Research | The LED Research Group

Dialogue and exchange of ideas and perspectives are fundamental to progress, whether in research, education, or societal development and are at the core of LED research group activities. [Left to right: Mimi Adjei, Dr. Ana-Paula Correia, Batzaya (Zack) Batsaikhan, Jiarui Xie, and Deborah Hewlett]

The Learning & Experience Design (LED) research group pursues four main research goals: (1) theory development/synthesis, (2) design/development, (3) action/evaluation, and (4) descriptive/interpretivist (Reeves & Oh*, 2017). We share with the authors that the scientific community engaged in educational technology research should take time to reflect on the lack of impact of research on practice and the inability of research to transfer into contexts of practice. Translating research findings into real contexts and settings is also one of our overarching goals.

Theory Development/Synthesis Goals

We focus on explaining how education works through the logical analysis and synthesis of theoretical knowledge and principles related to teaching and learning.

A Systematic Review: Learning Analytics as a Tool for Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences in K-12 Classrooms. This study highlights the synergy of learning analytics with learning experiences in K-12 contexts. By exploring the methods and approaches in learning analytics as an interdisciplinary field that influences learning design decisions and impacts learning behaviors.
The Effects of Instructors’ Participation in Online Discussions on Students’ Performance: A Systematic Review. This study analyzes how instructors’ participation in online discussions affects students’ performance through a systematic literature review.
A Systematic Review of Distributed Pair Programming (DPP) as an Effective Learning Activity. This systematic review of the literature addresses the contexts where the DPP approach is implemented, the programming languages and integrated development environments used in DPP activities, and the factors that facilitate DPP as an effective team activity.

Design/Development Goals

We focus on creating and improving effective solutions to education problems and identifying reusable design principles related to teaching and learning.

Experiential Learning in Online Education. A design case that showcases how learner-centered design and innovative and entrepreneurial thinking can be incorporated into online graduate education.
Neonatal Education at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The goal of this project is to design and develop high-quality educational materials and tools that will be used by new trainees.

Action/Evaluation Goals

We focus on studying a particular program, product, or method for the purpose of describing, improving, or estimating its effectiveness and worth.

Teachers-Pay-Teachers as a Socialized Knowledge Community. This study examines how K-12 teachers use Teachers-Pay-Teachers resources on Computational Thinking to teach this topic.
Learning in Diverse Educational Contexts. This action-research study intends to understand how culturally rich learning experiences in urban settings can change teachers’ perceptions of social justice.
Evaluating Videoconferencing Systems for Educational Purposes. This study analyzes four widely used videoconferencing systems – Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp – using experiential e-learning as the framework for analysis.

Descriptive/Interpretivist Goals

We focus on portraying how education works by describing and interpreting phenomena related to teaching and learning.

The Use of Mobile Learning Technology in Supporting First-year Undergraduate Students with Study Habits. It explores the impact and effectiveness of incorporating mobile learning technology to support students in developing efficient study practices and enhancing their academic performance. This research study is currently in progress.
Instructor Participation in Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Comparative Study. This study aims to compare the effects of two different instructor participation approaches: replying to student posts on discussion boards and commenting on student posts on grade pages. It examines the impact on both the quantity of student participation and the quality of student posts.
Understanding Instructional Design Decisions. Learning designers and developers often support unscientific practices based on debunked theory or anecdotal data. This study explores the complex relationship between professional identity and practice.
Critical Antecedents of Mobile Learning Acceptance and Moderation Effects: A Meta-Analysis on Technology Acceptance Model. This meta-analysis study is the first comprehensive examination of critical antecedents impacting learners’ acceptance of mobile learning within the Technology Acceptance Model.
Exploring the Relationship between App Quality and Learners’ Acceptance of Mobile Learning. This dissertation introduced a novel model, the Mobile Learning Acceptance Determination (mLAD) Model, based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the updated DeLone and McLean Information System Success Model to investigate the critical factors influencing learners’ acceptance of m-learning outside the classroom.
Pair Programming in Middle-School Computational Thinking Education: Exploring the Impacts of Individual Factors and Mutual Engagement with a Dyadic Analysis. This dissertation focuses on investigating the use of pair programming as an effective pedagogical strategy for developing computational thinking (CT) skills in middle school students.
Promoting Engagement in Mobile Learning Applications. This study aims to identify critical factors that promote learners’ engagement in mobile learning applications and to examine effective engagement strategies offered in top-ranked mobile learning applications.
A Case Study in Designing for Adult Learners. This study examined the opportunities presented and the challenges inherent in deconstructing a face-to-face learning experience and reimagining it as a virtual one.
Nomophobia and lifestyle. This study explored nomophobia (fear of being away from one’s smartphone) correlation with lifestyles and determines if more active and healthier lifestyles act as a protective factor of nomophobia.
Authentic Online Discussions. This study used narrative inquiry to offer reflections from four graduate students who, for a period of two years, led, created, and facilitated online discussions for graduate-level courses.

*Reeves, T. C., & Oh, E. (2017). The goals and methods of educational technology research over a quarter century (1989–2014). Educational Technology Research and Development, 65(2), 325–339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-016-9474-1