University of North Texas 
Research & Evidence Publications
Artificial Intelligence
Published Article - Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 2026
In the present study, a faculty-designed online nutrition course required students to engage in AI-generated information over two semesters. Results suggest most students are initially more trusting of information created by the AI than that of other sources, despite beginning the course with mixed opinions about GenAI’s usefulness. As the semester progressed, students became more scrutinizing of AI-generated information, despite a significantly greater number of students also confessing a positive opinion of the tool’s place in higher education. With this change, students found the platform easier to use, with a heightened desire to continue using it.
In the present study, a faculty-designed online nutrition course required students to engage in AI-generated information over two semesters. Results suggest most students are initially more trusting of information created by the AI than that of other sources, despite beginning the course with mixed opinions about GenAI’s usefulness. As the semester progressed, students became more scrutinizing of AI-generated information, despite a significantly greater number of students also confessing a positive opinion of the tool’s place in higher education. With this change, students found the platform easier to use, with a heightened desire to continue using it.
Immersive Learning
Published Article - British Journal of Educational Technology, 2025
This study explored the impact of high-immersion virtual reality (VR) as an innovative andragogical tool in undergraduate biology education. The results suggest that VR provides a viable, scalable and cost-effective complement to traditional laboratory practice. Rather than outperforming lecture-based approaches, VR offers an accessible way to practical experiences that would otherwise require specialized facilities or costly equipment.
This study explored the impact of high-immersion virtual reality (VR) as an innovative andragogical tool in undergraduate biology education. The results suggest that VR provides a viable, scalable and cost-effective complement to traditional laboratory practice. Rather than outperforming lecture-based approaches, VR offers an accessible way to practical experiences that would otherwise require specialized facilities or costly equipment.
Artificial Intelligence
Published Article - Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 2025
The present study centers on the impact of human–AI integrated grading and feedback. It focuses on educators’ perception of one AI tool in its ability to assist both educators in providing feedback and students in evaluating their own writing during the process. The research team examined adoption of the tool in four post-secondary courses across multiple semesters, in psychology, learning technology, and public administration, looking at changes in student writing, educator feedback, and occurrences of educators overriding the AI in grading.
The present study centers on the impact of human–AI integrated grading and feedback. It focuses on educators’ perception of one AI tool in its ability to assist both educators in providing feedback and students in evaluating their own writing during the process. The research team examined adoption of the tool in four post-secondary courses across multiple semesters, in psychology, learning technology, and public administration, looking at changes in student writing, educator feedback, and occurrences of educators overriding the AI in grading.
Accessibility & Universal Design for Learning
Published Article - Educational Technology & Society, 2024
Our institution conducted a quantitative analysis of 374 accessibility reports conducted by digital accessibility specialists across three semesters after reviewing faculty’s online courses. Based on these findings, we developed empirically-driven recommendations that accessibility professionals, faculty, and instructional designers at higher education institutions can use to provide support to their faculty and online students with disabilities.
Our institution conducted a quantitative analysis of 374 accessibility reports conducted by digital accessibility specialists across three semesters after reviewing faculty’s online courses. Based on these findings, we developed empirically-driven recommendations that accessibility professionals, faculty, and instructional designers at higher education institutions can use to provide support to their faculty and online students with disabilities.
Immersive Learning
Published Article - Educational Technology & Society, 2024
This paper reports on a pilot study based on a series of workshops conducted at a university intended to give participants the opportunity to experience a VR non-fiction story, documenting the experience of a man who became blind after years of deteriorating vision. This pilot study is a stepping stone for a larger project aiming to confirm the preliminary findings and to derive more exhaustive recommendations for educators and educational policy makers to address inclusion of people with visual disabilities in education and the workforce.
This paper reports on a pilot study based on a series of workshops conducted at a university intended to give participants the opportunity to experience a VR non-fiction story, documenting the experience of a man who became blind after years of deteriorating vision. This pilot study is a stepping stone for a larger project aiming to confirm the preliminary findings and to derive more exhaustive recommendations for educators and educational policy makers to address inclusion of people with visual disabilities in education and the workforce.
Artificial Intelligence
Published Article - TechTrends, 2023
Our study investigated the validity of an AI-generated score compared to human-driven methods of evaluating student effort and the impact of instructor interaction on students’ discussion post quality. AI-driven tools appear to free up time for more creative human interventions, particularly among instructors teaching high-enrollment classes, where a traditional discussion forum is less scalable.
Our study investigated the validity of an AI-generated score compared to human-driven methods of evaluating student effort and the impact of instructor interaction on students’ discussion post quality. AI-driven tools appear to free up time for more creative human interventions, particularly among instructors teaching high-enrollment classes, where a traditional discussion forum is less scalable.
Immersive Learning
Published Article - Journal of Applied Instructional Design, 2022
Using cardboard virtual reality viewers, this qualitative study explored how immersive 360° videos are relevant to journalism students’ core (i.e., emotional) skill acquisition in a classroom on crisis and trauma coverage. Key emerging themes included emotional impact, sense of presence, appeal of immersive experiences, and novelty.
Using cardboard virtual reality viewers, this qualitative study explored how immersive 360° videos are relevant to journalism students’ core (i.e., emotional) skill acquisition in a classroom on crisis and trauma coverage. Key emerging themes included emotional impact, sense of presence, appeal of immersive experiences, and novelty.
Pedagogy
Published Article - Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 2023
This study explores student perceptions toward civic engagement in an undergraduate course focused on the multidisciplinary examination of social issues, with some sections incorporating service-learning pedagogy. Using a validated measure, changes among students were documented in six topic areas: civic action, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, political awareness, leadership skills, social justice attitudes, and diversity attitudes.
This study explores student perceptions toward civic engagement in an undergraduate course focused on the multidisciplinary examination of social issues, with some sections incorporating service-learning pedagogy. Using a validated measure, changes among students were documented in six topic areas: civic action, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, political awareness, leadership skills, social justice attitudes, and diversity attitudes.
COVID-19 Impact
Published Article - Higher Education Research & Development, 2022
When COVID-19 struck, higher education scrambled. We know relatively little about what enabled or constrained students' confidence in their ability to learn as a consequence. Using questionnaire responses from undergraduate students who were studying at nine different institutions in six different countries on four different continents, we examine factors that helped, and hindered, students' confidence in their learning ability. Our results demonstrate that communication, both with peers and professors, was especially associated with the confidence students expressed in their ability to learn under conditions of emergency remote instruction.
When COVID-19 struck, higher education scrambled. We know relatively little about what enabled or constrained students' confidence in their ability to learn as a consequence. Using questionnaire responses from undergraduate students who were studying at nine different institutions in six different countries on four different continents, we examine factors that helped, and hindered, students' confidence in their learning ability. Our results demonstrate that communication, both with peers and professors, was especially associated with the confidence students expressed in their ability to learn under conditions of emergency remote instruction.