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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

2020

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Full-Text Articles in Education

A Transcendental Phenomenological Description Of Experiences Of Graduates Of Alternative High Schools Using An Exclusively Online Curriculum In North Carolina, Courtland Dwayne Coffer Dec 2020

A Transcendental Phenomenological Description Of Experiences Of Graduates Of Alternative High Schools Using An Exclusively Online Curriculum In North Carolina, Courtland Dwayne Coffer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological research was to describe the experiences of students of alternative North Carolina high schools as they transitioned from traditional conventional high schools to an exclusively online curriculum at alternative high schools and to understand the impact of that educational format on the students’ preparation to succeed as high school graduates. Schlossberg’s (1981) transition theory, grounded on the belief that life changes result in new behaviors and self-perceptions and that individuals differ in their ability to adapt to change, guided this study. Thirteen volunteer graduates from three counties in North Carolina were purposefully selected …

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The Relationship Between Secondary Teachers' Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs On Classroom Management And Student Engagement, Laurie White Lee Dec 2020

The Relationship Between Secondary Teachers' Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs On Classroom Management And Student Engagement, Laurie White Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teaching as a profession is becoming more and more difficult. School districts are facing a teacher shortage, creating greater focus on recruitment and retention efforts. The majority of these efforts focus on novice teachers (within the first five years) providing support and assistance to help keep them in the classroom. Less effort is placed upon assisting the veteran teacher in maintaining effort in the classroom and avoiding burnout. Those who experience burnout or become disheartened show a reduction in effort negatively impacting student achievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between teacher passion and perseverance …

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Comparing Digital Citizenship Perceptions Of Online Students And Teachers, Tamarack Autumn Grammon Dec 2020

Comparing Digital Citizenship Perceptions Of Online Students And Teachers, Tamarack Autumn Grammon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify commonalities or differences between teacher and student perceptions of digital citizenship, defined by the norms of behavior with regard to technology use. The study was conducted with online, secondary students and teachers from the same population using the DCS (Digital Citizenship Scale) instrument created by Choi, Glassman, and Cristol (2017). The study addressed the problem of inconsistent digital skills among online, secondary students and teachers by gathering data about areas where deficiencies may exist for both teachers and students in the same population. Variables included: (1) online, secondary student perceptions of digital …

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Professor-Student Relationships And The Perceived Influence On Motivation To Persist In Undergraduate Students: A Phenomenological Study, Tammy S. Hogan Dec 2020

Professor-Student Relationships And The Perceived Influence On Motivation To Persist In Undergraduate Students: A Phenomenological Study, Tammy S. Hogan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Undergraduate students leaving their chosen field of study due to a lack of positive relationships between faculty and students is increasing at an alarming rate. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe how undergraduate college students experience professor–student relationships and the influence of relationships on their motivation to persist in higher education. There is a significant amount of research examining the influence of relationships in the K–12 setting; however, research is lacking regarding the perceptions of college students and motivation to persist based on academic and social integration at the collegiate level. The theory guiding this study …

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Music Participation And Achievement Scores Among Middle School Students With Disabilities: A Causal-Comparative Study, Ashley Anne Gonzalez Dec 2020

Music Participation And Achievement Scores Among Middle School Students With Disabilities: A Causal-Comparative Study, Ashley Anne Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the differences in reading and math achievement between students with disabilities who participated in music for two or more years and those who did not. This study’s purpose was to show if participating in music can impact the academic achievement of middle school students as measured by the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The covariate in the study was the reading and math STAAR scores from fifth-grade students in the 2015–2016 school year before they participated in middle school music. These students’ eighth-grade 2018–2019 math and reading scores were used to show …

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Examining The Relationship Between Academic Achievement And English Language Proficiency, Cynthia Grant Hyacinth Dec 2020

Examining The Relationship Between Academic Achievement And English Language Proficiency, Cynthia Grant Hyacinth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

English language learners continue to be a growing demographic in American schools. Despite this, linguistically diverse students’ academic achievement continues to lag behind their native English-speaking counterparts. Historically, language proficiency measures have measured language proficiency in terms of social English, neglecting the importance of academic language development. Using Cummins’ threshold hypothesis as a framework for distinguishing social English development from academic language development, language proficiency assessments and standardized assessments focused on reading achievement were examined. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between 5th grade English language learners scores on a state-mandated standardized …

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High School Education Professionals' Explanations Of The Impacts Of Military Stress On Military Dependent Students' Development, William John Buchleitner Iv Dec 2020

High School Education Professionals' Explanations Of The Impacts Of Military Stress On Military Dependent Students' Development, William John Buchleitner Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this explanatory case study is to understand how the military culture and inherent stress affect the development of military dependent high school children as explained by high school professionals. For this research, military stressors were identified as combat deployments, permanent change of stations, and living within a military household. The conceptual framework that influenced this research was the social cognitive theory as developed by Albert Bandura and Ronald Akers’ social learning theory, both of which explain how children learn from observing individuals and their environments. This study sought to answer the central research question: How do high …

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The Integration Of Spiritual Formation Through Distance Education For Christian Higher Education Students, Derwin Earl Lewis Dec 2020

The Integration Of Spiritual Formation Through Distance Education For Christian Higher Education Students, Derwin Earl Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many factors contribute to the recent increase of digital education in higher learning institutions, including the expanded use of mobile devices, social media, and other online populations. CNBC reports that over two billion users ascribe to Facebook monthly (Balakrishnan, 2017). Over four hundred million Instagram users and over three hundred million active Twitter accounts are being used daily (Clement, 2019). Celebrating technology’s imprint on society presents another opportunity for social sciences to applaud human achievement at the risk of discounting God’s sovereignty. The digital era has created an opportunity for Christian education to expand its reachability through churches and Bible-based …

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A Correlational Study Of Perceptions Of Favoritism, Job Satisfaction, And Job Attendance, Edwanda Landrum Jackson Dec 2020

A Correlational Study Of Perceptions Of Favoritism, Job Satisfaction, And Job Attendance, Edwanda Landrum Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Researchers posit that teachers’ excessive absences may be caused by a lack of commitment or dissatisfaction with their jobs due to school environments and relationships, and a lack of commitment can ultimately influence student achievement. This correlational study sought to determine any relationship between teachers’ absenteeism and job satisfaction as mitigated by perceptions of favoritism. The participants included 38 teachers among 24 primary and secondary schools in a medium-size, rural, school district. This correlational, quantitative research study utilized instruments titled Job Satisfaction Survey and the Nepotism, Favoritism, Cronyism questionnaire to examine the perceptions of job satisfaction and favoritism among 38 …

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A Phenomenological Study Of Traditional Public High School Graduates' Experiences While Taking Their First Online Course In College, David B. Warner Dec 2020

A Phenomenological Study Of Traditional Public High School Graduates' Experiences While Taking Their First Online Course In College, David B. Warner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the shared lived experiences of traditional high school graduates while taking an online course for the first time. Many colleges and universities provide online courses as part of their regular instructional program. Some colleges and universities require students to take an online course early in their post-secondary education. However, there are a limited number of k-12 public-school districts in the United States that provide opportunities for high school students to take online courses as part of the regular curriculum. This phenomenological study was designed to investigate the perceptions of traditional high …

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Student Success Of Online Vs. In-Person Biology Courses At Virginia Community Colleges, Jennifer Claire Scott Dec 2020

Student Success Of Online Vs. In-Person Biology Courses At Virginia Community Colleges, Jennifer Claire Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Community colleges have a significant role in preparing students for STEM-related careers through certificates, degrees, and transfers to four-year institutions. In addition, online education is a growing mode of higher education, particularly for community college students. However, community college and online students are both at a high risk of attrition and show a lower success rate for degree completion. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in attrition and success between students in online and in-person biology courses at Virginia community colleges. Also, this study addressed downstream effects of online education by examining course completion of second-semester biology …

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The Perceptions Of Educators Concerning Self-Efficacy While Working In An Involuntary Enrollment Alternative School, Shaundeidra Bradford Nov 2020

The Perceptions Of Educators Concerning Self-Efficacy While Working In An Involuntary Enrollment Alternative School, Shaundeidra Bradford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the perceptions of 10 educators pertaining to their self-efficacy while working in an involuntary enrollment alternative school. The participants were secondary educators from an urban school district in the midwestern United States who served in varying capacities. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. This research investigated the impact of working in an involuntary enrollment alternative school on the self-efficacy of educators, based on Bandura’s four main sources of self-efficacy (mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasion, and psychological states). The research question revolves around the theory of self-efficacy influencing …

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A Nested-Case Study Investigating Distributed Leadership At The Middle School Level, Darrell M. Ashworth Nov 2020

A Nested-Case Study Investigating Distributed Leadership At The Middle School Level, Darrell M. Ashworth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this nested-case study was to discover the perceptions of middle school teachers regarding the influence of distributed leadership on the subject matter they teach in McCullough County, Tennessee. The central research question for the study was as follows: How do middle school teachers describe the aspects of distributed leadership they encounter? The theoretical framework for this study was distributed leadership theory. I conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 middle school teachers from five middle schools in McCullough County, Tennessee : 5 English teachers (ELA), 1 math teacher, 4 social studies teachers, and 4 science teachers. Additional data were …

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Gender Differences In Hispanic High School Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Leslie Marie Mcclammy Nov 2020

Gender Differences In Hispanic High School Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Leslie Marie Mcclammy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the difference in attitudes towards mathematics between male and female Hispanic students in a large Florida school system using the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI). This study is important because it studies a population that is underserved in the literature of mathematics pedagogy: the Hispanic high school student. The ATMI itself has mostly been used on college students. This is one of the earliest attempts to use it in a high school setting. Though the survey was available to all students in the cooperating schools, only surveys where the student self-identified as Hispanic were examined. The results …

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Improving Teacher Retention In A South Carolina School District, Christine Proctor Gunter Nov 2020

Improving Teacher Retention In A South Carolina School District, Christine Proctor Gunter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study is to solve the problem of the teacher retention issue for a school district in South Carolina and to design a solution to address the problem. A multi-method design was used consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach was structured interviews with administrators. The interviews with administrators aimed to set the foundation on their school’s teacher retention and attrition and provided an outline for supportive opportunities they offer early-career teachers. Surveys with early-career teachers provided insight to their thoughts and feelings about their profession and school. The third approach is to …

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Assistant Principals’ Leadership And Perceptions Of Their Roles: A Qualitative Case Study, Pheneik Baskett Nov 2020

Assistant Principals’ Leadership And Perceptions Of Their Roles: A Qualitative Case Study, Pheneik Baskett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand assistant principals’ (APs) leadership and perceptions of their roles. The study took place in a suburban school system located in the southeastern United States. The central research question asked, “How do assistant principals lead and perceive their role as APs?” The theory guiding this research was situational leadership theory as it demonstrated how leadership styles must be related to the needs of the constituents. Ambiguity and burnout were examined as factors that can impact APs’ leadership and their perceptions of leadership. The data for this case study were collected through …

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Impact Of Concept-Based Mathematics Instructional Strategies On Seventh Grade Student Achievement, Katherine Annette Lawley Ellsworth Nov 2020

Impact Of Concept-Based Mathematics Instructional Strategies On Seventh Grade Student Achievement, Katherine Annette Lawley Ellsworth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In a nation with declining enrollment in college math courses, it is important to examine how mathematics is being taught in the K-12 education system and to identify best practices. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact concept-based instructional strategies has on middle school student achievement in mathematics when integrated into the traditional mathematics curriculum. Participants included 424 seventh grade students from two middle schools. Students Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Fall-to-Winter data 2018 prior to implementation was used a covariate and Fall-to-Winter data 2019 data during the implementation of concept-based instructional strategies integrated into the traditional …

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A Mixed Methods Study Concerning Biblical Worldview Formation In Children And Adolescents Through Informal Learning By Parents And/Or Guardians, Joan Ellen Appleton Nov 2020

A Mixed Methods Study Concerning Biblical Worldview Formation In Children And Adolescents Through Informal Learning By Parents And/Or Guardians, Joan Ellen Appleton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Children and adolescents need spiritual nurturing and teaching to instill biblical worldview and to make possible the development of lifelong spiritual formation. Informal learning as an educational format is foundational to and provides an avenue by which to impart early biblical worldview formation for children and adolescents. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine and explore the knowledge and behaviors of informal learning of the study participants (parents and/or legal guardians) in five U.S. Southeast states to determine the relationship between informal learning and outcomes of biblical worldview formation in children and adolescents. The mixed …

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A Phenomenological Study Of Abstinence Self-Efficacy Experiences Among Residential Servant Leaders With Substance Use Disorders, Scott J. Rancourt Nov 2020

A Phenomenological Study Of Abstinence Self-Efficacy Experiences Among Residential Servant Leaders With Substance Use Disorders, Scott J. Rancourt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the abstinence self-efficacy experiences of participants in a servant leadership program at a Christian residential therapeutic community. The central research question was: What are the lived, abstinence self-efficacy experiences of participants in a servant leadership program at a Christian residential therapeutic community? A purposeful sampling method was utilized to obtain 10 participants from the servant leadership program at the site. Two theories guided this study. The first is servant leadership theory, which focuses on the importance of passionately meeting the needs of others. The second is cognitive-behavior self-efficacy theory, which …

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The African American Student's Perception Of Equity At Predominately White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Annitra C. Leigh Nov 2020

The African American Student's Perception Of Equity At Predominately White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Annitra C. Leigh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological qualitative study aimed to describe the perceptions of equity among African American graduates of Virginia predominately white institutions. Participants included 12 African American male and female student graduates who attended predominately white institutions in Virginia as full-time campus students. The theories that guided this study are Bandura’s social learning theory and the theory of self-efficacy as they focus on retention and motivation and the influence on one’s surroundings. Data sources included open-ended questionnaires, interviews, and a focus group. Data analysis followed the phenomenological method of listing and grouping, reduction and elimination, clustering, validation, and textural description of participants. …

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The Relationship Between Sense Of Community And Self-Efficacy Among Senior Citizen Students, Matthew Joseph Pranger Nov 2020

The Relationship Between Sense Of Community And Self-Efficacy Among Senior Citizen Students, Matthew Joseph Pranger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Older adult students are at risk academically. The senior citizen population and average life expectancy are increasing globally, which results in an increased number of adults returning to school later in life. Sense of community is related to academic engagement, achievement, interactivity, and retention. Self-efficacy is related to motivation, learning, and academic performance. One gap in the literature is the relationship between sense of community and self-efficacy for senior citizen students. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine if there is a relationship between sense of community and self-efficacy among senior citizens recently enrolled in a college-level …

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Improving The Classroom Behavior Of Black Male Students At Homestead Elementary School: An Applied Research Study, Terrance Walter Siler Oct 2020

Improving The Classroom Behavior Of Black Male Students At Homestead Elementary School: An Applied Research Study, Terrance Walter Siler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied research study was to solve the problem of classroom behavior for Black male students at Homestead Elementary School and to formulate a solution to address the problem. A multi-method design was used, consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach was semi-structured interviews with administrators. The second approach was to survey with teachers. The third approach was archival data using referral data from Homestead Elementary school. The sample size was 23 Duval County district employees. The site location was Homestead Elementary School. The central research question was: How can the problem of minority …

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Examining Title I Elementary Schools In Tennessee: A Quantitative Study Of Predicted Outcomes, Jessilon Ann Madison Oct 2020

Examining Title I Elementary Schools In Tennessee: A Quantitative Study Of Predicted Outcomes, Jessilon Ann Madison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive, correlational study was to determine how accurately Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) English Language Arts (ELA) achievement scores can be predicted from a linear combination of Lottery for Education Afterschool Programs (LEAPs) participation, geographic location, and Community Eligibility Participation (CEP) at Title I elementary schools in Tennessee: A quantitative research method using a linear multiple regression analysis was used to assess these variables. Data was gathered from publicly available records. For the sample, 100 Title I elementary schools participated in LEAPs and 100 Title I elementary schools did not participate in LEAPs. One hundred and …

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Me, We, And Thee: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Targeted Parent's Lived Experience, Teresa Marie Walters Oct 2020

Me, We, And Thee: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Targeted Parent's Lived Experience, Teresa Marie Walters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Parental alienation (PA) is an extreme form of couple conflict in which one parent (the alienating parent) attempts to damage or destroy the relationship of the child(ren) with the other parent (the targeted parent). Research on PA has principally been based on the 1980s model of Richard Gardner. Inquiry into the lived experience of the targeted parent has been sparse. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand better the lived experience of parental targeting and the role, if any, intergenerational patterns of marital conflict and social structure play in the formation of parental alienating behaviors as well …

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A Phenomenological Study On Career Readiness Among Graduates From College And Career Academy High Schools, Suzanne Rene Morse Oct 2020

A Phenomenological Study On Career Readiness Among Graduates From College And Career Academy High Schools, Suzanne Rene Morse

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand how graduates of college and career academy (CCA) high schools perceive the influence of the non-traditional educational program on career readiness for participants in a local school district in northern Georgia. The central research question guiding the study is as follows: How do graduates perceive the lived experience of developing career readiness through their participation in the CCA model of secondary education? The theory guiding this study is the Social Cognitive Career Theory developed by Lent, Brown, and Hackett in 1994. The theory has its origins in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. …

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A Phenomenological Study Of The Use Of Humor As A Teaching Tool By Middle And High School Teachers, Chad Michael Brown Oct 2020

A Phenomenological Study Of The Use Of Humor As A Teaching Tool By Middle And High School Teachers, Chad Michael Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand perceptions of instructional classroom humor used to help students learn and master new material, among teachers at middle and high schools in rural Appalachia districts. Using humor in the classroom is generally defined as deliberate planning and utilization of subject relevant humor in an attempt to improve students’ learning outcomes. Rural Appalachia was defined as the area geographically located in or near the Appalachian Mountain range, and the dominant socioeconomic culture found there. The theories guiding this study were (a) Bandura’s social learning theory, as it describes the way students …

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Relationship Of Hispanic Students' School Absenteeism To Mathematics Achievement And Interest In Stem Careers, Rolando Casado Oct 2020

Relationship Of Hispanic Students' School Absenteeism To Mathematics Achievement And Interest In Stem Careers, Rolando Casado

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this bivariate correlational study was to identify whether there was a relationship between Hispanic students’ high school absenteeism and their scores on the Algebra I Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) and to identify whether there was a relationship between Hispanic students’ high school absenteeism and their aspiration to pursue STEM careers. The population sample consisted of 431 Hispanic students from two Title I high schools located in a Florida school district. A quantitative design was used for this study and the researcher obtained ex post facto data from the high schools with the largest number of enrolled Hispanic …

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How The Mattering Experience Of Latino High School Students Impacts Persistence To Graduation: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Paulina Lee Collazo Navarro Oct 2020

How The Mattering Experience Of Latino High School Students Impacts Persistence To Graduation: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Paulina Lee Collazo Navarro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how the mattering experience of Latino students impacts their persistence to high school graduation. The study was aimed to establish a greater awareness of how the mattering experience impacts student success. The central research question was, How does the mattering experience impact Latino student persistence to high school graduation? This transcendental phenomenological study included a purposeful sample of 11 high school graduates within Mannaton County, Pennsylvania. Data collection and analysis included interviews, a focus group, and journal documents. Data analysis included data coding in order to establish themes. Additionally, direct …

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A Faith-Driven Protocol On Gratitude, Forgiveness, And Stress For Chin Refugees From Burma: An Exploratory Study, Sally Goh Oct 2020

A Faith-Driven Protocol On Gratitude, Forgiveness, And Stress For Chin Refugees From Burma: An Exploratory Study, Sally Goh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The influx of immigrants from a diverse cultural and religious tradition into the United States has renewed counselors’ and researchers' interest in how collectivistic populations from a refugee background experience pre-settlement and post-settlement stress in this country. Refugees who have experienced trauma before their settlement are more likely to experience increasing psychiatric pressure from daily stressors such as language barriers, employment difficulties, familial and generational conflicts, and dwindling psychosocial support. However, some refugee populations, such as the Chin people from Burma, have a low-uptake of help-seeking for their psychological problems, leading to more insufficient adjustment to the host culture. Since …

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Biblical Worldview Development While Learning Origins Science, Charleton Dean King Oct 2020

Biblical Worldview Development While Learning Origins Science, Charleton Dean King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology was to understand the lived experience of how homeschooled high school students integrate origins science into a biblical worldview. For this study, biblical worldview development is the process of faith development in either form or content through an individual’s understanding and application of the Bible. The theoretical framework guiding this study is Fowler’s faith development theory as it relates an individual’s physical, mental, and moral growth to the development of their worldview. This study sought to answer the following research question: how do homeschooled high school students integrate origins science into a biblical worldview? …

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