Ph.D. - Learning Design and Technology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/50821

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Strangers in the light: Testing social engagement as a theoretical framework for cyberbullying interventions
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Lee, Edmond Wai Lun; Menchaca, Michael P.; Learning Design and Technology
In recent years, cyberbullying (CB) and cybervictimization (CV) have become major problems, even spreading into adolescent classroom environments. How do classroom teachers, whose core strengths are modeling and teaching positive behaviors, confront this problem when interventions typically seem to revert to punishing an aggressor and protecting a victim? Research reveals that much of what is identified as adolescent CB is actually unintentional and a direct result of maladaption and/or a lack of the prosocial skills needed to healthily engage with others. This problem has worsened as adolescents increasingly shift from face to face (F2F) to modes of social engagement that are entirely online like social media (SM). This study invoked Polyvagal Theory (PVT) to highlight an important truth about modern social engagement (SE). Controversy and conflict with others are unavoidable to the human condition. What matters are the processes that our species have evolved- mindfulness, empathy, and compassion- that make us human and allow us to coexist in spite of controversy and conflict. However, society is starting to reap some of the malignant side-effects, as these very human processes become monetized and altered by the affordances of online technology. PVT posits that humans have evolved the ability to calm our autonomic nervous system (ANS) in the presence of others, in spite of conditions of controversy and/or conflict. This process of healthy coregulation- measured in this study as mindfulness, empathy, and compassion- is key to the survival of the species. It allows us to calm our ANS and cooperate with others. Porges (2018) notes that coregulation is built into our DNA and is as necessary to survival as food, air, and water. According to PVT, the subtle cues in our interactions with others allow us “read” or neurocept interpersonal dynamics. This is what allows us to calm our ANS in the presence of friends or to ramp up for danger. These F2F cues allow us to infer context, intent, safety, etc. so that we may dampen our natural fight/flight/freeze response and coregulate, forming alliances, friendships, and communities. Most of these neuroceptive cues are “read” F2F and below the level of consciousness. However, as more and more of our social engagement migrates online, we lose the opportunity to practice and exchange these soothing, neuroceptive cues, affecting our ANS state (anxiety) and causing maladaptive behaviors like CB and CV. Literature cited in this study noted that controversy and conflict can be constructive and cooperative rather than destructive and maladaptive. The outcome depends upon our understanding and practice of these subtle, autonomic processes with others. This study quantitatively tested PVT via its three major principles- hierarchy, neuroception, and coregulation. It posited mindfulness, empathy, and compassion as the mechanism by which humans coregulate and choose calm cooperation. The quantitative results were used to create a model that correctly predicted positive vs. negative CB/CV outcomes at a 94% level. The validation of these factors is important because it indicates that combatting CB is less about fighting and more about learning to calmly create alliances under adverse conditions. It is here that classroom teachers are most effective. The findings from this study can be directly practiced with students across the curriculum. As with literacy and math, teaching students to deal with controversy in a constructive and collaborative manner is key to their maturation and mastery of the general learner outcomes (GLO’s). As the father of American psychology William James noted, “The great thing in education is to make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy.”
The effectiveness of the AI-supported learner-as-collaborator process on the English writing competencies of college students in China: A mixed methods study
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Zhou, Yugang; Hoffman, Daniel L.; Learning Design and Technology
This mixed methods study examines the effectiveness of the AI-supported learner-as-collaborator process in improving the English writing competencies of Chinese college students. Despite the importance of English writing for academic and professional success, Chinese learners often struggle due to exam-oriented instruction, limited feedback, and linguistic differences between English and Chinese. Drawing on the Noticing, Interaction, and Output Hypotheses within the AI-supported learner-as-collaborator framework, the study employed an explanatory sequential design with two intact sophomore writing classes at Northeast Agricultural University. The experimental group used the generative AI tool Pitaya during a 10-week intervention, while the control group followed a traditional curriculum. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that both groups significantly improved their writing. However, the average gains of the experimental group were not statistically greater than those of the control group, likely due to the short duration of the intervention and limited AI literacy training. Qualitative findings revealed that students who engaged actively and critically with the AI tool benefited most, with lower-proficiency learners showing particular progress. Participants reported valuing AI as a flexible partner for practice and feedback while also recognizing its limitations. The study highlights the importance of embedding AI literacy and combining AI with human guidance to maximize its pedagogical potential.
Learning from friends: The one with transmedia literacy development in online TV media fandom communities
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Chillingworth, Jessica; Hoffman, Daniel; Learning Design and Technology
This study explored how adults may be developing transmedia literacy through their participation in online TV media fandom communities. Transmedia literacy is a concept that extends from media literacy, focusing on participatory cultures, user-generated content, and informal learning strategies. There are four main elements of transmedia literacy: 1) transmediality, 2) prosumption, 3) collaboration or interaction, and 4) critical thinking. Theoretically, the study argues adult participation creates opportunities for connected learning– a concept that emphasizes learning environments in a networked digital age that are 1) interest-driven, 2) peer-supported, and 3) academically oriented. While previous research in this field has primarily focused on youth, little is known about how adults engage and might be learning in these informal learning environments. By examining how TV media fandom communities facilitate knowledge-sharing, the research aimed to bridge this gap and offer insights into adults’ transmedia learning in digital spaces. Using a qualitative case study research design, the study examined what transmedia literacy skills, if any, were being developed in the online Friends TV show fandom community on the social media platform Reddit. Data sources included multimedia artifacts, comment threads, and interviews with adult members of the Friends fandom community. The analysis focused on how participants developed transmedia literacy skills as well as their perceptions of connected learning and how transmedia skills applied to other parts of their lives. Findings indicated that adults are experiencing elements of connected learning as they participate in their TV media fandom communities. Also, adult fandom members were likely acquiring transmedia literacy skills through their participation. Additionally, results suggested that these skills are likely to transfer to other aspects of adults’ lives outside of the participatory culture space (such as an online fandom community). However, participants did not recognize a connection from learning in the subreddit as transferable to other parts of their lives. This study highlights the role of online fan communities as valuable learning spaces for adults. The findings have implications for media literacy education, demonstrating how informal, interest-driven learning can enhance digital and transmedia competencies in broader contexts.
Why and how organizations of different sizes evaluate the transfer of training and use technology to capture, store, and analyze the transfer of training data: A sequential explanatory mixed-method study
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Saunderson, Michael Melgaard; Hoffman, Daniel; Learning Design and Technology
This study investigated why organizations value training transfer evaluations, the role of technology in these evaluations, and the influence of organizational size on implementation. Despite substantial investments in training, organizations often lack evidence of their effectiveness, as measuring training outcomes presents challenges. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was employed, and the study collected quantitative data from ATD and ISPI members alongside qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Analysis through SPSS and thematic analysis revealed that, although organizations value advanced evaluations (Levels 3 and 4 of Kirkpatrick’s Model), they primarily implement lower-level evaluations (Levels 1 and 2) due to barriers such as difficulty isolating the impact of training and limited managerial skills in evaluating job performance. The findings underscore the central role of technology in training transfer evaluations, with Learning Management systems as the primary tool for data collection and storage, learner surveys for analysis, and business metrics for impact assessment. A notable gap exists between large and small organizations, where larger entities tend to leverage more advanced technologies.In contrast, smaller ones often rely on manual methods, indicating a significant technology divide. The study highlights that while organizations understand the importance of measuring behavioral changes and business impact, they encounter limitations due to resource and expertise constraints. This research suggests that higher-level evaluations are critical for capturing training effectiveness and guiding resource allocation. Future research should build upon these findings by addressing compliance issues, exploring diverse contexts, and evaluating the role of emerging technologies in enhancing training evaluation practices across various organizational types.
The impact of the design of online teacher professional development on teacher’s autonomous motivation
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Callahan, Ashley; Leong, Peter; Learning Design and Technology
This mixed methods case study investigated best practices in online teacher professional development (oTPD) design that foster teachers' autonomous motivation to implement learned instructional strategies. The research examined how specific design elements affect teachers' perceptions of professional development experiences, psychological need satisfaction, and implementation intentions through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. Data were collected from 1,267 secondary science educators who participated in AVID's Science Community of Practice during summer 2021, alongside design team members and facilitators.Using a parallel convergent mixed methods design, I analyzed quantitative survey data and qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, content analysis, and open-ended responses. Results revealed five key design elements that significantly influenced teachers' autonomous motivation: relevance of content, facilitator knowledge and expertise, differentiation of learning pathways, collaborative learning opportunities, and provision of support resources. The study found that 96% of participants left with specific implementation strategies, while 95% felt capable of applying new knowledge in their classrooms. Findings indicated that expert facilitators played a pivotal role in actualizing design principles and fostering psychological need satisfaction. Participants valued facilitators who provided authentic classroom examples, modeled instructional strategies, and created collaborative learning environments. The research revealed a strong alignment between effective oTPD design elements and the core constructs of Self-Determination Theory, particularly in supporting teachers' needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. This study extends existing design frameworks by proposing skilled facilitation as a fourth essential design principle for effective oTPD, complementing established principles of relevance, reflection, and collaboration. The enhanced framework provides actionable guidance for education leaders, learning designers, and professional development providers seeking to create motivating online learning experiences that translate into classroom implementation. Implications include recommendations for facilitator training, flexible course progression, and strategic integration of collaborative elements in oTPD programs.
Student, parent, teacher, and administrator perceptions of technology in school
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Balcombe, Alicia Marie; Paek, Seungoh; Learning Design and Technology
Technology has become a fundamental component of K–12 education, paralleling the importance of core academic subjects. Effective technology integration in primary and secondary schools requires informed approaches shaped by diverse stakeholder insights. This qualitative study explored current and desired perceptions of technology use among middle-school-aged students (ages 11–14), together with parents, teachers, and administrators who support this age group from eight private schools in Hawaiʻi. Data collection included both stakeholder-specific focus groups and card-sorting activities based on the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM). Findings revealed both similarities and differences between current and preferred technology use in school. Students currently use technology mainly for routine tasks and communication but desire more autonomy, creativity, and opportunities for meaningful, higher-order learning experiences. Parents acknowledge technology's practical benefits but express concerns about reduced foundational skills and advocate for balanced technology integration emphasizing real-world applications. Teachers currently utilize technology primarily in structured, procedural roles but also incorporate technology for authentic experiences that connect to students' lives beyond the classroom; they prefer transitioning toward facilitating student-centered, innovative, and higher-order, and transformative learning experiences. Administrators perceive technology integration as widespread but heavily teacher-directed, highlighting concerns around cybersecurity and distractions, and advocate for deeper, student-driven integration promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and responsible AI use. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating diverse stakeholder perspectives in technology policy and instructional practices, aiming for enhanced student autonomy, meaningful engagement, and responsible digital citizenship.
A single case study of successful K-12 online trainers in Saipan
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Watson, Robin Surech Ngirarsaol; Menchaca, Michael P.; Learning Design and Technology
In K-12 schools, teacher training is one strategy for recruiting and maintaining teachers. Although teacher training has existed for many years, one consistent problem is that access to training is not necessarily synonymous with its efficacy. Thus, designing, implementing, and evaluating effective training would better support recruiting new teachers and maintaining established ones. As a Pacific heritage researcher studying educators in Saipan, the purpose of this single case study was to understand post COVID-19 K-12 online training by defining factors of successful training and understanding online trainers’ background, experiences, and design processes. The single case study blended Brinkerhoff’s Success Case Method with elements of Indigenous Research Methodologies to guide respectful research that: was success focused; respected and built relationships with participants who, as experts, defined successful online training in their context; demonstrated reciprocity and respect by thanking participants for their time and expertise; and shared a summary of findings and a conclusions report with participants. An inductive analysis of online coordinator data (survey, interview transcripts, and artifacts) posited factors of successful online training. The inductive analysis of online trainer data (interview transcripts and artifacts) provided a deeper understanding of who these trainers were (background and experiences) and the processes they used to design successful online training. The overall findings revealed an interdependent, symbiotic relationship among online coordinators and online trainers, as each played vital roles in the success of online training. A surprising finding was that an Instructional Technology Coach was responsible for designing online training courses which increased the efficacy of training. The findings suggested that course design processes aligned with elements of the ASSURE instructional design model and the EdTech program course content included intersections of the three knowledge types highlighted by the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Framework (TPACK). The data analysis posited six themes that contributed to successful online training in this post COVID-19 K-12 Saipan school district: (a) course design, (b) trainer competencies, (c) symbiotic relationships, (d) context specific, (e) financial support, and (f) teacher certification. The implications of this study suggest that the Instructional Technology Coach played a critical role in the online training design process and providing training for online trainers. Additionally, the online training team members were born, raised, lived, and worked in this community. These local trainers were connected and invested in the school community and larger community, knowledgeable of the context’s needs, strengths, and Mariana (Chamorro and Carolinian) cultural values. Overall, the findings suggested that online training was an iterative instructional design-based process guided by an Instructional Technology Coach, implemented by skilled local online trainers for educators in their own context, with support and funding from stakeholders. This study introduced a Trainer Success Model based on the Pacific coconut frond basket imagery and metaphor. Future research could investigate instructional design processes, the Pacific based Trainer Success Model, training modules, instructional materials, different K-12 contexts, or investigate using a different study methodology or data analysis strategies.
The use of gamification elements in an online course to increase learner engagement and motivation
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Jumawan, Francisco V.; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Paek, Seungoh; Learning Design and Technology
Online learning has become widespread in postsecondary education, offering accessibility and flexibility. However, student engagement and motivation remain a challenge, often leading to high dropout rates. Gamification, the use of game design elements in non-gaming contexts, has been explored as a strategy to help increase motivation and engagement. This explanatory mixed-method study examined the impact of Badges and Leaderboards on engagement, motivation, and course experience in an asynchronous online postsecondary course.The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods and guided by the Dynamical Model for Gamification of Learning (DMGL) (Kim & Lee, 2013). A survey (n=20) assessed engagement and motivation, while focus group discussions (n=6) provided deeper insights. The findings revealed that while students reported high engagement and motivation, these were primarily driven by intrinsic factors such as personal goals and content relevance rather than gamification elements. The study found no significant correlations between gamification and engagement, motivation, or perceived learning. Qualitative results suggested that gamification elements were often unnoticed due to their placement and weak integration with learning objectives. These findings emphasize the need for intentional instructional design and strategic implementation of the gamification elements in online learning. Future research should explore adaptive gamification approaches and stronger alignment with course content to enhance its effectiveness.
Community college instrumental faculty using technology to engage remote learners during a pandemic: A basic interpretive study
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Vietti, Faith A.; Menchaca, Michael; Learning Design and Technology
A paradigm shift in online learning impacted the United States and the world due to COVID-19 (Li & Lalani, 2020). This shift rapidly thrust community college instrumental ensemble faculty, ensemble directors, and ensemble performance directors into an online learning environment. This unprecedented transition from Face-to-Face (F2F) to online classrooms necessitated a heavy reliance on technology to engage remote learners. This basic interpretive study aimed to better understand their experiences pivoting to remote instruction during the pandemic years of 2020 to 2021. Hence, this study explored community college performance faculty's challenges and opportunities during COVID-19. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven participants from five Southern California community colleges meeting all of the following criteria: (a) instrumental ensemble faculty, (b) taught online during the pandemic, and (c) director of bands, conductors of the wind ensemble, concert band, jazz band, or music directors of the orchestra. The findings of this study reflect the experiences and attitudes of ensemble performance faculty regarding the emergency transition. This study explored how instrumental ensemble faculty addressed their concerns about utilizing various tools and technologies to engage remote learners during the pandemic. The conceptual framework used to analyze the data was the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) [Venkatesh et al., 2003] and Kolb's (1984) Experiential Learning Model (ELM). Within the framework, UTAUT helped identify four core constructs to explain how participants adopted various technologies and online teaching methods into their practice, while ELM helped identify how participants overcame concerns about using technology. Overall, the framework helped to describe the participants’ intentions to use an information system and their subsequent usage behavior. The findings revealed significant challenges in technology adoption, inequities in resource access, and a strong preference for F2F instruction. Thus, these challenges also highlighted opportunities for growth, innovation, and the need for systemic changes in how institutions support ensemble performance faculty. As education evolves in a post-COVID era, emotional and psychological support systems must be accessible, highlighting a critical need for ongoing, proactive support that addresses the technological, psychosocial, and well-being aspects of transitioning to online and hybrid learning environments (Bozkurt & Sharma, 2021).
Designing mobile learning experiences with microlearning video lessons
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Akiyama, Tiffany; Paek, Seungoh; Learning Design and Technology
Mobile learning has become increasingly popular among college students due to its convenience and portability. However, the small screen size of mobile devices poses challenges for effective learning. While mobile learning research has focused on various frameworks, a standardized set of guidelines for effective mobile learning does not exist. Microlearning, an approach commonly used in workplace training, has the potential to address this gap in mobile learning design. This case study examines the effectiveness of the Designing for One - Microlearning Design and Development (DO-MDD) framework in higher education, specifically for programming courses. The study explores the experiences of instructors who designed microlearning video lessons using the DO-MDD framework and assesses students' learning experiences with those lessons. Findings indicate that instructors and students valued the framework for its ability to focus content on a single learning objective, which positively affected student engagement and focus. However, challenges related to video length and the provision of immediate feedback emerged. These challenges suggest areas for improvement, including integrating real-time feedback and adapting the framework for other academic disciplines. Future research should explore how the DO-MDD framework can be refined to address these issues and expanded to broader educational contexts.
Investigating the relationship between gamification, personality traits, and goal attainment in online postsecondary settings
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Mahoe, Jewel; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Paek, Seungoh; Learning Design and Technology
Though gamification has been found to improve motivation and achievement, it is important to recognize that no intervention influences all learners equally. The objective of this study was to identify the relationships between learners’ personality traits, perceived goal attainment, and their perception of badges and leaderboards to explore the effects of these critical influences on higher education online learning. This study’s framework was formed around Self Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), The Big Five model of personality (Costa & McCrae, 1992), and Goal-Setting Theory (Latham & Locke, 1991) and addresses five critical research questions. Accordingly, this mixed-methods study collected data from one hundred fifty-six (n=156) students through surveys in a higher education online setting. Variables in this study included perceived goal attainment, perceptions of gamification elements (badges and leaderboards), and five personality traits: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness. Three (n=3) participants were recruited for interviews. Quantitative results found four correlations between conscientiousness and perception of goal attainment, perception ofgamification (badging and leaderboards) and perception of goal attainment, perception of goal attainment and agreeableness, and perception of gamification (badging and leaderboards) and extraversion. Qualitative results found several main themes. This study yielded three major conclusions. First, conscientiousness is a possible predictor for goal attainment. Second, gamification is a supplement to engaging teaching. Third, the importance of mastery goals to support learning. These findings hold particular relevance for designers and instructors involved in the development and delivery of online postsecondary courses, as they emphasize the importance of integrating effective teaching strategies and understanding the learners they are working with. Conclusions drawn from this study may influence future research on instructional design and gamification implementation within a course.
Connecting Distance Learners : Student to Student Contact in Virtual High School Classes
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Davids, June; Menchaca, Michael; Learning Design and Technology
ABSTRACTThis study was designed to look at K-12 teacher beliefs about the role that community plays in their online learning classes and how instructors use communication, technology and pedagogical methodologies to form class communities. This study used a qualitative case study research methodology which included teacher interviews from five online instructors who taught high school online classes. Findings from the study indicated that among the sample population, teachers who believed in the value of community and had created their own online content, integrated community building features into their courses. This study is important because community features such as trust, interdependence and feelings of connectedness have been associated with student persistence in online higher education and this study demonstrates these features have been found to be important in K-12 education too. Since Covid-19 pressured almost all teachers to learn how to use distance technologies to instruct students, it appears that more digital distance education and future course designers can utilize this information as they build new K-12 online learning communities. Wenger’s (1998) conceptual framework on communities of practice was used to guide this study. The findings revealed that a creation of a virtual community of practice is valued by its members and is an efficient and effective tool for acquiring knowledge and sharing knowledge.
THE POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF SMARTPHONE USE BEHAVIORS ON PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Barreras, Rian-Angelica Mahealani; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Leong, Peter; Learning Design and Technology
When accessing the internet, smartphones allow users to access social media, search for information, and communicate with others while on the go. Smartphones no longer only provide a way to connect; this technology also allows people relate to others and maintain their relationships. This study explores (a) student smartphone use behaviors, (b) student perceptions of peer interactions, (c) student perceptions of faculty interactions, (d) how these factors relate to students’ perceptions of social integration at a university, and (e) any differences related to gender and age. The correlational research in this study revealed statistically significant findings between smartphone use and student perceptions of social integration amongst peer groups. Results of t-tests identified differences between males and females, while the ANOVA identified differences across birth cohorts. Additionally, the qualitative interview data presented as the emerging themes of connection, convenience, and technology culture related to smartphone use and perceptions of social integration. The results of this explanatory mixed methods study support a direct link between technology use and interaction, regardless of gender or age. However, no such link can be found between technology use and integration. Instead, college students’ technology use appears to flow through interaction, resulting in integration.
Toward a Theory of Sense of Place in Online Teaching and Learning
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Yu, Waynele Emi; Leong, Peter; Learning Design and Technology
Place-based educators recognize the importance of place in shaping learning, as our sense of place serves as a lens through which we interpret our experiences. Despite the growing prevalence of online environments in education, their impact on our sense of place remains largely unexplored. This case study employed critical case sampling to explore how graduate students in an online place-based program developed their sense of place in their online learning environment and its influence on their behavior. Using grounded theory and constant comparative analysis of surveys, interviews, documents, and observations, two overarching themes emerged. The first theme, “Building a Web of Connectivity,” illustrates the process through which participants developed their sense of place in the online learning environment. Central to this theme are six nodes: Finding Oneself in the Curriculum, Connecting with Culture, Building Pilina, Fostering Safety, Building Awareness, and Enacting Agency. Metaphorically functioning akin to a mesh network topology, each node represents a critical activity that students engaged in to create multiple points of connectivity between people and place. The second theme, “Robust Webs for Engaged Learning,” highlights how students exhibiting more nodes demonstrated increased engagement in the online learning environment. These findings offer valuable insights for educators and instructional designers, providing practical guidance on fostering meaningful and engaging learning experiences in online learning environments by utilizing the six nodes. This study underscores the transformative potential of the nodes, emphasizing the importance of assisting students in understanding the online world and their place within it.Keywords: sense of place, online learning, place-based education
PERCEPTIONS OF EMPATHY FOR USERS THROUGH PERSONAS IN THE UX AND LEARNING DESIGN COMMUNITIES: A MIXED METHODS STUDY
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Gauvin, Natalie Rose; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Menchaca, Michael P.; Learning Design and Technology
Understanding the people who use the digital products we build is essential to creating experiences that are useful, desired, and enjoyable. Personas are a tool often employed in educational settings and industry to build empathy for users. Using a concurrent mixed methods approach, this study sought to better understand how personas help to build empathy for learners and end users. This study used the perspectives of learning and UX designers with previous experience using the persona method during the design process. This study delved into designers’ self-reported levels of empathy based on cognitive and affective questions from the Empathy Components Questionnaire by Batchelder et al. (2017). The conceptual framework introduced in this study focuses on empathizing in the design process, which combines the phases of design thinking with Kouprie and Visser's (2009) framework for empathy in design. Analyzing relationships, differences, and how the persona design process was described between the two groups of learning and UX designers helped inform this conceptual framework. Results point to more similarities than differences between learning and UX designers and involvement in the persona design process from research to produced artifacts is most helpful for building empathy among designers. Positive and cautionary outcomes for persona creation are also explored as new technologies are implemented.
Exploring mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) in Japan
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Cypriano, David Awong; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Leong, Peter; Learning Design and Technology
Recent advances in mobile technologies have prompted their investigation as tools for language learning. Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) offers the advantage of flexible language support, enabling learners to choose when and where they learn and the methods that suit them. The constant connectivity of modern mobile phones allows learners to access information and connect with resources almost anywhere and at any time.This study was designed to explore the ways in which adult international students in Japan use their mobile phones to support the acquisition of the native language (i.e., Japanese). Using data collected from interviews, the resulting qualitative analysis revealed the types of apps learners used to support their individual and social learning and how they used them, the benefits and challenges of MALL, perceived impact on learning, and recommendations for the improvement of mobile phones and apps. The results of this research are intended to offer learners insights to better support their own learning and provide instructors with information that can help improve course planning and instructional design. Further, this study hopes to provide device, peripheral, and application developers with data that may inform the production and development of more useful devices, tools, and educational software.
TRANSFER E-BOOSTER: AN ONLINE INTERVENTION TO REINFORCE AND MEASURE TRAINING TRANSFER IN THE WORKPLACE
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Jang, Eunjoo; Hoffman, Daniel L.; Learning Design and Technology
The transfer of training from learning environments to workplace environments has been a major concern for training professionals and researchers for decades. How should organizations evaluate the effectiveness of their training programs and what impacts are those programs having on their employees’ on-the-job performance? These questions are particularly relevant in an age of e-learning courses because many organizations are looking for practical ways to support the transfer of the knowledge and skills employees learn during training to real-world contexts. To address this issue, an experimental study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of an online transfer intervention (Transfer e-Booster) designed to measure and promote training transfer. A total of 53 volunteers (control n = 25, experimental n = 28) at a non-profit organization participated in the study by completing an e-learning course about emergency preparedness. Following the e-learning course, participants in the experimental group interacted with an online transfer intervention and completed an experience survey. The study measured two aspects of training transfer: knowledge retention and behavioral application. In addition, participants in the experimental group rated their perceptions of the intervention’s main design components: key identified behaviors, knowledge retention questions, behavioral application self-assessment, and peer sharing. Four weeks after the e-learning course, all participants completed a post-test. The results of the experiment yielded mixed results. Participants in the experimental group earned significantly higher knowledge retention scores. They also earned higher behavioral application scores, but the difference was not significant. In terms of their perceptions of the online transfer intervention, participants rated all four design components positively, suggesting the design of the intervention may have supported their ability to transfer the knowledge and skills gained during the training to their work environment. Taken together, the study’s findings demonstrate the promise of online transfer interventions to support the transfer of workplace training. In addition, the study offers potential design suggestions for transfer interventions that may, in turn, help trainees make sense of their learning and find ways to apply it to their on-the-job responsibilities. The study ends by demonstrating how data collected from an online transfer intervention might be analyzed to provide organizations with an overview of training quality and how training transfer might be supported at scale. Future research is needed to better understand the impact of online transfer interventions and how they might be designed to maximize transfer opportunities across topics and settings.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY EXPERIENCES DURING THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY TRANSITION TO ONLINE TEACHING
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2023) Tabuchi, Candace Mililani; Paek, Seungoh; Learning Design and Technology
The rapid shift to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) across the globe. Educators faced an unprecedented shift from traditional to online classrooms. This basic interpretive study aimed to understand the experiences and perspectives of community college faculty in a public university system in Hawai`i during the transition. To achieve this goal, this study examined the challenges and opportunities faced by community college faculty during the pandemic. Importantly, this study examined the role of Online Professional Development (OPD), how OPD supported community college faculty’s implementation of the Community of Inquiry (CoI), and how OPD promoted the application of 21st-century skill development in the transition. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 faculty members from Liberal Arts and Humanities (LaH) and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs with no prior online teaching experience before the emergency transition. Findings from this study reflected faculty experiences and attitudes towards the transition as challenging and filled with uncertainty. They further illustrated how OPD provided faculty with techniques on how to interact with and engage students using technological tools to encourage communication and collaboration; however, most participants voiced a preference for in-person over online teaching. That is, while faculty relayed their confidence in the application of newly acquired technical skills, online teaching was not an optimal choice for most participants. These findings have several practical implications for educational institutions, professional development coordinators, educators, and students in the shift to increased online education. This study also suggested that further incorporation of the CoI and 21st-century competencies in online teaching may contribute to strategies that will foster the progressive development of effective online learning communities.
EXAMINING TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATED HIGHER ORDER THINKING PRACTICES AT TITLE I PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOLS
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2023) Var, Amy N.; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Hoffman, Daniel; Learning Design and Technology
Technology has the capacity to support learning, promote higher-order thinking, and perpetuate 21st-century skills. However, these skills are often lacking in K-12 public schools, particularly in low-income settings. Low-income students often interact with technology in ways that reinforce low-level thinking, while students in economically advantaged schools tend to use technology in higher-order ways. These disparate uses of technology have resulted in and continue to result in stratified learning experiences. To address this issue, this explanatory sequential mixed methods study aimed to better understand how Title I middle school teachers use technology to promote higher-order thinking (HOT) while revealing innovative, exemplary teaching practices. Findings from phase one suggested that Title I middle school teachers’ technology practices hover at the lower tiers of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. However, phase two findings offered a more optimistic outlook, whereby varying teacher roles helped make way for targeted, individualized student support, thereby promoting higher levels of cognition. Findings also suggested that higher-order technology use practices, when supported by an instructional approach comprised of a carefully structured learning process and a student-centered environment, helped lead to the creation of student-generated higher-order thinking products. These practices, made possible by Title I middle school teachers’ values and ability beliefs surrounding the benefits of integration, emphasized a willingness to try, continuously evolving in practice, and the ability to overcome obstacles. This study has powerful implications for educators, policymakers, curriculum designers, and students as it helps shift the narrative around teachers’ practices in low-income settings and may serve as an impetus for change.
Applying Gamification to Undergraduate Accounting Education: A Mixed-Methods Study
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2023) Scanlan, Tialei Ariana Wesley; Menchaca, Michael; Sorensen Irvine, Christine; Learning Design and Technology
By 2023, gamification was entering just about every sector and industry including education, fitness, crowd sourcing, social media, and corporate environments. Gamification often offers promises of motivation, engagement, fun, and even higher performance. At the time of the study, there were few studies that examined gamification in accounting higher education. Thus, the purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand the effect of badging (a gamification element) in an undergraduate accounting course. This study contributed to the literature by testing different badging merit systems while holding a classic feature of gamification fixed, namely the leaderboard. More specifically this research examined the effect of participation badges versus skill-based badges. The quantitative results found no significant differences in student motivation, behavioral engagement, and academic performance across the three groups even after controlling for pre-existing factors that are known to be associated with gamified learning experiences. Females experienced differential motivation and behavioral patterns between groups compared to males. Although motivation did not change significantly over the five-week period of the study, the findings around motivation may be of practical significance for sustaining student engagement since the study was implemented at a time when motivation and engagement normally dips during the semester. The qualitative results found varying levels of motivation and behavioral engagement. Some students enjoyed the feeling of being recognized for their efforts by the instructor while others did not see any value in badges. Overall, the gamification intervention had positive and negative outcomes reported. With two varying experiences, the average of those outcomes may have contributed to average, non-significant quantitative results for the gamification intervention. Findings indicate that badging may not be as impactful on motivation, behavioral engagement, and academic performance of students in an introductory accounting course.

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