Kara Dawson

This exploratory mixed‑methods study investigated both lurkers’ and posters’ perceptions of learning in Reddit‑based, education‑related communities. Eighty‑two participants (43 posters, 39 lurkers) completed surveys and nine were interviewed. Quantitative results showed no significant differences in perceived learning between posters and lurkers, and both groups described learning as changes in behaviors, thinking, or application to real‑life situations. Qualitative analyses suggested posters demonstrated higher learning levels than lurkers. Implications are offered for supporting learning in informal social media communities.

Given rising cyberattacks and a national shortage of cybersecurity professionals, the authors outline a vision for preparing all preservice teachers to integrate age‑appropriate cybersecurity concepts, skills, and career awareness across the K–12 curriculum. They propose a collaborative repository of activities and full curricula co‑developed by K–12 educators, teacher educators, and cybersecurity experts and illustrate examples for elementary grades. Recommendations are provided for building such a repository and for teacher educators seeking to integrate cybersecurity education now.

Using concurrent think‑alouds and screen recordings, this study identified six profiles of eighth‑grade students engaged in evaluating a website’s credibility: Skeptic, Rule Follower, Rigid Thinker (more successful), and Overly Impressionable, Wanderer, Trust Seeker (less successful). These profiles form three continua—skepticism–trust, rigid thinking–overly impressionable, and rule‑following–wandering—representing dispositions and skills associated with credibility evaluation. Implications for instruction in credibility assessment are discussed.

Research on digital breakout games has largely examined outcomes from playing rather than designing them. In this qualitative study, 23 preservice teachers designed digital breakout games for secondary curricula. Analyses indicated the design process promoted TPACK development, 21st‑century skills (collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity), and positive perceptions and intentions regarding technology integration. Evidence, implications, and future research directions are presented.

Analyzing 69 dissertations from the first five cohorts of an online EdD in Educational Technology, the authors examined theories/frameworks used, research designs, and how literature and rigor were articulated. Dissertations reflected diverse disciplinary bases, purposeful conceptual frameworks that guided research, and a range of approaches (with mixed methods and qualitative more prevalent). Program design implications are discussed.

In a 3‑way factorial design manipulating multimedia (image present vs. absent), modality (narration vs. onscreen text), and dyslexia status, 148 college students from five institutions completed learning tasks. Results revealed a reverse modality effect for students with dyslexia, who performed better in onscreen‑text conditions, while images generally improved performance across groups. Mental effort analyses showed differing instructional efficiency patterns. Findings inform the design of adaptive, personalized multimedia for learners with dyslexia.

With data from 5,990 middle‑school students across 13 Florida districts assessed via the Student Tool for Technology Literacy (aligned to NETS.S), the study found significant digital‑divide gaps: higher SES, White, and female students outperformed their counterparts across all measures. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The article describes implementation of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework in a cohort‑based, online Ed.D. program in educational technology. Teaching and cognitive presence were easier to foster than social presence. Program‑level recommendations to extend CoI constructs and lessons learned for applying CoI in online graduate programs are provided.

Observations in 400+ classrooms across 50+ schools in 11 Florida districts documented changes during a year of laptop implementation with professional development. Using two observation instruments and Mantel‑Haenszel analyses, results indicate increased student‑centered teaching, tool‑based instruction, and meaningful technology use, suggesting that laptops coupled with PD can rapidly affect instructional practice.

This study examined whether Moodle LMS activity logs predict students’ perceived sense of community in online graduate courses. Using course log data and the Classroom Sense of Community Index, results show that cumulative log metrics significantly predict perceived connectedness and community, suggesting a non‑invasive, real‑time approach for instructors to monitor and support online community.

Beyond comparing features among learning management systems, institutions should focus on adoption and implementation. This article differentiates LMSs and CMSs, outlines adoption and implementation considerations, identifies factors that promote uptake, and offers guidance for navigating organizational change associated with LMS implementation.