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Full-Text Articles in Education

Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Hayley Vander Wal May 2024

Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Hayley Vander Wal

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project examined the implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports in a math classroom at a private, Christian suburban school in central Iowa. The researcher utilized the four essential indicators of MTSS to support a small group of four students who were the participants in her study. The intervention targeted the seventh grade math skills of simplifying expressions and solving equations using various methods. Analysis of the triangulated data showed growth in each of the students at varied amounts. Findings of the study suggest that students need consistent, protected Tier 2 intervention to make the most significant …


Religiously Responsive Pedagogy In Christian Schools: A Qualitative Exploration Of Faculty Perceptions Of Faith Integration, Andrea R. Woodard Jan 2023

Religiously Responsive Pedagogy In Christian Schools: A Qualitative Exploration Of Faculty Perceptions Of Faith Integration, Andrea R. Woodard

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study introduced a theoretical framework of Religiously Responsive Pedagogy (RRP) and explored the ways in which RRP is enacted in Christian schools, along with the barriers and supports that may exist for effective RRP within those schools. The study investigated PK-12 faculty perceptions of faith integration, responsiveness to students, and school support in order to develop this new framework. Twelve teachers participated in a semi-structured interview via Zoom, which included four scenarios to probe teacher perspectives on RRP. The data was coded recursively using Boeije’s (2002) constant-comparative method.

The primary research questions addressed were:

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 …


Ora Mae Curry Papers, (1917-1921), Ora Mae Curry Feb 2019

Ora Mae Curry Papers, (1917-1921), Ora Mae Curry

Center for Restoration Studies Archives, Manuscripts and Personal Papers Finding Aids

No abstract provided.


Authentic Learning Experiences: Investigating How Teachers Can Lead Their Students To Intrinsic Motivation In Meaningful Work, Rhonda Van Donge May 2018

Authentic Learning Experiences: Investigating How Teachers Can Lead Their Students To Intrinsic Motivation In Meaningful Work, Rhonda Van Donge

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated how an authentic learning experience impacted the motivation and engagement of students toward finding intrinsic value in meaningful work in a sophomore English classroom at a private Christian high school in the Midwest. The participants were 57 sophomores at the high school taking required English 10. The students participated in an authentic learning experience (ALE) designed by their teacher in which they were split into 10 teams, each team writing and designing one issue the sophomore class’s newspaper. The 57 students completed an anonymous survey at the conclusion of the authentic learning experience. Eight students …


Flipped Classrooms In The Humanities: Findings From A Quasi-Experimental Study, Bryce F. Hantla Feb 2018

Flipped Classrooms In The Humanities: Findings From A Quasi-Experimental Study, Bryce F. Hantla

Christian Perspectives in Education

This quasi-experimental study explored the effects of flipping the classroom on perceptions of students in humanities settings. This control-matched study examined the effects of the flipped classroom on seven subscales from a satisfaction inventory. Out of 130 students, n = 62 (47.7%) completed the study. Flipped classes reported a more ideal classroom environment on Innovation and Individualization (p < .001). Additionally, flipping provides instructors more time to focus on deeper learning strategies than traditional courses.


선교지 기독교 대학의 코어 커리큘럼 작성 / Establishing Core Curriculum At Christian Colleges In The Mission Fields, Jay Shim May 2017

선교지 기독교 대학의 코어 커리큘럼 작성 / Establishing Core Curriculum At Christian Colleges In The Mission Fields, Jay Shim

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

This paper deals with establishing Christian core-curriculum from a Reformed point of view (the paper also uses the term “college education that enables mission”) for Christian colleges and universities in the mission fields. The paper explores definition, content, and uses of core-curriculum, and relevant issues that must be deal with for the formation of it in the situation of the mission field. It also provides a plan and roadmap for the formation of three core-curriculum for PAUA member institutions. Faith and education/knowledge are two different tasks. From a Reformed view of life-system, however, they are considered to be structured and …


Effect Of Extra-Curricular Activities On Students' Spiritual Growth, Alexa Groen May 2017

Effect Of Extra-Curricular Activities On Students' Spiritual Growth, Alexa Groen

Master of Education Program Theses

The primary purpose of Christian schooling is to teach Biblical principles to our youth as we prepare them to live and serve in God’s kingdom. Even though over three quarters of our youth in America participate in extra-curricular activities, little to no research has been done on the effect of extra-curricular activities on a child’s spiritual development. Yet, Christian schools continue to put time, money, and energy into extra-curricular programing. To determine whether academic, personal, and athletic extra-curricular activities have kingdom implication, this study collected qualitative data from twelve students, 8th Grade to junior year of high school. Coding the …


Meaningful Instruction Of Basic Multiplication Facts: Applying Constructivist Concepts To Basic Fact Acquisition, Donna Stille May 2017

Meaningful Instruction Of Basic Multiplication Facts: Applying Constructivist Concepts To Basic Fact Acquisition, Donna Stille

Master of Education Program Theses

In the United States, third grade students are expected to be fluent in the 100 basic math multiplication facts by the end of the school year. This action research project investigated the correlation between the use of constructivist principles for learning the 100 basic math multiplication facts and its impact on student understanding of mathematical reasoning concepts. The study involved twenty-two students in a midwest suburban third grade Christian school classroom for a 30-day period. An average of one hour a day was spent in math class with varied use of individual, partner, small group and large group work and …


Visual Formative Assessment And Learning Styles, Julie Pickard Apr 2017

Visual Formative Assessment And Learning Styles, Julie Pickard

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the impact of visual formative assessments on the achievement levels of students with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. The study was conducted in four classes of freshmen at Southwest Christian High School in Chaska, MN, with a total of eighty-four participants. Two pairs were created for the study with control and treatment groups in each pair. Students were classified according to learning style, and a unit pre-test was administered to identify growth. Treatment groups were instructed using daily visual formative assessments for the duration of the unit. Students were assessed again at the end …


Math Anxiety And Assessment Strategies, Ronald Vis Apr 2017

Math Anxiety And Assessment Strategies, Ronald Vis

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the connection between student choice and the levels of math anxiety exhibited in Geometry students at a Christian high school in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The participants were 38 ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students separated in three sections of Geometry. This study was conducted to see if providing choice would effectively combat the perceived stress and anxiety associated with math classes. Students were offered a choice of review projects that would be used to prepare them for an upcoming test. No other changes were made in the classroom. Class presentations, discussions, and assessments …


Social Emotional Learning: The Impacts Of An Implemented Plan At A Private Christian School In The Urban Setting, Lindsey Cooper Apr 2017

Social Emotional Learning: The Impacts Of An Implemented Plan At A Private Christian School In The Urban Setting, Lindsey Cooper

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the effects of a social emotional learning plan implemented in a third grade classroom at a Christian school in an urban setting. Participants were seventy three third grade students. These students participated in a pre and post survey to determine the difference a social emotional learning plan may have on student behavior. The experimental group participated in five embedded social emotional lesson plans as well as weekly class meetings for a six-week period. The results of this study suggest that a social emotional learning plan benefits students in a behavioral way.


Relationship Between Parenting Styles And Mathematics Achievement, Laura Kramer Apr 2017

Relationship Between Parenting Styles And Mathematics Achievement, Laura Kramer

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project examined the relationship between parenting styles and mathematics achievement for middle school students at a small Christian school in the Midwestern United States. The participants were 22 fifth through eighth grade students and their parents. Students and their parents completed surveys measuring the parenting dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness, which were used to determine the overall parenting style in the home. Parenting styles determined by the surveys were compared to mathematics scores from the students’ most recent achievement test. The study results indicate that an authoritative parenting style does not necessarily correlate with higher mathematics achievement …


Institutional Culture In Christian Schools, Jill Friend Apr 2016

Institutional Culture In Christian Schools, Jill Friend

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project investigated the institutional culture of Christian schools and its impact on faith formation. The research was a mixed method study with Sioux Center Christian School serving as a case study for the project. A careful literature review was conducted to identify the characteristics of healthy institutional culture in education, business and religious institutions. This list was vetted and prioritized using a focus group of Sioux Center Christian School teachers as well as interviews with several experts on institutional culture and faith formation. These characteristics were then used to develop a survey using the Four Building Blocks …


Teacher Preparedness For Spiritually Transformational Teaching: A Case Study In One Christian High School, Wendy Lewis Dec 2015

Teacher Preparedness For Spiritually Transformational Teaching: A Case Study In One Christian High School, Wendy Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This single instrumental case study examined a purposive sample of teachers from Live Oak Christian High School (a pseudonym) for indications that they were spiritually qualified, sufficiently trained, and intentionally committed to transformational Christian teaching. Spiritually qualified teachers would evidence an active Christian faith as demonstrated by a sound basic theology, verbalization of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and various spiritual practices. Teachers who were sufficiently trained would evidence personal knowledge, experience, education, or training related directly to Christian education. Teachers who were committed to transformational Christian teaching would evidence that intentionality in documents, surveys, classroom observations, and personal …


Teachers As World-Makers In The Digital Age, Abby De Groot May 2015

Teachers As World-Makers In The Digital Age, Abby De Groot

Master of Education Program Theses

Despite enormous gains in educational technology and access to information, today’s students still struggle with digital literacy. In fact, some argue that today’s students are so distracted by digital media that their literacy skills are falling behind previous generations. In order to combat this phenomenon, researchers have singled out certain critical literacy skills for today’s students that, when taught effectively, will help those students develop into competent and productive adults: collaboration, composition, attention, evaluation, and responsibility. This study highlights and analyzes this important literacy research in order to help teachers better equip their twenty-first century students. Christian teachers especially should …


Recurrent Phenomenon Of Divine Intervention In The Recruitment Of Teachers At The American Christian Academy: A Narrative Inquiry, Karen Ann Nwulu Apr 2015

Recurrent Phenomenon Of Divine Intervention In The Recruitment Of Teachers At The American Christian Academy: A Narrative Inquiry, Karen Ann Nwulu

Master of Education Program Theses

This narrative inquiry investigated the recurrent phenomenon of divine interventions in teacher recruitment at the American Christian Academy (ACA), a hard-to-staff K-12 school located in Ibadan, Nigeria. Inhibiting factors such as Boko Haram kidnappings and the Ebola outbreak stymied the already challenging international recruitment efforts, with half the elementary school teacher positions still vacant two weeks before the start of the 2014-2015 school year. However, through supernatural intervention all staff positions were filled. This narrative research presents an account of five such stories told from the perspectives of the recruited teachers as well as other staff members who observed or …


Gender Bias In Teacher Interactions With Students, Kaily Stevens Apr 2015

Gender Bias In Teacher Interactions With Students, Kaily Stevens

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the presence of gender bias, in the form of more teacher attention, in a Christian middle school in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Eight teachers of grades six to eight participated in the study. Teachers were observed for two 20-minute lessons. Each interaction between teacher and student was coded as either academic or behavioural in nature, as well as either positive, negative or neutral. The results of this study suggest that boys receive more teacher attention than do girls in the school. As well, girls tend to receive fewer behavioural type interactions with teachers than boys. …


Kindergarten Phonics Instruction, Erika Hall Apr 2014

Kindergarten Phonics Instruction, Erika Hall

Master of Education Program Theses

Understanding phonics is a critical component in a young student's ability to read. Research studies have shown the important role phonics plays in helping students become strong readers. The purpose of this study was to discover the ways that kindergarten teachers in Christian schools in West Michigan are teaching phonics in their classrooms, and to determine if kindergarten teachers share a list of common phonics goals for each of their kindergarteners to achieve by the end of kindergarten. The present study was a qualitative design using a survey to collect information from teachers in private elementary school kindergarten classrooms in …


Effective Transitional Strategies For The First Grade Classroom, Ashley Rose Perrin Apr 2014

Effective Transitional Strategies For The First Grade Classroom, Ashley Rose Perrin

Master of Education Program Theses

Transitions take time in any classroom. First grade students make many transitions in a day. Students transition from activity to activity as well as moving from location to location. With a limited amount of instructional time, teachers strive to have their students engaged in learning and to increase the students’ time on task. There are transitional strategies available that teachers utilize to decrease transition time and increase student-learning time. Two such strategies are visual cues, such as a timer; and auditory cues, like a song. The goal of this research study was to discover effective transition strategies for first grade …


Teaching Third-Grade Writing Using The Self-Regulated Strategy Development Model, Ellen Korver Apr 2014

Teaching Third-Grade Writing Using The Self-Regulated Strategy Development Model, Ellen Korver

Master of Education Program Theses

Writing is a self-directed activity that involves the intelligent use of a variety of mental operations and skills. Christian teachers want their students to be able to write well because it enables them not only to examine God’s world for themselves, but also to communicate with others. This communication is essential in many areas of modern life. However, research studies show that many students have only partially mastered writing skills. In this study, the effectiveness of an instructional mode, the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model, was examined in order to determine if its implementation would have a positive effect on …


Self-Assessment In The Middle School Science Classroom, Stephanie Tanis Apr 2014

Self-Assessment In The Middle School Science Classroom, Stephanie Tanis

Master of Education Program Theses

Teachers using self-assessment in classrooms understand its vital role in a student’s ability to understand their own learning. The diversity of the student learners requires a diversity of assessment strategies. Specifically, in an inquiry-based science classroom, students must be able to identify their current skills and their areas of growth. The implementation of self-assessment strategies helps students to set goals and achieve them. The goal of the researcher in this study was to determine if self-assessment strategies are effective in the middle school science classroom and to determine if such strategies provide evidence supporting the growth of student achievement. Through …


Correlation Between Interactive Ebooks And Printed Text In Reading Achievement And Student Interest, Kimberly D. Beimers Apr 2014

Correlation Between Interactive Ebooks And Printed Text In Reading Achievement And Student Interest, Kimberly D. Beimers

Master of Education Program Theses

Interactive eBooks or traditional printed text? Teachers face difficult decisions when determining which are the most effective tools to use to increase student reading achievement. Studies (Chong, Lim, & Ling, 2009; Ciampa, 2012; Coyle, 2008; Huang, Liang, Su, & Chen, 2012; Jones, & Brown, 2011; Larson, 2010; Martinez-Estrada, & Conaway, 2012; Maynard, 2010), have found that students prefer the additional features of interactive eBooks over traditional printed text; however, studies have failed to prove that these additional text features increase student reading achievement over traditional printed text. There has not been enough evidence to show that student reading achievement increases …


This Is God’S World: A Study Of Student Worldview In A Small Rural Christian High School, Rachel Elizabeth Bootsma Apr 2014

This Is God’S World: A Study Of Student Worldview In A Small Rural Christian High School, Rachel Elizabeth Bootsma

Master of Education Program Theses

This qualitative phenomenological study examined a small rural Midwest Christian high school and its influence on the biblical worldview of its students. The author surveyed and interviewed current seniors and former students from this Christian high school to better understand the biblical worldview of the students from their perspective. The study also attempted to identify the influence of the school and the school’s strengths and weaknesses on its students' biblical worldviews. This phenomenological study demonstrates how the practices, programs, procedures, curriculum, and relationships at a small Christian high school lead to a foundational biblical worldview in its students.


Best Practices In The Foreign Language Classroom, Allison Kleinsasser Apr 2014

Best Practices In The Foreign Language Classroom, Allison Kleinsasser

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project attempted to determine the best practices in teaching a foreign language to high school students. In order to determine these best practices, the researcher read literature and studies that had been previously conducted with foreign language students. This study attempted to determine if students would learn better in the context of real-life communication rather than overt grammatical lectures. Students were given a pre- and post-test to determine whether or not their levels of language acquisition and grammatical understanding improved over the course of the study. The results of the study revealed that more time is needed …


Study Of Fifth Grade Service Learning, Phyllis Van Gelder Apr 2014

Study Of Fifth Grade Service Learning, Phyllis Van Gelder

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examined the effectiveness of the service learning implemented within the fifth grade curriculum of a small private school in the Midwestern United States with the goal of fostering civic responsibility and altruism within the fifth grade students. Data was collected from sixth grade students within two private schools; one group was the experimental group that had been involved in weekly service learning throughout their fifth grade year and the other group was the control group that had not been involved in service learning the previous year. Nominal-polytomous questionnaires, qualitative scenario-response questionnaires, and personal interviews were used to collect …


Interpersonal Intelligence And Problem-Based Learning, Denise M. Denevers Apr 2014

Interpersonal Intelligence And Problem-Based Learning, Denise M. Denevers

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examined the relationship between problem-based learning and interpersonal intelligence. The primary goal of this study was to see if using problem-based learning in the classroom would increase one’s interpersonal intelligence. After conducting this study, the researcher found the interpersonal intelligence of the class of twenty-one seventh grade students, as a whole, increased from an average of 59.04 points out of 70 points possible to an average of 59.47 points out of a possible 70 points; a less than one percent increase, indicating a weak relationship between interpersonal intelligence and problem-based learning.


Character Education In Christian Schools, Curtis Van Dam Apr 2014

Character Education In Christian Schools, Curtis Van Dam

Master of Education Program Theses

Character education programs have been an important part of school systems across the country since the Colonial time period. The way character education has been taught has changed over the years, but the goal to help students make ethical decisions remains the same. Over the last few decades, Christian values have slowly been removed from many character education programs and replaced with values concentrating on citizenship. The goal of one small midwestern Christian elementary school was to develop an effective character education program that was centered on Christian values to help carry out its mission statement. This study shows that …


Motivating English Language Learners: An Indonesian Case Study, Rebekah Nichols Apr 2014

Motivating English Language Learners: An Indonesian Case Study, Rebekah Nichols

Master of Education Program Theses

Motivation is a complex issue, especially when considered in the Asian context, where passive learning and teacher-centered lessons dominate. This study attempted to identify student-preferred motivational strategies that would correlate to increased attention and engagement among and increased levels of intrinsic motivation in Chinese Indonesian students in a Year 12 English classroom. Student surveys indicated preferences for the use of audiovisual material and the use of collaborative reading quizzes. The implementation of these strategies resulted in positive levels of attention and engagement in the classroom, but no increase in levels of intrinsic motivation were observed.


Using Rti In First Grade Language Arts, Valerie Kroll Feb 2014

Using Rti In First Grade Language Arts, Valerie Kroll

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research study investigated the effects of the use of Response to Intervention (RtI) in a first grade language arts class at Timothy Christian School in Elmhurst, Illinois. The participants were twenty-four first grade students in a general education classroom. Students were placed in tiers based on an assessment given at the end of the first quarter of the school year. Tier II and Tier III students participated in a twice-weekly pullout intervention session in addition to weekly guided reading sessions for nine weeks. These students were progress monitored bi-weekly with fluency probes checking letter names, letter sounds, and …