RESEARCH

My research focuses on multiple areas within cybersecurity, instructional technology, and digital presence. My goal is to explore how technology impacts learning, security, and personal privacy in both educational and professional settings.

Key Research Areas

Cyber Forensics – Investigating methods for data retrieval, analysis, and preservation in digital investigations, particularly as they relate to legal and security challenges.
Cybersecurity Awareness & Privacy – Examining how individuals and organizations understand and manage cybersecurity risks, including behavioral factors that influence data protection.
Instructional Technology & Online Learning – Exploring the role of technology in education, with a focus on enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes in digital environments.
Community of Inquiry & Digital Presence – Applying the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model to analyze social, cognitive, and teaching presence in online education. My research examines how these factors influence student interaction, engagement, and course satisfaction.

The video shows the layout, types of activities, videos, and learning management utilization. I try to create an environment conducive to learning.

I am committed to integrating research findings into course development. My work includes:

Designing and refining online courses that emphasize interactive learning, multimedia engagement, and strong instructor presence.
Developing a graduate-level cyber forensics course that combines real-world case studies with hands-on analysis.
Exploring new ways to enhance student collaboration, motivation, and knowledge retention in both in-person and online settings.

Dissertation: The Role of Presence in Online Learning

My doctoral research, "An Analysis of Presence in an Asynchronous Online Undergraduate Mastery Course Using Structural Equation Modeling," examined the impact of social, cognitive, and teaching presence in online learning environments.

Using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, I analyzed how these elements interact to shape student engagement and learning outcomes. The findings provided insights into effective course design, emphasizing strategies that foster deeper interaction and a stronger sense of community in digital classrooms.

CoI Conceptual Model - Yerby Dissertation

Selected Publications

Yerby, J., & Vaughn, I. (2022). Deliberately confusing language in terms of service and privacy policy agreements. Issues in Information Systems, 23(2), 138-149.
Koohang, A., Floyd, K., Yerby, J., & Paliszkiewicz, J. (2021). Social media privacy concerns, security concerns, trust, and awareness: Empirical validation of an instrument. Issues in Information Systems, 22(2), 133-145.
Yerby, J., Koohang, A., & Paliszkiewicz, J. (2019). Social media privacy concerns and risk beliefs. Online Journal of Applied Knowledge Management, 7(1).
Yerby, J., & Floyd, K. (2018). Faculty and staff information security awareness and behaviors. Journal for the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education, 6(1).
Calandra, B., Brantley-Dias, L., Yerby, J., & Demir, K. (2018). Examining the quality of preservice science teachers’ written reflections when using video recordings, audio recordings, and memories of a teaching event. Contemporary Issues in Technology & Teacher Education, 18(1).

For a full list of my research and publications, please visit my Curriculum Vitae.