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Comparison Of Effects Of Cognitive Level And Quality Writing Assessment (Claqwa) Rubric On Freshman College Student Writing, Irene Suzanne Penner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The study investigated the effects of the Cognitive Level and Quality Writing Assessment (CLAQWA) rubric on the cognitive skill and writing skill growth of college freshmen. The participants (n = 107) were enrolled in a composition course at a Midwestern state university. The nonequivalent control group design used quantitative analysis with selected criteria from the CLAQWA rubric as measurements. Two independent raters graded the essays, and results confirmed a statistically significant correlation of grades on both sets of essays. Results from both raters confirmed no statistically significant differences on either type of skill score between the experimental or control group …

A Proposal To Develop Christian Leaders For South Africa's Kingdom-Focused Church, Roney Lucas Ndala

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

My proposal centers around developing Christian leaders to believe in themselves and aspire to building kingdom- focused churches in line with the Great Commission. With the alarming growth of churches in South Africa it is imperative to focus attention to the development of leaders who will align and focus the growth to the kingdom. The purpose of this project is to introduce leaders to the concept of kingdom- focused churches that will move people within the ministry of the growing church. The project reviews some principles of a healthy growing church and the need for alignment during this growth stage. …

The Doppelgänger Tale And The Masquerade Of Race: The Enduring Influence Of Dumas` Iron Mask And Twain`S Switched Heroes, Virginia Payne Dow

Masters Theses

Although separated by the Atlantic Ocean, nineteenth-century authors Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) and then Mark Twain (1835-1910) separately created narratives involving the doppelganger motif which both challenged the accepted social ideals and spawned a plethora of imitations. These tales of switched identities served to critique social stratification and racial discrimination.

Given the current influx of interest in the doppelganger paradigm within the media, and particularly in light of rising cultural studies involving race, class, and social stratification, the main novels of this study--Dumas' The Man in the Iron Mask and Georges, and Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson--warrant ever-increasing interest due to their discourse …

Seeking Truth On The Other Side Of The Wall: Greenleaf’S Evangelists Meet The Federal Rules, Naturalism, And Judas, Nancy J. Kippenhan

Faculty Publications and Presentations

An inquiry that seeks truth by accepting only natural answers excludes the possibility of the sacred or supernatural, building a wall that forecloses a complete exploration for the truth it seeks. Without analysis, critics dismiss sources presenting supernatural explanations, and those who believe sacred works have no factual foundation accept without investigation any popular theory that appears attractive. The rules of evidence expressly seek truth, wherever it lies. Noted legal scholar Simon Greenleaf used evidentiary principles to demonstrate the factual credibility of the Gospels in his Testimony of the Evangelists. This Article examines Greenleaf’s analysis, applying current rules of evidence …

201026 Obiter Dicta: Autumn Mid-Term 2010, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Making A Place For Gifted Education: Learning From States That Maintain Gifted Education Programs Despite Academic And Economic Pressure, Amanda Vander Klay

Senior Honors Theses

As the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), which includes expectations for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), is constantly on the minds of state and local leaders, gifted programming has seen a decrease in the United States. In the difficult economy, limited resources are being funneled towards those students who need to increase their test scores to make AYP. This thesis will examine the model states of Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Arkansas that have managed to provide mandated and funded gifted programming while excelling in their AYP and managing the strains of tight state budgets.

Mathematics Self-Efficacy Of Community College Students In Developmental Mathematics Courses, David Walker Clutts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mathematics self-efficacy was defined as an individual's beliefs about how he or she would perform a specific math task or in a specific mathematics or related course. Mathematics self-efficacy was differentiated from self-esteem. Previous literature found self-efficacy in general and mathematics self-efficacy in particular to be significantly related to enrollment, retention, and completion. This study used the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Survey to investigate whether age, gender, developmental mathematics course, or developmental mathematics grade were significantly predictive of mathematics self-efficacy among developmental mathematics students course at a Kentucky community college. Multiple linear regression found that none of these variables were statistically significant …

The Appeal Of Caldecott Award Winning Books And Their Importance In The Classroom, Rebecca Ann Hoffman

Senior Honors Theses

The winners of the Randolph Caldecott Medal for picture books can be an excellent tool for teachers to enhance student learning. Teachers must understand the purpose of the Caldecott Medal and the criteria that the committee uses to select winners. Educators must also recognize the elements of Caldecott books that appeal to children including their illustrations, characters, and genres. Caldecott Medal winners can be used to enhance student learning in a variety of ways. They can be used with many grades, integrated with different subjects, related to important character principles, and used as a source of inspiration. Understanding the appeal …

Instructing All Students As Language Learners, Emily Hassebeck

Senior Honors Theses

Students who come into a school setting speaking a foreign language are often viewed as a challenge for teachers. These children have many difficulties with learning a new language and need to be properly assessed to determine their knowledge of English and their native language, which in this case is Spanish. According to these results, they need to be placed into an appropriate environment to use the skills which they have to the fullest extent possible. Instead of simply trying to create fluent English speakers, English Language Learners (ELLs) should be taught the grammatical and syntactic aspects of their native …

Wilderness Beauty: A Means To Resolve Volitional Doubt, Brian T. Scalise

Liberty Theological Review

Doubt is often part of Christian spiritual life. Matured doubt will influence the will (the volition) so as to keep the Christian doubter from acting like a Christian or even desiring the Christian life. This essay seeks to construct a theory designed to engage and help resolve volitional doubt by use of wilderness beauty. This theory incorporates three areas of study—Land and Leisure Management, Abraham Maslow’s metamotivation theory, and Jonathan Edwards' aesthetic theology—to demonstrate the uniqueness and usefulness of wilderness beauty for resolving volitional doubt. Subsequent to the construction of the theory, practical suggestions for its application are given.

A Comparative Analysis Of Factors Influencing The Development Of A Biblical Worldview In Christian Middle-School Students, Cherie Elder Brickhill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the important goals of Christian education is to train students to see the world through the lens of scripture. However, Christian schools are regularly graduating students who do not think from a distinctively biblical worldview. This study utilized comparative data analysis (Kruskal-Wallis test) to investigate the relationship between four independent variables and the biblical worldview of middle-school students as measured by the PEERS worldview test. The study examined the influence of type of elementary education, frequency of church attendance, personal faith commitment, and parent Christian belief on the PEERS test scores and religion subcategory scores of students enrolled …

A Qualitative Inquiry Of Grade Retention As Perceived By Adults Who Were Retained, Robin Lynn White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the views and recollections of adults who were retained in elementary, middle, or high school. This qualitative, narrative inquiry study was an attempt to give a voice to individuals that have experienced the event, and to understand what effects the retention had on their lives, both past and present. The sample of five participants used in this study was obtained from a population of adults in the state of Georgia who attended a General Education Degree (GED) class at a local library, as well as those who attended a community college. The …

Effects Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Programs On Teacher Morale, Samuel J. Smith, William A. Royal

Faculty Publications and Presentations

The effect of School Wide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) on teacher morale was examined using the Purdue Teacher Opinionnaire (PTO). Faculty members of two rural Tennessee middle schools participated. The treatment group experienced initial implementation of a SW-PBS program and was both pretested and posttested. The middle school where the control group taught was posttested without implementation of SW-PBS. A paired t-test was applied to analyze the data, showing improvements at a significance level of .05 in the factors of facilities, rapport with the principal, and community pressures. Findings suggest that teachers are likely to have increased levels of morale …

Discipleship Within The Secondary School, Jason Hilgeman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Understanding living for God's glory results in specific ways of thinking which inform the role of the teacher as disciple-maker in the secondary Christian school. If Christian school educators are to impact the next generation, their thinking and living should change to reflect man's ultimate purpose. This integration must occur at a fundamental level within the lives of educators in order for students to be equipped to engage culture according to their design. The writer will help to make the connection from doxological living to the practical outworking of mentoring for a Christian school educator.

A Study Of The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Academic Performance, Karen Elizabeth Rodenroth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

academic achievement based on the idea that health and physical fitness have an impact on the ability to achieve academically. Because of the recent pressures of No Child Left Behind, many schools have opted to limit the amount of time students spend in physical education classes and recess. With the increased percentages of students who suffer from diabetes and other health related risks, eliminating or reducing physical activity from the school day is not the answer. Data was collected from 90 students (46 males and 44 females) during the 2009-2010 school year by using the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Test, …

An Analysis Of Pastor Sunhee Gwark’S Sermons By Using Hermeneutic Methods Of Practical Theology For Improving Sermon Paradigm, Jinhyu Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to analyze the sermons of Sunhee Gwark, the former senior pastor of So-Mang church, into hermeneutic methods of practical theology for improving sermon paradigm. The relationship between the world of Scripture and the world of audience was investigated and the world of audience was valued equally with the world of Scripture in sermon. In order to analyze Gwark's sermons, the standards of evaluating sermon were provided. An improved sermon paradigm was suggested and the author wants this study to contribute to refreshing sermons to be balanced between the world of Scripture and that of …

The Effects Of The Implementation Of Nclb On The Achievement Gap Between African American And White Students In Georgia Middle Schools, Stacey Lee Benson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between the implementation of No Child Left Behind and the achievement gap between African American and white students' eighth-grade math scores on the yearly-standardized test (Criterion Referenced Competency Test - CRCT) in Georgia. A descriptive research design was utilized to examine data obtained from the Georgia Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report cards for each school. The research population was 50 randomly selected middle schools in the state of Georgia. The study found the following: 1) there was an achievement gap between eighth-grade African American and white students' math CRCT scores before the implementation of NCLB …

Influence Of Assessment For Learning Professional Development In Rural Georgia Public Schools, Marianne W. Cole

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the effect of two models of professional development concerning Assessment for Learning on teacher perception of the effectiveness of Assessment for Learning strategies and student achievement as measured by standardized Georgia End of Course Tests. The study hypothesized that a positive relationship exists between teacher perception of the benefit of Assessment for Learning strategies and increased student achievement as measured by student performance on standardized Georgia End of Course Tests. The study hypothesized that a positive relationship exists between teacher participation in Assessment for Learning professional development and teacher positive perception of the benefit of Assessment for …

Through The Looking Glass: Finding And Freeing Modern-Day Slaves At The State Level, Michelle L. Rickert

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article delves into the interaction between federal and state laws prohibiting human trafficking. The article advocates for comprehensive human trafficking laws at the state level, including police training, victim aftercare, forfeiture, and prosecution as essential elements. It looks comprehensively at the existing state laws prohibiting human trafficking. Additionally it examines the five existing models for state law and suggests benefits and potential improvements for each model. The article concludes y advocating a holistic law prohibiting human trafficking in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

De Anima, Dna: A Modified Stump/Aquinas Hylomorphic Model, The Soul And The Identity Of Human Persons, Resurrected, Matthew Grant Mcdaniel

Masters Theses

In contemporary metaphysics, there are two popular options for personal numerical identity (NID) over time: substance dualism and materialism. According to recent arguments by some Christian philosophers, both options conflict with the Christian doctrine of the bodily resurrection. Substance dualism trivializes the physical body for NID (when it has some kind of role in the bodily resurrection), and also is seen to conflict with modern neuroscience. But NID and mind cannot be continued solely by the material body, as versions of the Replacement Argument (from Richard Swinburne and Alvin Plantinga) show. There are good aspects to both options, especially with …

Farewell To An Old Friend: Remembering Antony Flew, Gary R. Habermas

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

201018 Obiter Dicta: Fireworks In July 2010, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Mayfield's Four Questions (M4q) On Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy And Multiple-Choice Test Scores, Linda Riggs Mayfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effects of being taught the Mayfield's Four Questions multiple-choice test-taking strategy on the perceived self-efficacy and multiple-choice test scores of nursing students in a two-year associate degree program. Experimental and control groups were chosen by stratified random sampling. Subjects completed the 10-statement General Self-Efficacy survey and two additional statements based on guidelines by the survey authors and self-efficacy theorist Albert Bandura. The intervention consisted of weekly half-hour sessions to learn and practice M4Q. Survey data was statistically analyzed by group and by statement. Multiple-choice test scores were analyzed by group, level, test and test group. Statistically …

Coaching Bivocational Ministers For Greater Ministry Effectiveness, Dennis Bickers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to explore the benefits of coaching as a technique to better equip bivocational ministers for greater ministry effectiveness. The author of this project was a bivocational pastor for twenty years and has written on bivocational and small church ministry. Five bivocational ministers in the United States and Canada were coached as part of this project, and this paper will describe the issues that were addressed in the coaching relationship, the benefits the bivocational ministers enjoyed as a result of coaching, and the lessons learned.

Church Growth Through Social Welfare In South Korean Churches: Its Situation And Reformation Plan, Insu Kang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to help church's growth by observing, analyzing and applying the situation of Korean church's social welfare programs. Korean churches are getting interested in social welfare and operating social welfare programs voluntarily to help the neighbors. They are spreading gospel of Jesus and growing through social welfare activities. However, many churches are struggling to find suitable social welfare programs for them. The author will examine the meaning of church social welfare and biblical basis and compare social welfare situation of Korean churches and American churches to research and apply for suitable programs for Korean churches.

A Strategy For Training Hispanic Laymen To Minister In The United States, James Beryl Boswell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current literature shows that little material is available for the training of Latino Laymen to minister in Spanish here in the United States. The purpose of this project is to focus on the urgent need for training Hispanics with meager educational opportunities to minister to the overwhelming immigration of Latinos who lack in education also. This strategy is developed in regard to the nature of the project, its common elements, and the adequate strategizing in preparation of the project. Based on interviews, testimonies and personal counseling with Latino Layman and teachers,the project reviews, textbooks, religious journals, blogs, …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Attitudes & Perceptions Of Middle School Students Towards The Character, Advocacy, Remediation, Enrichment, & School Spirit (Cares) Program, Nathan John Buhl

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological research study, using three tiers of interview and focus group data, described the attitudes and perceptions of middle students towards the Character, Advisory, Remediation, Enrichment, and School Spirit (CARES) program implemented at a rural middle school in north Georgia. The CARES program is a middle school advisement program designed to better meet the needs of the adolescent learner with the intent of creating a caring learning community which supports the social, emotional, and academic needs of middle school students. Results of the study showed that the students perceived the CARES program positively. Specifically, students communicated high levels of …

The Effects Of An Afterschool Program On Standardized Testing And Behavior Of Middle School At-Risk Students In A Rural County In Georgia, Tracy Deanna Horton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect an afterschool program had on middle school at-risk students' standardized test scores and behavior. The study examined students who participated in the 21st Century Community Learning Center afterschool program at two similar schools in a county in Northwest Georgia. Data were compiled for the two school years, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. The researcher compared students' math and reading CRCT scale scores from before and after they attended an afterschool program; the number of office referrals for students from before and after they attended the afterschool program were also compared. The researcher …

The Development Of A New Performance-Based Test For Measuring Emotional Intelligence: Humility-Empathy-Assertiveness-Respect Test, Hitomi Makino

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A critical review of literature revealed a lack of performance-based Emotional Intelligence (EI) test which assesses core relationship abilities. The purpose of this study was to attend to this need by developing a new measurement, the Humility-Empathy-Assertiveness-Respect Test (HEART). As a preliminary investigation, this study explored psychometric properties of the HEART. Support for the Discriminant validity was obtained as it correlated with the IQ test as well as other EI tests that differ in various aspects from the HEART. Support for the convergent validity was partially obtained as the empathy subscale correlated with relationship satisfaction and attachment avoidance. While revisions …

The Effects Of The Graduation Coach On The Attendance And Math And Reading Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test Scores Of At-Risk Students In A North Georgia Middle School, Melissa Clark Travillian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Until graduation coaches were added to all Georgia high schools for the 2006-2007 school year, the state of Georgia had one of the lowest graduation rates in the United States. After the high school graduation coaches were found to be successful in decreasing the dropout rate, coaches were added at the middle school level beginning in the 2008-2009 school year. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the middle school graduation coach on the attendance and the math and reading CRCT scores of the at-risk student. A control group of at-risk students that did not receive …