Digital Commons Network^™

Self-Directed Learning And The Impact Of Leadership: Analyzing Keys For Success From A Covenental Perspective, David Duby, Kahlib J. Fischer

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The current state of education seems to beg for visionary changes to truly impact students and prepare them for the future. Self-directed learning models purport to do just that, by preparing students to be self-motivated, lifelong learners. While many educators seek to apply self-directed practices, research reveals that there are several obstacles that can hinder self-directed learning. Duby’s 2006 study of schools employing self-directed learning investigated how leaders successfully overcome these hindrances via specific leadership attitudes and behaviors that not only effectively overcame these obstacles, but are also reflected in the covenantal perspective of leadership. Using content analysis, this paper …

Determining Factors Contributing To Graduation For Students With Learning Disabilities In Community Colleges, Crystal Perry Ange

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined Students with Learning Disabilities (SLD) graduation rates from two-year community colleges. Specifically, the purpose of this paper was to determine if identifiable demographics or accommodations were related to SLD who graduated from community colleges. Data were collected from the records of SLD at four community colleges in North Carolina. The information collected included demographic data, the accommodations of SLD, and graduation status from community college. The results were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. The overall study demonstrated no factors were identified that predict graduation for SLD from a two-year community college. Implications for future research include the …

Compassionate Procedures For The Dismissal Of Church Staff Members, Mark David Nalepa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to offer church leadership compassionate procedures for dismissing a church staff member for reasons other than immorality and impropriety. This will increase the likelihood he will continue to fulfill his calling to serve Christ elsewhere in ministry. For this to be accomplished the process must recognize and address the needs of all spheres impacted by the dismissal. The project will integrate the Biblical account of John Mark, collect sampling of church data on termination procedures, stories and perspectives of previously terminated staff members and family, and resource related literature on this subject.

“But Enough About Me…”: An Investigation Of Young Adults’ Self-Disclosure In Summer Camp Environments, Courtney Hunt

Masters Theses

Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor's social penetration theory has been applied to numerous studies on self-disclosure for various target groups and contexts. While the self-disclosure of adolescents and young adults has been studied by many researchers, the self-disclosure of young adults at summer camp has not previously been studied, nor has it been compared with young adults' self-disclosure to new acquaintances in familiar settings. In this study, the researcher examined young adults' tendencies in self-disclosure while in camp settings to identify if self- disclosure at camp differed from their typical self-disclosure tendencies and if their self- disclosure at summer camp …

Polar Opposites: A Look At The Role Of Biblical Values In Managing Dialectical Tensions In Marriage, Kimberly Dawn Borland

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to determine what role biblical values play in the management of dialectical tensions and the resolution of conflict in Christian marriages. Specifically, the research questions guiding this study were what, if any, dialectical tensions exist in Christian marriages, do dialectical tensions lead to conflict in marriage, how are dialectical tensions and conflict managed in marriage, and what role do biblical values play in the management of dialectical tensions in Christian marriages? Transcripts from interviews of ten Christian married couples were analyzed using a Relational Dialectics lens. Results of analysis revealed that all six …

Creating Home-Plate In America: American Exceptionalism And Baseball As Imperialistic Home In Irwin Shaw's Short Fiction, August Wilson's Fences, And William Kennedy's Ironweed, Nathaniel Ross Valle

Masters Theses

Baseball has often been viewed as unique among the pantheon of American organized sports. Perhaps this view was spawned from baseball's supposedly pastoral origins, but the sport undeniably carries, as Allen Guttmann mentions, a brand as America's pastime (51). For millions of immigrants who entered America during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, baseball was the first and primary institution that provided them with a sense of belonging to America. Foreigners ascribed tremendous value to baseball in the nineteenth century, leading the French philosopher Jacques Barzun to comment that no other sport seemed genuinely entwined with a nation's identity (13). Baseball …

Social Tensions And Acculturation: Portrayals Of German Integration Discourse, Soeren Wendland

Masters Theses

This Master Thesis deals with the portrayal of social tensions and acculturation perceptions resulting from German integration discourse. Wester, Pleijter, and Renckstorf's (2004) model for interpretative content analysis was applied to examine the portrayal of migrants and integration from three German online magazines. Germany's struggle with its multicultural aspect is described, a history of Germany as a multicultural society is provided, acculturation theory is described, the meaning of integration in Germany is illustrated, perceptions of Germans and foreigners on life in Germany are explored, and the role of the media in the integration discourse is introduced. Results show magazine portrayals …

Miming The Poem: Influence And Imitation In Robert Lowell's Poetic, Andrew Walker

Masters Theses

Following the recent work of Christopher Ricks in his book True Friendship, this thesis examines the possibilities and particularities of the influence of the New Critics on Robert Lowell and, more specifically, his poetry. As a way of elucidating Lowell's own comment regarding his indebtedness to New Criticism, Lowell's poetry is examined regarding its use of metaphysical theme, tension, and metaphor. Each of these examinations is given articulation in regards to a specific context in the Lowell canon (Land of Unlikeness, "For the Union Dead," and History) and a specific forebear against which to more clearly …

Holy Horror: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Use Of Religion In The Yearly Top Grossing Horror Films From 2000 To 2009, Jason Duane Wheeler

Masters Theses

The yearly top-grossing films from 2000 to 2009 were analyzed to see if correlation exists between overt religious content and box office success. Also, the films were analyzed to see if correlation exists between overt religious content and IMDb.com user ratings. Neither box office success nor IMDb.com user ratings were found to be correlated with over religious content.

The Economics Of The Atomic Bomb: Cost And Utilization, Jonathan M. Davis Mr.

Senior Honors Theses

Few moments in human history can be compared to the culmination of events that brought the atomic bomb into creation.  It is incredible to contemplate that while a nation was fighting a two front war that spanned from Europe into the Pacific, that the United States was able to utilize the time, energy, brains, materials, manpower, and capital to complete a project in four years. That under any other circumstances would have taken greater than half a century to complete.

First, this thesis will discuss breakthroughs in research that led scientists to believe that the atomic weapons could be built, …

Hallowed Be Thy Name: The Effect Of Prayer On God-Schemata, Jennifer J. Healey

Senior Honors Theses

Religious ideologies and spiritual frameworks are first formed and later held together by the linking of encounters with the sacred, a spiritual Entity, ritualistic practices, and/or the recognition of spirituality in others or within one’s self. The concept of schemata, which are the mind’s processing frameworks wherein the individual connects information in a purposeful and meaningful way is fundamentally tied to this process of deliberating faith. According to the Christian faith, prayer molds this conceptualization of God. This study endeavors to establish the relationship between the subjective nature of schemata and its supernatural implications: how prayer influences one’s view of …

Students’ Perceptions Of Same-Sex Attraction And Sexual Reorientation Therapy, Abigail L. Roller

Senior Honors Theses

Much current research has focused on Christian individuals’ beliefs regarding the morality of homosexuality, and several studies have examined the efficacy of sexual reorientation therapy.  The current study sought to explore the perceptions of students at a private Christian university regarding the morality of same-sex attraction and behavior and the efficacy of sexual reorientation therapy.  An original survey was created for the data collection, and data analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation between students’ beliefs about the morality of same-sex attraction and behavior and their beliefs regarding the efficacy of sexual reorientation therapy.  Implications for further research in this area …

Bible Translation And Anthropology: The Superiority Of A Dynamic Equivalence Method Of Translation, Kathryn Hedrick

Senior Honors Theses

Bible translation has taken many forms and employed many methods in the past centuries since it was compiled and formalized.  Methods of translation range from highly literal to unduly free, with several intervals between the two.  In order to come to an accurate translation that can be properly understood by people far removed from the time and culture of the Bible, translators must employ cultural anthropology to understood the culture they are trying to reach.  This use of anthropology, combined with a dynamic-equivalence method of translation, produces the most effective and universally understandable translation of the Christian Bible.

The American Dream: An Illusion Or Reality For Latino Immigrants, Jessica L. Del Cid

Senior Honors Theses

Many Latinos from Mexico, Central America, and South America have made the decision to immigrate to the United States in recent years—whether legally or illegally.  In the literature, stories of immigration and hopes for the American Dream proliferated; however, varying degrees of racism and anti-immigration sentiment were also revealed.  Interviews of first-generation Latino immigrants and American citizens that were both attendees of a local Hispanic church in southcentral Virginia showed that Latino immigrants had hopes of achieving what they believed to be the American Dream, while realizing they had a long journey ahead.  American citizens were more certain of having …

Determinants Of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking And The Urgent Need For A Global Cultural Shift, Karen M. Hoover

Senior Honors Theses

In the United States, an overtly selfish and sexual culture contributes to the spread of human trafficking, thereby requiring a complete culture shift in order to diminish this modern day slavery initiated by the aberrant culture. Sex trafficking of minors in the United States encompasses a variety of factors that facilitate the bondage and brutal enslavement of American children. These children are bought and sold hundreds of times, with no regard for their personal well-being. Major factors such as demand, vulnerability, and America’s induced culture of sex serve to increase the environment that trap children and youth in commercial sexual …

Redeeming Proper Taste: Food As An Emblem Of Luxury In Eighteenth Century England, Hannah R. Hinkson

Masters Theses

Food: the universal language. As a platform upon which people express their worldviews, food is the most important basic ingredient to both life and social progress. Elegance, gluttony, moderation, and excess are nowhere more evident than at the dinner table; such applications are evidence of the power of food to unite and destroy entire communities. And logic suggests that because food is necessary for survival, the human condition is, in part, reflected in taste. What a person craves is an indication of that person's identity.

But the connection between the aesthetic and economic significance of food is most obvious in …

The Effects Of Job Stress On Law Enforcement Marriages And Methods Of Combating The Job Stress, Richard T. Matthews

Senior Honors Theses

The reality of how law enforcement stress affects individuals and marriages will be presented in light of its causes and dangers to officers, as well as how the stress affects officers’ marriages. The marital problems stemming from law enforcement stress can progress from producing less spousal interaction and communication issues, to presenting opportunities for infidelity, and eventually result in divorce. Before countering the impact of job stress upon marriage, officers must first deal with the stress individually. Marriages do not have to end as a result of job stress. By seeking family therapy and by relying on God, law enforcement …

"One Man In His Time Plays Many Parts": The Causes And Effects Of Cognitive Dissonance Upon The Actor, Rachel Joy Blomquist

Masters Theses

Actors in general are passionate about their art. It is a constant balancing act for actors to keep their lives separate from the roles they play on the stage. This paper focuses upon role-play performance, cognitive dissonance, and self-concept development in theater education. The focus of this study is specifically upon the causes and effects of cognitive dissonance in female theater students from three colleges in the central Virginia area. Qualitative research was obtained through the use of interviews. Ten students were each asked a set of six questions based on the roles they played and performances they were a …

Facing Ethics In Criminal Justice Through A Christian Worldview, Jordan K. Kopko

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to express the need for young men and women in law enforcement to endure ethical dilemmas through a Christian worldview. Ethical dilemmas and moral struggles in the criminal justice field are described in detail throughout the thesis. In the decision-making process during an ethical dilemma, an officer with a Christian worldview should make better decisions with the added guidance from the Holy Spirit. This thesis delves into the different aspects of ethics including reasons why some police officers make immoral decisions. The ethical issues in criminal justice have been a problem in law enforcement …

Confused Or Multicultural: A Phenomenological Analysis Of The Self-Perception Of Third Culture Kids With Regard To Their Cultural Identity, Andrea Marcilio Moore

Masters Theses

This study investigated whether Third Culture Kids, defined as people who lived in a country other than their passport country during their developmental years, perceived that their cross-cultural experiences during childhood produced in them a sense of confused cultural identity or a multicultural identity and whether they are able to successfully alternate between their two or more cultural identities and achieve intercultural communication competency in multiple cultures. Existing literature on TCKs focuses on the negative aspects of a life on the move and does not view TCKs in light of having a multicultural identity or multiple cultural identities. This study …

Individualism And Collectivism In Chinese And American Advertisements, Siu Yu Hsu

Masters Theses

This study examined the different values in TV advertisements targeting younger Chinese (13-29), Older Chinese (55 or above), Younger Americans (13-34), and older Americans (55 or above) using Hofstede's (1984) individualism-collectivism dimensions. With the open door policy imposed in China, younger Chinese became Westernized. A content analysis of 566 TV ads was examined to test the degree of individualism, collectivism, modernity themes, and traditional themes in TV ads among the four target groups. Three hypotheses and one research question guiding this study proposed that TV ads targeting younger Chinese would score higher in individualism and modernity; TV ads targeting older …

The Ilrc Connection, Volume 1, Issue 5, Liberty University

Jerry Falwell Library Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Seventy Times Seven: Forgiveness As A Moderator In The Relationship Between Anger And Violent Crime, Elisabeth Marie Spratto

Senior Honors Theses

Forgiveness is an important quality for the maintenance of successful relationships, and it also has physical and emotional benefits. In contrast, anger, while sometimes positive, can also lead to aggressive or violent behavior, particularly when combined with a desire for revenge. Anger has been repeatedly shown to play a significant role in the commission of crimes; what is less clear is the role forgiveness can play in that relationship. Given that forgiveness has been shown to play a role in anger dissipation, it is logical to suppose that its contribution may be considerable. This study investigated whether forgiveness played a …

Palliative Nursing Care In Pediatric Oncology, Hannah K. Reynolds

Senior Honors Theses

Palliative care is an integral part of providing adequate care for pediatric oncology patients. Whether the cancer is terminal or treatable, palliative care helps patients live their lives to the fullest by improving quality of life. Therefore, it is important to have a system to define and measure quality of life. Once quality of life can be quantitatively measured, nurses can use pain and symptom relief, psychosocial support, and spiritual care to improve it.

Pain management is essential to cancer recovery. Relief can be achieved through pharmacological or nonpharmacological methods; however, prophylactic pain relief is most beneficial. This means that …

Representations Of L2 Motivational Self System With Beginning Chinese Language Learners At College Level In The United States: Heritage And Nonheritage Language Learners, Yan Xie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dornyei (2005) proposed the L2 motivational self system in response to the need to develop the socioeducational model. This study further tests the validation of the L2 motivational self system by investigating beginning Chinese language learners at the college level in the United States. A questionnaire combining two published questionnaires was administered to 197 subjects, including heritage language learners and nonheritage language learners, and compared the motivational representations of the two types of learners. This is the first study to test the L2 motivational self system by investigating learners of a language other than English. Through a correlation analysis, the …

Perceptions Of High School Minority Students And High School Teachers Regarding Racism: A Phenomenological Study, Paige Shiver Boomer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research shows that racism is still prevalent in schools today. This qualitative study using a phenomenological design identified different forms of racism in schools and the impact racism has on students and teachers. The study identifies the perceptions 9th-12th grade minority students and high school teachers have regarding racism, and compares and contrast those perceptions in a rural Georgia high school. Participants were selected from a pool of approximately 103 ethnic minority high school students and 68 high school teachers. The participants were selected through purposeful sampling due to ones minority status or employment status. Surveys, individual interviews, and journaling …

Muslim Pakistani And Indian Students In Their New York School System Experience, Alfonse Javed

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutical phenomenological research study, using two rounds of semi- structured open ended interviews and focus group data, described the lived experience of Muslim Pakistani and Indian students in their New York school system experience. The purpose of this study was to collect and examine the stories and explore the lived experience of Muslim young adults from Pakistan and India in the American school system and document the positive and negative experiences they had while in the American school system. The study looked for the common denominators, which helped and encouraged the Muslim students to continue their education, regardless of …

The Role Of Appreciation In Higher Education: The Experience Of Online Faculty Members With Instituional Administration, Aubrey Leeanne Coy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the role of expressed appreciation in an online education working environment. The research method used was a transcendental phenomenological approach in order to provide a foundational base for giving a voice to the participants' experiences in higher education, based on the participants' preferences for experiencing appreciation. Through assessments and interviews, this research intended to evaluate the role of appreciation in the workplace, namely higher education, and the relationships between online faculty members and their administration. Utilizing a newly created assessment tool, the Motivating by Appreciation Inventory, the act of appreciation was evaluated in terms of the Languages …

The Relationship Of Religous And Existential Variables To Scores On The Animal-Human Continuity Scale And Perception Of Beliefs About Animals And Equality Of Mankind, Frank Lyle King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the present study is to determine the relationship between religious and existential variables and the Animal-Human Continuity Scale (Templer et al., 2006). The AHCS measures the extent that the respondent views animals and humans in a dichotomous versus a continuous perspective. Ninety nine (99) students at an evangelical southern university scored in the dichotomous direction as compared to the ninety six (96) students at a southern secular university. Likewise the more religious students, both those at the evangelical southern university and at a secular southern university, scored more in the dichotomous direction than the less religious students. …

A Proposal For Construction And Implementation Of A Focused Approach To A New Member Discipleship Program, Joshua Walters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to reveal the benefits of new member discipleship, for without this process there are many who do not follow through with their commitment to be an active part of that body of believers. This project shall: examine the purpose and history of discipleship, analyze surveyed responses from local pastors and new members, explore the results of new member discipleship in local churches, and conclude with a discipleship plan ready for implementation. This project seeks to show that through new member discipleship, the church can increase the understanding and dedication of their new members.