Many researchers have observed that gamified mixed reality learning environments (gMRLEs) can increase learner engagement, motivation, knowledge acquisition, and critical thinking. However, there is no consensus on strategies and methods for designing gMRLEs. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to identify best practices in designing…

In the age of big data, interactive data visualizations are becoming increasingly prevalent. The ability to focus on subsets of data is essential for exploring large temporal, geospatial, topical, and network datasets. In order to categorize all parts of data visualizations, various attempts have been made to build frameworks for how to interpret,…

Electronic virtual patients (VPs) are interactive screen-based computer simulations of real-life clinical scenarios that are widely used for the purposes of health sciences education. Advances in computational modeling and availability of large patient cohort datasets from Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems have created an opportunity to…

A challenge for the virtual reality (VR) industry is facing is that VR is not immersive enough to make people feel a genuine sense of presence: the low frame rate leads to dizziness and the lack of human body visualization limits the human-computer interaction. In this dissertation, I present our research on enhancing visual and gestural fidelity…

Social capital theory conceptualized social capital as key to connecting team members into the flow of valued resources and activities, with knowledge deemed one of the most valuable of these resources. Yet, the literature found teams struggle to effectively share knowledge. This quantitative survey-based study assessed the interrelationship…

Background: The clinical perfusionist is a member of the open-heart-surgery team and responsible for operating the life support equipment that replaces the function of the patient's heart and lungs and arrests and restarts the patient's heart in the course of a Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB) procedure. In the perfusionists scope of practice, the…

This mixed-methods study involved implementation of virtual field trip (VFT) projects in an online undergraduate foreign language (FL) course, with a close focus on four student participants' use of VFTs over four weeks. Participants explored an Italian city using desktop virtual reality; narrated their experiences, and created an annotated…

Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is a proven instructional method for increasing knowledge gains in medical learners. However, it is difficulty to implement because of cost, technical considerations, and issues of accessibility. This experimental, mixed-methods study of senior-level nursing students sought to understand what impact an…

Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement condition and, after Alzheimer's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Parkinson's disease has no proven cure. However, efforts are being made to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson's. Quality of life encompasses a variety of domains, including nutritional health.…

The presence of Animated Pedagogical Agents (APAs) in education is increasing day-by-day. They are being used in online courses as well as research studies. Therefore, there is a need to study ways in which lectures can quickly be created using APAs. Gestures are an inseparable part of an APA's communication with users. Gestures generated…

Spatial intelligence is an essential skill commonly used within various fields of science. Students with low spatial abilities frequently struggle to identify, retrieve, and apply key complex abstract information presented as multiple representations to actual three-dimensional natural materials and phenomena. Spatial ability may be considered a…

Economic inequality has reached historically high levels in both the United States and in the world. The research literature in sociology and political science has long shown that individuals tend to be very persistent in their views on the determinants of economic success, although these views may be formed on cultural and cognitive biases. For…

Simulation based training (SBT) has allowed for improvement of clinical skills by providing practical experience of performing surgical procedures without the risk of harming patients. Performance assessment of learners during SBT has proved to be effective in improving psycho-motor skills, encouraging active learning and in-turn increasing…

The problem addressed through this study was that the combination of student anxiety towards patients with mental health conditions along with their unpreparedness for exercising active listening, empathy, and self-awareness in clinical situations created a barrier to achieving therapeutic nurse-patient relationships in Psychiatric-Mental Health…

Online learning has grown rapidly over the past decade in higher education. In 2019, 2.8 million higher education students were learning online, a 129.1% growth from 2018 (Straut & Boeke, 2020). Technology allows students from all over the world to learn, which has aided in the enrollment growth of online learning. Technological innovations…