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Articles 1 - 30 of 35
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
A Study Of How Selected Public School Junior-High Students Perceive The Effect Of Popular Music On Classroom Behavior, Christopher Mc Allister
A Study Of How Selected Public School Junior-High Students Perceive The Effect Of Popular Music On Classroom Behavior, Christopher Mc Allister
Masters Theses
The objective of this study is to further the understanding of how junior-high students in the public schools perceive the effects of popular music on their behavior in the classroom. Two primary research questions serve as the foundation for this study. The first question investigates how themes disclosed in interviews of selected public school junior high students help to explain their personal perceptions of how popular music affects their behavior in the academic environment. The second question seeks to determine whether students that listen to a particular genre of popular music have different or similar perceptions of how music affects …
Developing A Congregational Care Model: Mount Olive Baptist Church, Donna Robinson Mack-Tatum
Developing A Congregational Care Model: Mount Olive Baptist Church, Donna Robinson Mack-Tatum
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this thesis is to develop a layperson based Congregational Care Ministry Model to assist the pastor of large congregations. The topic was chosen as a means of addressing the need for the pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church to have assistance with meeting the needs of the congregation. As the congregation increases in size, it has become increasingly more difficult for him to visit the sick, counsel, minister to the bereaved, preach, and teach. While there are other ministries that assist in various ways with these tasks, this ministry will enhance the efforts that are already …
The Effectiveness Of A Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program That Offer Special Benefits For Pregnant And Parenting Teens: A Qualitative Study, Marsha Brown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Teen pregnancy continues to be a problem for families, educators, health care professionals, and the government. Teenagers are not afforded the opportunity to learn or receive reinforcement on God's laws on abstaining from premarital sex because religious education is not allowed in the public school system. This increase has led to the creation of the Teenage Parenting Center (TAPP), located in southwest Georgia. TAPP is one of 64 schools in a school district that offers special benefits for pregnant and parenting teens. This qualitative case study used a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of eight former attendees of the …
Making Disciples Of Jesus Christ: Implementing An Effective Discipleship Strategy For Churches In America, Victor Ogundiran
Making Disciples Of Jesus Christ: Implementing An Effective Discipleship Strategy For Churches In America, Victor Ogundiran
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Various research findings on spiritual formation in the America church reveal that the current state of making disciples of Jesus Christ who are observing all that Jesus has commanded is woefully grim. This author believes what we have in place for making disciples is inadequate, unimplemented, or both. The purpose of this thesis project is to explain the current state of spiritual formation in the American Church and the reasons why it falls short of God's desire and design. This effort will include and incorporate research from at least 20 churches to see what discipleship systems they are using, if …
A Study Of Eighth Grade Students' Self-Efficacy As It Relates To Achievement, Gender, And Socioeconomic Status, Casandra Alldred
A Study Of Eighth Grade Students' Self-Efficacy As It Relates To Achievement, Gender, And Socioeconomic Status, Casandra Alldred
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this correlational and causal comparative research design was to discover the existing relationships between students' self-efficacy and three other variables: (a) achievement, (b) gender, and (c) socioeconomic status. Approximately 257 eighth grade students participated in the study. The study was conducted in a non-diverse public school located in the northeastern mountains of Georgia. Over 55% of the students receive free/reduced price lunches. The findings from this study contribute to the growing knowledge about how the factors of achievement, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) are related to a student's self-efficacy. A correlational design was used to analyze the …
The Effect Of Online Collaborative Learning On Middle School Student Science Literacy And Sense Of Community, Jillian Wendt
The Effect Of Online Collaborative Learning On Middle School Student Science Literacy And Sense Of Community, Jillian Wendt
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study examines the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy and sense of community. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design was used. Following IRB approval and district superintendent approval, students at a public middle school in central Virginia completed a pretest consisting of the Misconceptions-Oriented Standards-Based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART) Physical Science assessment and the Classroom Community Scale. Students in the control group received in-class assignments that were completed collaboratively in a face-to-face manner. Students in the experimental group received in-class assignments that were completed online collaboratively through the Edmodo educational platform. Both …
An Effective Prayer Training Model For Church Growth: Centered On Wangsung Presbyterian Church In South Korea, Geunbae Hwang
An Effective Prayer Training Model For Church Growth: Centered On Wangsung Presbyterian Church In South Korea, Geunbae Hwang
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this project is to investigate biblical church growth, specifically studying South Korean pastors roles concerning the healthy church and spiritual reinforcement, with a limited focus and application to WangSung Presbyterian Church and other churches in South Korea. This project primarily utilizes the New Testament, as well as literature on church growth and healthy spirituality. In addition, references specifically regarding church growth and statistical information from Korean church ministries will also be used. This project shares a new alternative way for the growth of churches: A prayer-training model as the most effective method for church growth. A healthy …
Loving Your Neighbor: A Guide To Developing And Sustaining Community Service Projects, Rickey Houston
Loving Your Neighbor: A Guide To Developing And Sustaining Community Service Projects, Rickey Houston
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A current ministry concern is mobilizing and engaging the congregation in service projects throughout the immediate and surrounding communities to spread the love of Christ and build the kingdom of God. The purpose of this project is to examine and shed light on an approach or approaches to effectively transform service beyond the walls of the congregation to intentional, appropriate, and relevant service within the community. This subject matter has the potential of transforming congregations from a predominant notion of interaction with self to interaction with organizations and individuals who are part of the church's mission field. In addition, there …
A Collective Case Study Of The Perceptions And Implementation Of Self Advocacy From Four Educators Of Students With Disabilities, Heather Heap
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative study identified four educators' perceptions and their implementation of teaching advocacy to students with disabilities within a public secondary educational setting. Federal mandates, such as Public Law 94-142, requested educators including administrators, counselors, special educators, and general educators to help facilitate self advocacy skills in the public educational setting. Using observations, comprehensive interviews, and available documentation, this collective case study identified four educators' experiences (an administrator, a counselor, a special educator, and a general educator) in developing student self advocacy as it pertains to the educators' perceived role in working with students with disabilities. This study identified their …
Refresh. Create. Inspire. The Mission, Vision And Values Behind The Coca-Cola Company And The Digital Marketing Strategies Of The "Open Happiness" Campaign, Sara Svendsen
Masters Theses
Due to the influence of Coca-Cola on advertising, digital marketing, and marketing strategies, the present rhetorical analysis seeks to show the many aspects of digital media in the Company's present "Open Happiness" campaign. The study of the campaign seeks to show that the Company mission statement, Company values and the vision of The Coca-Cola Company are implemented into all of the different facets of the Open Happiness campaign, and in the context of Mood Management Theory, exude the overall theme of the campaign, happiness. The parts of the campaign that were analyzed were focused on the YouTube channels of The …
Disease, War, And Famine In The Sudan And Haiti: A Crisis Noticed And A Crisis Ignored, Melissa Whalen
Disease, War, And Famine In The Sudan And Haiti: A Crisis Noticed And A Crisis Ignored, Melissa Whalen
Masters Theses
The media acts as a gatekeeper and decides what material to cover and what not to cover. In order to better understand why one disaster receives media coverage and another crisis is virtually unnoticed by the media, the motives behind covering one story over another is analyzed in this study. Three major American newspaper articles concerning the Haitian earthquake and the crisis in Darfur are examined in order to discover the media's motives for covering Haiti over Darfur.
The Story Of Your Life On A Single Page: Assessing The Narrative Coherence Of Life Storytelling Through Facebook's Timeline Profile Design, Joseph Marcus
Masters Theses
Facebook's transition to the Timeline profile design brought with it a new focus: Life storytelling. Walther Fisher posited the narrative paradigm as a way of understanding all communication in the form of stories. The paradigmatic component of coherence assesses the structural integrity of a narrative, the characters, and the encompassing themes found within. This study applies narrative coherence to the Timeline profile design to assess the coherence of life narratives told through individuals' Facebook Timelines. The researcher observed the Timeline profiles of 15 participants on the basis of three research questions. The researcher's observation yielded data suggesting that life narratives …
"And Do You Take This Stranger To Be Your Lawfully Wedded Wife?": The Usefulness Of Social Penetration Theory Within Premarital Counseling, Katherine Beich-Forkner
"And Do You Take This Stranger To Be Your Lawfully Wedded Wife?": The Usefulness Of Social Penetration Theory Within Premarital Counseling, Katherine Beich-Forkner
Masters Theses
With fifty percent of today's marriages ending in divorce, one begins to wonder if engaged couples should be more prepared when entering into a marriage commitment. This mixed-methods study investigates the function of social penetration theory within premarital counseling programs. The research was designed to address three questions: (1) Do engaged couples believe they know the depth and breadth of their partner adequately enough to be prepared for marriage after receiving premarital counseling? (2) Do counselors indirectly support the basic premise of social penetration theory by actively using strategies to help engaged partners reveal important aspects of the breadth and …
The Phenomenon Behind The Bite: Altercasting As It Applies To Apple Technology, Elizabeth Baldwin
The Phenomenon Behind The Bite: Altercasting As It Applies To Apple Technology, Elizabeth Baldwin
Masters Theses
This paper investigates how the brand Apple markets their product so that consumers feel obligated to buy their product. By looking at five main categories of brand loyalty, environmentally friendly practices, being up-to-date with technology, pricing with value and customer service, this paper will rhetorically analyze how successful of a job it does. To get an inside look at what the public thought on the the way that Apple fulfilled their altercasting this paper analyzed what people said about Apple verses competing technology brands. By drawing overall conclusions, recording trends and making observations about the way that people had been …
Staff Healthy Small Groups: A Model For Enlisting, Training, And Motivating Lay Leaders, Steven Weems
Staff Healthy Small Groups: A Model For Enlisting, Training, And Motivating Lay Leaders, Steven Weems
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this project is to assist small to medium sized churches in their efforts to enlist, train, and motivate lay leadership within their church. This project is designed to help these churches achieve four specific goals; One, come to a biblical understanding of lay leadership. Two, learn how to identify and enlist the right people into spiritual leadership. Three, train those leaders for specific leadership roles within the church. Four, to keep these lay leaders motivated to achieve their set goals within their specific ministry. One of the primary responsibilities of a pastoral staff is the spiritual health …
Key Strategies In Effective Pastoral Leadership In The Africa Gospel Church, Kenya: Biblical Foundations For Leadership And Healthy Church Growth, Philip Ngasura
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this Thesis Project is to understand the strategies for effective pastoral leadership based on Biblical foundations necessary for leadership and healthy church growth in the Africa Gospel Church-Kenya. Research will be conducted through questionnaires and surveys of 15-20 Christian Leaders analyzing and evaluating the status of urban churches, rural churches, mission fields, and institutions of the Africa Gospel Church-Kenya. The main objective is to provide key principles for effective pastoral leadership and healthy church growth in terms of spiritual life, leadership, staff development, services, finances, and ministry potentials. Lastly, this project will suggest and outline strategic approaches …
Transitions: Surviving Congregational Change, Reginald Weems
Transitions: Surviving Congregational Change, Reginald Weems
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Holston Baptist Association is the oldest Baptist Association in Tennessee. Established in 1786, the Association presently boasts 106 congregations. Yet for all of its success, statistics reveal that pastoral longevity is not the norm for its churches. This project will analyze the tenure of present pastors within the Holston Baptist Association and provide a blueprint for pastoral longevity in the midst of local church transitions. It will utilize the history of Heritage Baptist Church, Johnson City, Tennessee (USA) and the present pastor's 21-year tenure as a source of research and model for successfully navigating that change. Although specifically intended …
Strategy For Merging Unhealthy Churches And Leading The Merged Congregation To A Healthy Christ-Centered New Testament Church, Samuel Holdbrook-Smith
Strategy For Merging Unhealthy Churches And Leading The Merged Congregation To A Healthy Christ-Centered New Testament Church, Samuel Holdbrook-Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The hypothesis of this project is that merging two or more local churches is a practical option to growing a healthy Christ-centered New Testament church as opposed to closing those declined and dying churches. This project will examine and evaluate the merger process of Charles Wesley United Methodist Church and Earle's Chapel United Methodist Church in 2005, led by the author to form a new congregation called New Life Community United Methodist Church. A post-merger questionnaire will be developed and used to evaluate the merger process. Second, a healthy growth ministry plan will be developed and implemented to lead the …
Social Cognitive Theory Vs. Social Comparison Theory: Examining The Relationship Between Social Influence And Weight Loss, Emily Grigg
Masters Theses
This qualitative study investigated the impact of social influence on weight loss, more specifically, the internal and external elements that effect response and success of those who are trying to lose weight. The research focused on three questions: (1) How great of an influence does self-efficacy have in weight loss success? (2) How great of an influence does social comparison have in weight loss success? (3) Which factor has the largest impact on weight loss: self-efficacy, peer efficacy, or positive social support, or negative social support? Data was collected by the researcher conducting semi-structured interviews. These interview were conducted with …
The Rancor Of Republicans, The Diatribe Of Democrats A Social Network Analysis Of Partisan Interconnectivity On Facebook, Sean Langille
The Rancor Of Republicans, The Diatribe Of Democrats A Social Network Analysis Of Partisan Interconnectivity On Facebook, Sean Langille
Masters Theses
The Internet has played a more active role in shaping modern American political communication. With the increased popularity of social networking through websites like Facebook, more are taking to the Internet to engage in civic dialogue. This study will explore how the exchange of socially networked images, texts, and audio between Democrats and Republicans affect beliefs, behaviors and perceptions. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, the researcher interviewed ten (10) registered democrats and ten (10) registered republicans. The participants were basked ten questions and ten follow up questions. The study applied a social network analysis to evaluate how socially networked dialogue between Republicans …
Operating The Silencer: Muted Group Theory In The Great Gatsby, Sarah Funderbruke
Operating The Silencer: Muted Group Theory In The Great Gatsby, Sarah Funderbruke
Masters Theses
This master's thesis examines gender and social roles seen in dialogue in the American classic novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The researcher conducted a coding and rhetorical analysis to determine if elements of muted group theory were in the novel. Muted group theory was developed by Edwin and Shirley Ardener after their research indicated that a culture's values and social structure were voiced through rhetoric. The theory states that dominance in certain groups mutes, or silences, others from communicating effectively. Five passages from The Great Gatsby were selected for this analysis. These passages highlighted dialogue between the …
The Mouse Who Ruled His Kingdom: An Agenda Setting Analysis Of The Walt Disney World Company, Jacob Overbey
The Mouse Who Ruled His Kingdom: An Agenda Setting Analysis Of The Walt Disney World Company, Jacob Overbey
Masters Theses
People are seeking their news in more social environments, but very little research has been conducted on agenda setting and online environments. This thesis examined the agenda setting relationship between an organization on Twitter, @WaltDisneyWorld (i.e., The Walt Disney World) and public opinion on Twitter. The relationship was examined using Twitter's database of tweets to measure public opinion on Twitter. Since the news media is losing steam on the ability to break news, and social media is growing rapidly, this study tested the value of the agenda setting theory on social media. To this end, this thesis qualitatively examined the …
A Resource For Pastors And Counselors: Ministering To Spiritual And Emotional Needs Of Those In Ministry, Shirley Craven
A Resource For Pastors And Counselors: Ministering To Spiritual And Emotional Needs Of Those In Ministry, Shirley Craven
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Some pastors are in need of pastoral care and counseling; unfortunately, many will never receive the care they need. Pastors often suffer in silence because they feel they cannot trust revealing their deep dark secrets with fellow clergy. The lack of confidentiality among pastors has caused leaders to struggle in silence with the very issues they preach against: adultery, fornication, pornography, drug, alcohol, etc. The fear of exposure has driven some pastors to seek help in other states where they can remain anonymous. Providing this type of resource will enable pastors to take control of their lives, and seek the …
Comparison Of Pass Assessment Scores In Single-Gender And Heterogeneous Middle Schools In South Carolina, Patricia Canada
Comparison Of Pass Assessment Scores In Single-Gender And Heterogeneous Middle Schools In South Carolina, Patricia Canada
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In response to the mandates of No Child Left Behind, (NCLB), educators across the country struggle to close the gaps between males and females. Some of the physiological differences existing between the male and female brain suggest support for single-gender instruction, which is on the rise within this country as well as other parts of the world. Using the theoretical framework based on brain research, the purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the effect of single-gender instruction on assessment results in Palmetto Assessments of State Standards (PASS) math and reading scores of public middle single-gender schools to mixed-gender …
A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Origination And Manifestation Of The Cyberbully/Cyberbullying Victim Relationship From The Perspective Of Cyberbullying Victims, Michael Boyd
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Cyberbullying has gained a considerable amount of media attention in recent years (Kowalski, Limber, & Agatston, 2008). However, little is known about the details of cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationships within the lived experience of victims. This phenomenological study investigated the origination and manifestation of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship. The study is phenomenological in order to examine the origination of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship and how the relationship is manifested in the lived experience of participants who were cyberbullying victims. The study examines the impact of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship from the theoretical perspective of Vygotsky's (1986) sociocultural learning theory and Maslow's …
The Manifestation Of Biblical Community Understanding In A Facebook Community: A Qualitative Study Among Christian College Students, Paul Perkins
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Applying theoretical studies of social capital, social presence, cognitive presence, and community helps researchers understand more fully the phenomenon of online social networks. The debate has moved from the positive and negative effects of online social networks to understanding how they fit into daily life. However, do biblical community beliefs transfer to Facebook? If Facebook is considered a community, does it exhibit the characteristics of a biblical community? Through a qualitative case study design, this research explored eight Christian college students, four men and four women, from two Midwest Christian colleges, investigating their understanding of biblical community and its application …
Effective Science Teaching In A High Poverty Middle School, Georgette Meyer
Effective Science Teaching In A High Poverty Middle School, Georgette Meyer
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative case study described the characteristics of science teachers in a high poverty urban middle school whose 2010 scores on South Carolina's Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) ranked second in the state. Data was obtained through classroom observations, open-ended interviews, school documents, and photographs taken inside the school from ten participants, who were seven science teachers, a science coach, and two administrators. Findings revealed a school culture that pursued warm and caring relationships with students while communicating high expectations for achievement, strong central leadership who communicated their vision and continuously checked for its implementation through informal conversations, frequent …
The Father's Business Person, The Shift To Tentmaking Missions Strategy, Chris White
The Father's Business Person, The Shift To Tentmaking Missions Strategy, Chris White
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the important place that tentmaking holds or should hold in missions strategy. It is the belief of the author (supported by almost 20 years of ministry experience overseas) that visas and money are often barriers to ministry effectiveness. This paper would like to provide a solution (i.e. tentmaking) to these common tensions that most missionaries encounter. The value of the topic is very personal to the author's ministry: first because I am currently serving on the mission field (needing a visa and money), and second because of the potential tentmaking holds for …
Hoodie Today, Gown Tomorrow: An Ideological Rhetorical Analysis Of Gender-Neutral Clothing, Meridith Irene Styer
Hoodie Today, Gown Tomorrow: An Ideological Rhetorical Analysis Of Gender-Neutral Clothing, Meridith Irene Styer
Masters Theses
The fields of psychology and sociology have long understood the importance of clothing in self-formation, this study extrapolates this social-science understanding into the realm of rhetorical analysis. This study looks at gender-neutral clothing and its role in meaning making and self identification for women. With a rhetorical basis from Richards and Ogden, this research uses the feminist works of Brummett and Butler to uncover both the positive and negatives effects of gender-neutral clothing on a woman's self-identification and perceptions. Through the presentation of a diffuse narrative and evaluation of the same, gender-neutral clothing is read and decoded for meaning. This …
Influence Of American Media Upon Korean Broadcasting Culture - Analyzing 'American Idol' Vs. 'Superstar K Ii', Han Na Shin
Influence Of American Media Upon Korean Broadcasting Culture - Analyzing 'American Idol' Vs. 'Superstar K Ii', Han Na Shin
Masters Theses
This study examines the influence of American media on Korean broadcasting culture, based on analysis of American Idol and SuperStar K Season II. Viewer ratings were analyzed to find out the popularity of American programs in South Korea. Web-based surveys and individual interviews were analyzed to figure out the difference between both programs and its influence upon Korean viewers. The result shows that American programs currently influence the Korean media and Korean viewers, and that influence is getting more produced. With those findings, the study concludes it affects Korean viewers and Korean society as well. Audition programs become one of …