Research Activities
- Adaptive learning strategies, 2017 to Present.
Her team works in close collaboration throughout the innovation pilot lifecycle with teaching faculty members to design and develop adaptive learning courses by utilizing digital courseware to personalize instruction that maximizes student learning.
Sample article: Cavanagh, T., Chen, B., Lahcen, R. A., & Paradiso, J. (2020). Constructing a design framework and pedagogical approach for adaptive learning in higher education: A practitioner’s perspective. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. 21(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v21i1.4557 - STEM online/blended course development, 2016 to Present.
Funding: 2017 QEP funding, UCF ($10,000); 2015-2016 National Research Center for Distance Education and Technological Advancements (DETA) grant, $12,948.12.
Principal Investigator. Research to examine the influence of online design components on students’ perceptions of learning and incorporate these online design components in faculty development programs.
Sample article: Chen, B., DeMara, R., Soheil, S., & Hartshorne, R. (2018). Elevating learner achievement using formative electronic lab assessments in the engineering laboratory: A viable alternative to weekly lab reports. IEEE Transactions on Education, 61(1), 1-10. DOI: 10.1109/TE.2017.2706667 - Use learning analytics to evaluate faculty development programs, 2012.
Sample article: Chen, B. Sugar, A. & Bauer, S. (2012). Effective faculty development through strategies for engagement and satisfaction. EDUCAUSE Review Online. - Mobile learning and eBook, 2011 to Present.
Funding: 2015 QEP funding, UCF ($10,000)
Co-Investigator: Facilitated a series of surveys to investigate students' experience with Mobile apps, mobile devices, and eTextbooks.
Sample article: Chen B., Seilhamer, R., Bennett, L. & Bauer, S. (2015). Students' mobile learning practices in higher education: A multi-year survey research study. EDUCAUSE Review Online. - Self-Presentation on Social Media. June 2010 to Present.
Principal Investigator.This study investigates how students and faculty present themselves on social media. The study utilizes a survey design to determine the factors that impact how students and faculty disclose information about themselves in an online environment. Factors of interests in this study include self-monitoring, impression management and diverse cultural scales.
Chen, B. & Marcus, J. (2012). Students’ self-presentation on Facebook: An examination of personality and self-construal factors. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2091-2099. - Online Faculty Readiness Assessment. June 2010 to Present.
A rubric is compiled to assess online faculty readiness, covering areas of teaching record, professional development credentials, learning management system experience, course design strategies, interaction strategies and assessment strategies. - Social Networking in Teaching Public Administration: Familiarity, Use, and Strategies from the Top 100 Public Administration Programs.
December 2009 to June 2010
Funding: COPHA internal funding, UCF ($2,000).
Co-Investigator: This study focuses on the use of social networking tools in the public administration discipline. The study utilizes a survey design, face-to-face and remote focus groups, and archival content analysis to determine best practice theory and application of web 2.0 social networking technologies to complement face to face and online teaching and learning.
Sample article: Chen, B. & Bryer, T. (2012). Investigating instructional strategies of using social media in formal and informal learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Education. - Implementing Wikis for Online Learning with an Institutional Strategy.
January 2008 to December 2009
Funding: Quality Enhancement Plan, UCF ($1,000).
Principal Investigator: This study investigates how wiki technologies can be used to motivate students’ learning and promote collaborative and creative work in online classes. The research includes interviews and an online survey with the faculty and students who have used wikis in their classes at the University of Central Florida. - Implementing an e-Portfolio System to Assess an Online Interdisciplinary College Program
June 2007 to Present
Co-investigator: Review literature on the uses of e-Portfolio for educational purposes and the characteristics of using an e-Portfolio system as an assessment method. This study focuses on a case where e-Portfolio is used as an evaluation system for a 4-year interdisciplinary undergraduate program at the University of Central Florida. - Use of Video Case Studies in Research Methodology Courses for Social and Health Science Disciplines.
April to August 2007
Funding: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, UCF ($4,000).
Information Fluency Initiative Grant, UCF ($1,000).
Summary: The overall goal for this project will develop a pool of video case studies for the methodology courses that feature real-life events to enhance students’ understanding about how research methodology and statistics are applied to solve complex and realistic problems. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected to assess the effectiveness of using video case studies in methodology instruction. - Effects of Advance Organizers on Learning and Retention from a Fully Web-based Class
Dec. 2005 - May 2007
Funding: Information Fluency Initiative Grant, UCF ($1,000).
Summary: This study investigates both short-term and long-term effects of presenting two kinds of advance organizers (AOs) in a fully Web-based course. It exploits a repeated-measure, control-group, posttest-only experimental design. The pilot study was completed in an undergraduate online course on Health Care Ethics at UCF (n=164) in spring 2006, and a subsequent dissertation study will be conducted in fall 2006. - Emerging Technologies in Education.
June 2005 - present
Funded by Center for Distributed Learning, UCF
Summary: Literature review on use of emerging technologies in Education, including blogs, podcasting, wikis, and e-portfolios. Resources of the study were shared with faculty members at UCF during campus-wide training courses and seminars. A pilot study on implementing e-portfolios as an educational tool was scheduled to be conducted at UCF in fall 2006. - Survey on Faculty's Feedback about an Online Professional Development Course
Mar. to Dec. 2005
Summary: The anonymous Internet survey was conducted on faculty's feedback (n=182) about Essentials, an online professional development course provided by the Course Development & Web Services at the University of Central Florida in 2005. The study resulted in a number of presentations and a journal article, as listed below. - ECOT (Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow - K12).
Aug. 2003 to July 2004
Funded by the ECOT School, based in Columbus, Ohio
Summary: Major responsibilities for student assistant in this project included designing e-learning curriculum modules for secondary at-risk students and assisting in online professional development training sessions for teachers of ECOT. The result was reported and published at the international conference for the Association of Educational Communications and Technology in Oct., 2004.