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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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The Cultural Appropriations Of Organic Church Leadership, Rhythms, And Methodologies Into The Traditional Church Model, Aaron Lewis Aug 2018

The Cultural Appropriations Of Organic Church Leadership, Rhythms, And Methodologies Into The Traditional Church Model, Aaron Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Within this thesis project an engagement with organic church structures, in relation to elements of leadership replication and natural rhythms of life, which are foundational to organic church expressions, will be explored. The metanarrative of leadership replication strategies and methodological elements which are foundational to the bio-communities contained within the context of simple and organic church expressions will be evaluated for their replication within the traditional church context. The intention of this thesis is to provide traditional church communities with crossover methodologies from organic church gatherings for the development of replicating leadership as well as holistic biblical communities.


A Causal-Comparative Study On The Effects Of Prekindergarten On Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (Kra) Social Foundation Scores, Sabrina Miller Aug 2018

A Causal-Comparative Study On The Effects Of Prekindergarten On Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (Kra) Social Foundation Scores, Sabrina Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A student’s educational development is brought on through learning experiences and lessons that enhance school readiness and set the tone for the remainder of that student’s life. School readiness begins with attendance in a preschool environment. Although not mandatory, the educational journey can begin in prekindergarten where children are exposed to a variety of lessons and experiences that enhance literacy, social, math, and physical skills. This study examined the impact that prekindergarten had on the social and behavior skills, also known as social foundations using a causal-comparative design. Specifically, this study determined if there was a difference among the Kindergarten …


How The Leadership Of A Character Development Curriculum Effects The Standardized Test Scores Among 3rd Grade Students, Bonnie Sypolt Aug 2018

How The Leadership Of A Character Development Curriculum Effects The Standardized Test Scores Among 3rd Grade Students, Bonnie Sypolt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental causal-comparative study sought to determine if character development curriculum directly impacted student success, specifically in the area of academics through standardized test scores. Many articles presented an explanation regarding the need for character development curriculum, but very little research has been done regarding the positive academic impact on standardized test scores. By utilizing a quantitative design, standardized test scores for 168 students in third grade were collected from one school district and analyzed to determine a difference between scores in Language Arts and Math through the statistical MANOVA test. The standardized test scores for the …


When Professional And Personal Values Collide: A Thematic Analysis Of Counseling Students' Developmental Journey Through An Ethics Course, Patricia Kimball Aug 2018

When Professional And Personal Values Collide: A Thematic Analysis Of Counseling Students' Developmental Journey Through An Ethics Course, Patricia Kimball

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Ethical practice is a foundational value in the profession of counseling. Ethics education is provided throughout graduate school and considered mandatory in most states to maintain a license. Even with this emphasis on ethics education, violations continue, putting the welfare of clients, communities, the profession and the counselor in jeopardy. One complicating factor in ethics is the difficulty found in addressing values, beliefs, and attitudes during graduate programs. These student dispositions are even more complex to address when values lie at the core of ethical dilemmas. This study examines the writings of master’s level counseling students at the end of …


The Relationship Between The Aggregated University Average Gre And The Completion Of A Doctoral Degree In Education, Terri Wallace Aug 2018

The Relationship Between The Aggregated University Average Gre And The Completion Of A Doctoral Degree In Education, Terri Wallace

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A significant amount of research has been documented on both attrition and retention of doctoral students. The attrition of doctoral students is a loss to society and academia when the prospective scholar does not complete the rigors of the dissertation journey. The time and money invested by the graduate students and the university is of no true value unless the terminal degrees are completed. The correlation study investigated the relationship between average admissions Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores and the completion of doctoral degrees in education. There is a very limited amount of research on the completion of doctoral degrees …


An Analysis Of Grit Scores On First-Year Undergraduate Students' Persistence At A Large Private University, Nina Shenkle Aug 2018

An Analysis Of Grit Scores On First-Year Undergraduate Students' Persistence At A Large Private University, Nina Shenkle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student persistence in higher education has become an increasingly high priority as institutions seek to improve undergraduate completion rates. Traditionally, cognitive abilities such as aptitude and intelligence have been used to measure and predict whether a student will be successful in college. However, there is evidence that noncognitive abilities such as determination or effort are as important and as indicative of success as cognitive abilities. This nonexperimental, causal-comparative study utilized a multivariate analysis of variance to analyze archival data of 832 undergraduate students from a large private university to determine the differences between the overall grit score, perseverance of effort …


Predicting Enrollment Yield At A Faith-Based Institution: A Correlational Study, Timothy Rees Aug 2018

Predicting Enrollment Yield At A Faith-Based Institution: A Correlational Study, Timothy Rees

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Lifetime earnings of Americans increase when they hold the credential of a bachelor’s degree. Understanding what factors likely lead to successful candidacy for said degree has been the subject of study in higher education for more than three quarters of a century. With the advent of affirmative action in the late 1960s, issues of access to higher education were somewhat mitigated and the field began to focus on issues of persistence to graduation. From Tinto’s (1975) interactionalist theory of student departure through the present day, a plethora of studies have explored and uncovered many factors that are relevant to persistence. …


The Relationship Between Self-Regulation And Perceived Autonomy Of Psychological Well-Being Among Fifth Grade Christian Private School Students, Benedetto Mongiovi Aug 2018

The Relationship Between Self-Regulation And Perceived Autonomy Of Psychological Well-Being Among Fifth Grade Christian Private School Students, Benedetto Mongiovi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Increased anxiety, depression, and maladaptive ways of coping among children are evidence of an increase in poor psychological well-being. The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to examine the theory of self-determination that relates natural and intrinsic tendencies of students to behave in an effective and healthy autonomy-supportive way, by examining the predictive relationship of perceived autonomy-support, self-regulation, and psychological well-being of fifth grade Christian private school students. The criterion variable was defined as psychological well-being in this study. The predictor variables were perceived autonomy-support and self-regulation. Data were collected to facilitate this study from 124 fifth grade students …


The Relationship Between Grade Point Average And Understanding Of Homework's Purpose And Management In Economically Disadvantaged High School Students, Diane Bush Aug 2018

The Relationship Between Grade Point Average And Understanding Of Homework's Purpose And Management In Economically Disadvantaged High School Students, Diane Bush

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a key measure of academic achievement, grade point average (GPA), could accurately be predicted from a linear combination of understanding homework’s purpose as measured by the Homework Purpose Scale (HPS) and by the student’s approach to homework management and homework behaviors as measured by the Homework Management Scale (HMS). This quantitative study is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey design comprised of two previously established valid and reliable scales: the Homework Purpose Scale and the Homework Management Scale. The study’s design is correlational using a sample (N = 300) of pre-existing high school …


"I Refuse To Die": Exploring The Relationship Between Spirituality And Persistence Among African American Ph.D. Students And Graduates, Kerley Perminio Most Aug 2018

"I Refuse To Die": Exploring The Relationship Between Spirituality And Persistence Among African American Ph.D. Students And Graduates, Kerley Perminio Most

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American doctoral students experience the highest levels of attrition (60%) in the nation and the most social and academic challenges in higher education. Concurrently, research supports that African Americans are among the most spiritual people in America. This study applied hierarchical logistic regression to investigate the relationship between spirituality and persistence among African American doctoral students (N = 179). Tinto’s model of attrition, a systematic framework to predict degree completion based on suicide theory, was employed. Reliable instruments, the Institutional Integration Scale and the Spirituality Scale, were utilized. Results revealed that (a) different levels of spirituality were related to …


An Examination Of Concussion Understanding Among Parents Of High School Female Student Athletes, Kelly Hartley Aug 2018

An Examination Of Concussion Understanding Among Parents Of High School Female Student Athletes, Kelly Hartley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Few online concussion education programs have been developed specifically for parents, and those that have been tend to neglect the fact that concussion rates are higher in female rather than male student athletes (Donaldson et al., 2016; Macdonald & Hauber, 2016; Williamson et al., 2014). This quantitative study is important because it addressed gaps in the concussion education literature. The purpose of this study was to examine whether concussion symptoms knowledge and general youth sports-related concussion knowledge was significantly higher among parents of female student athletes who watched the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Heads Up concussion videos (intervention …


The Predictive Relationship Between Student Engagement Scores And Pass/Fail Rates Of A Credit Recovery Course Among High School Students, Tara Douds Aug 2018

The Predictive Relationship Between Student Engagement Scores And Pass/Fail Rates Of A Credit Recovery Course Among High School Students, Tara Douds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between Finn’s conceptual framework of student engagement as it relates to the pass/fail rate of an online credit recovery course. A logistic regression was utilized in this study. The predictor variable was student engagement of high school students. The criterion variable was the pass/fail rate of a credit recovery course. The participants included a nonrandom sample of 49 students from two public high schools. The students completed the Motivation and Engagement Scale – High School (MES-HS) survey comprised of 44 questions, which measured student motivation and engagement. The …


A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Novice Teachers Administrative Support Experiences In High-Poverty High-Minority Rural South Carolina Schools, Celestine Lavan Aug 2018

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Novice Teachers Administrative Support Experiences In High-Poverty High-Minority Rural South Carolina Schools, Celestine Lavan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to develop a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of novice teachers who remain teaching in high-poverty, high-minority rural schools in South Carolina in relation to the administrative support they received. The research questions guiding this study are: (1) How do novice teachers describe their administrative support experiences in high-poverty, high-minority schools? (2) How do novice teachers in high-poverty, high-minority rural schools describe administrative emotional and social support experiences? (3) How do novice teachers in high-poverty, high-minority rural schools describe administrative instructional support experiences in high-poverty, high-minority rural schools? This study intended …


Finding Their Place: An Ethnographic Study Of The Culture Of Students Attending A Rural, Self-Paced, Alternative Evening High School, Teena Atkins Aug 2018

Finding Their Place: An Ethnographic Study Of The Culture Of Students Attending A Rural, Self-Paced, Alternative Evening High School, Teena Atkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to provide a cultural portrait as well as identify methods of success of nontraditional students attending a self-paced, alternative evening high school in the southeast region of the United States in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. An ethnographic research design was utilized employing data triangulation through observations, interviews, focus group, and journals as methods of data collection. Participants included nontraditional students who were currently attending or recently graduated from an alternative evening high school in the southeast region of the United States. This study sought to better understand what factors contributed to …


Teachers’ Perceptions Of Effective Student Support Systems By Availability Of Student Support Facilitators, Marsha Joyce-Tatum Aug 2018

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Effective Student Support Systems By Availability Of Student Support Facilitators, Marsha Joyce-Tatum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student support systems are designed to improve struggling students’ performance and should be used by general and special education teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of student support system frameworks in a rural school district in a Mid-Atlantic state with a full-time or part-time student support facilitator. This study will provide educational leaders with information on teachers’ perceptions concerning student support systems, in order to support creation of improved staff development efforts that will influence effective teacher use of student support systems. Teachers’ perceptions of their training, special education eligibility, and framework weaknesses in student …


How Intra-District School Choice And Competition Among Schools Impacts School Leadership: A Case Study Of Secondary School Principals, Chris Kohan Aug 2018

How Intra-District School Choice And Competition Among Schools Impacts School Leadership: A Case Study Of Secondary School Principals, Chris Kohan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, explanatory case study was to describe how traditional, magnet, and charter school principals in one Delaware school district responded to an environment of total school choice and how they made sense of their roles as a principal in the era of school choice. Hess’s (2010) organizational theory was the theoretical foundation for this study as selective enrollment schools, such as magnet and charter schools, would have direct and indirect effects on traditional schools The research questions for this study were: (a) How do traditional, magnet, and charter school principals make sense of the competition generated …


The Relationship Between Parental Expectations And Post-Secondary Choices Of High School Seniors, Katherine Clophus Aug 2018

The Relationship Between Parental Expectations And Post-Secondary Choices Of High School Seniors, Katherine Clophus

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Parental involvement is a driving force in guiding the post-secondary plans of high school students. Although there are current studies that examine the link between parental involvement and the choice of secondary students to pursue college as well as parental involvement and students’ future career choice decisions, little research is available addressing whether parental involvement influences students to pursue careers contrary to the students’ wishes. Research shows that as students move into middle and high school, parental involvement in the form of parental expectations becomes important and often guides much of students’ decision making. This correlational study sought to determine …


The Relationship Between Teacher-Assigned Course Grades And The Ohio Air End Of Course 8th Grade Science Test, Mark Potts Aug 2018

The Relationship Between Teacher-Assigned Course Grades And The Ohio Air End Of Course 8th Grade Science Test, Mark Potts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For over a century, teacher-assigned grades have been criticized and maligned as a subjective hodgepodge of academic and non-academic factors that varied from teacher to teacher and generally failed to communicate student academic achievement. Standardized tests focused more objectively on student achievement rather than leveling the playing field by eliminating the subjectivity it seems to have tilted it in favor of white middle-class students. The purpose of this correlational study was to better understand the relationship between standardized tests and teacher assigned grades. This study examined the Ohio End-of-Course exams for 8th grade Science and the teacher assigned final grades …


The Effects Of An Online Math Intervention On The Math Anxiety Levels Of Community College Students, Rita Love Aug 2018

The Effects Of An Online Math Intervention On The Math Anxiety Levels Of Community College Students, Rita Love

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Finding an inexpensive, timely, and effective intervention to reduce math anxiety in community college students is a worthwhile endeavor. Math anxiety left unattended can lead to the conscious and deliberate avoidance of math-heavy educational programs and careers. Previous investigations in math anxiety interventions have overlooked the potential for mastery learning-based online modules to reduce math anxiety. The purpose of this two-factor quasi-experimental posttest-only control group study is to investigate whether participation in Let’s Go Racing, a mastery learning-inspired intervention designed to prepare students for gateway math courses, affects math anxiety levels and whether the potential effect differs for male and …


When Professional And Personal Values Collide: A Thematic Analysis Of Counseling Students' Developmental Journey Through An Ethics Course, Patricia Kimball Aug 2018

When Professional And Personal Values Collide: A Thematic Analysis Of Counseling Students' Developmental Journey Through An Ethics Course, Patricia Kimball

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Ethical practice is a foundational value in the profession of counseling. Ethics education is provided throughout graduate school and considered mandatory in most states to maintain a license. Even with this emphasis on ethics education, violations continue, putting the welfare of clients, communities, the profession and the counselor in jeopardy. One complicating factor in ethics is the difficulty found in addressing values, beliefs, and attitudes during graduate programs. These student dispositions are even more complex to address when values lie at the core of ethical dilemmas. This study examines the writings of master’s level counseling students at the end of …


Examining The Role Of Shame In Somatic Pain And Symptoms, Heather Fritch Jul 2018

Examining The Role Of Shame In Somatic Pain And Symptoms, Heather Fritch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Shame has been linked to several types of psychopathology, however its role in health and wellness is less understood. This study sought to answer the following questions to bring further theoretical understanding to the unique features that shame plays in somatic pain and symptoms. First, does internalized shame predict somatic pain and symptoms? Second, does externalized shame predict somatic pain and symptoms? Third, does internalized shame predict a greater influence over somatic pain and symptoms than externalized shame? Lastly, does externalized shame moderate the relationship between internalized shame and somatic pain and symptoms? This study revealed that internalized and externalized …


The Impact Of Refusal Of Accommodations By High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disturbance, Or Other Health Impairment On Their Attendance And Discipline Referral Rates, Lucheia Graves Jul 2018

The Impact Of Refusal Of Accommodations By High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disturbance, Or Other Health Impairment On Their Attendance And Discipline Referral Rates, Lucheia Graves

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The inclusion of students with learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, and other health impairments in general education classrooms is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. For the majority of these students with disabilities, accommodations are necessary for them to achieve the same academic successes as their nondisabled peers. Therefore, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is put into place for students that mandates specific accommodations essential for each formally identified student for an equal chance to succeed academically. Unfortunately, there are instances when high school students with a learning disability (LD), emotional behavioral disabilities (ED), or other health impairment (OHI) …


The Relationship Between Teacher Pedagogy Skills, As Reported By The Network For Educator Effectiveness Teacher Evaluation System, And Eighth Grade Science Achievement Scores In Missouri, Grant Stock Jul 2018

The Relationship Between Teacher Pedagogy Skills, As Reported By The Network For Educator Effectiveness Teacher Evaluation System, And Eighth Grade Science Achievement Scores In Missouri, Grant Stock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Every year in thousands of schools across the United States high stake decisions are made regarding the retention, promotion, professional development, and training of staff using teacher evaluation instruments. Therefore, it is vital to determine if these evaluation instruments as well as the teaching strategies they measure are effective in improving student achievement. The purpose of this study was to see if there is a correlation between the scores eighth grade science teachers receive on the Network for Educator Effectiveness observation instrument for the teaching practices of cognitive engagement, problem solving and critical thinking, and formative assessment and how well …


Investigating Predictive Factors For Online College Coursework Success Among High School Students, Kenneth Tidwell Jul 2018

Investigating Predictive Factors For Online College Coursework Success Among High School Students, Kenneth Tidwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study seeks to examine the relationship of motivation and self-regulated learning with online college course completion among dual enrolled high school students in Northwest Iowa. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a predictive relationship between high school student self-efficacy, intrinsic value, test anxiety, cognitive strategy usage and self-regulation strategy usage and successful completion of an online college course. A predictive correlational study was performed. A convenient sample of 23 high school students from one urban Northwest Iowa school district was utilized. Students were surveyed regarding these traits using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire …


The Effects Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Supports On Students With Emotional Behavior Disorders In Elementary Schools, Marva Clarke Howard Jul 2018

The Effects Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Supports On Students With Emotional Behavior Disorders In Elementary Schools, Marva Clarke Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (SWPBIS) in elementary schools for students with Emotional Behavior Disorders (EBD) that engaged in poor adaptive behaviors. Therefore, the researcher seeked to determine if there existed a difference in the overall adaptive scores of elementary students with EBD who attended a SWPBIS school and a non-SWPBIS school. The purpose of this research study was to determine if the implementation of SWPBIS decreased the poor adaptive scores among students with EBD and if lower adaptive scores decreased the chance of disruptive and violent behaviors. …


Cultural Based Discipling According To The Strategies Of Jesus, Jonathan Smith Jul 2018

Cultural Based Discipling According To The Strategies Of Jesus, Jonathan Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many newly planted and existing churches in America have difficulty developing a discipleship culture. They focus on weekly worship gatherings and Bible Study classes. Gathering for worship and Bible Study is needed and right, but when this is the only activity, discipleship and a holistic healthy church culture is not occurring. Unfortunately, many churches engage in a consumer-driven culture with people unwilling to be in a sacrificial discipleship process for the Gospel’s sake. Jesus had four primary strategies for developing disciples. They are the gathered strategy, the small group strategy, the mentoring strategy and the sending strategy. Each is part …


A Correlational Study Of 5th Students' Handwriting Legibility And Scores On Writing Samples In A Northwest Georgia School, Julia Houston Jul 2018

A Correlational Study Of 5th Students' Handwriting Legibility And Scores On Writing Samples In A Northwest Georgia School, Julia Houston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the relationship between legibility in handwriting scores and compositional scores of students in grade five in one Northwest Georgia school. The ability to recall and write the letters automatically may impact the composing skills of students engaged in the writing process. Handwriting, often considered a motor skill in young children, may have a greater impact on literacy learning than is often considered. The strong connection to literacy learning along with the importance as a skill in communications both contribute to the importance of this study. Data was collected from one elementary school in Northwest Georgia. The school …


An Analysis Of Fraud Prevention And Detection In Not-For-Profit Organizations In The State Of South Carolina, Mary Gibson Jul 2018

An Analysis Of Fraud Prevention And Detection In Not-For-Profit Organizations In The State Of South Carolina, Mary Gibson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzed fraud detection and prevention techniques and analyzed if there was a relationship between the techniques and the detection of fraud. The combined techniques were fraud risk assessment, fraud risk register, code of conduct, fraud assessment training, whistle-blower policy, fraud control plan, fraud control policy, and internal control review. Nonprofits are vulnerable to fraud and costly for the organizations that rely heavily on donations to provide needed services or goods to a community. Through analyzing 109 nonprofits surveyed in South Carolina, the researcher found 59 reported fraud occurrences and 86 percent were using fraud detection and prevention techniques. …


A Phenomenological Investigation Of Homeschooling And The Social Behavior And Peer Relations Of Homeschooled College Students, Angelo Salvo Jul 2018

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Homeschooling And The Social Behavior And Peer Relations Of Homeschooled College Students, Angelo Salvo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Homeschooling is a rapidly-growing educational phenomenon in the United States that has attracted much attention. Parents who home school their children do so for a variety of reasons. Multiple studies have demonstrated that homeschooled youth performed academically at similar or better levels than students educated in mainstream schools. There is a dearth of studies which describes the social adjustment or socialization of homeschooled students when they reach college. The hermeneutical phenomenology presented here explored the social and academic experiences of college and university students living away from home who received a home education at some point during their K-12 educational …


Differences Between Self-Efficacy And Course Engagement Scores Among Postsecondary Academic Cohorts Of Athletic Training Students, John Coots Jul 2018

Differences Between Self-Efficacy And Course Engagement Scores Among Postsecondary Academic Cohorts Of Athletic Training Students, John Coots

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Athletic Training Students’ (ATS) self-efficacy and course engagement during their educational development and clinical experiences influence their ability to provide proficient health care for physically active individuals. The various classifications of postsecondary academic cohorts of ATS enrolled within Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited postsecondary Athletic Training Programs (ATP) portray divergent levels of self-efficacy and student course engagement. The purpose of this research study was to investigate differences between perceived self-efficacy and course engagement scores among postsecondary academic cohorts. A quantitative, causal-comparative research study employed two survey instruments: The College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) developed by Owen …