Research
Research Interests
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My goal as an educator, instructional designer, and researcher is to explore ways to assist learners and instructors in the learning and teaching processes by evaluating, identifying, and/or proposing methods, techniques, and activities that guide them to achieve the goals set around learning. As an English instructor, I will always look for ways to help second and foreign-language learners acquire language structures and skills by finding the most appropriate instructional methods for the specific population. I believe that the "one size fits all" does not apply to education or language learning; therefore, instructors and instructional designers should find ways to adapt content to context.
As a researcher, I value the affordances that the mixed-methods approach has in order to support data and conclusions drawn from either quantitative or qualitative data. However, I am open to different research methodologies depending on the purpose of the research.
The following are some of the projects that I have worked on.
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Ureña, L., Robles, M., and Calderón, J. 2018. An evaluation for an ESP course for mechanical engineering students. Revista de Lenguas Modernas, Universidad de Costa Rica, Number 29, July – December 2018.
Work in Progress
a) My advisor, Dr. Victoria L. Lowell, and I are currently working on a conceptual manuscript to propose a framework for examining the relationship and classifying instructional strategies, methods, and techniques. This manuscript has already been peer-reviewed, and we are working on the changes.
c) I am part of a research team that is currently working on the use of social media to enhance English public speaking skills in English language learners. We have collected data in the United States, China, Bangladesh, and Costa Rica. As part of this research group, we are also conducting an autoethnography study that reflects on the process of completing an international research project.
d) I am working on a team with Dr. Adrie Koehler and Shams Duha, and we are proposing a framework for using social media applications in second language acquisition based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and the Interaction Hypothesis in Second Language Acquisition (SLA).
e) I am conducting a document-based research study that examines the historical development of pronunciation instruction at a big public university in Costa Rica. Syllabi from 1960 to 1990 have already been coded.
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f) I have also worked on analyzing how instructors' beliefs about pronunciation instruction are related to their actual practice at a university level.
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g) As part of the course EDCI-673, I am working on a research project that examines how the presences of the Community of Inquiry framework and their indicators are included across disciplines in a Midwestern university.
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Literature Review
For the course EDCI-591 Writing Literature Reviews, I worked on a project related to pronunciation instruction and underlying methods and approaches in which pronunciation has been the focus.
Research Study Proposal
For the course EDCI-591 Writing Research Proposals, I proposed a project to examine the instructional approaches used in higher education to teach pronunciation to pre-service English language professionals enrolled in English majors in a university in Costa Rica
Quantitative Data Analysis
For the course EDPS-556, I used descriptive statistics and analyzed some quantitative data I collected in mini-scale project for the course EDPS-533.
To study the correlation between instructors' beliefs and their actual practice, I conducted a Generalized Linear Regression.
In the course EDPS-557, I conducted a multiple regression analysis to predict changes in the students’ memory retention rate of basic Russian vocabulary based on the vocabulary teaching technique and number of languages spoken.
Qualitative Data Analysis
For the autoethnography study, I collaborated with the preliminary analysis of the data obtained from the written reflections. This data was used in a conference presentation in the AECT convention 2021.
Conference Presentations
Lowell, V.; Yang, M.; Urena-Rodriguez, L., Duha, M.S. (2021, November 2-6). Conducting multi-country research on context and peer-feedback authenticity For language self-efficacy in SMAs: An autoethnography [Conference presentation]. AECT Convention, Chicago, Il. and Virtual, United States.
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Ureña-Rodriguez, L., Lowell, V. L., Moriarty, S., Yan, W. (2022, October 24). Peer-feedback and English public speaking self-efficacy and English language performance: A comparison between Facebook and Brightspace for peer-feedback activities [Conference presentation]. Association of Educational Communications & Technology International Convention.
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Lowell, V. L., Ureña-Rodriguez, L., Moriarty, S., Yan, W. (2022, October 27). Impact of authenticity of peer feedback in digital learning spaces on English public speaking self-efficacy and learning outcomes [Conference presentation]. Association of Educational Communications & Technology International Convention.
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Ureña-Rodriguez, L., Loria, J., Lowell, V. L. (2023, April 13-16). Learner culture and perceptions of social media applications and learning management systems for language learning [Conference presentation]. American Educational Research Association, Instructional Technology Special Interest Group.
Ureña-Rodriguez, L., Loria, J., Lowell, V. L., Yang, M. (2023, April 13-16). Examining learner culture, country, gender, and English public speaking and peer-feedback self-efficacy [Conference presentation]. American Educational Research Association, Second Language Research Special Interest Group.
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Richardson, J. C., Koehler, A. A, Tagare, D., Urena-Rodriguez, L. Xu, Q., Zhang, Z., Fiock, H., Long, Y., Duha, M. S. (2023, April 13-16). Community of Inquiry design decisions across disciplines [Conference presentation]. 2023 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Chicago, Il.
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Reviewed Articles
As part of a group led by Dr. Victoria Lowell, I contributed to the review of an article for the Computed Assisted Language Learning Journal.
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I have reviewed two articles for Revista de Lenguas Modernas at the University of Costa Rica. These articles are mainly related to the use of mobile technology for English language learning.
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Contributions to IRB Protocols
In January 2021, I contributed to the IRB application for the research project "Using Social Media Applications for Peer Feedback to Develop English Speaking Self-Efficacy and English Speaking Proficiency."
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In August 2021, I submitted an IRB protocol for a study that examines pronunciation instruction activities to teach segments to undergraduate English language learners in Costa Rica.
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In February 2022, I submitted an IRB protocol for the study of the historical development of pronunciation instruction at the School of Modern Languages at the University of Costa Rica.
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Grant Writing Experience
As part of research groups and associations, I have contributed to the application to grants for different purposes.
1. Spencer COVID-19 Related Special Grant Cycle
I contributed to the writing process of the application to a Spencer grant. The project was named Supporting Speaking Proficiency in Formal English Language Learning Through Authentic Interactive Feedback in Social Media Applications
2. Small Spencer Research Grant
I contributed to the writing process of the application to a small Spencer grant. The project was titled Using Social Media Applications for Peer Feedback to Develop English Speaking Self-Efficacy and English-Speaking Proficiency
3. GSOGA Grant
As part of PALDT, I had a major contribution to the GSOGA grant application for the development of different social and professional development events hosted by this association. Amount awarded: $1,458
4. SOGA Grant
As part of PALDT, I contributed to two applications to SOGA grants for the online teaching module competition of undergraduate students from the College of Education, Purdue. Amount awarded: For period 2: $5,243, and for period 3: $5,143, for a total of $10,386.
5. Community Service / Service Learning Project Grant
As part of PALDT, I contributed to the application to a service learning grant to teach basic computer and internet skills to mixed-ability adult students with disabilities at the Excel Center in Lafayette. Amount awarded: $925
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6. 2021-22 Ross-Lynn Research Scholar Fund Grant
I contributed to the writing of the Ross-Lynn Grant submitted by Dr. Lowell. This grant funded my studies from August 2021 to July 2022. Amount awarded: $31.684