Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 273

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Whole Genome Sequencing Of The Whipple Azalea Garden, Afia Asamoah, Elizabeth Toth, Amy Vasudevan, Sarah Justice, Elizabeth D. Hasenmyer Mar 2024

Whole Genome Sequencing Of The Whipple Azalea Garden, Afia Asamoah, Elizabeth Toth, Amy Vasudevan, Sarah Justice, Elizabeth D. Hasenmyer

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

Taylor University houses a large collection of North American azaleas. Deciduous azalea species, like those found on campus, are vastly understudied. This project aims to provide publicly available genomic data which will be used to study the genetic basis behind their physical characteristics and their relatedness to other species.


Water Filtration System For Hospital In Bangladesh, David E. Mitchell Mar 2024

Water Filtration System For Hospital In Bangladesh, David E. Mitchell

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

The Chadraghona Christian Hospital serves the people of Bangladesh in a Christ-centered way, providing quality care for the people of the region. The hospital has several significant infrastructure needs, including a source of clean water. Currently, the hospital does not have a filtration system and draws its water directly from an adjacent river that is polluted and often cloudy with particulates. Prior work on this project, performed during the summer of 2022, began the design of the filtration system for the hospital. The work performed this summer focused on improving and extending last summer’s work. Improvements in the system design …


The Racial Attitudes Of White Students At A Christian Institution, Jarad Russell Jan 2024

The Racial Attitudes Of White Students At A Christian Institution, Jarad Russell

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This phenomenological study used semi-structured interviews to understand the lived experiences and racial attitudes of White students at a Council for Christian Colleges and Universities institution as they related to Black people. The participants were asked about their past experiences with Black people, their discussions with family about race, their present understanding of terminology related to race and racism, and their desire to support racial justice in the future. Through this study, three categories of students emerged: those that had taken steps to educate themselves on matters related to race and racism, those that were just beginning to understand issues …


Revisiting Domestic And International Study "Abroad" Program Learning Outcomes: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Jessica Martin Jan 2024

Revisiting Domestic And International Study "Abroad" Program Learning Outcomes: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Jessica Martin

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Christian institutions missionally commit to educate students to be both professionally competent and capable of engaging across difference. This quantitative pilot study analyzes survey responses from graduates of two intentionally-designed Christian off-campus study programs—one located in the United States and one located abroad. A multivariate analysis of covariance reveals graduates of both programs scored comparably on professional competency and engaging difference scales. This challenges narrow approaches to researching, designing, and promoting international study abroad programs as superior arenas for developing global competency and domestic programs as primarily focused on professional development. Consequently, Christian educators are invited reconsider how various off-campus …


Digital Restlessness: Student Social Media Misuse As A Problem Of Worship, Scott Busby Jan 2024

Digital Restlessness: Student Social Media Misuse As A Problem Of Worship, Scott Busby

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.


Reviewed: Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, And Silents—And What They Mean For America’S Future, Emily S. Bosscher Jan 2024

Reviewed: Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, And Silents—And What They Mean For America’S Future, Emily S. Bosscher

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.


The Elephant In The Room: The Intersection Of Religion And Pornography Among Young Christian Men, Ryan Hewitt Jan 2024

The Elephant In The Room: The Intersection Of Religion And Pornography Among Young Christian Men, Ryan Hewitt

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Pornography presents a unique paradox for young Christians —a culturally normative phenomenon among younger generations, yet one that most Christians morally oppose. These conflicting trends make pornography an “elephant in the room” among young Christians today—an ever-present reality, yet one often not discussed due to its sensitive nature. This work presents a recent quantitative study exploring pornography use patterns and its impact on Evangelical Christian men from both Christian academic institutions and other social and religious contexts. Results revealed high levels of religiosity and porn use, and significant correlations between religiosity, porn use, potentially problematic use, and perceived problems due …


Full Issue Jan 2024

Full Issue

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The full issue of the twenty-third edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.


The Relationship Between Internet Addiction Test Scores And Academic Achievement, Michael L. Houston, John Foubert Jan 2024

The Relationship Between Internet Addiction Test Scores And Academic Achievement, Michael L. Houston, John Foubert

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score and academic performance in college students. The IAT measured the students’ addiction to the internet based upon their use. Academic performance was measured by grade point average (GPA). A sample of 692 traditional-aged college students from both public and private institutions was used to examine if IAT scores were related to and predictive of GPA. This study found a negative relationship between students’ IAT scores and GPAs. As IAT scores increased, students’ GPAs decreased. A better understanding of how internet addiction is related …


Lux Et Fides - Full Issue (Volume 1, 2023) Jun 2023

Lux Et Fides - Full Issue (Volume 1, 2023)

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

Volume 1, 2023


Developing Better Instructors Using The Principles To Actions Professional Learning Toolkit, Abigail Pyle, Patrick Eggleton May 2023

Developing Better Instructors Using The Principles To Actions Professional Learning Toolkit, Abigail Pyle, Patrick Eggleton

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

This research report documents how a group of mathematics teacher educators collaborated to use the Principles to Actions (NCTM, 2014) (PtA) Professional Learning Toolkit in their classes, the tools they used to measure development in the future teachers, and the findings from the study. In keeping with other studies, using “effective mathematics teaching practices” as defined by Principles to Actions brought about changes in the beliefs of preservice elementary mathematics teachers toward best practices for teaching mathematics. There is hope that the benefits of seeing those instructional practices used by elementary classroom teachers through the PtA Toolkit videos …


The Fight Against The Threat Of Witchcraft And Paganism In Anglo-Saxon England, Russell I. Knapp May 2023

The Fight Against The Threat Of Witchcraft And Paganism In Anglo-Saxon England, Russell I. Knapp

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

Unlike the general assumption that England was completely Christianized after Augustine’s mission to the island, witchcraft and paganism thrived all throughout the Christian period of Anglo-Saxon history. Sources condemning witchcraft and paganism increased during the Danish raids in the mid-ninth century and beyond due to an increased sense of a perceived threat of paganism. King Alfred himself reacted to this threat by doing everything he could to strengthen his people in their Christian beliefs through education reform and his law code. The Church battled against the perceived threat through penitentials–which they used to discourage pagan practices. Lay-people fought against …


Wirtschaftswunder: A Macroeconomic Study Of Germany, Connor M. Dollarhite May 2023

Wirtschaftswunder: A Macroeconomic Study Of Germany, Connor M. Dollarhite

Lux et Fides: A Journal for Undergraduate Christian Scholars

The German economy is currently known to be an economic powerhouse of the present, but it is a mystery to most as to why this is so. By investigating historical examples, we can determine whether proposed economic policy will work, and Germany proves useful to this idea through the continued historic usage of Eucken and Erhard’s economic theories that generated the German economic miracle (Wirtschaftswunder). Germany has survived dark economic collapse and become thriving economic powerhouse today. This proliferation of success is through the three consistent pillars of their macroeconomic profile, balanced fiscal budget, maintaining price stability, and always allowing …


Relationship As Pedagogy: Empowering Faculty To Support Student Mental Health, Katie Breitigan Jan 2023

Relationship As Pedagogy: Empowering Faculty To Support Student Mental Health, Katie Breitigan

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This study sought to explore the impact of college student mental health on faculty pedagogy. Using a grounded theory qualitative research methodology, the researcher interviewed 13 faculty participants about their experience of college student mental health in the classroom. A review of the literature on theological anthropology, trauma, and Christian higher education provided a framework for the findings of this study to be discussed. Findings revealed four main themes influencing faculty pedagogy which included: the value of relationships for promoting student well-being; lowered engagement by students experiencing mental health challenges; the increased need for mental health-related accommodations; and the impact …


Under God: Political Views And Experiences Among Young Adults Attending An Evangelical College, Olga Dietlin, Amy Sparks, Hannah Bayne Jan 2023

Under God: Political Views And Experiences Among Young Adults Attending An Evangelical College, Olga Dietlin, Amy Sparks, Hannah Bayne

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

While polarization has increased the saliency of political values, political meaning-making has been scarcely addressed in higher education literature and training. Additionally, even though the political orientation of evangelicals has been back in the spotlight since the 2016 presidential campaign, little research has been done to explore the interplay of faith commitments and political values among students at an evangelical college. This study examined religiosity, ideology, political attitudes, the salience of political identity, and experience with political differences among students at an evangelical Christian liberal arts institution (n = 223). Descriptive data confirmed the salience of religious belief and practice …


The Agile College: How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Changes, Andrew J. Cornelius Jan 2023

The Agile College: How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Changes, Andrew J. Cornelius

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Andrew J. Cornelius reviews The Agile College: How Institutions Successfully Navigate Demographic Changes by Nathan D. Grawe, published by John Hopkins University Press, 2021.


Cultivating The Self-Awareness Of Global Students: The Role Of Communities Of Practice, Stephanie Calley Jan 2023

Cultivating The Self-Awareness Of Global Students: The Role Of Communities Of Practice, Stephanie Calley

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Research on the impact of leadership education programs on undergraduate students has demonstrated that cultivating self-awareness is foundational to developing other leadership capabilities. Yet, scant research has been undertaken to understand the impact of leadership education on global students. For the sake of this research, global students include any undergraduate student who had spent a significant portion of their development years outside the country of higher education. As such, global students include international students as well as other globally mobile students such as children of international military personnel, businesspeople, and religious workers. This qualitative research sought to understand how global …


Embodied: Transgender Identities, The Church, And What The Bible Has To Say, Kaleigh Richardson Jan 2023

Embodied: Transgender Identities, The Church, And What The Bible Has To Say, Kaleigh Richardson

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Kaleigh Richardson reviews Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle, published by David C. Cook, 2021.


Growth: 22 (2023) Jan 2023

Growth: 22 (2023)

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The full issue of the twenty-second edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.


The Lived Religious Experience Of Black Students At A Southeastern Cccu Institution, Harold Goss Jan 2023

The Lived Religious Experience Of Black Students At A Southeastern Cccu Institution, Harold Goss

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The overall purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the religious experiences of Black students at a Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) institution. The researcher interviewed 22 participants at a private Christian university and analyzed the data using in vivo coding, constant comparison, and thematic analysis. Findings suggest formal religious activities that are required and presumed by the institution to be nurturing can have the opposite effect for some Black students at the institution. The researcher identified three major themes regarding how Black students perceive and experience religious activity. The themes provide helpful insight regarding participants’ …


Pursuing Campus Collaboration That Works: Assessing The Impact Of Relational Leadership And Work Engagement On Relational Coordination Between Student Affairs And Academic Affairs In Christian Higher Education, Mark Muha Jan 2023

Pursuing Campus Collaboration That Works: Assessing The Impact Of Relational Leadership And Work Engagement On Relational Coordination Between Student Affairs And Academic Affairs In Christian Higher Education, Mark Muha

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs departments has long been a focus of organizational development but is inconsistent at best. This quantitative study of student affairs professionals (n = 256) within the Christian higher education context examined the role that experience of relational leadership and a worker’s level of work engagement have on a student affairs professional’s experience of relational coordination with the academic affairs departments within their organization. The study used three validated surveys and subsequent regression analysis to measure relational leadership, work engagement, and relational coordination to identify the predictive relationship between the variables as well …


Exploring White Racial Identity Development Within Christian Colleges, Glen Kinoshita Jan 2022

Exploring White Racial Identity Development Within Christian Colleges, Glen Kinoshita

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Racial identity development is a growth process in which many college students engage as they regularly interact with peers and instructors from diverse backgrounds. As compositional diversity, as well as diversity of thought, lags at Christian colleges, the purpose of this qualitative, narrative study was to understand how White students who have undergone significant progress in their racial identity development, describe their process while attending predominantly White, evangelical, Christian colleges. Three participants from three Christian colleges/universities were interviewed, a total of nine, White student participants. One college was located in the Pacific Northwest and two colleges were located in Southern …


Purpose And Autonomous Functioning In College Students, Michelle Steffenhagen Jan 2022

Purpose And Autonomous Functioning In College Students, Michelle Steffenhagen

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

This study sought to understand the relationship between a sense of purpose and autonomous functioning in college students. Further, the results were compared with the independent variables of gender, volunteerism, and faith community participation. Participants (n = 356) were undergraduate college students at a small private liberal arts Christian institution located in the Midwest of the United States of America. Measures included the Claremont Purpose Scale and the Index of Autonomous Functioning. Pearson correlations were used to analyze the data, and purpose and autonomous functioning were positively correlated. Women reported higher levels of a sense of purpose and autonomous functioning. …


Advising And Supporting College Students Experiencing Imposter Syndrome: A Christian Perspective, Jeannine Kranzow Jan 2022

Advising And Supporting College Students Experiencing Imposter Syndrome: A Christian Perspective, Jeannine Kranzow

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

For Christian student affairs educators, it is essential that the methods of advising and supporting students be in line with biblical directives for a whole and holy life. This paper will examine approaches for advising and supporting students experiencing imposter syndrome. Current research on impostor syndrome is presented as well as a discussion of ways that Christian insight can provide additional guidance and awareness for supporting struggling students. By connecting both biblical wisdom and the current scholarship, a Christian perspective of impostor syndrome, anchored in a discussion on spiritual warfare, is offered. Using this perspective, recommendations for practice are identified.


Growth: 21 (2022) Full Issue Jan 2022

Growth: 21 (2022) Full Issue

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The full issue of the twenty-first edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.


Ambitious And Anxious: How Chinese College Students Succeed And Struggle In American Higher Education, Sara Vander Bie Jan 2022

Ambitious And Anxious: How Chinese College Students Succeed And Struggle In American Higher Education, Sara Vander Bie

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Sara Vander Bie reviews Ambitious and Anxious: How Chinese College Students Succeed and Struggle in American Higher Education by Yingyi Ma, published by Columbia University Press, 2020.


Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health, Christina Brandsma Jan 2022

Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health, Christina Brandsma

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Christina Brandsma reviews Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health by Donald A. Rakow and Gregory T. Eells, published by Cornell University Press, 2019.


Living Life Together: A Qualatative Study Of Taylor University's Lifestyle Covenant, Jana Roste Jan 2022

Living Life Together: A Qualatative Study Of Taylor University's Lifestyle Covenant, Jana Roste

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Taylor University, a small, Christian, liberal arts institution in the Midwest, utilizes a lifestyle covenant which outlines expectations for campus life to promote character development and fulfill the university’s mission. In pursuit of exploring community members’ perceptions of the Life Together Covenant (LTC), the larger qualitative study, consisting of individual interviews with ten senior students, ten staff members, and ten faculty members, found that participants generally perceived the LTC as a guide or set of expectations to live cohesively at Taylor. This article focuses on the student findings and analyses. Students generally perceive and experience the LTC in a legalistic …


Algorithms Of Opporession: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, Jazmin Dantzler Jan 2022

Algorithms Of Opporession: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, Jazmin Dantzler

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Jazmin "JD" Dantzler reviews Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Stafiya Umoja Noble, published by NYU Press, 2018.


Finding Jesus In The Storm: The Spiritual Lives Of Christians With Mental Health Challenges, Jeffrey Tabone Jan 2022

Finding Jesus In The Storm: The Spiritual Lives Of Christians With Mental Health Challenges, Jeffrey Tabone

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Jeffrey Tabone reviews Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges by John Swinton, published by Eerdmans, 2020.