The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Tracy McAllister

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

March, 28, 2016 10:00 AM

320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood Education, University of Central Arkansas

Master’s of Science, Library Media Information Technology, University of Central Arkansas

Advisory Committee

Clif Mims, PhD, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Co-Chair

Carmen Weaver, EdD, Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Co-Chair

Deborah Lowther, PhD, Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Trey Martindale, PhD, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instructional Design and Technology

Period of Preparation: 2010 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: March 2015

Examining Perceptions of Higher Education Faculty who Teach Online

Abstract

With the advent of computer aided technologies and the internet, students are now equipped to avail themselves of courses offered across a broad spectrum of fields and for a variety of degree levels. Institutions of higher learning have identified the need to keep pace with competing institutions by offering courses online. As colleges and universities continue to meet the demand of students seeking enrollment in online courses, the need for recruiting, hiring, and developing faculty trained to teach in an online format continues to increase as well. Quality instruction cannot exist without systems of support to advance and improve faculty (Khan & Chishti, 2012). Employing teachers with pedagogical knowledge and technology skills necessary to teach effectively continue to influence decisions of chief academic officers and other stakeholders who realize quality instruction cannot be maintained without qualified and competent faculty. The purpose of this research was to explore various aspects of higher education online instruction by examining the perceptions of instructors who teach online courses and who complete a prescribed faculty development intervention for online teaching. The research addressed three questions: What are faculty perceptions of online instruction? Does participation in a faculty development intervention, “Instructional Strategies for Online teaching and Learning”, affect faculty members’ decisions to alter their online instruction? What do participants in a faculty development intervention, “Instructional Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning”, identify as challenges to implementing new strategies to their online instruction”? Data were gathered about faculty perceptions of online instruction. Research participants engaged in a prescribed faculty development which addressed strategies specific to online instruction. Participant perceptions of the effectiveness of the training and challenges to implementing strategies were collected. The results revealed faculty members generally have a positive attitude about online instruction. The data indicated faculty members have specific preferences and that faculty development should address adult learning theory. Indications of challenges to implementing instructional strategies for online practice include time, institutional incentives and student participation.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Claire Louisa Knowles

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

April, 1^st at 1:00 pm

320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

B.A., Spanish, Flagler College

M.A., Romance Languages, University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Deborah Lowther, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction & Curriculum and Leadership, Committee Chair

Carmen Weaver, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction & Curriculum and Leadership

Lee Allen, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Instruction & Curriculum and Leadership

Errol O’Neill, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Foreign Languages & Literature

Major Field of Study

Instructional Design and Technology

Period of Preparation: 2013 –2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: September 16, 2015

INVESTIGATING INSTRUCTOR PERCEPTIONS OF ONLINE MACHINE TRANSLATION AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION WITHIN MOST COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGE COURSES

Abstract

As the cost of mobile devices and computers has decreased and access to the Internet has increased, so too has student access to online machine translators, such as Google Translate. Many institutions of higher education have reacted to the increasing prevalence of this tool by creating prohibitive policies that ban student use of online machine translation (OMT) tools. Consequently, many second language (L2) instructors are uncertain about how to treat student use of OMT. The current literature regarding OMT use in the L2 classroom is limited to the examination of instructor and student perceptions and attitudes, the comparison of L2 writing with and without the aid of OMT, and instruction for detecting and preventing student use of OMT.

The purpose of the research was to investigate whether attending a lecture intervention changed participants’ perceptions, attitudes, confidence, and inclination to integrate OMT. An instructional intervention was developed as part of an instructional design project to teach instructors about Google Translate and to offer resources to effectively integrate this tool. This mixed-methods study examined quantitative data collected through pre- and post-survey instruments and qualitative data through a semi-structured interview protocol. Significance was observed around the following research questions: perceptions and understanding regarding how OMT works, confidence explaining and integrating OMT, and inclination to integrate and assess student use of OMT. Interviews with participants revealed divergent perceptions of the limitations and benefits of OMT, as well as differing opinions on how to treat and integrate this tool.  The findings of this study support literature on the need for language programs to rethink students’ use of OMT and to provide language instructors access to OMT training. The implications of this research are important to L2 department deans, supervisors, instructors, and students.