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Mentorship Experiences Of College Level Educators: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca M. Arsenault Apr 2024

Mentorship Experiences Of College Level Educators: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca M. Arsenault

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact that mentorship had on the retention of ten participating educators working at various post-secondary educational institutions. The theory guiding this study was Dansereau’s leader-member theory guided as it pertained to the interactions between a dyadic relationship such as the one represented by one-on-one mentorship. The central research question for this study asked about the mentorship experiences of educators in higher education who have been in the field of education for five years or more. This study used transcendental phenomenological to study the essence of the experiences of 10 educators …


An Exploration Of Mentorship Among African American Male Youth Ministers Within The Nondenominational Church, Christina K. Crayton Nov 2023

An Exploration Of Mentorship Among African American Male Youth Ministers Within The Nondenominational Church, Christina K. Crayton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American male youth ministers in the non-denominational church, lack long-standing career mentorship. The thought which suggests the most significant reason this deficiency exists, is due to the non-denominational church being independent of a larger denominational structure. While individual mentorship is obtained based on personal preference, it only takes one person to imbed generational seeds of wisdom, faith, hope, and love into the hearts and minds of an individual or a generation (Quick, 2020). To determine if lifespan career mentorship is needed in African American male youth ministers in the non-denominational church, extensive research was conducted to understand what the …


Enhancing Culturally Responsive Practices: A Phenomenological Study On How Elementary School Leaders Demonstrate Cultural Proficiency In Teacher Development, Dana Synora Jones May 2023

Enhancing Culturally Responsive Practices: A Phenomenological Study On How Elementary School Leaders Demonstrate Cultural Proficiency In Teacher Development, Dana Synora Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In education, a lack of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) may mute the success of students of color. A lack of culturally responsive pedagogy practices can drastically alter students’ educational outcomes and their outlook on the value of education. This hermeneutic phenomenology explored the experiences of elementary school leaders on their mission to implement culturally responsive practices through teacher professional development. The theory guiding this study is Khalifa’s theory on Culturally Responsive School Leadership which was developed to make teaching and the entire school environment responsive to the schooling needs of all demographics of children. This phenomenological study focused on teachers’ …


The Relationship Between Young Adult Attachment And Loneliness Factors With Their Childhood Social Media Usage Patterns, Kenneth Walter Mark Dec 2022

The Relationship Between Young Adult Attachment And Loneliness Factors With Their Childhood Social Media Usage Patterns, Kenneth Walter Mark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Social media use has become an integral and often ignored part of children’s lives because it is rationalized not to be detrimental to their future development. However, childhood social media use was associated with insecure attachment styles and possible loneliness issues emerging in young adulthood. Past research examined social media use and secular attachment in the present only, without examining spiritual attachment or loneliness levels. This is the first research study to explore longitudinally the relationship between past childhood social media use and current young adult (aged 18-24) secular attachment, spiritual attachment, and loneliness levels. The population (N = 149) …


Childhood Adversities And The Impact On Development, Karey Womack Dulaney Nov 2022

Childhood Adversities And The Impact On Development, Karey Womack Dulaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Experiences in life are crucial in determining how one’s development will progress throughout their lifespan, with many of the factors occurring in early childhood. The factors include but are not limited to adversities experienced at an early age, toxic stress, and childhood trauma. Childhood adversities can impact a child’s cognitive development and biological systems. Children living in adverse situations are at a greater risk of not reaching their full developmental potential in life. Although previous research and literature discuss and demonstrate the cruciality of early childhood interventions to mitigate adverse childhood experiences, gaps in the research exist for individual interventions, …


Leadership Curriculum In Physical Therapy Education: A Case Study, Christina M. Kalata Nov 2022

Leadership Curriculum In Physical Therapy Education: A Case Study, Christina M. Kalata

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Physical therapists must demonstrate leadership skills to provide quality patient care and to facilitate healthcare reform. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to understand core physical therapy faculty’s implementation of leadership development curriculum in entry-level physical therapy programs at graduate colleges and universities. The theory guiding this study was transformational leadership theory, proposed by Burns (1978), as it informs leadership skills and attributes, which may cultivate the change necessary for health care reform. The central research question for this study explores how physical therapy faculty incorporate leadership development into their graduate physical therapy programs to prepare students …


Shepherding Church Staff: Stakeholders' Perceptions Of A Useful Leadership Development Plan, Bobby Allen Thompson Oct 2022

Shepherding Church Staff: Stakeholders' Perceptions Of A Useful Leadership Development Plan, Bobby Allen Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As leadership demands grow, churches need a way to develop more effective leaders. Many pastors have received limited training in how to develop leaders and may not be aware of stakeholders’ expectations for leadership development. This thesis project reveals the importance of intentional leadership development of those who have answered the calling to work in the local church. The researcher believes the current shortage of lay leaders as well as consistent burnout rates among staff and volunteers can be altered with the correct plan and people in place. The researcher conducted open ended semi-structured interviews for those currently working in …


Character Education For Elementary School Students And Parental Commitment: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Joshua J. Barela Aug 2022

Character Education For Elementary School Students And Parental Commitment: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Joshua J. Barela

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the parents’ experiences with their children's character education. The central research question for this study was the following: What are the parents’ experiences with their child’s character education? The two subsequent research questions were: (a) What are the perceived critical factors experienced by the parents influencing their child’s character education process? (b) What are the perceived obstacles experienced by the parents hindering their child’s character education and development? The central phenomenon of the study included 12 parental participants at a private elementary school in South Asia. The central phenomenon was …


An Examination Of Leadership Development To Ascertain The Effectiveness Of The Discipleship Ministry At Crosslife Church And Improve Multiplication Strategies, Timothy M. Dix Jun 2022

An Examination Of Leadership Development To Ascertain The Effectiveness Of The Discipleship Ministry At Crosslife Church And Improve Multiplication Strategies, Timothy M. Dix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For over 150 years, CrossLife Church has been proclaiming the gospel and serving the community in Oviedo, FL. Within the last 27 years, the church has seen over five thousand people baptized and 150 people commissioned and sent out for ministry and missions. However, the last 15 years has seen a plateau within the fabric of the church in terms of regular attenders. Many churches talk about discipleship and development, but the methods and processes to reach effectiveness in those areas varies. CrossLife Church has certainly seen an ebb and flow to its own methods that leads one to seek …


Understanding Student Perspective Of Undergraduate Cybersecurity Programs And Experiences Across Christian Colleges And Universities, Brandon P. Grech Mar 2022

Understanding Student Perspective Of Undergraduate Cybersecurity Programs And Experiences Across Christian Colleges And Universities, Brandon P. Grech

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The number of Christian colleges and universities that are offering cybersecurity four-year degrees is rising. The workforce is in dire need of cybersecurity professionals; however, has anybody asked the new cybersecurity professionals in the workforce how their recent academic experience prepared them for such a global need? Research is well-documented about what industry currently needs in cybersecurity professionals; however, this research focused on asking graduates what students need for the workforce. The purpose of this explorative qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the phenomena of the holistic experience (technical, nontechnical, and whole-person) strengths and shortcomings (if any) recent …


Exploring How Self-Leadership Influences Team Building In The Department Of Defense, Joseph Wolemonwu Jun 2021

Exploring How Self-Leadership Influences Team Building In The Department Of Defense, Joseph Wolemonwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research case study explored the influence of self-leadership in team-building abilities among leaders within a Department of Defense (DOD) component in Quantico, Virginia. The general problem to be addressed was the lack of self-leadership among leaders resulting in ineffective team building. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to discover what tools, approaches, skills, methodologies, or theories are needed to prepare those in authority for self-leadership better to assist team building and to evaluate those tools, methods, or theories. Research questions explored how self-leadership supports team-building abilities among leaders. If any, the barriers to self-leadership could prevent …


From Ideology To Implementation: Moving One Church Staff From An Aspirational Mindset Of Developing Leaders To An Actionable Movement Of Leadership Development, Trevor Blake Hislop Oct 2020

From Ideology To Implementation: Moving One Church Staff From An Aspirational Mindset Of Developing Leaders To An Actionable Movement Of Leadership Development, Trevor Blake Hislop

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to a recent article on “The Paradox of Leadership” from Harvard University, there are more than 15,000 books in print on the topic of leadership, and the number of works written about leadership in the past decade is greater than the total number of works ever written. So, if leadership is so highly valued in our culture today, then why is there a decline in leadership development in the church? Additionally, there are a growing number of churches that have detailed programs for leadership development; however, few churches are producing new leaders. Church at Viera in Viera, Florida, embraces …


A Multiple Case Study Examining How Christian Education Has Influenced A High School Graduates’ Worldview, William Lawrence Lorigan Jun 2020

A Multiple Case Study Examining How Christian Education Has Influenced A High School Graduates’ Worldview, William Lawrence Lorigan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand how the Christian education offered by Country Lakes School System (CLSS; pseudonym) has influenced the worldview of its graduates. CLSS defines a biblical worldview as follows: “The entire process of education is seen as a means used by God to bring the student into fellowship with Himself, to develop a Christian mind in him and to train him in Godly living so that he can fulfill God’s total purpose for his life.” The theoretical framework that guided this study was Sire’s three-dimensional concept of worldview, which served as a basis …


Leadership Development: Creating A Culture Of Developing Leaders In The Church, Vincent John Charron May 2020

Leadership Development: Creating A Culture Of Developing Leaders In The Church, Vincent John Charron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Addressing the issue concerning churches needing an effective leadership development process that encompasses everyone from the new convert to the church leadership team is the focus of this thesis. The purpose of this DMIN thesis is to address the problem of the leadership development deficit by implementing a process that will engage more than 30 percent of the average attendance. For this research, the main focus is primarily engaging people who are already Christians and are on board with the vision and mission of the church to assume a leadership role and responsibility. The focus of the project is to …


Lay Leader Development And The Model Of Christ: Intentional Small Group Organization For Multiplying Groups At Green Acres Baptist Church, Michael Wayne Gossett Apr 2020

Lay Leader Development And The Model Of Christ: Intentional Small Group Organization For Multiplying Groups At Green Acres Baptist Church, Michael Wayne Gossett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to develop a strategic process for leader development utilizing small groups at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. The development of lay leaders will determine the efforts of starting and sustaining small groups and ministry efforts in the local church. The structure of groups and the strategy to develop leaders should be a replicable system formulated within biblical parameters. The biblical research is concentrated toward the methods practiced by Jesus with his disciples. Biblical discipleship is examined for the purpose of assessing adequate organization that cultivate leader development and group multiplication. Effective small …


The Black Church And Community: A Model For Church Community Engagement And Development, Brye Mcmillon Dec 2017

The Black Church And Community: A Model For Church Community Engagement And Development, Brye Mcmillon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project examines the role of the Black Church in the development of the African American Community and seeks to encourage churches to embrace this role. Support for communities by churches in rural North Alabama is key to improving living conditions and achieving biblically based outreach. This project investigates the church’s theological duties for community outreach and provides a biblical mandate as a part of a larger community development model, while preparing ministry teams for outreach. This paper will consider the equipping methodology that leads to a trained ministry team able to reach, identify, and fulfill the needs of the …


Mid-Level Procurement Manager Leader Development: A Collective Case Study, Douglas Veatch Dec 2016

Mid-Level Procurement Manager Leader Development: A Collective Case Study, Douglas Veatch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The development of high-performing employees with the potential to assume leadership roles remains a vital exercise for organizations. Public and private sector organizations of all sizes have implemented programs focused on developing the next generation of leaders. The researcher explored the issue of how a national service industry organization is experiencing varied levels of success of leader development in the case of geographically dispersed mid-level procurement managers in the trucking logistics group. Guided by elements of successful leader development programs, the purpose of this collective qualitative case study was to discover the common issues and factors that lead to success …


Leadership Development In The Local Church: An Intentional Strategy For Developing Leaders At Every Level, Brian Moss Jan 2014

Leadership Development In The Local Church: An Intentional Strategy For Developing Leaders At Every Level, Brian Moss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Every evangelical pastor knows that they have a responsibility to make disciples, and most of their churches have a system for doing so. They also know that every healthy church needs healthy leaders. As more and more of the next generation drop out of church and consequently leadership roles in the church, the evangelical church is facing a serious crisis. Most church leaders would agree that developing new leaders is a critical responsibility of the local church, yet very few churches actually have an intentional leadership development process. Even worse, many pastors are confused as to how leadership development differs …


The Relationship Factor: Understanding The Role And Development Of Teacher-Student Relationships In Middle School, Tracy Davis Sands Aug 2011

The Relationship Factor: Understanding The Role And Development Of Teacher-Student Relationships In Middle School, Tracy Davis Sands

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explain the process by which relationships evolve between teachers and students in a suburban East Tennessee middle school. Based on the assumption that "knowledge is created through action and interaction" (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 2), this study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between middle school teachers and their students. A grounded theory approach (see Corbin & Strauss, 2008) was used to collect and analyze data, with the purpose of generating a theory that explains the phenomena. Because the study was driven by teachers' and students' voices, …


The Continuing Personal Spiritual Development Of Pastors, George Wayne Thomas Nov 2007

The Continuing Personal Spiritual Development Of Pastors, George Wayne Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Personal Continual Spiritual Development of Pastors is intended to be solution based project. The proposed solutions are intended to empower pastors to minister for a life time. The issues and the proposed solutions are not declared to be comprehensive. The solutions are intended to be a spring board for continual spiritual development of pastors.