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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Dirty Discipleship: The Essential Nature Of Recovery Ministry In Fulfilling The Great Commission, Richard Nichols Apr 2017

Dirty Discipleship: The Essential Nature Of Recovery Ministry In Fulfilling The Great Commission, Richard Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians are commanded to bear one another’s burdens with the specific purpose of restoring them in fellowship with God and others. One of the greatest areas of slavery in America is found within issues related to abuse, abandonment, and addictions. Recovery ministries seek to help people who have been broken by these issues. The Great Commission commands believers to make disciples of every nation. Recovery ministry is discipleship in the hardest areas of life and is dirtier and messier than many Christians wish to get. The purpose of this project is to present the need for every church to be …


The Effects Of Contract Activity Packages On Boredom In A Sixth-Grade Accelerated Math Class, Joanna Bartlett Apr 2017

The Effects Of Contract Activity Packages On Boredom In A Sixth-Grade Accelerated Math Class, Joanna Bartlett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is currently a lack of research aimed at determining the boredom level experienced by sixth grade students participating in an accelerated math class, as well as suitable strategies aimed at helping students avoid it. This quantitative quasi-experimental static-group comparison study investigated boredom levels with the implementation of Contract Activity Packages (CAPs), a strategy specifically related to combatting boredom for gifted and talented students, into a sixth-grade accelerated math class. Data were collected from 138 sixth-grade students participating in an accelerated math class via the boredom scale of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Mathematics (AEQ-M) and analyzed using a two-way …


Identification, Intervention, And Implementation Of A Church Substance-Abuse Program For Twenty-Six To Forty-Six Year Olds, Michael Schmidt Apr 2017

Identification, Intervention, And Implementation Of A Church Substance-Abuse Program For Twenty-Six To Forty-Six Year Olds, Michael Schmidt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Peer-reviewed empirical research indicates that the church can improve how it equips ministers to reach out to twenty-six to forty-six year olds suffering from substance abuse. This thesis project will help ministers evaluate, rethink, and implement better addiction-outreach programs. It is the intent of this thesis project to guide ministers and church workers, to give them levelheaded, real-world, hands-on, sensible solutions in order to see clear-cut positive progress in their outreach program to substance abusers. This thesis will answer the question: Is the church doing a good job of identifying and ministering to substance-abusing addicts? This doctoral thesis will provide …


Experiences Of Parents During The Transition Of Students Into A Military Base School: A Phenomenological Study, Maria Moran Apr 2017

Experiences Of Parents During The Transition Of Students Into A Military Base School: A Phenomenological Study, Maria Moran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of parents during the transition of their student into a military base school. The central research question guiding this study was, “What is the experience of parents whose students have transitioned into a military base school?” Schlossberg’s transition theory, specifically the 4-S transition model, guided this study. The connection between Schlossberg’s transition theory and parents’ perspective of their students’ transition into a new school is how the parents cope using the 4-S transition model. The sample size consisted of 10 participant’s male/female from different parts of the country. …


A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Leadership Practices And Leadership Effectiveness In Personal Care Aide Job Satisfaction And Turnover And Customer Satisfaction In The Home Healthcare Industry, William Travis Hodge Apr 2017

A Quantitative Examination Of The Relationship Between Leadership Practices And Leadership Effectiveness In Personal Care Aide Job Satisfaction And Turnover And Customer Satisfaction In The Home Healthcare Industry, William Travis Hodge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This non-experimental quantitative correlational research examined the relationship between the leadership practices of workers in the home healthcare industry who manage Personal Care Aide (PCA) employees, and leadership performance effectiveness (metrics) of PCA job satisfaction, PCA employee turnover, as well as the customer satisfaction for home healthcare clients who received services delivered by PCA employees. The problem that is addressed by the research is the lack of home healthcare leaders who understand and adopt leadership practices for enhancing PCA job satisfaction, PCA employee turnover, and PCA services customer satisfaction, amid the expanding U.S. home healthcare industry. Leadership practices were based …


A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Examining Parents' Perceptions Regarding The Enrollment Of Children With Learning Differences In An Nild Program In A K-12 Christian School, Wendy Wallis Bayer Apr 2017

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Examining Parents' Perceptions Regarding The Enrollment Of Children With Learning Differences In An Nild Program In A K-12 Christian School, Wendy Wallis Bayer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of parents who have a child with learning differences who has been enrolled in a National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) program in a K-12 Christian school. The central phenomenon is, “What are the experiences of parents who have a child with learning differences who has been enrolled in an NILD program in a K-12 Christian school?” Socio-cultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) guide this study. Ten co-researchers, who have children with learning differences who have attended at least one K-12 Christian school and …


The Impact Of Blended Learning On Social Presence, Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, And Perceived Learning, Kyleigh Harrell Apr 2017

The Impact Of Blended Learning On Social Presence, Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, And Perceived Learning, Kyleigh Harrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The quantitative study examined how blended learning influences high school learners’ social presence, cognitive presence, teacher presence, and perceived learning in comparison to online instruction. The study answered the following research questions: (a) Do differences exist among the social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence of high school students enrolled in a blended course as compared to those enrolled in an online course? (b) Does a difference exist between perceived learning of high school students enrolled in a blended course as compared to that of those enrolled in an online course? The researcher used a causal-comparative research design and tested …


An Analysis Of Perceptions Of Dropout Factors And Interventions By Middle School And High School Teachers In A Southeastern School District, Christopher Kennedy Apr 2017

An Analysis Of Perceptions Of Dropout Factors And Interventions By Middle School And High School Teachers In A Southeastern School District, Christopher Kennedy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although graduation rates are increasing in the United States, high school dropouts remain an issue of significant concern. Much of the focus of research in this area has been on describing the characteristics of dropouts rather than on developing effective interventions. Moreover, emerging research shows that potential dropouts can be identified with confidence as early as the sixth grade. High school is the time in which dropouts are typically identified and interventions begun, but the seeds of dropping out are often planted well before ninth grade. This survey research study with quantitative analysis used an instrument titled Teacher Perceptions of …


Effectiveness Of Blended Learning In A Rural Alternative Education School Setting, Robin Skelton Apr 2017

Effectiveness Of Blended Learning In A Rural Alternative Education School Setting, Robin Skelton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental, causal-comparative study was to examine the impact of a blended learning format on the academic achievement of at-risk 9 - 12 grade students in a rural Northeast Georgia school system. After obtaining IRB approval and district curriculum director and superintendent approval, data was obtained for evaluation. Student Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) eighth-grade scores from the content areas of math, language arts, science, and social studies were obtained and served to control for previous achievement. Students in the control group received instruction in the traditional face-to-face classroom with content instruction designed and provided by …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Nurse Educators With Prior Military Careers, Susan Ball Apr 2017

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Nurse Educators With Prior Military Careers, Susan Ball

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nurse educators with prior military careers at various public and private colleges in the South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Indiana. The theory guiding this study was the concept of servant leadership explored first by Robert Greenleaf in 1977, and later expanded upon by numerous other researchers. The study was designed to answer four research questions: (a) What does it mean to be a nurse educator with a prior military career? (b) What drives individuals to choose nursing, military service, and nursing education as …


A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of First-Year College Students’ Perceptions Of Direct And Symbolic Inputs Influencing Sense Of Identity, Jonathan Butler Apr 2017

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of First-Year College Students’ Perceptions Of Direct And Symbolic Inputs Influencing Sense Of Identity, Jonathan Butler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research describes a qualitative, transcendental phenomenological investigation of students’ perceptions of the reflected appraisals they receive from the college community regarding their behaviors. The study includes 11 first-year college student participants from the School of Education at Higher Matters University, a pseudonym. A pseudonym was assigned to each participant to protect privacy. Data collection utilized focus groups with the sample in two groups, and semi-structured interviews with each participant. Both efforts were accurately transcribed. Observations of the students in the classroom setting served as a third means to gather data, focusing on students’ body language, appearances of comfort, engagement, …


Factors That Predict Persistence For Non-Immigrant, International Students At A Private, Four-Year University In Georgia, Shawn Adams Apr 2017

Factors That Predict Persistence For Non-Immigrant, International Students At A Private, Four-Year University In Georgia, Shawn Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that predict the persistence of international, non-immigrant students in higher education. A sample of international students from a four-year private university in Georgia served as the focused population for this study. Persistence research asserts that six factors predict persistence: academic integration, social integration, support services satisfaction, degree commitment, institutional commitment, and academic conscientiousness. These six predictor variables were measured via the College Persistence Questionnaire (CPQ). However, cultural intelligence (CQ) is another predictive factor that merited consideration for the unique population of international students. The Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) quantifies CQ and …


The International Christian School Impact On The Spiritual Formation Of Its Graduates: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Dawn Monzon Apr 2017

The International Christian School Impact On The Spiritual Formation Of Its Graduates: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Dawn Monzon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine how, if at all, attendance at an accredited international Christian school in South America impacted the spiritual formation of nine graduates. Fowler’s Faith Theory guided this study, which posits that one’s developmental processes and construction of human understanding determine one’s faith. Thus, shared experiences were evaluated to determine whether they shared commonalities that might have had an impact on the phenomenon of spiritual formation. This study incorporated the use of journals and individual interviews that were analyzed through a constant comparison method of data in an analysis spiral and through …


A Grounded Theory Study On Middle School Students' Perceptions Of Teacher Approachability And The Influence Of Those Perceptions On Student-Teacher Interactions, Kathryn Teston Apr 2017

A Grounded Theory Study On Middle School Students' Perceptions Of Teacher Approachability And The Influence Of Those Perceptions On Student-Teacher Interactions, Kathryn Teston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to investigate how middle school student perceptions of teacher approachability influenced their interactions with teachers. The fourteen participants were sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade general education middle school students from three school models (public, private, and Christian) in the metro area of a city in the southeastern United States. The Approach-Avoidance Theory, first proposed by Kurt Lewin, (1935) provided the theoretical framework for this study. The central research question that shaped this grounded theory study was: How do general education middle school students’ perceptions of teacher approachability influence the students’ interactions with their …


A Comparative Study Of Middle School Teacher Character Education Efficacy Beliefs In Northeast Georgia, Franleata Sorrells-Blackmon Apr 2017

A Comparative Study Of Middle School Teacher Character Education Efficacy Beliefs In Northeast Georgia, Franleata Sorrells-Blackmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research in the field of education has identified both the importance of character education in schools and the relationship between teacher efficacy and student success. While several studies have examined teacher efficacy beliefs for character education, more specific research was needed in order to understand the variances in efficacy beliefs, as well to help determine possible improvements in implementation, professional development, and teacher support. This quantitative study examined the efficacy beliefs of middle school teachers in northeast Georgia. Guiding the study were the following two research questions: (1) Will the character education efficacy beliefs of middle school teachers in private, …


A Study On The Effect Of Church Revival And Growth Throught A Bible Academy: The Case Of Jeju Together Church In Korea, Soo Yoo Apr 2017

A Study On The Effect Of Church Revival And Growth Throught A Bible Academy: The Case Of Jeju Together Church In Korea, Soo Yoo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to emphasize the need for and importance of an intensive Bible study ministry in church and to suggest specific alternatives by studying the effect of church planting and revival through a Bible Academy in a Korean church. Church growth in South Korea has long since accompanied Bible study ministry. Sadly, Korean churches in the 21st century have been experiencing a slowdown and downturn in growth. Though there may be a variety of causes, the absence of a systematic and ongoing Bible study is one of them. This study is focused on providing a Bible …


Leadership Characteristics Of Protective Force Instructors, Justen Parker Mar 2017

Leadership Characteristics Of Protective Force Instructors, Justen Parker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The National Nuclear Security Administration, the governmental agency responsible for safeguarding and security the United States’ nuclear weapons production and research facilities, employs an armed protective force that responds to the full spectrum of threats. Governmental reports previously identified protective force performance in need of improvement. The purpose of this quantitative study, through the use of correlational research, is to identify the beneficial leadership characteristics of instructors, from the full range of leadership model, that enhance training and increase officer performance during training and improve mission performance. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was used to identify instructor leadership characteristics and …


Health Numeracy And Communicating Risk To Patients: Medical Students’ Risk Literacy And Attitudes Toward Statistics, Tina Moore Mar 2017

Health Numeracy And Communicating Risk To Patients: Medical Students’ Risk Literacy And Attitudes Toward Statistics, Tina Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Numeracy, a domain of health literacy, poses barriers to effective patient-provider communication including understanding risks and benefits for shared decision making. Best practices for conveying numeric information have been established; however, these skills are not embedded in current medical school curricula. Inadequate statistical literacy of physicians can lead to misinterpretation of risk and benefit data as well as poor communication with patients. Medical school curricula and pre-matriculation requirements for statistics varies. This quantitative, non-experimental, predictive, correlational study explored medical students’ risk literacy and attitudes toward statistics. The purpose was to examine the relationship between risk literacy as measured by the …


The Dying Of The American Church: Five Biblical Principles For Revival, Stan Mars Mar 2017

The Dying Of The American Church: Five Biblical Principles For Revival, Stan Mars

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of churches in America continue to suffer a numerical plateau or a decline in church growth. As a result of disobedience to God to follow His commandments in the making of disciples, the church also suffers from a flat lined, virtually non-existent, adult conversion rate. People of the world who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are not being evangelized by the church using the first century process of discipleship and therefore, the numbers of conversions to Christ are dismal. The modern day American Church needs to return to the first century process of …


The Relationship Between Reading Fluency And Lexile Measures, Joshua Purvis Mar 2017

The Relationship Between Reading Fluency And Lexile Measures, Joshua Purvis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With increasing emphasis being placed on teachers to show an improvement in student achievement, schools are relying on indicators such as reading fluency and reading comprehension to gauge student progress throughout the year. Since the growth on these assessments are used in calculating teachers and administrators’ yearly job evaluations, the significance of these measures has never been higher. Teachers and administrators want to know if the time spent on measures such as reading fluency is worth the sacrifice in the instructional day, when this time could be spent on teaching state mandated standards. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental correlational …


Student Perceptions Of Type Ii Alternative School Experiences: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Motivational Factors That Influence Persistence Toward Graduation, Michael Barrett Mar 2017

Student Perceptions Of Type Ii Alternative School Experiences: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Motivational Factors That Influence Persistence Toward Graduation, Michael Barrett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate how high school students described their experiences attending a Type II alternative school (geared toward students with behavioral problems and poor student attendance) in Central Georgia and the factors that motivated them to persist to graduation. The overarching research question was: How do high school graduates describe their experiences attending an alternative school in Central Georgia that motivated them to persist toward graduation? Schein’s organizational culture model, Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs served as the conceptual framework. Participants included eight students who had previously attended …


Factors That Influence The Retention Of Urban, Hispanic High School Male Graduates: A Phenomenological Study, Robin Elliott-Ghalleb Mar 2017

Factors That Influence The Retention Of Urban, Hispanic High School Male Graduates: A Phenomenological Study, Robin Elliott-Ghalleb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate the factors that contribute to the retention of urban, Hispanic high school male graduates in East Harlem, New York. Originated through the works by W. E. B. Du Bois (1968), Gloria Ladson-Billings (1998) and Derrick Bell (1992) pioneered Critical Race Theory (CRT), which reported that the United States Education system has historically failed to adequately provide access to all students. Hispanics continue to have the lowest rates of high school and college degree attainment. This study’s purpose was to address the phenomenon of low retention rates of urban, Hispanic males …


A Causal Comparative Study Of Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of School Climate Within Elementary Schools In A School District, Clyde Alston Mar 2017

A Causal Comparative Study Of Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of School Climate Within Elementary Schools In A School District, Clyde Alston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A school’s climate either positively or negatively affects teaching and learning within the school. School administrators have the responsibility to ensure the school climate supports both. This responsibility can only be met when school leaders have an accurate understanding of climate in the schools they serve. This causal-comparative study examines administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of school climate among the academic, social, affective, and physical domains of school climate, as measured by the revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (r-SLEQ). Data were examined using an independent samples t-test to determine whether statistically significant differences in school climate perceptions exist between administrators and …


A Comparison Of Work Ethic Among High School Athletes And Non Athletes, Edward Moore Mar 2017

A Comparison Of Work Ethic Among High School Athletes And Non Athletes, Edward Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations have become increasingly interested in hiring employees who are committed to the inherent value of work. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to compare the work ethic of high school athletes to non-athletes in a high school setting in South Carolina and analyzed the role of gender within that dynamic. A total of 345 responses were analyzed, with 139 reporting no participation in athletics, 87 reporting participation in sub-varsity athletics only, and 119 reporting participation in varsity athletics. The Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile (MWEP) was developed as a method of measuring work ethic and was composed of …


The Effect Of The Flipped Classroom On Urban High School Students' Motivation And Academic Achievement In A High School Science Course, Keshia Dixon Mar 2017

The Effect Of The Flipped Classroom On Urban High School Students' Motivation And Academic Achievement In A High School Science Course, Keshia Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the effect of the flipped classroom on urban high school students’ motivation and academic achievement in a high school science course. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of North Star High School 12th grade students enrolled in human anatomy and physiology. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest non-equivalent group design was conducted. After receipt of Liberty University Institutional Review Board approval and the school district’s Department of Research and Evaluation for School Improvement, students completed a pretest comprised of the Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ-II) and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Unit Test. Participants in the experimental …


An Exploration Of The Organizational Attributes That Attract High Quality Pilots To Regional Airlines, Andrew Reitz Feb 2017

An Exploration Of The Organizational Attributes That Attract High Quality Pilots To Regional Airlines, Andrew Reitz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify which organizational attributes affected the decision to apply to or accept an employment offer as a pilot for a regional airline. The regional airlines in the United States faced a significant shortage of qualified pilot applicants. The shortage was expected to worsen over the next decade. It came from an increase in mandatory retirements, major airline growth and hiring, an increase in pilots leaving the profession coupled with a reduction in the number of candidates beginning flight training. Those regional carriers that could meet the most needs and desires of applicants would …


Spiritual Formation: A Model To Strengthen The Mission, Operation, And Commitment Of African American Churches, Anthony Bailey Jan 2017

Spiritual Formation: A Model To Strengthen The Mission, Operation, And Commitment Of African American Churches, Anthony Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Spiritual formation, the practice of intentional spiritual disciplines like fasting, silence, studying, and fellowship, should be the heart of growth in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina small churches. This practice assists congregants in developing closeness with God and relationships with others. Amidst a steady decline in national church attendance since 1992, few of today’s African-American Church ministries address the need for spiritual formation. This thesis explores this critical issue at the local level through interviews with pastors and church leaders, who describe their churches’ current efforts to foster spiritual formation in congregants. The findings are used to propose a model for local …


Change Leadership Practices For Effective Implementation Of Alternative Breakthrough Models In Blended And Online Learning At Select K-12 Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Jason Haas Jan 2017

Change Leadership Practices For Effective Implementation Of Alternative Breakthrough Models In Blended And Online Learning At Select K-12 Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Jason Haas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover what change leadership practices are utilized by educational leaders at selected K-12 schools when alternative breakthrough models in blended and online education are implemented. Using a phenomenological approach, I explored three public schools, two private schools, two charter schools, and two virtual schools. The 10 participants in this study were either heads of school, district superintendents, or department principals. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of K-12 educational leaders who are implementing alternative breakthrough models of blended and online learning? Data was obtained via the following methods: …


Relationship Between Sense Of Coherence And School Connectedness Among Online Public High School Students, Brad Hilliard Jan 2017

Relationship Between Sense Of Coherence And School Connectedness Among Online Public High School Students, Brad Hilliard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between sense of coherence and school connectedness among online public high school students. The connection students make with their school can affect their well-being based on the stress they perceive from the school and its environment. The variables of interest were the sense of coherence score and the school connectedness score. A bivariate correlational research study was performed to determine if there was a significant relationship between the two variables. The sample was 83 high school students enrolled in an online public school. Each completed the Sense of Coherence – …


The Effects Of An Intervention Program (Voyager) Through Response To Intervention Framework On 4th Grade Reading Achievement, Lisa Harris Jan 2017

The Effects Of An Intervention Program (Voyager) Through Response To Intervention Framework On 4th Grade Reading Achievement, Lisa Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The ability to read fluently has been confirmed as an indicator of good comprehension and thus academic success. Studies have shown that most students in the U.S. are reading below their grade levels. The U.S. has demanded continuously that the education system increase the outcomes of education for all children. In order to improve children’s reading educational needs, effective screening, assessments, and intervention tools need to be implemented properly in U.S. school curriculum. The purpose of this nonequivalent control group study is to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention program in improving the oral reading fluency rates of fourth graders …