This chapter delves into the realm of humanizing mathematics education in online learning environments. With a focus on asynchronous courses, it explores innovative strategies to infuse a humanistic approach into the teaching and learning of mathematics online. The chapter is grounded in the perspective that mathematics, often perceived as an abstract discipline, can be made more relatable and engaging through techniques that emphasize human connection and interaction. Central to the discussion are practical strategies aimed at fostering a humanizing experience in online mathematics courses. These strategies include promoting peer interaction through collaborative projects and virtual study groups, effective utilization of discussion forums for meaningful exchanges, and designing activities that encourage students to share their insights and experiences. Further, the chapter discusses how educators can actively engage with students, provide timely feedback, and build supportive relationships, thereby enhancing the sense of community and motivation in the digital classroom.

This non-experimental quantitative study investigated medical school faculty members’ behavioral intention to use and actual usage behavior of technology in inquiry-based learning activities in medical schools in the United States by applying the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). In medical education, situational problems for students to solve typically incorporate instructive clinical cases to guide problem-solving and prepare them for their professional lives as clinicians. Technology-infused inquiry-based learning pedagogy can require significant paradigm shifts for both students and instructors. It can impact the level of responsibility students take upon themselves for their own learning, and use of a pedagogy instructors may find unfamiliar, to deliver content. Major findings demonstrated performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence had a significant relationship with behavioral intention to use technology for teaching medical education inquiry-based activities. Gender and voluntariness of use were both found to have significant effects on the relationship between performance expectancy and behavioral intention to use technology. The results of this study can aid stakeholders in providing support mechanisms for faculty to adopt technology for teaching and learning. This is possibly the first of its kind on the application of this theoretical model to address medical educators’ behavioral intention to use and actual usage behavior of educational technologies for the delivery of inquiry-based learning activities.

This mixed-methods study explored the impact of cinematic virtual reality (CVR) on seventh-grade students (n = 66) in a school library. The research was comprised of two phases, integrating data from questionnaires and student/teacher interviews. The study focused on The Displaced, a documentary about child refugees, presented in two formats: two-dimensionally (2D) on Chromebooks and in CVR through Oculus Go headsets. Students reported the immersion, agency, and presence experienced in CVR increased engagement and comprehension, while fostering empathy and desires for altruistic behavior. Teachers recognized CVR's potential as an effective instructional tool and planned to integrate it in future instruction.

This case study examined teachers' perceptions and use of adaptive diagnostic assessment for improving teaching and learning of elementary-level mathematics. The purpose was to understand how the teaching and learning of mathematics occurred in the classroom and changes that transpired due to the implementation of diagnostic assessments. Findings illustrate that diagnostic assessment can be a critical tool for improving pedagogical practice by enhancing mathematics teaching and learning by creating groups of students, planning lesson time, focused pedagogy, giving student feedback, communicating with stakeholders, and improving teacher efficiency. Participants demonstrated satisfaction with the benefits offered by diagnostic assessment for improving mathematics teaching and learning. Participants described challenges that hindered their effective use of diagnostic assessment tools. The findings of this study support a case for the adoption of diagnostic assessments to improve pedagogical practice and promote mathematics learning among elementary-level students.

The focus of this study was to examine the effect of teaching based on inquiry-based learning versus traditional learning on mathematics achievement scores of undergraduate students enrolled in a college algebra class in a university classified as a Predominantly Black Institution. A college algebra course was chosen in this study due to the critical role it plays as a gateway for college completion and due to the generally high failure rate in college algebra. This study used a quasi-experimental design, with pre- and post-test to determine the effect of the instructional pedagogy on mathematics academic achievement of students. Analysis of covariance results from 41 students revealed, when controlling for college algebra readiness pre-test scores, students in the inquiry-based learning section showed significantly higher mathematics achievement post-test scores than in the traditional lecture section.

The purpose of this exploratory sequential mixed-methods study is to investigate a group of middle-school aged Latinx English learners (ELs) in a rural town in the Midwestern United States and to facilitate their narrative writing development via a mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) environment from a funds of knowledge perspective. In particular, we first explored the existing funds of knowledge sources drawing from the ELs' lived experience and cultural practice through a multimethodological approach over a span of three months. We conceptualized the explored funds of knowledge sources into ELs' narrative writing practice through the integration of mobile-based writing tools (MBWTs). Second, we employed a multiple pre-and post-non-experimental design for the ELs to complete two non-funds of knowledge and three funds of knowledge-featured narrative writing activities over ten weeks using Google Docs as an MBWT. Results showed a statistically significant positive learning effect of funds of knowledge as an intervention for developing the ELs' literacy skills in narrative writing within a collaborative MALL environment.

This qualitative study explores what accessibility design can be most important to facilitate learning in an online course for postsecondary students with low vision. The study was conducted in a U.S. public university offering online courses in the Midwest. This study was guided by 2 research questions: (1) What accessibility design did students with low vision who experienced online courses perceive to be helpful for their learning? (2) What accessible features would students with low vision want to exist in future online courses? The theoretical framework for this study was Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Three participants were interviewed to share their online learning experience and explore which accessibility aspects were perceived the most helpful for students with low vision. The finding revealed that alternative formats for materials—such as Word documents or Rich Text Format (RTF) and accessible PDF files—were the most helpful accessible text format in the online courses. In addition, the finding showed that headings and color contrasting for the online content are the main aspects of design to increase accessibility and facilitate reading for students with low vision. The last finding revealed that students with low vision need 2 additional accessibility designs in online courses: audio response and instructor video.

This overview chapter provides an introduction to instructional theories, strategies, and technologies that can guide teachers new to teaching mathematics (both content and methods) online in a formal online classroom setting. We begin by discussing different types of online learning environments, including synchronous, asynchronous, bichronous, and HyFlex environments. We then focus on different theories, such as cognitive apprenticeship, individualized/personalized instruction, social learning, and inquiry-based mathematics education theories. After that, we focus on some common technologies and strategies, such as think/pair/share, student groups, whiteboards, discussion boards, and more that someone new to teaching mathematics teachers online may use to engage learners.

As mathematics teachers, we hope our students will approach problems with a spirit of creativity. One way to both model and encourage this spirit - and, at the same time, to keep ourselves from getting bored - is through creative approaches to problem design. In this paper, we discuss TACTivities, mathematical activities with a tactile component, as a creative outlet for those of us who teach mathematics, and as a resource for stimulating creative thinking in our students. We use examples, such as our derivative fridge magnets TACTivity, to illustrate the main ideas. We emphasize that TACTivities can be engaging, to teachers and learners alike, at any level of mathematics, by including examples from different mathematics courses (calculus and mathematics for elementary teachers). As an example, our derivative fridge magnets have moving pieces of words that look like small refrigerator magnets. These small pieces can be combined to make true mathematical statements, of the form d/dx (some function) = some other function. There was creativity involved in the creation of these magnets, as the mathematics had to be challenging enough not to bore students yet have an easy entry for students to be successful. The students working with the magnets can use their creativity along with their mathematical knowledge while learning and/or reviewing a mathematical concept-in this case derivatives. We will expand on the creative side of the creation and implementation of TACTivities in this paper. Note that our definition of tactile only means moving pieces (usually pieces of paper), as this is different than work from others that involves tactile props such as pipe cleaners, yarn, Spirographs, building blocks, and so on. This other work is invaluable, and we use props like these ourselves at times, but we believe that our TACTivities add a different dimension to tactile learning.

The purpose of this study is to examine the incorporation of Google Earth Virtual Reality (VR) into English Learners' (ELs) expository writing experiences from a Funds of Knowledge perspective utilizing a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design. The participants were 22 ELs from a middle school in a rural Midwestern town. During the quantitative phase, the expository writing artifacts were collected through a multiple before-and-after non-experimental design and analyzed using ANOVA. A text-in-context coding approach was adopted to examine changes in students' writing. The results showed a statistically significant increase in expository writing skills, particularly in description, cause/effect, compare/contrast, and enumeration. A descriptive survey assessing the acceptance of Google Earth VR was distributed as well. During the qualitative phase, a follow-up focus group for the ELs and teacher interviews were conducted. Field notes/memos were used to triangulate the data. The qualitative findings indicated that the ELs were engaged in the virtual-assisted writing environment and showed positive attitudes toward Google Earth VR. Concerns about using Google Earth VR in writing (i.e. time-consuming as well as distracting and posing integration difficulties) were addressed. Future directions inspired from this study are discussed as well.

Proponents of problem-based learning suggest that learners should solve problems that are representative of the types of issues that practitioners face. However, this is challenging because novices lackthe essential experiences that inform solutions. According to case-based reasoning, one way to overcome this gap is by providing a set of cases that depict how experts solved similar cases, also known as case libraries. While both qualitative and quantitative research has been done on case libraries, much of the available data focus on learning outcomes or post hoc reflections of cases. Therefore, it is still unclear the emergent cognitive processes that learners undergo as they interact with expert cases. To address this gap, we used think aloud and semi-structured interviews with five junior-level marketing students as a way to further understand their perceptions of the case library in supporting their problem solving. The results of the think aloud study indicate that learners engage in the following processes: index generation, index prioritization, alignment with prior knowledge, abstraction, and reuse. Results also show that learners seemed to especially struggle with the alignment to prior knowledge and reuse phases. Implications for practice are also discussed.

The purpose of this ethnographic case study is to examine the parents' perceptions regarding young English Learners' (ELs) mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) experiences from a technology-based Funds of Knowledge (FoK) approach. Six immigrant families in the United States from four countries (including China, Mexico, Japan, and Cambodia) were home-visited with in-depth semi-structured interviews. Participant observations, field notes, analytical memos, and a descriptive survey were used to triangulate the data. By centering on ELs' technological households' cultural sources, parents' perceptions of ELs' MALL experiences were explored through motivation, physical and material access, digital skills, and usage frequency and diversity of mobile applications. Results demonstrated that the parents were motivated to support ELs' language learning using mobile technology. Analysis revealed differences in technology access and appropriation based on diverse cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic status. Findings also indicated the inequity in the current digital divide and informed future studies on creating FoK-featured curricula to contribute to ELs' language education through mobile technology. This study extends the current MALL horizon from the front line of specific student-centered learning experiences to further examine the facilitating factors and barriers that hide within a multicultural learning environment.

Studies have found that students struggle to challenge their peers and engage in co-construction of knowledge when in asynchronous problem-based learning (PBL) contexts. In other settings, case libraries have been shown to support problem solving competencies, such as argumentation and problem representation. However, research has yet to study how the design and types of cases impact learner-learner interaction. To accommodate that gap, this study used content analysis and sequential analysis to ascertain how learner interaction differed when participants had access to success- and failure-based case libraries. Results found the failure-based condition had higher overall number of postings and differed in terms of the number of elicitations and planning (meta) interactions. Finally, results of the sequential analysis indicated participants in the success-based condition were more likely to begin planning their final assignment earlier, while the failure condition was more likely to continue engaged in collaborative problem-solving with their peers. Given these differences, the findings suggest failure-based cases may serve as a catalyst for learner-learner interaction when compared with success-based cases. Implications for practice, case-based reasoning, and failure-driven memory theory are discussed.

The effective use of electronically mediated communication (EMC) is fundamental to digital literacy and, therefore, a high-demand competency in professional communities of practice, business, society, and online education. However, the use of EMC can be challenging in educational contexts; given that EMC tends to rely heavily on text-based formats, meaning and intent may be lost in translation from thought to posted message. Thus, online educators value techniques that have the potential to improve the quality and effectiveness of text-based communication. One such technique is the use of emoticons to represent emotional and personality nuances present in face-to-face communication. In this chapter, we present a review of the literature on emoticons used in support of online learning—with the goal of improving future practice and research of online teaching and learning—and then provide some specific instructional recommendations for online educators.

There has been ongoing debate regarding the efficacy of teaching instructional design models to novice designers given that experienced instructional designers often use principles and adapted models when they engage in the instructional design problem-solving process. This study utilized the Delphi technique to identify a core set of guiding principles used by designers in their practice. The purpose of this study was (1) to examine and describe the principles that guided instructional designers' practice and (2) to identify the extent to which participants' frames of reference included components of the ADDIE instructional design model. Sixty-one principles were ultimately identified (reached consensus among the Delphi panel members). Thirty-two of the principles aligned with the primary components of the design process (e.g., analysis, design, development, and evaluation). Additional principles (n = 29) related to other characteristics of design such as communication, project management, and design characteristics.