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The Effects Of Digital Storytelling On Astronomy Misconceptions Held By Fourth Grade Students, Pamela Adell Hadaway Wimpey Jul 2019

The Effects Of Digital Storytelling On Astronomy Misconceptions Held By Fourth Grade Students, Pamela Adell Hadaway Wimpey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For students to be successful in the Knowledge Age, they need a deep understanding of subject area content. When students develop misconceptions of science concepts, it limits their ability to progress in this area. Misconceptions are very resistant to change and interfere with student mastery of accepted science theory (Stamp & O'Brien, 2005; Wendt & Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2014). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of student-produced digital stories in reducing the number of misconceptions held by students. This quasi-experimental study involved 118 fourth grade students in a small elementary school in the southeastern United States. The MOSART …


An Examination Into The Attitudes Of Girls Towards Physical Activity And Performance In Aerobic Capacity, Cynthia Dawn Fairey Jul 2019

An Examination Into The Attitudes Of Girls Towards Physical Activity And Performance In Aerobic Capacity, Cynthia Dawn Fairey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the last 30 years, physical activity among adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 has continued to decline, and the risk of morbidity associated with sedentary living has increased (CDC, 2017). Furthermore, research has identified females as being at greater risk of morbidity because they are opting out of physical activity at twice the rate of boys and not getting the recommended 60 minutes a day of physical activity (NPAP, 2016). Many girls are avoiding physical education classes, where the concepts of health-related fitness, the development of skills necessary to participate in a variety of physical activities, and …


The Genesis Of The “Brain-Eating” Amoeba, Alan L. Gillen, Jonathan Augusta, Kurt Schneckenburger Jun 2019

The Genesis Of The “Brain-Eating” Amoeba, Alan L. Gillen, Jonathan Augusta, Kurt Schneckenburger

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Creator made all creatures, including amoebas, with variation and plasticity in their genome for global differences of climate, terrain, and environment. God made all creatures to multiply and fill the earth. Diversification and speciation from the original kind would be normal even in a perfect world. Naegleria fowleri is a global amoeba pathogen that is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), thus termed “brain-eating.” Many people are evidently exposed, based upon antibody levels, to this amoeba while swimming in warm waters. Only a small percentage succumb to the germ, but once invasion happens, only about 1% survive. …


The Attitudes Of Christians Towards Homosexuality, Transsexuality And Transgenderism, Ryan Tack Jun 2019

The Attitudes Of Christians Towards Homosexuality, Transsexuality And Transgenderism, Ryan Tack

Senior Honors Theses

The different attitudes Christians have towards transsexual, transgender, and homosexual behaviors have long been an area in need of investigation. To further the relevant library of research, an anonymous online survey was distributed through SurveyMonkey that attempted to see how Christians felt and how these attitudes compared to those of other groups. Ultimately, attitudes regarding transsexual and transgender behaviors showed a strong trend towards neutrality. Attitudes towards homosexuality showed a strong trend towards neutrality with an additional trend towards positivity.


Social Customer Relationship Management In Rural Commerce: A Study Of Small Businesses In Southern West Virginia, Timothy John Anderson Jun 2019

Social Customer Relationship Management In Rural Commerce: A Study Of Small Businesses In Southern West Virginia, Timothy John Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The limited-resource context in which small businesses operate impedes the ability of the proprietors of small businesses in implementing customer relationship management. Despite the availability of a more cost-effective alternative in the form of social customer relationship management, there is a failure to utilize the practice because of a lack of knowledge of the use of social media platforms for the purposes of customer relationship management. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence that the use of social customer relationship management has on the small businesses located in Southern West Virginia. The study used a qualitative research …


Where Is God In Symbolic Exchange? A Theo-Semiological Analysis Of The Sons Of Anarchy, Alex Justin Holguin Jun 2019

Where Is God In Symbolic Exchange? A Theo-Semiological Analysis Of The Sons Of Anarchy, Alex Justin Holguin

Masters Theses

This thesis attempts to uncover the religious nature of communication by re-visioning and situating French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan’s theory of communication within a Christian theological context. By critically engaging Lacan’s theoretical concepts of the Imaginary, the Symbolic, and the Real within this context, the thesis is able to access the intersection of rhetorical semiotics, psychoanalysis, and Christian theology to have a more fruitful understanding of how meaning is exchanged between subjects. Lacan’s inter-disciplinary affirmation of rhetoric and psychoanalysis has been able to produce incredible explanatory potential for how meaning, as the bedrock of speech and communication, operates through the psyche …


The Effect Of Professional Development On Teacher Knowledge Of Concussions And Classroom Support Of Concussed Students, Susan Teeter Hawkins Jun 2019

The Effect Of Professional Development On Teacher Knowledge Of Concussions And Classroom Support Of Concussed Students, Susan Teeter Hawkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Concussions have received significant media attention in recent years. Although research has focused on the knowledge and perceptions of parents, athletes, and coaches regarding sports-related concussions, little attention has been given to discovering what teachers know about concussions and the correct concussion protocol for the classroom, even though concussions affect academic performance. The purpose of this applied study was to understand further the problem of deficiency in teacher knowledge of sports-related concussions, including symptoms, academic adjustments needed, and how to design appropriate professional development to address this problem. This study incorporated a mixed methods design to examine the effect of …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Experiences Of Former Developmental-Math Students Who Have Successfully Completed A College-Level Math Course, Karen Park Herman Jun 2019

A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Experiences Of Former Developmental-Math Students Who Have Successfully Completed A College-Level Math Course, Karen Park Herman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the shared experiences of former developmental-math students who have successfully completed a college-level math course at a college in the U.S. The theory guiding this study is Schlossberg’s transition theory as it explains the transitions the students make when entering college-level math, taking the college-level math course, and successfully completing the college-level math course (Schlossberg, 1981). The data was drawn from interviews, an online discussion group, focus groups, and questionnaires. The modified Moustakas method was applied to analyzing the data. The data was examined first by horizonalizing the data, giving …


From The Book Page To The Big Screen: An Exploration Of Literature-To-Film Adaptions And Their Use In The Classroom, Natalie Hahn May 2019

From The Book Page To The Big Screen: An Exploration Of Literature-To-Film Adaptions And Their Use In The Classroom, Natalie Hahn

Senior Honors Theses

Many classic titles of children’s literature have been adapted into feature film presentations. Although often regarded as a mere form of entertainment, movies can and should be incorporated into the elementary classroom as supplementary material to be paired with their corresponding works of literature. The four examples provided include Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. Each of these four works originated as a book that was later recreated into a film format with varying degrees of accuracy to …


Exploration Of Learning, Social, And Behavioral Experiences Of Female High School Graduates With Emotional Behavior Disorder From Public Schools In The United States: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Christie Renee Simpson May 2019

Exploration Of Learning, Social, And Behavioral Experiences Of Female High School Graduates With Emotional Behavior Disorder From Public Schools In The United States: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Christie Renee Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study is to describe the lived experience of public high school female college preparatory graduates diagnosed with an emotional behavior disorder (EBD) in the United States. The queries are: (a) how do female students with EBD describe their high school experience, and (b-d) what learning factors, behavioral supports, and environmental influences contributed to their ability to meet graduation requirements. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory as it is firmly grounded in behaviorism and explains the impact of complex interactions on behavior, learning, personal development, and social outcomes. Miller’s (1976) …


Motherhood Story Project: Transforming Societal Perception Of Mothers Through Portraiture & Storytelling, Andrea Caresse Lewis May 2019

Motherhood Story Project: Transforming Societal Perception Of Mothers Through Portraiture & Storytelling, Andrea Caresse Lewis

Masters Theses

In our modern western culture, there are two drastically different views of motherhood. Society often paints mothers as women who give up on their bodies and careers to pursue a life of seemingly purposeless identity. While the reality is that women devote their entire being to the growth and development of a new human, continuing the very concept of civilization as we know it. Because of this dichotomy and plurality of worlds, mothers often feel ostracized, alone, and completely unprepared for the new journey they have embraced. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the realities of motherhood and …


The Utilization Of Visual Design Systems To Promote Higher Levels Of Learning In Educational Environments, Keenan Sultanik May 2019

The Utilization Of Visual Design Systems To Promote Higher Levels Of Learning In Educational Environments, Keenan Sultanik

Masters Theses

Traditional higher education environments have changed very little in the last hundred and fifty years, while technology has advanced in nearly every other area of society making each more productive and more capable. This study identifies key aspects of a comprehensive and universal visual learning system that incorporates a more holistic approach to design and interactivity in educational environments. The desired effect of this is elevating classroom learning to higher levels as defined by Bloom’s Taxonomy. In this thesis, I have collected and explored empirical and observational data to examine the relationship between effective learning environments and the use of …


A Case Study Of The Edwards House: How A Community Fought To Preserve Their Cultural Heritage, Carolyn Grace Klima May 2019

A Case Study Of The Edwards House: How A Community Fought To Preserve Their Cultural Heritage, Carolyn Grace Klima

Masters Theses

This study examines why an architecturally significant, Queen Anne style mansion in Downers Grove, Illinois was demolished even though citizens valiantly tried to save it for one year. With all the information available in the form of books, journals, websites and videos concerning historic preservation, why did the citizens of Downers Grove fail to save this historic gem? Academic literature shows the significance of historic preservation from economic and sustainability standpoints. Communities have used historic preservation to revitalize main streets across America, and large corporations like American Express and Walmart have supported historic preservation. Unfortunately, architecture is the most fragile …


"Thus Saith The Lord": The Theological Rhetoric Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nathaniel Ryan Davis May 2019

"Thus Saith The Lord": The Theological Rhetoric Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nathaniel Ryan Davis

Masters Theses

This text seeks to explain the rhetorical appeals that Martin Luther King, Jr. used to persuade his audience of the fundamental truths of human dignity, sin, justice, and hope.


Using Data And Statistics, Randy L. Miller May 2019

Using Data And Statistics, Randy L. Miller

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This handout identifies the differences between statistics and data and how to use and analyze them. It provides numerous links to data and statistic sources available for free online or as part of our library subscriptions. Liberty University provides NVivo software for analyzing qualitative data and a link is provided to download the software.


Finding And Using Tests And Instruments For Research, Randy L. Miller May 2019

Finding And Using Tests And Instruments For Research, Randy L. Miller

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This handout talks about finding and using tests, measurements and other instruments for research. It discusses Mental Measurements Yearbook which offers commercially available instruments. It also shows ways to find “free” instruments that are reliable and valid as well as the articles describing the development and validation of these measures. A webinar based on this handout is available at https://watch.liberty.edu/media/t/1_23mxx0kj


Predicting Student Success Using Digital Textbook Analytics In Online Courses, Dustin Lee Williams May 2019

Predicting Student Success Using Digital Textbook Analytics In Online Courses, Dustin Lee Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the digital era, students are generating and institutions are collecting more data than ever before. With the constant change in technology, new data points are being created. Digital textbooks are becoming more popular, and textbook publishers are shifting more of their efforts to creating digital content. This shift creates new data points that have the potential to show how students are engaging with course material. The purpose of this correlational study is to determine if digital textbook usage data, pages read, number of days, reading sessions, highlights, bookmarks, notes, searches, downloads and prints can predict student success. This study …


The Impact Of Lyric Choices On Spiritual Edification, Hanna Jane Byrd May 2019

The Impact Of Lyric Choices On Spiritual Edification, Hanna Jane Byrd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Modern Christian worship music has gained influence within the evangelical community. The words of these songs, sung corporately, have the potential to influence the spiritual lives of church congregants, making it important for worship leaders and songwriters to identify the most beneficial lyrics. Despite numerous opinions about theological and personally relevant lyrics, little research has been conducted on the spiritual effects of lyric content within the lives of Christian believers. Diminutive scholarly inquiry has been limited to historical, theological or qualitative methodologies. Utilizing the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Spiritual Transcendence Index (STI), this quantitative quasi-experimental study …


The Rise Of The Part-Time Worship Leader In The Mid-Size Southern Baptist Church, Donald Oren Blakeney May 2019

The Rise Of The Part-Time Worship Leader In The Mid-Size Southern Baptist Church, Donald Oren Blakeney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this paper is to explore the prevalence of part-time, bivocational, semi-retired and volunteer worship leaders within mid-size Southern Baptist church and the need for further training and education through a denominationally-driven mentor program. The known decline in attendance and financial giving that most Southern Baptist churches have experienced has affected the moneys available to fill staffing needs and thereby require a reassessment of staff positions; the percentage of the budget allocated for staffing and continuing education. Most of these part-time worship leaders are already educated in another field and cannot allot the resources for a return to …


Teacher Burnout: A Comparison Between Title I And Non-Title I Elementary School Teachers, Sandra Anne Russell May 2019

Teacher Burnout: A Comparison Between Title I And Non-Title I Elementary School Teachers, Sandra Anne Russell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With school reform and teacher accountability on the forefront of the educational landscape, attention has turned to investigating why so many teachers leave the profession after a relatively short time. Burnout is often cited as a major contributor to this teacher exodus. While many studies have focused on teacher burnout relative to the specific tasks that teachers perform and on the populations they serve, there is no research on how teacher burnout differs between Title I and non-Title I schools in an urban school district in Virginia. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate if teachers’ perceptions of …


A Grounded Theory Study Of The Educational Processes Implemented By Parents Homeschooling Gifted Or Twice-Exceptional Children, Bridgette Whitlow-Spurlock May 2019

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Educational Processes Implemented By Parents Homeschooling Gifted Or Twice-Exceptional Children, Bridgette Whitlow-Spurlock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic, grounded theory study was to explain the educational processes used by homeschooling families of gifted and twice-exceptional children. For this study, educational processes were defined as instructional methods, curriculum, and structure used by homeschooling parents in the academic development of their gifted and twice-exceptional child. The conceptual framework guiding this study was choice theory developed by William Glasser with the influences of Robert Sternberg’s theory of successful intelligence and Kurt Fischer’s dynamic skills theory as these theories explain how choices are influenced by parents’ understanding of their children’s cognitive development, giftedness, and twice-exceptionality within a …


Worship Pastor's Need For Pastoral Leadership Development, Jerry Leonard Newman May 2019

Worship Pastor's Need For Pastoral Leadership Development, Jerry Leonard Newman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastoral leadership development must occur beyond the musical development that is gained through practice and musical education. The premise of this study considers the developmental needs of those in church leadership. Music ministers may be equipped for musical aspects of leadership. However, failure in obtaining knowledge, understanding, and enacting of the pastoral leadership elements required to fulfill the role of a music pastor may not have been developed. It can be argued that a change in role from ‘music minister’ to ‘a pastor who happens to lead worship' should occur. While little research can be found confronting the need for …


Case Study Of High School Math And Science Teachers' Beliefs About Using Writing To Learn And Their Beliefs About Themselves As Writing-To-Learn Practitioners, Virginia Elizabeth Dunker May 2019

Case Study Of High School Math And Science Teachers' Beliefs About Using Writing To Learn And Their Beliefs About Themselves As Writing-To-Learn Practitioners, Virginia Elizabeth Dunker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to document and explore high school math and science teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices concerning Writing-to-learn (WTL), or students learning content through writing. Two theories guided this study: Bandura’s (1977) theory of self-efficacy and Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory. Data collection included interviews with 10 participants: five math teachers and five science teachers, a focus group comprised of three math teachers and four science teachers from the sample, and participants’ journal responses for four weeks. The setting for this study was in an urban high school in the southeastern United States. The student …


A Single-Subject Study On Listening To Student-Selected Music Through Headphones For Students With Adhd, Jennifer Renee Royster Ramey May 2019

A Single-Subject Study On Listening To Student-Selected Music Through Headphones For Students With Adhd, Jennifer Renee Royster Ramey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects that self-selected music have on the working memory of fifth grade students with an ADHD diagnosis. A single-subject ABACAC design was used, and a convenience sample of five fifth-grade students from a rural central Virginia middle school participated in the study. An on-line working memory N-back task (Cognitive Fun!, 2008) was used to measure the working memory of each participant under the conditions of no music, teacher-selected music listened to through headphones, and self-selected music listened to through headphones. The results of this study found that one participant experienced a …


Why Stay? Retaining Veteran Teachers In Predominantly Minority, Low-Income, Rural Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Veronica Keyosha Bradley May 2019

Why Stay? Retaining Veteran Teachers In Predominantly Minority, Low-Income, Rural Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Veronica Keyosha Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of veteran teachers who teach in predominantly minority, low-income, rural schools across South Carolina. This study also emphasized the motivational factors that participants attribute to remaining in rural school districts for five or more years. Lastly, this study looked at how participants describe the attribution of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in their perseverance, and how participants perceive social injustice as having an impact on retaining teachers in rural regions. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory proposed by Abraham Maslow and …


U.S. Surveillance Of Citizens: The Prevention Of Domestic Terrorism, David Rogers May 2019

U.S. Surveillance Of Citizens: The Prevention Of Domestic Terrorism, David Rogers

Senior Honors Theses

The United States drastically increased the powers given to the federal government following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as the sheer number of casualties and shock that struck the nation called for an immediate response. The fear of another mass attack is still within the minds of the American people, and the U.S. government has taken measures to attempt to prevent such a tragedy. This thesis will analyze the topic of domestic surveillance, as well as ethical concerns for the criminal justice field, and will explore the future of homeland security and anti-terrorism for this country if this …


A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Self-Efficacy Of Special Education Team Teachers With Regard To Their Mathematics Content Knowledge, Reginald Brown May 2019

A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Self-Efficacy Of Special Education Team Teachers With Regard To Their Mathematics Content Knowledge, Reginald Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the teacher self-efficacy of high school special education mathematics inclusion teachers with regard to their content knowledge in Long State Independent School District (pseudonym). The central question that guided this study was as follows: What are the perceptions of special education mathematics teachers in the inclusion classroom in regard to their mathematical content knowledge? The research was conducted using a school district located in Southeast, Texas. The research is grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory which suggests that through cognitive self-guidance humans can evaluate and modify courses of actions that …


When Fingers Meet Strings, Kara Joy Gibson May 2019

When Fingers Meet Strings, Kara Joy Gibson

Masters Theses

There is a great need for a current and comprehensive curriculum for young harp students. Most of the available instruction books and volumes are over half a century old, and while they have held up in some ways to the test of time, in many others they have fallen short. When Fingers Meet Strings is a fully comprehensive harp method book, meaning it can be used as a stand-alone curriculum for harp pedagogy.


Trying Times: 21st Century Sexual Revolution, Churches And Ministers At-Risk, Samuel H. Murray May 2019

Trying Times: 21st Century Sexual Revolution, Churches And Ministers At-Risk, Samuel H. Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The 21st Century Sexual Revolution in America is redefining marriage, gender identity, human sexuality and public interaction while simultaneously challenging those who dare disagree. As the pastor of a small church, this writer is concerned about potential litigation as a result of these societal changes. These issues are rapidly emerging and evolving. Governmental bodies, corporations, advocacy groups, and courts at all levels are engaged. Churches and ministers may be at risk of adverse legal actions. A review of legal cases will reveal trends and precedents concerning these issues. Individual interviews will engage ministers and churches as to their preparedness and/or …


Crusaders, Sellswords, And Separatists: The Russian State’S Use Of Paramilitaries, Separatists, And Irregular Armies, Bruce Schlesman May 2019

Crusaders, Sellswords, And Separatists: The Russian State’S Use Of Paramilitaries, Separatists, And Irregular Armies, Bruce Schlesman

Masters Theses

Russia currently supports various paramilitaries around the world whether in the guise of separatists, mercenaries, or irregular armies. Using their own military and intelligence operatives and different tactical and religious-ideological means of asserting control over these paramilitaries and the territories they inhabit, Russia seeks to expand the scope of its global dominance and regional influence. Consistent with its long-term goal of weakening NATO and the EU, Russian strategy under Putin has sought to exploit Russian Orthodoxy and the Russian culture as instruments of solidarity binding many of these paramilitaries to Russia in a kind of pan-Slavic religious-nationalist mission. No passive …