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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Leadership And Organizational Commitment In Employees Of Faith-Based Organizations, Kimberly Ann Maiocco Nov 2017

A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Leadership And Organizational Commitment In Employees Of Faith-Based Organizations, Kimberly Ann Maiocco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The objective of this research was to examine the relationship between leadership practice and organizational commitment in employees in faith-based organizations. The research utilized Bass and Avolio's Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Leader Form and Meyer and Allen’s Three-Component Model (TCM) Employee Commitment Survey. The purpose of the research was to determine whether there was a relationship between leadership style and organizational commitment. Attributed idealized influence (IIA), behavioral idealized influence (IIB), inspirational motivation (IM), and contingent reward (CR) predicted affective commitment. Attributed idealized influence (IIA), inspirational motivation (IM), intellectual stimulation (IS), individual consideration (IC), active management-by-exception (MBEA), and transactional leadership predicted …


Community Relational Soul Care: A Transformational Paradigm For Restoring God's People To Spiritual Vitality, Julie Ann Larsen Nov 2017

Community Relational Soul Care: A Transformational Paradigm For Restoring God's People To Spiritual Vitality, Julie Ann Larsen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This ministry project is a transformational paradigm for relational soul care in a community that partners with mentors to restore God’s children to spiritual vitality for the fulfillment of His plan. The reason for this topic is that after counseling, people still need continued soul care; without continued soul care, they falter, get frustrated, and fall back into unhealthy behaviors. In this research approach, the care seeker is placed with a mentor and a community fellowship group until they flourish in their time. The research method will be a twenty-question Likert Scale Interview for two fellowship groups: men and women. …


Reaching The Thai People Of Southeast Asia: A Model For Discipleship And Leadership Training, Duane D. Carmody Nov 2017

Reaching The Thai People Of Southeast Asia: A Model For Discipleship And Leadership Training, Duane D. Carmody

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis addresses training the Thai national leadership in discipleship and leadership qualities to develop a church planting movement with the main goal of evangelizing the unreached people groups throughout the countries of China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. The Thai have become dependent on foreign funds and though they are an independent people, they are beginning to realize that there are strings attached—with money comes control. The model will be built around a sustainable farm, which will help in developing vocational skills in order to become indigenous and autonomous. In this thesis it is my purpose to present a …


Student Engagement: An Assessment Of Motivation Processes During Late Elementary School, Christine A. Akagi Nov 2017

Student Engagement: An Assessment Of Motivation Processes During Late Elementary School, Christine A. Akagi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Based in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Effectance Theories, this correlational study of student engagement assessed the impacts of basic psychological need satisfaction upon engagement in the context of prior achievement during late elementary school. The purpose of the study is to offer another tool for educators to use as they continue personalizing interventions. Multiple regression analyses assessed the predictive value of prior achievement levels alongside present satisfaction levels of each basic psychological need – autonomy, competence, and relatedness – upon engagement. In post-hoc analyses, The Johnson-Neyman technique was also used for the purpose of determining regions of significance across the …


Doxology And Discipleship: Principles For How The Worship Leader Functions Pastorally, Robert Balentine Sep 2017

Doxology And Discipleship: Principles For How The Worship Leader Functions Pastorally, Robert Balentine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Christian worshipers and clergy misunderstand or undervalue the role that the worship leader has as a pastor and one that helps shepherd and shape the doctrinal beliefs of the church. Likewise, this could lead the worship leader to fail to take an intentional approach to worship planning. This lack of understanding and intentionality helps to contribute to the shallow or flawed theology and biblical illiteracy that plagues the church in America. This topic was chosen to demonstrate how music and song are highly effective tools for pastoring and teaching. This project will highlight three principles for how the worship …


A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Pre-Service Physical Educators' Perceptions Of Their Professional Preparedness, Geoffrey Hampson Sep 2017

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Pre-Service Physical Educators' Perceptions Of Their Professional Preparedness, Geoffrey Hampson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to capture the essence of the perceptions of 11 pre-service physical educators in the final field placement and clinical practices of their undergraduate degree program at the University of Redbank, the University of Peters, and Ina University where they prepared to become professional educators. Pseudonyms protected the names of the participants and institutions. The theoretical framework guiding this study was social cognitive theory. The research questions were (a) How do the attitudes and beliefs of teaching physical education as pre-service physical educators influence their knowledge and skill development for classroom preparedness? (b) …


Perceived Knowledge And Perceptions Of Palliative Care Among Advanced Practice Cardiac Providers, Jordan Vance Sep 2017

Perceived Knowledge And Perceptions Of Palliative Care Among Advanced Practice Cardiac Providers, Jordan Vance

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Providers of healthcare have continued to focus on addressing patients’ chronic health outcomes. When understanding how to manage chronic disease, there remains many opportunities in facilitation of better management. With such a wide range of individuals who suffer with a chronic condition, better management to address this population is essential. Palliative care aids in accomplishing this task. It was seen that there was a lack of education in relation to palliative care, with perceptions that continued to be a barrier to the utilization of the service. Due to the lack in education, the strongest barrier to palliative care service utilization …


Corporatization Of The Church Compromises Christian’S Priorities, Purpose, And Practices, Edwin Alston Sep 2017

Corporatization Of The Church Compromises Christian’S Priorities, Purpose, And Practices, Edwin Alston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In effort to mainstream its exposure, income, agenda, and influence among the people all over the world, some churches have embraced a corporate model in operating and ministering to the masses. Corporatization advocates business mindset, which leads to less sensitivity to building a relationship with God. This trend focuses on revenue and the bottom line. By seeking a self-gratifying importance in society, a growing number of churches are no longer the institution that houses individuals who serve as the salt of the earth and light of the world. This strategy minimizes spiritual formation and discipleship in order to promote a …


Five Steps For Developing Biblical Pastoral Leadership Teams Within South Korean Presbyterian Churches, Yeongkwang Yoon Sep 2017

Five Steps For Developing Biblical Pastoral Leadership Teams Within South Korean Presbyterian Churches, Yeongkwang Yoon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to suggest five steps for developing biblical pastoral leadership teams within South Korean Presbyterian churches, which are presently stagnating and declining under their non-biblical leadership. Growth of a church is directly dependent upon a healthy body of leaders who reflect sound biblical leadership, and the senior pastors of South Korean Presbyterian churches must intentionally conform all non-biblical leadership styles within their churches to biblical pastoral leadership. This project will attempt to provide the pastors of South Korean Presbyterian churches five steps for developing a biblical pastoral leadership team by identifying the relationship between church …


A Phenomenological Study Of Military Veteran Student Attrition At Western Virginia Community Colleges, Gordon Cavendish Sep 2017

A Phenomenological Study Of Military Veteran Student Attrition At Western Virginia Community Colleges, Gordon Cavendish

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of “discontinued enrollment” for military veteran students at western Virginia community colleges. The theory guiding this study was Schlossberg’s (1981) transition theory, as the military veteran students were in transition from the military to the community college. The research questions were, how did military veterans describe their experiences at the community college, and what factors did military veterans identify as influencing their decision to discontinue enrollment? The methodology chosen was transcendental phenomenology which followed a focused structure and data collection methods including interviews, a questionnaire, member checks, and collection …


New Horizons In A Next Generation School: A Case Study Of Rural Alabama Middle School Students In A Transformational Initiative, Jack Lamey Sep 2017

New Horizons In A Next Generation School: A Case Study Of Rural Alabama Middle School Students In A Transformational Initiative, Jack Lamey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand non-mastery for students in the mBolden Academic Model at Piedmont City Middle School (PCMS). The following research questions guided this study: How does the mBolden Academic Model influence student success at Piedmont City Middle School? Furthermore, this study has answered the following sub-questions: What internal factors affect student success and failure in the mBolden Academic Model? What external factors influence success for students in the mBolden? This study examined a bounded set of students at a rural school in Northeast Alabama that implemented a mastery-based, blended learning model. Data collection included …


The Relationship Between Religious Commitment And Bible Literacy In Suburban New York And New Jersey Christian High School Juniors And Seniors, Pradeep Emmanuel Stephen Sep 2017

The Relationship Between Religious Commitment And Bible Literacy In Suburban New York And New Jersey Christian High School Juniors And Seniors, Pradeep Emmanuel Stephen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This correlative study explored the relationship between the religious commitment of junior and senior Christian high school students and their level of Bible literacy as indicated by their respective scores on the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) and Assessment of Bible Knowledge Test (ABKT). Using a non-parametric Spearman’s rho statistic for a correlation test, the study fills a gap in the literature by analyzing the strength of the relationship between students’ levels of Bible literacy and outcomes on the specific religiosity subscales on the DUREL instrument, including Organizational Religious Activity (ORA), Non-Organizational Activity (NORA) and Intrinsic Religiosity (IR). A non-random …


Attitudes Towards Care Of Dying Patients Among Sophomore, Junior, And Senior Pre-Licensure Nursing Students At A Christian University While Controlling For Religiosity, Diane Bridge Sep 2017

Attitudes Towards Care Of Dying Patients Among Sophomore, Junior, And Senior Pre-Licensure Nursing Students At A Christian University While Controlling For Religiosity, Diane Bridge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a need for nurses who can effectively care for dying patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of nursing students towards providing care of dying patients while controlling for religiosity. The study used a quantitative causal-comparative research design using two administered questionnaires, the Frommelt’s Attitudes Towards Care of the Dying (FATCOD B) and the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). A convenience sample of 417 residential undergraduate nursing students were used in this study. The sample consisted of 137 sophomore, 142 junior, and 138 senior pre-licensure nursing students who attended a large Christian university located …


Teacher Experiences In Elementary Word Study Instruction: A Phenomenological Study, Gregory Mihalik Aug 2017

Teacher Experiences In Elementary Word Study Instruction: A Phenomenological Study, Gregory Mihalik

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of integrating word study spelling programs for second grade teachers across six elementary schools in Northern Virginia. Word study is a developmental spelling approach that can be used by teachers to differentiate instruction and meet student needs. Despite the growing popularity of the program and increased classroom application, many schools nationwide continue to use memory-based traditional methods. Based on a review of the word study literature, the study sought to describe the experience of second grade teachers implementing word study spelling instruction in their classrooms. This study explored the …


Comparing Traditional And Year-Round Academic Calendars In Regard To Student Achievement In Two Virginia High Schools: Is There A Difference?, Gregory Scott Morin Aug 2017

Comparing Traditional And Year-Round Academic Calendars In Regard To Student Achievement In Two Virginia High Schools: Is There A Difference?, Gregory Scott Morin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined possible differences between a traditional and a year-round academic calendar with regard to student achievement in two suburban high schools in northern Virginia. This study’s importance derives from the fact that additional exploration is needed in order to more fully explore the potential loss of learned knowledge and diminished retention and recall of instructional material in students who experience an extended summer vacation period as part of a traditional school calendar. The purpose of this non-experimental, ex post facto, causal-comparative study was to test the theory of German psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, called the spacing effect as it …


Exploring The Impact Of Undergraduate Intramural Sports On Undergraduate Students’ Perceived Sense Of Community: A Multiple Regression Analysis, Nathan Penland Aug 2017

Exploring The Impact Of Undergraduate Intramural Sports On Undergraduate Students’ Perceived Sense Of Community: A Multiple Regression Analysis, Nathan Penland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research has shown benefits to the student experience for college students when they participate in intramural sports on university campuses. These benefits include improved physical and social health as well as academic performance. This non-experimental, predictive correlational study sought to understand if a relationship exists between the predictive variables of length and frequency in intramural sports and sense of community as the criterion outcome with undergraduate students on private liberal arts campuses. Participants were undergraduate students from two institutions of similar size, and sense of community was measured by Chavis, Lee, and Acosta’s (2008) Sense of Community Index 2 (SCI-2) …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of The South Carolina U.S. History End Of Course Exam On High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Autonomy And Self-Efficacy, Debra Whitmore Aug 2017

A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of The South Carolina U.S. History End Of Course Exam On High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Autonomy And Self-Efficacy, Debra Whitmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the impact of the South Carolina U.S. History End of Course Exam (EOCE) on teachers’ perceptions of autonomy and self-efficacy for high school U.S. History teachers in the Midlands region of South Carolina. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s (1994) theory of self-efficacy as it explained the relationship between self-efficacy and effectiveness. There were 12 participants in this study who shared the lived experience of the U.S. History EOCE and related policies. Data were collected through individual interviews, focus group interviews, and relevant documents. The data were analyzed through …


Ten Essential Lessons Learned When Transitioning From A Long-Term Tenured Pastor In The African American Baptist Church, Marcus Allen Aug 2017

Ten Essential Lessons Learned When Transitioning From A Long-Term Tenured Pastor In The African American Baptist Church, Marcus Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When a pastor has a served long tenure at one church, the members hold this individual in high regard. He has conducted many marriages and countless burial ceremonies, baptized most of the membership, and have been there for the members and their families during their most difficult moments in life. When pastors are called to these churches, they are faced with several challenges. The church is unsure of the leadership ability of the new pastor, their expectations are high, congregants are hesitant to change things, and refuse to be challenged with new methods of doing ministry. This research is based …


Support With Fathering An Adolescent Daughter: A Heuristic Investigation Of Men's Experiences With A Targeted Fathering Intervention, Jeffrey Boatner Aug 2017

Support With Fathering An Adolescent Daughter: A Heuristic Investigation Of Men's Experiences With A Targeted Fathering Intervention, Jeffrey Boatner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This heuristic study explored and described the experiences of fathers who participated in an intervention designed to promote and improve their relationships with their adolescent daughter(s). Despite increasing interest in the distinct contribution that fathers make to the development and well-being of their children, the father-daughter relationship remains the least studied and least understood of all parent-child pairings. Paternal involvement is a powerfully protective influence for girls—particularly as girls enter into adolescence and prepare for adulthood—yet there remain few interventions that are specifically designed to support fathers at this critical time. This study examined the experiences of 11 fathers who …


A Study On The Factors Of Church Growth By Building Young Adults: The Case Of Busan Happy Church, Sung Kim Aug 2017

A Study On The Factors Of Church Growth By Building Young Adults: The Case Of Busan Happy Church, Sung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to suggest a church model that can raise up young adults based on a case study focusing on Busan Happy Church, which has experienced a great young adult revival amidst the reality of a decline in Korean churches. Korea has become an aging society due to a decreasing birthrate, and the Korean church is aging more rapidly than society is because young people continue to leave church. This researcher investigates reasons for the rapid decrease in the number of young adults in the Korean church, analyzing both the social and theological aspects in order …


Effects Of The Afterschool Program On Student Achievement Of Students With Disabilities In A Rural Georgia Middle School, Constance Franklin Aug 2017

Effects Of The Afterschool Program On Student Achievement Of Students With Disabilities In A Rural Georgia Middle School, Constance Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental causal comparative research study is to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in reading and math achievement as measured by the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students with disabilities (SWD) who attended the afterschool program of one rural Georgia middle school when compared to sixth, seventh, and eighth grade SWD who did not attend the program. The results of this research are important because they will identify practices used in the specified afterschool program to improve the academic achievement of SWD. A quantitative research method using …


Academy Of Reading® Impact On Student Achievement In Extended Learning Program, Latrasha Palmer Aug 2017

Academy Of Reading® Impact On Student Achievement In Extended Learning Program, Latrasha Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this casual-comparative study was to assess the effectiveness of Academy of READING® (AOR) on eighth grade Response to Intervention students using third nine-week benchmark scaled score and Criterion Reference Competency Test scaled score. The data collected from a public middle-school in rural Georgia revealed how student achievement, gender, and socioeconomic status were impacted by AOR. AOR participants, the treatment group, received 45 minutes of research-based computer intervention while the control, non-participating AOR, did not receive computer-based instruction during extended learning. This study compared differences in the mean scaled scores for at-risk students using an independent samples t-test. …


Two Way Discipleship Curriculum: Correlation Of Discipleship With Pastoral Counseling For South Korean Churches, Yoonsu Lee Aug 2017

Two Way Discipleship Curriculum: Correlation Of Discipleship With Pastoral Counseling For South Korean Churches, Yoonsu Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In South Korea, many churches create and run discipleship programs. The programs help many people to focus on Jesus, but the programs come with significant problem. . If a person is experiencing a mental problem like stress, depression, or addiction, that person has a much more difficult time focusing on Jesus Christ rather than the struggles in his or her own life. Most discipleship programs ignore these prevalent mental issues, but including mental care in the course is vital to develop true disciples. Pastoral counseling has various mental care methods that address the problems facing many of its participants. South …


Comparing Traditional And Year-Round Academic Calendars In Regard To Student Achievement In Two Virginia High Schools: Is There A Difference?, Gregory Morin Aug 2017

Comparing Traditional And Year-Round Academic Calendars In Regard To Student Achievement In Two Virginia High Schools: Is There A Difference?, Gregory Morin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined possible differences between a traditional and a year-round academic calendar with regard to student achievement in two suburban high schools in northern Virginia. This study’s importance derives from the fact that additional exploration is needed in order to more fully explore the potential loss of learned knowledge and diminished retention and recall of instructional material in students who experience an extended summer vacation period as part of a traditional school calendar. The purpose of this non-experimental, ex post facto, causal-comparative study was to test the theory of German psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, called the spacing effect as it …


Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Classroom Management Style: A Case Study, Patty Mccain Aug 2017

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Self-Efficacy On Classroom Management Style: A Case Study, Patty Mccain

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an understanding of how current and former middle school teachers in a suburban school district in northeast Georgia perceive low self-efficacy impacts their classroom management style. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory as it supported the idea that self-efficacy can determine how one approaches a task, goals, or challenges. Data were collected using a survey, interviews, questionnaires, direct observations, and a focus group. A collective case study approach was used to conduct a holistic analysis to provide detailed descriptions of the themes and patterns that exist …


A Study On The Factors Of Church Growth By Building Young Adults: The Case Of Busan Happy Church, Sun Chul Kim Aug 2017

A Study On The Factors Of Church Growth By Building Young Adults: The Case Of Busan Happy Church, Sun Chul Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to suggest a church model that can raise up young adults based on a case study focusing on Busan Happy Church, which has experienced a great young adult revival amidst the reality of a decline in Korean churches. Korea has become an aging society due to a decreasing birthrate, and the Korean church is aging more rapidly than society is because young people continue to leave church. This researcher investigates reasons for the rapid decrease in the number of young adults in the Korean church, analyzing both the social and theological aspects in order …


The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status And Gender On High School Student Perceptions About Career And Technical Education, Briael Chadwell Jul 2017

The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status And Gender On High School Student Perceptions About Career And Technical Education, Briael Chadwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examines the perceptions of career and technical education (CTE) among high school students based on their socioeconomic status and gender, and the interaction between the two. The study used a convenience sample of 207 students from four coastal South Carolina high schools. The data was collected using the Image of Vocational Education (IVE) survey. The data was analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. The results found that low socioeconomic status, middle socioeconomic status, high socioeconomic status all had positive perceptions of CTE; female and male had no differences in perception; and there is no interaction. The summary and …


Predicting Teacher Value-Added Results In Non-Tested Subjects Based On Confounding Variables: A Multinomial Logistic Regression, Nathan Street Jun 2017

Predicting Teacher Value-Added Results In Non-Tested Subjects Based On Confounding Variables: A Multinomial Logistic Regression, Nathan Street

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher value-added measures (VAM) are designed to provide information regarding teachers’ causal impact on the academic growth of students while controlling for exogenous variables. While some researchers contend VAMs successfully and authentically measure teacher causality on learning, others suggest VAMs cannot adequately control for exogenous influences on the classroom. Furthermore, because VAMs are primarily connected to student performance on standardized, high-stakes exams and those exams are resoundingly considered to be inadequate measures of true student learning, educators and educational leaders assert VAM results are moot. The purpose of this study was to consider the potential for student background, teacher preparation, …


Ministry Longevity, Family Contentment, And The Male Clergy Family: A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of Ministry, Allen Lee Jun 2017

Ministry Longevity, Family Contentment, And The Male Clergy Family: A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of Ministry, Allen Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences and the perceptions that affect family contentment and longevity of ministry for clergy families who are currently active in Christian ministry; in particular, those that may affect family contentment and longevity of ministry. Of particular interest was the clergy family’s perception of the phenomenon of living as a unit within the vocational context of Christian ministry. Data were collected using digitally recorded and transcribed semi-structured interviews. Likewise, personal journals were submitted and transcribed, adding to the data. Two clergy families consisting of specifically a male clergy member, his clergy …


Teachers' Perceptions Of School Climate In High Performing Schools And Low Performing Schools, Briget Ethier Jun 2017

Teachers' Perceptions Of School Climate In High Performing Schools And Low Performing Schools, Briget Ethier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative research study was to determine if there was a significant difference in teachers’ perceptions of school climate between high performing schools and low performing schools. The study investigated teachers’ perceptions of overall school climate, collaboration, decision-making, instructional innovation, student relations, and school resources. Data was collected from 75 teachers in three high performing schools and 75 teachers in three low performing schools from one school district. The Revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (Revised SLEQ) was the instrument utilized in the study to measure teachers’ perceptions of overall school climate in addition to the …