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Academic And Non-Academic Variables As Predictors Of Nclex-Rn Success Among Traditional Associate Degree Students At Southern Adventist University, Christine Moniyung

Dissertations

Problem

The School of Nursing at Southern Adventist University offers both Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science in nursing degrees. A majority of the students who sit for the NCLEX-RN are associate of science in nursing graduates. The pass rate dropped from 94.9% in 2010 to 88.8% in 2011. The pass rate went up to 93.3% in 2012, but dropped again by almost 5% in the following year, and to an all-time low of 76.5% in 2014.

Unlike most AS nursing program student populations in the nation, the majority of SAU students are young and considered traditional-age college students. …

A Comparative Study Of The Concept Of Atonement In The Aboakyer Festival Of The Effutu Tribe In Ghana And The Yom Kippur Festival Of The Old Testament: Implications For Adventist Mission Among The Effutu, Emmanuel H. Takyi

Dissertations

Statement of Problem

History records that Christian missions have operated in Winneba since 1865 with various approaches being used to share the gospel with the Effutu. Though there have been successes, allegiance of the Effutu to their tribal gods, manifested especially during the Aboakyer festival, raises the need for a missiological bridge or intervention for an effective contextualized ministry among the Effutu of Winneba.

Purpose of Study

This research aims to develop a missiological model based on a comparative study of the OT Yom Kippur festival and the Effutu Aboakyer festival that will potentially facilitate more effective Adventist mission among …

The Use Of Fantasy Theme Analysis To Describe The Group Communication And Creative Problem-Solving Skills Of University-Level Students As They Prepare For Destination Imagination Global Finals Competition, Elizabeth Morgan Armstrong

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose

In order to meet the growing needs for efficiency in the workplace, industry is turning to group-work and collaboration. Successful teams are in demand because they not only meet the efficiency needs, but also provide the kind of bonding that creates convergence in the members. The chemistry or recipe for this kind of success is difficult to pinpoint, however, and several aspects of group communication and skills, need to be re-examined using communication theory. The purpose of this study is to describe one of those aspects—group creative problem-solving—in order to see how the communication used in that …

A Structural Equation Model Of The Influence Of Personal, Behavioral, And Environmental Factors On The Writing Performance Of First-Year Students At A Selected Michigan Community College, Thula I. Norton Lambert

Dissertations

Problem.

While previous writing performance studies have examined a range of motivational variables such as self-efficacy or writing apprehension, certain contextual variables and variables related to current writing pedagogy and practice have not been included, which has resulted in gaps in the research literature.

Method.

A non-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional, ex post facto, survey research design was used to examine the personal, behavioral, and environmental factors that had been identified as being of potential influence to students’ writing performance. A census was conducted among the 233 students enrolled in English Composition on the two campuses of a small two-year college in …

Revelation 6:9-11: An Exegesis Of The Fifth Seal In The Light Of The Problem Of The Eschatological Delay, Patrice Allet

Dissertations

The fifth seal of Revelation has most often been treated from an anthropological perspective that appears to be clearly inadequate to account for the depth of this trigger passage located in a climactic setting. In and around the fifth seal, the text suggests indeed that the persecution of the last days has occurred. Imminence and delay do seem to intersect in the passage, creating a crisis of eschatological proportions which, in turn, raises questions of theodicy.

The purpose of this dissertation is to increase understanding of the fifth seal as a whole through a focused study of its delay motif …

The Relationship Between Episodes Of Dissociative Amnesia, Symptomology Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, And Childhood Sexual Abuse, Jennifer E. Perkins

Dissertations

Problem. Identifying the possibility of a significant relationship between childhood sexual abuse, symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and episodes of dissociative amnesia is both relevant and useful in the therapeutic setting. Identifying indicative factors for a history of childhood sexual abuse and including them in a standardized therapeutic assessment will assist therapists in planning future treatment. This study used secondary data to examine the relationship between childhood sexual abuse, symptomology of PTSD, episodes of dissociative amnesia, and selected demographic characteristics.

Method. This quantitative study used a therapist-completed data collection tool which compiled brief client demographics, episodes of dissociative amnesia, …

Up From Sea And Earth: Revelation 13:1, 11 In Context, Hugo Antonio Cotro

Dissertations

The wide spectrum of usually unreconcilable ways sea and earth have been interpreted in Revelation 13: 1 and 11, as chapter 2 exposes, prompts questions such as What did John mean in Rev 13:1, 11 by coming up from the sea and the earth or land? What could his original addressees have understood when they heard it for the first time? These are the basic questions this dissertation aims to answer through a reconstruction of the original context shared by John and his first-century Asian audience, and, in that light, of the sources he most probably used to paint his …

Attitude, Subjective Norm, And Perceived Behavioral Control As Indicators For Nurse Educators’ Intention To Use Critical Thinking Teaching Strategies: A Structural Equation Model Analysis, Angerlita Yolanda Smith

Dissertations

Problem

Deficiencies in new nursing graduates’ ability to use critical thinking skills have been documented. Researchers have found that the continued use of traditional teaching methods and less student-centered approaches for critical thinking development has contributed to this problem. This particular issue has evoked much concern for institutions and organizations involved with the safe delivery of patient care. The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the relationship between the factors educator characteristics, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control in a hypothesized model that may influence nurse educators’ intention to use instructional methods that promote critical thinking in …

Educator's Implementation Of The Connecticut Guidelines For The Identification And Education Of Children And Youth With Autism, Linda K. Grimm

Dissertations

The Problem

As the number of children with autism needing educational support continues to increase, combined with the limited availability of resources, this study aims to examine how educators responsible for teaching children with autism have experienced implementation of the Connecticut Guidelines for the Identification and Education of Children and Youth with Autism (2005), (Guidelines). At this time there have been no studies done in the State of Connecticut to assess the implementation of the components for effective education of children with autism, as set forth in the Connecticut Guidelines.

Method

The Connecticut Autism Needs Survey, an on-line self-report survey …

Diversity And Student Engagement In A Small Multi-Ethnic Liberal Arts University In California, Yamileth Bazan

Dissertations

Problem

As the general population of minorities continues to increase nationwide, so has the number of underrepresented racial/ethnic groups qualified to enter higher education. While some public universities are responding to various diversity initiatives and changes, a number of institutions, especially small liberal arts colleges, have been less responsive to these changes in demographics. As liberal arts colleges begin to plan more effectively to respond to a more pluralistic student body, more understanding is needed about the student engagement patterns of these underrepresented groups. This study looks at the engagement patterns of a small liberal arts research university in Southern …

Curriculum-Related Trends In K-12 Adventist Education In The North American Division: An Inductive Analysis Of The Profile Surveys--1987-2007, Monica Desir

Dissertations

Problem

For several years, curriculum developers in the North American Division (NAD) have used the biennial results from the Profile Surveys to help guide their decisions in terms of educational policy. While some comparisons have been made between individual studies and ensuing results have been used to influence curriculum development, overall trends in the 10 studies up to 2007 have not been identified. As the studies increased in number, an integrative effort was needed in order help reveal the trends in the combined results and to make them available in more compact form for use by curriculum developers.

Method

The …

Curriculum Design And Language Learning: An Analysis Of English Textbooks In Brazil, Ellen Nogueira Rodrigues

Dissertations

Problem

The textbook is the most important resource for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Brazil, defining the course to be followed and the teaching and learning processes for language learning. Therefore, it is necessary to understand through an educational perspective the curriculum design employed in the textbook, and the language learning processes used based on the communicative approach, the current favorable approach to English teaching in Brazil. Textbooks writers typically indicate their alignment to the communicative framework. So the problem that exists is the lack of studies on the approaches and processes used in the construction of …

Testing The Technology Acceptance Model 3 (Tam 3) With The Inclusion Of Change Fatigue And Overload, In The Context Of Faculty From Seventh-Day Adventist Universities: A Revised Model, David Andrew Jeffrey

Dissertations

Problem.

In recent years, the use of technology in institutions of higher learning has grown significantly. The use of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) is central to this growth. LMSs assist in the ease, consistency, and effectiveness of delivering instruction to students. The challenges involved in implementing an LMS, and the time pressures placed on faculty make decisions concerning LMSs particularly crucial. Since the goal of administration is to encourage adoption and optimal usage of the LMS by as many faculty members as possible, the focus of this study is the dynamic of factors that predict usage of Learning Management Systems. …

Union With Christ In The Writings Of Ellen G. White, Katrina B. Blue

Dissertations

Building on the work of nineteenth-century theologian Augustus Strong, five historical approaches to union with Christ identified by Bruce Demarest in the late twentieth century include: an ontological union, a sacramental union, a covenantal union, a moral or filial union and an experiential union. Given the identification of multiple approaches to union with Christ, my dissertation attempts to clarify Ellen G. White’s concept of union with Christ using Demarest’s categories as an evaluation tool. I traced the development of her writings on union with Christ from 1860 to 1898 to ask whether White’s approach is best described as an ontological, …

An Analysis And Response To The Fear Of Evil Spiritual Forces Among Kamba Christians In The Light Of Biblical And Ellen G. White Teachings, Joseph Mutune Ndisya

Dissertations

This research aimed to discover whether there are any reasons from the Scriptures and writings of Ellen G. White regarding fear of evil spiritual forces. Thus research aims to understand the historical, cultural and religious reasons Kamba Christians frequently live in fear and dual allegiance. Biblical solutions will be suggested to permanently eliminate that fear. Fear is often so great that born-again Christians carry protective devices and practices which they believe will ward off the invading evil spiritual forces.

The Old Testament writings were examined to see how God wanted His people to relate to any evil power. The Old …

The Function Of 'Hope' As A Lexical And Theological Keyword In The Psalter: A Structural-Theological Study Of Five Psalms (Pss 42-43, 52, 62, 69, 71) Within Their Final Shape Context (Pss 42-72), Christine Maria Vetne

Dissertations

The shape and message of the Psalter has been of central interest for many Old Testament scholars during the last thirty years. At the core of shape scholarship stands the issue of hope. Often this is related to what is commonly considered a major hope-shift in the Psalter, which moves its focus from hoping in the Davidic covenant (Books I-III) to hoping in God (Books IV-V). However, when considering the shape and message of Book II, there is evidence that these two hopes coexist, side by side, as also seen in the introduction to the Psalter (Ps 2).

This dissertation …

The Induction Process Of Newly Hired Teachers Into The Existing School Culture Of Niles Community Schools, Zechariah Matthew Hoyt

Dissertations

Problem

Schools, like other organizations, provide capital resources and experiences that promote the professional development of their employees. Professional learning and skill development are essential for educators as they work to improve student achievement. However, conventional professional development often fails to provide a collaborative social construction of knowledge that supports educators in transforming their schools into a strong culture of shared learning. This is especially evident when induction programs do not provide collaborative environments for new teachers to work with each other and other experienced teachers. This study explored the induction of newly hired personnel within a district located in …

Under-Represented Students' Engagement In Secondary Science Learning: A Non-Equivalent Control Group Design, Joy J. Vann-Hamilton

Dissertations

Problem.

A significant segment of the U.S. population, under-represented students, is under-engaged or disengaged in secondary science education. International and national assessments and various research studies illuminate the problem and/or the disparity between students’ aspirations in science and the means they have to achieve them. To improve engagement and address inequities among these students, more contemporary and/or inclusive pedagogy is recommended. More specifically, multicultural science education has been suggested as a potential strategy for increased equity so that all learners have access to and are readily engaged in quality science education. While multicultural science education emphasizes the integration of students’ …

Cleansing The Common: A Narrative-Intertextual Study Of Mark 7:1-23, Eike Arend Mueller

Dissertations

The conflict story of Mark 7:1–23 between Jesus and the religious leaders over the issue of defilement is the meeting point of a variety of disciplines: Purity studies, Jewish studies, exegetical studies, Historical Jesus studies, and studies on Jesus and the law. The crux of the passage, the meaning of the parable in v. 15 and the ensuing “cleansing” in v. 19, has been interpreted very differently. Scholars doing exegetical studies and studies on the relationship between Jesus and the law have maintained that the Gospel writer correctly reflects in 7:19 the meaning of Jesus’ parable (7:15), abrogating the clean/unclean …

A Study On The Influence Of Philosophical Presuppositions Relating To The Notion Of The God-Human Relation Upon The Interpretation Of Exodus, Tiago Arrais

Dissertations

Abstract

No exegesis or act of interpretation is presuppositionless. Accordingly, this study addresses the question of the influence of philosophical presuppositions upon the interpretation of the God-human relation in Exodus.

Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to why such analysis is necessary. The chapter explores the neglected issue of presuppositions in exegesis and why Exodus is an appropriate platform upon which to evaluate them. This introductory chapter also presents the purpose and methodological approach of this study, namely, the descriptive analysis of the text.

Chapter 2 addresses the philosophical issues behind the conception of the God-human relation, namely the notion …

Marital Expectation Fulfillment And Its Relationship To Height Of Marital Expectations, Optimism, And Relationship Self-Efficacy Among Married Individuals, Kristina D. Johnson

Dissertations

Problem

The literature is clear that individuals report higher marital satisfaction when their expectations are fulfilled in marriage, but there is disagreement in the literature as to what role height of expectations plays in expectation fulfillment. Further research in this area was needed to clarify these disagreements and identify variables that interact with height of expectations to determine marital satisfaction.

Method

Participants completed surveys that measured their a) martial satisfaction, b) optimism, c) relationship self-efficacy, d) height of marital expectations, and e) the extent to which participants felt their marital expectations were being met. Structural equation modeling was used to …

A Biblical And Missiological Framework For Cross-Cultural Mission: A Case Study Of The Lobi Funeral Rites In Burkina Faso, Boubakar Sanou

Dissertations

Problem

Converts to Christianity in traditional contexts often face pressure to continue traditional rituals and practices which sometimes contain unbiblical elements. Non-selective performance of traditional practices can produce dual allegiance and syncretism. Such is the case with Lobi Seventh-day Adventists concerning their traditional funeral rites of passage. Some core elements of these traditional funeral rites, in which all community members are expected to fully participate, conflict with biblical teachings on the human condition after death.

Method

This dissertation starts by laying the theoretical and theological basis for addressing the problem. The dissertation then uses ethnographic research of funeral rites among …

Indiana's High-Stakes Reading Assessment: Impact On Professionalism And Instructional Practices Of Elementary Teachers, Michelle A. Fish

Dissertations

Problem.

Since the turn of the twenty-first century, political mandates have been the driving force behind educational decision-making. The execution of the federal Race to the Top Assessment Program in 2009 ushered in a new era of accountability measures for educators, resulting in a significant increase in the number of state assessments, including the implementation of the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD-3) summative assessment in the spring of 2012. Within this model of top-down, political decision-making, the collective voice of educators has been minimized as instructional practice has been driven by student performance on standardized assessments. The purpose of …

The Unity Of The Church And Church Authority: A Comparative Study Of The Views And Practice Of Alexander Campbell And Ellen G. White, Wendy Ann Jackson

Dissertations

Problem. A clear understanding of the nature of church unity and the role of authority in the maintenance of unity is imperative for the church in the face of its increasing growth and diversity. While a considerable volume of literature addresses the topic of unity of the church, little attention has been paid to the historical dimensions of the differing viewpoints on church authority, which present contemporary obstacles to Christian unity.

Purpose. In an attempt to address this void, this dissertation examines the views of Alexander Campbell and Ellen White with regard to the nature of church unity and how …