The purpose of this mixed methods study was to fill a void in the catalog of faculty development offerings and address the pedagogical strategy of online CL groups at one university system in Texas. The goal for the CL faculty development module was to support and guide faculty members with experience and increased understanding about the…

The purpose of this research study was to find tangible group work practices that secondary and higher education educators could employ to increase racial equity and cultivate inclusive environments in their academic institutions. The study originated from a long-lasting pervasive inattention paid to Students of Color in classrooms across America.…

Online higher education has become increasingly popular over the last several decades. The COVID-19 pandemic created an additional surge in online course enrollment. While existing research emphasizes the importance of engagement in face-to-face courses, limited knowledge exists regarding design strategies promoting engagement and collaboration in…

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore the experiences of Texas higher education faculty in early childhood educator preparation programs (EPP) with the use of cooperative learning (CL) strategies in a synchronous online learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory of social interdependence and the…

As online collaboration continues to normalize in the post-pandemic digital age, how students engage online through collaborative learning has grown in importance. Web 2.0 has led to a shift in learner engagement that impacts the ways students interact with class content, and this provides opportunities for more meaningful collaboration and…

This dissertation presents a new framework for the application of Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory (SCT) in the second language (L2) classroom called Collaborative-Dynamic Assessment (C-DA). C-DA is a melding of Collaborative Learning (CL), Dynamic Assessment (DA), and Group Evaluation (GE) in all aspects of L2 instruction and assessment. A study…

In response to the emerging and swiftly developing digital tools, this dissertation investigated integrating a specific category of these tools, social networks, in teaching in higher education. The study focused on exploring how social networks integration might impact the teaching/learning process and on investigating the challenges that could…

A qualitative phenomenological study examining the learning activities that take place at a college radio station. The research objective is to understand the social practices that make possible or hinder the construction of learning experiences at KCSS, the campus radio station at California State University, Stanislaus. Document analysis,…

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how collaborative language learning activities affected student perceptions of their engagement and language self-efficacy in a communicative, flipped language learning classroom in higher education. The new online platforms accompanying many textbooks now allow students to prepare…

This research project was used to examine variables influencing preferred learning modes of online competency-based education (CBE) students registered in a Bachelor's of Organizational Leadership degree program at a traditional university in east Texas, using 4 learning modes (independent, instrumental, interactive, and collaborative). A…

As a choral director in higher education, I grew increasingly attentive to the role of globalization on society and similarly on higher education. Believing that cultural awareness informs music performance, I examined how choral music education in particular might lead the way in challenging students to see the world in its increasingly…

Student engagement is a recognized factor within higher education when understanding student satisfaction, retention, and persistence. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has been used across the nation since 2000 to measure the engagement behaviors of first year and fourth-year students at four-year institutions. The results of the…

Although research has identified critical thinking (CT) as an objective of higher education, limited quantitative research has focused on how postsecondary instructors view using handheld devices for classroom collaboration to support CT. There are studies examining how the use of tablet technologies influence collaborative learning (CL), showing…

A growing number of college leaders are making assumptions that traditional classroom spaces designed primarily for lecture are less effective than more flexible learning spaces in supporting student engagement and learning. As a result, many post-secondary institutions are investing significant resources into the development of new and improved…

This qualitative study explored faculty members' and senior level administrators' views of intelligence studies, communities of practice, and learning approaches. A focus group interview, individual interviews, and a review of documents were the sources of data for the study. Themes emerging from the investigation were strategies to connect…