The problem addressed in this study was that there was a gap of knowledge regarding the predictors of satisfaction and learning outcomes of online homeland security graduate students. Without this knowledge, universities would not be able to maintain a homeland security program that would meet its intended objectives. The purpose of the study was…

During the last decade, distance learning has developed and become widespread. Many colleges and universities in the United States have accepted distance learning as part of the instructional delivery. In 2017, 33% of students enrolled were in distance learning courses. Out of these, 3.1 million (15.7%) students enrolled exclusively in distance…

State authorization, or the approval by a given state for a college to operate within its jurisdiction, is an important part of the regulatory triad. The triad is the three-pronged oversight of higher education that includes the federal government, accrediting bodies, and state governments. State authorization has become more complicated with the…

Equally as important as growing the body of human knowledge through scientific discoveries and analysis is relaying this information to the general public in a digestible manner to establish a scientifically literate society. This dissertation approaches the multifaceted issue by combining an in-depth study of brown dwarf binary atmospheres with…

This exploratory case study aimed to provide a description of how pedagogy, discipline, and course level impact the technology selection process of faculty members in higher education at a public, comprehensive university in New England. The research, conducted through both interviews and a survey, examined first the impact of the discipline,…

At Ciudad Community College (pseudonym) and across the Colorado Community College System, the course competencies for Technical Writing I (ENG 131) have more than tripled to accommodate ENG 131 as a guaranteed transfer course equivalent to ENG 121: English Composition I. Unfortunately, this has had the effect of increasing the workload for…

Recent trends toward engaging undergraduate biology students in scientific investigations have shifted focus toward helping students understand and use scientific evidence. Instructors must promote students' evidentiary reasoning as they generate, use, and evaluate scientific evidence during the investigations. However, explicit guidance is needed…

Encouraging persistence, success, and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields of study continues to be a point of emphasis across the United States. While there does exist a body of research exploring STEM education and STEM learning, less is understood about the informal factors that may encourage STEM pursuit.…

The growing popularity of multimodal resources in technology-mediated learning and teaching practices has brought to the fore the issue of learners' competencies in interpreting, employing and interacting with various semiotic resources, of which language is just one (Kress, van Leeuwen, Multimodal discourse: the modes and media of contemporary…

This review examines instructional design principles from Behaviorist, Cognitivist, Constructivist, and Contemporary learning inspired models within the landscape of Arabic language education research. Specific characteristics from instructional design models such as ADDIE, Morrison, Ross, and Kemp, ASSURE, and Rapid Prototyping are explored…

Tennessee's community colleges are committed to reducing equity gaps. According to the Tennessee Board of Regents' (TBR) equity policy, this commitment means "ensuring that each student has access to a high-quality education and that each student receives what they need to be successful through the intentional design of the college…

Online learning sessions are becoming increasingly common. In this study, we reviewed over 150 studies of online and blended learning, revealing that the factors that affect student preferences for online or in-person learning vary widely and compiled a table of these factors. They can be categorized as either learning preferences or current…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe how Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges' leadership describes their dependency on external funding sources and its influence on the elimination of program offerings, general operating expenses, and funding of workforce development non-credit education programs in Louisiana.…

Students who transfer from a two-year institution to a four-year institution often have some difficulty settling into their new university home, but a combination of social and academic supports can ease the transition. This change to a new institution can be even more difficult for students who are transitioning into a fully-online program.…

Every year, underprepared students begin college with remediation courses that do not count toward their degree. Although enrolled in an institution of higher education, students may be taking few, if any, college-level courses. The underprepared student presents a significant challenge in the effort to raise educational attainment. Thus, the…