most underserved communities. This single, typical case study provided a foundational look at how one MakerBus started as a simple idea and evolved into a learning experience used throughout the community it serves. Through discovery it was evident that accessibility, community outreach, tool distribution, and active learning were the critical elements that made this makerbus a unique tool for education.

The purpose of the present qualitative multiple case study was to identify and describe sustainability efforts and the perceptions of sustainability managers of selected higher education institutions (HEIs) in Texas. Through a Qualtrics survey and semi-structured interviews, sustainability managers shared their experiences regarding the implementation of sustainable initiatives on their campuses. The present study identified four broad themes including Organizational and Leadership Challenges and the Impact They Can Have on Sustainability, Facilities Challenges and Their Impact on Sustainability, Issues with Full Buy-In on the Part of Stakeholders, and Sustainability Personnel Knowledge and Experience. The results of the present study are considered, and recommendations are provided to help researchers identify challenges to implementing sustainability initiatives on HEI campuses.

This study investigates the effects of sketchnoting, a visualized approach of notetaking, on learning strategies. The main questions asked were: What are the effects of sketchnoting on learners' learning strategies, including cognitive strategies (rehearsal, elaboration, organizational) and metacognitive strategies? Forty-eight undergraduate participants were divided into two groups, an experimental group, and a control group. Findings demonstrated a significant increase in cognitive learning strategies and metacognitive strategies in the experimental group. Other findings revealed that the aesthetic appeal of sketchnoting is the major reason motivating participants' sketchnoting behavior and the corresponding connection between design strategies and the learning strategies is the key of positive impacts of sketchnoting on learning strategies. Additional insights and implications are discussed.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the relationship between the digital divide and the Latino-White achievement gap in online education. Through an analysis of archival enrollment and academic performance data a comparison was conducted between online and face-to-face courses by ethnicity. Additionally, academic performance data was then compared to survey responses from online students on digital motivation, material access, internet skills, and internet usage. Findings and recommendations for future research are discussed and provided to continue the exploration of disparities of digital access and academic performance in an effort to inform decisions in higher education.

This study aimed to observe measurement invariance between community college students and university students in response to the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Survey instrument. Most studies of the CoI survey instruments have recorded and validated the instruments considering undergraduate or graduate students. This study sought to validate and prove the survey tool as a reliable instrument for the community college population. The study employed SEM and meta-analytic procedures to observe measurement invariance between a Monte Carlo generated general university sample population and the community college survey population. The findings are discussed, as well as the implications for CoI studies in the community college.

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative case study is to describe the formation of a graduate enrollment evaluation system (GEES) to capture and explore the perceptions of key stakeholders to critically examine the barriers and benefits of a PhD nursing program at a large, public designated high research institution. As the research suggest, there is a current need for increased enrollment for nurses into nursing doctorate programs to further meet the patient's expanding demand, to expand the science of the nursing profession, and to increase the pipeline of qualified nursing faculty. Without a pipeline of qualified nursing faculty, fewer new nurses can be trained for the nursing workforce that already experiences a critical deficiency in staffing.

The purpose of this study is to provide a content analysis of specific studies that involve sustainable information and communication technology (ICT) use in K-12 education in the U.S. The results from the content analysis were used to identify factors that may contribute to the sustainable implementation of technologies in K-12 instruction. Factors from specific studies from 2000 to 2018 that have implemented ICT in instruction for three years or more were analyzed. The findings from the analysis may be helpful in developing a conceptual framework listing possible sustainability factors for K-12 school districts using technology in instruction. The results may also be beneficial to educational policy makers, school administrators, and educational stakeholders.

The purpose of this research was to provide an initial investigation of the preferences for both technology and learning sources that are available today in the modern workplace at a large financial institution with a national presence in the USA. In addition to the preferences of the participants, the research includes insights about the culture of the learning organization by using the Dimension of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) and two preference surveys. The research methods used in this study are categorized as mixed methods and include both quantitative and qualitative methods. This study is nonpositivist and descriptive. It is based on a triangulation design method which is comprised of analysis from data obtained from the DLOQ and preference surveys, as well as semi-structured interviews with several survey participants. The results of the studies provide the foundational information for an extended quantitative analysis.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to further explore pedagogical balance using multidimensional scaling and epistemic network analysis. Teacher shortages and attrition remain a critical issue for the future, and simulated classroom environments like simSchool can provide teachers additional training to help improve teaching confidence and teaching experience. Two different data sets were analyzed at various time before and after simSchool use to see how pre-service teachers rate themselves in 8 areas of teaching as defined by the Survey of Teaching Skills. Multidimensional scaling was utilized to see how teaching confidence and teaching experience align with no simSchool use, 90 minutes of use, and 8 hours of use. Epistemic network analysis was utilized to look at the cognitive structures of different groups to determine any differences. The findings are discussed with future research directions provided.

The purpose of this study was to determine if students with special needs participating in an inclusive classroom can learn the skills related to a STEM career as compared to the general student population. The study involved seventh grade students from two rural middle schools in north central Texas and was framed through a constructivist lens using a quasi-experimental design with a convenience sample. The Solenoid Invention Kit Assessment and the STEM Semantics Survey used in this study were used from a previously large existing dataset from a grant funded by the National Science Foundation for Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers. Findings suggested that there were no significant differences between the general student population and students with special needs. However, STEM coursework in an inclusive classroom may impact students' decision to pursue STEM careers.

Work-based and employee-driven informal learning, training and development have been increasing in importance in the last few decades. Concurrently, organizations seek to measure the extent to which they develop a culture and structure that supports individual learning and organizational learning. This study develops and validates a scale that can measure the extent to which an organization is perceived to provide online learning that is personalized for its employees and perceived to recognize skills and competencies acquired through non-degree and other pathways. This research can provide organizations with the ability to measure and benchmark attributes of their learning culture that are important to work-based and lifelong learning as well as talent recruitment and management.