This dissertation is positioned as asynchronous educator professional development and is designed and written to be an "experience" (spotlighting the rhetorical potentials of text-based asynchronous engagement). It attempts to call attention to, through its design, the very things it discusses. In this way, this dissertation is…

This study investigates the neurocognitive underpinnings of early language learning in adults and examines the modulating effects of individual differences in prior bilingual experience and cognitive capabilities. This study used a pre/post short-term longitudinal design with a 10-day Dutch language training via Rosetta Stone. Event-Related…

Online learning has become popular for corporations to train their professionals and has increased in usage since COVID-19. Online learning enables learners to take courses alone via self-directed learning, with other students in a synchronous environment, or via a blended combination of self-directed and instructor-led learning. Multiple trending…

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of consistency among United States (U.S.) Army instructors' support for students with low self-efficacy in a U.S. Army online blended learning course, which has a negative impact on deep learning. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain a better understanding of the…

The current study delved into the problematic achievement gap between African-American graduates students and other groups, specifically in the online learning environment. African-American graduate students' lower achievement is problematic due to its lost opportunity costs and social subjugation of an entire group of Americans. The study's…

Societies are increasingly aware of the need to connect and communicate globally. Thus, navigating diverse cultural contexts becomes critical, which necessitates intercultural competence--the skill of effective communication and understanding across cultures. As the digital age reshapes our interactions, online learning platforms have emerged as…

This qualitative study will explore how MSW faculty describe a community in online courses and what strategies they use in fostering a sense of community within courses from an online Master of Social Work program at the University of South Florida. There is an imperative need to ensure online courses provide a sense of community to support…

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the higher education undergraduate student body and the structure of course offerings have drastically changed. As we continue to transition from emergency remote courses to quality online learning experiences, we must respond thoughtfully as well as empirically. The purpose of this study was to examine quality…

The world of work is changing, and soft skills like critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and collaboration are essential for professional and personal success. With the increase in online enrollment, institutions can improve online learning to promote the development of soft skills. There has been a lack of articulated methods or…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how seminary and institute students describe their spiritual and learning experiences when studying scripture in a digital format in Alberta, Canada. Cognitive flexibility theory provided the theoretical framework and lens whereby the researcher explored the phenomenon and was used…

This study examined adult learners' satisfaction, motivation, and engagement in online academic writing courses. Utilizing a mixed method, causal-comparative design, the study investigated the experiences of adult learners, who have distinctive characteristics from traditional learners. The findings revealed that adult learners are highly…

This study sought to understand factors influencing student satisfaction with online learning technologies in U.S. higher education institutions after the spring semester of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced all higher education to an online format. Understanding these factors can help universities acknowledge student preferences and improve…

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) contributed to over 20% of all bachelor's degrees earned by African American students. Since the 2019 pandemic, HBCUs have provided more online course offerings to their students. The continued success of HBCUs depends on their ability to grow with technology. This study examined the lived…

Online teacher professional development (oTPD) has gained momentum globally as a mode of teacher professional development (Dede et al., 2009; Lieberman & Mace, 2010), appealing to teachers who prefer the convenience of online learning and/or the autonomy of self-paced learning. With oTPD gaining traction, especially in this climate of COVID-19…

This Educational Leadership Portfolio (ELP) reviews the state of online learning at the University of Delaware (UD). UD lacks the sufficient infrastructure and resources to support online learning, despite its steady growth in online enrollments over the past decade. This growth was punctuated with a spike in online enrollments due to the pivot to…