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A Phenomenological Study: African-American Males In The Educational Profession, Kristopher Rashard Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological research study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American male teachers related to the underrepresentation of African-American males in the teaching profession. The study was guided by four research questions. The data was collected from 15 African-American male teachers at the elementary school level, middle school level, high school level, administrator level, and retired level from a school system in southeast Georgia. Data collection occurred through teacher/retired teacher interviews and administrator interviews. The findings of the study showed the reasons for African-American males being underrepresented in the teaching profession is due to (a) low starting salary, (b) …

Holistic Healing Ministry: A Practical Guide For Korean Presbyterian Churches, Yanghyun Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study attempted to provide practical and effective advice to Korean Presbyterian churches (KPCs) for adapting Holistic Healing Ministry (HHM), not as an optional ministry but a necessary ministry for all local churches through the exact biblical concept about HHM. Through the analysis of survey for HHM conducted in many congregations of KPCs, this thesis evaluated the present reality of HHM ministered to KPCs, examined holistic health conditions of the congregations of KPCs, and identified which domain of health - physical, emotional, or spiritual - KPCs are currently interested in. Moreover, this thesis drew up a plan for KPCs to …

Mentoring Men For The Master, International: The Unique Man, Ministry, And Model Of Discipleship, Mark Keith Huckaby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to research, illuminate, and communicate the model of discipleship developed by Dr. William L. Bennett of Mentoring Men for the Master, International (MMM). This project will examine the biblical nature of mentoring, and the history, philosophy, development, organization, functionality, and effectiveness of this unique model through the use of primary sources: interviews with Bennett, his writings, interviews with mentees, an online survey, and personal analysis. Supportive discipleship resources undergird the research. Special attention will be given to Bennett's call, influence, and involvement in the establishment and operation of MMM as its Founder and President.

The Differences In Reading Readiness Among Kindergartners Who Attended State And Federally Funded Pre-K In Alabama, Kelli Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This causal comparative study sought to examine differences in reading readiness of kindergarteners who attended public school pre-k, both state and federally funded. Scores were examined for a convenience sample of 131 students who attended pre-k in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years in a school system in east central Alabama. The DIBELS were used to gather kindergarten data in order to examine significant differences in reading readiness. MANCOVA was used to analyze the data for significant differences. The results indicated there were no significant differences, after a full year in kindergarten, in reading readiness of children who attended state …

The Significance Of Developing Core Counseling Competencies In Pastoral Care Ministry, Craig L. Younce

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to present the importance of developing four specific core competencies in the area of pastoral counseling. It is problematic that most pastors have received minimal or no training in counseling resulting in inadequate therapy when parishioners seek pastoral counseling during times of crisis. The material presented in this thesis project enables pastoral care givers to become proficient counselors through a series of learning objectives, best practices, critical tasks, and accomplished practices directed toward improving counseling competencies in the area of personal, marriage, and family counseling. Additionally, this project addresses the problem of pornography, …

Investigating The Role Of God Attachment, Adult Attachment And Emotion Regulation In Binge Eating, Angela Charpia Weaver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Using a cross-sectional, self-report research design, this study examined a non-clinical population of 175 college women between the ages of 18-28 at a private, Christian university. A Pearson correlation matrix confirmed significant linear relationships between binge eating symptoms, emotion regulation, adult attachment insecurity and God attachment insecurity. A hierarchical multiple regression model determined that God attachment insecurity does not contribute unique variance toward binge eating symptoms after controlling for emotion regulation and adult attachment insecurity. Because God attachment insecurity was correlated to emotion regulation and adult attachment insecurity, and weakly correlated to binge eating symptoms without contributing unique variance, this …

A Study Of John Piper’S Sermon Preparation: A Model For Pastors Who Emphasize The Supremacy Of God In Expository Preaching, Sunghyun J. Pae

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation aims to answer the question, How can the preacher complete the process of his expository sermon preparation to manifest God's glory and exalt His supremacy in preaching by studying Piper's life and methods? Based on an analysis of Piper's writings and selected sermons, this project investigates Piper's background and influences on his God-centered life and theological system. It then discuses Piper's principles and skills of biblical exegesis, and it looks into the major influence on Piper's biblical exegesis. It also describes Piper's philosophy of preaching: Piper's motivation and purpose of preaching, and it investigate great preachers who impacted …

Single Parenting And Faith: Does It Have An Influence On Their College-Aged Children's Life Outcomes?, Starla Kay Quinn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nearly 60 percent of America's children will spend part of their childhood in a single parent family in one form or another. Past research has examined correlations between spirituality and mental as well as physical health. In addition, there is a marginal amount of study regarding the parental influence of faith on child outcomes in two-parent families. A quantitative study utilizing a cross-sectional design was employed. Data analysis was completed employing a series of multiple regressions to ascertain the correlations of the aforementioned constructs. The study revealed that parental religious commitment to faith was significantly correlated with the development of …

Curriculum Team Leaders: Individual Perspectives Toward Instructional Supervision, Michael Keith Conley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Accountability demands on schools are increasingly difficult to meet at the local, state, and national levels. This study examined the perspectives of curriculum team leaders (CTLs) that are one middle school's response to increased accountability and changing student population. The CTLs provide instructional supervision to same-grade, same-subject curriculum teams. Four CTLs were chosen for this case study and data was gathered using focused interviews, observations, open-ended questionnaires, and artifact collection. A discussion of the CTLs' work, recommendations for schools seeking to use teacher leaders to provide instructional supervision, and suggestions for further research is included.

Florida Charter Schools: The Effects Of Types And Socioeconomic Status On Academic Achievement, Reginald Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was established in 2002 with the primary goal of closing the achievement gap between low socioeconomic students and their more advantaged peers. Charter schools are a part of NCLB's school choice policy and are intended to be a form of intervention to close the achievement gap. Much research has been conducted to measure charter school student achievement compared to regular public schools. But little has been done in distinguishing the differences between charter schools and their impact on student achievement. This quantitative study identifies the different types of public charter schools in Florida using Carpenter's …

An Analysis Of Secondary Educator And Administrator Abilities To Identify Youth Gang Indicators And Risk Factors: A Phenomenological Study, Kenneth Shane Lancaster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to examine secondary educator and administrator perceptions of their abilities to recognize indicators and risk factors of gang participation in a northeast Georgia school district. The study employed an interpretive phenomenological approach to obtain an understanding of educator and administrator perceptions. The study sample utilized 28 participants consisting of 14 administrators, seven veteran educators, and seven nonveteran educators. Major themes included a lack of gang awareness training as components of teacher preparatory programs, a lack of staff development exercises pertaining to youth gang indicators and risk factors, and the development of …

Experiences Of Looping For Students With Learning Disabilities: A Phenomenological Case Study, Laura C. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is the academic, social, and emotional needs of students with learning disabilities are not being met within the general classroom. Looping, the practice of a teacher staying with the same group of students for two or more years, has been suggested as an educational approach designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The purpose of this research project was to examine the experiences of looping for students with learning disabilities from the perspectives of the looping teacher, the students with learning disabilities, and their parents. Therefore, a phenomenological case study design was utilized. The methods of …

The Effects Of A Service Learning Introductory Course In Diversity On Pre-Service Teachers Attitudes' Toward Teaching Diverse Students, Dawn Jacoby Lucas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of a service-based course in diversity on pre-service teachers attitudes toward the inclusion of diverse learners (ethnically, socioeconomically, and disabled) in the general classroom. One-hundred and ten students at a private liberal arts university in North Carolina completed the Pluralism and Diversity Attitude Assessment (PADAA) to measure pre-service teachers' attitudes toward including cultural diverse students in the general education classroom, the Opinions Relative to Integration (ORI) instrument to measure pre-service teachers' attitudes toward including disabled students in the general education classroom, and a short demographic survey Results indicate an introductory class has impact in improving …

General Education Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Inclusion, Kelly Lynn Whitaker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in middle school general education teachers' perception of the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classes. A survey was sent to general education teachers at 14 middle schools in the Northeast Georgia Pioneer Regional Education Services Agency (RESA). The answers to the survey were compiled and analyzed for the differences in teacher perceptions of inclusion. The two groups were comprised of general education teachers who have taught in inclusive middle school settings and general education teachers who have taught only in traditional middle school settings. …

Gender Stereotypes And Representation Of Female Characters In Children's Picture Books, Kelly Crisp Paynter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Studies since the 1970s have found that many female characters are stereotyped and underrepresented in children's picture books. This dissertation updated a study by Hamilton, Anderson, Broaddus, and Young (2006) to examine whether stereotyping and female underrepresentation changed over the past decade. The book sample included 3 Caldecott Medal/Honor books and 48 bestselling picture books published in 2010. The study, a quantitative content analysis, utilized 6 library media specialist book raters and the coding schema of Hamilton et al. (2006). Most measures of stereotypes and underrepresentation improved since the Hamilton et al. study; however, measures that declined significantly included more …

The Effects Of Effort-Based And Ability-Based Reinforcement Cues On Student Perseverance, Rory Allen Boone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of "ability-based" and "effort-based" verbal reinforcement cues prior to task engagement in traditional sixth grade students attending Christian schools in northwest Indiana. Perseverance levels were measured during a numerically-based, problem solving task by tracking time signatures (in seconds) of the first, second, and third use of restricted "clues." The research population (n = 102) was randomly assigned into two groups (ability-cued and effort-cued). Statistical significance was found at all three measurements. Target measurement one revealed ME = 518.7 (SD = 310.7), MA = 402.4 (SD = 293.5), with two sample t(100df) = 1.94, p = …

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Physical Fitness Of Northern Mississippi Middle School Students, Jerry Wayne Floate

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible effects of physical activity scheduling of middle school students on their overall physical fitness. This quantitative causal comparative design was utilized to determine if significant differences existed in the FITNESSGRAM® subtests performances of 529 middle school students based on their enrollment in show choir, marching band, athletics, or physical education? Archival data was pulled from the school's physical education department. The results concluded that significant differences existed among the four physical activity classes on the seven FITNESSGRAM® subtests (1-mile run, push-ups, curl-ups, BMI, Trunk Lift, Left-Side Sit and reach, and …

The Psychometric Study Of The Attachment To God Inventory And The Brief Religious Coping Scale In The Taiwanese Christian Sample, Ju-Ping Chiao Yeo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study investigates the psychometric properties and factor structures of two religious instruments, the Attachment to God Inventory (AGI) and the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE), when applied to a sample of Christians living in the collectivist culture of Taiwan, and the usefulness of these two instruments for this sample. Translation, back-translation, and a pilot study were conducted on the two instruments, and needed adaptations were made. Three hundred and thirty-five subjects were recruited from eleven Protestant and Catholic churches in Taipei and a series of statistical analyses was conducted on the collected data. The results were compared …

Motivation And Dual Enrollment: An Analysis Of The Motivation Of High School Students To Participate In Dual Enrollment In Association Of Christian Schools International Schools, Mitchell Acri Salerno

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A phenomenological study utilizing the Consensual Qualitative Research method was conducted to understand the motivation of high school students dually enrolled in high school and college, commonly referred to as dual enrollment, in relation to the Self-Determination Theory and to connect this motivation to research on personal calling. This qualitative study begins a research thread linking dual enrollment as a reform model to research on motivation and personal calling. The participants were high school students in two Association of Christian Schools International schools in the southeastern United States dual enrolled in an evangelical Christian university in the Southeast. Data was …

The Biblical Use Of Rewards As A Motivation For Christian Service, Bill Fredric Korver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current cultural trends and Christian literature reveals very little writing and preaching about a motivation for personal obedience in general and vocational ministry in particular. The purpose of this project will be to demonstrate how one's motivation for service to Christ will be greatly enhanced when considering the possibility of gaining, or losing, rewards from Jesus Christ both in this life and more specifically at the future judgment seat of Christ. It will be the intent of this project to demonstrate conclusively that not only is this a scripturally sound motivation, but also that it is a …

Satisfaction And Contributing Factors In Satisfying Long-Term Marriage: A Phenomenological Study, Mark A. Nimtz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study investigated the subjective marital experiences of five couples married for more than forty years. Select participants responded to interview questions pertaining to the phenomena of marriage satisfaction and marriage longevity. Participants completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) to assure the phenomenon of satisfaction was experienced in the marriage.

The data was collected using semi-structured, conversational, recorded, transcribed interviews in which the participants were interviewed separately by same-sex interviewers within the participant couples’ homes. The marriage experiences and answers were compared and contrasted.

Two major themes emerged from the participants’ descriptions of satisfaction: “Togetherness” and “Children/Grandchildren.” Additionally, two …

The Relationship Factor: Understanding The Role And Development Of Teacher-Student Relationships In Middle School, Tracy Davis Sands

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explain the process by which relationships evolve between teachers and students in a suburban East Tennessee middle school. Based on the assumption that "knowledge is created through action and interaction" (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 2), this study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between middle school teachers and their students. A grounded theory approach (see Corbin & Strauss, 2008) was used to collect and analyze data, with the purpose of generating a theory that explains the phenomena. Because the study was driven by teachers' and students' voices, …

Predictors Of Secondary Students' Achievement And Satisfaction In Online Courses, Kimberly Faith Metz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Online learning has been prevalent at the post-secondary level and is increasingly being used at the secondary level. There are many advantages for students to learn online such as students being able to work at their own pace, work anytime and anywhere and take a course that would not otherwise be offered. Career and Technical Education (CTE) can use online learning for classroom instruction, and allow additional time for hands-on instruction or for other courses of study. This study investigated the extent that CTE students' online course grades can be predicted by the Distance Education Learning Environment Survey (DELES) (Insight …

The Relationship Between Career Technology Education And High School Graduation, Patricia Lynn Schimpf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between programs in Career Technology and Agriculture Education (CTAE) utilized by a school district in northern Georgia and the relative effect the programs had on high school graduation. Career technology and agriculture education (CTAE) programs engage students and prepare them for college or career readiness upon graduation from high school. Extended learning activities are found in CTAE co-curricular clubs, academic tutoring, job site experiences, and dual enrollment opportunities. This quantitative, causal comparative research study used inferential and descriptive analyses to determine possible relationships between graduation status and CTAE program variables. The study involved 730 participants …

A Comparison Research Study On The Use Of School Uniforms And Graduation, Attendance, And Suspension Rates In East Tennessee, William Elihue Gouge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Graduation rates in Tennessee are 8 points below the state goal of 90%. Implementation of a school uniform policy may be a way to improve these rates by giving students increased school structure. The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative study was to examine whether a significant difference exists in graduation, attendance, and suspension rates between a school that has a school uniform policy and a school that does not. Two public high schools in East Tennessee, one with and one without a school uniform policy, with similar demographics were compared. A second comparison was made after the implementation of …

The Perceptions Of Teachers In Rural Title 1 Middle Schools Concerning The Experiences That Negatively Influence Job Satisfaction, Michael Stephen Slaven

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A qualitative phenomenological research design was chosen to examine the perceptions of teachers concerning experiences that negatively influence teachers' job satisfaction in rural Title I schools in Georgia. Twelve middle school teachers from three Georgia school districts were interviewed. Pilot interviews and follow-up interviews were also held. Interview data was coded, codes were examined for redundancy and codes were collapsed into broad themes. Major themes related to teacher dissatisfaction included negative relationships with administrators and problems with student behavior. Major themes related to teacher satisfaction included positive relationships with colleagues, working with students, and a sense of efficacy. Problems with …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Beliefs, Attitudes, And Strategies Sixth And Seventh Grade Content Area Teachers Use To Teach Below Grade Level Readers, Lisa A. Clark

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purposes of this study were to identify the attitudes and beliefs content teachers have concerning teaching reading in the content area to below level readers and to identify specific instructional strategies that are used to teach students who are below grade level the content area material. Twelve participants were selected, using maximum variation sampling, based on the grade level and content area they taught. Data was collected from middle school content area teachers using interviews, surveys, observations, and document examination in an attempt to identify attitudes, beliefs, and specific challenges content teachers face instructing below grade level readers. The …

A Leadership Training Manual For The 21st Century Church Leader Based On The Pattern And Principles Jesus Created To Train The Twelve Apostles, Gregory Bruce Baxter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian leadership training for pastors, missionaries, and lay leaders is mostly patterned after academic, business, military, and government models. This leads to a pragmatic, secular, and American approach to building Churches and advancing the Kingdom of God. Secular models of leadership training can inform and supplement but never usurp scriptural principles and values. The best Christian leadership training pattern is the one Jesus created to train the twelve Apostles. This model is found predominately in the gospels. The template this writer will follow is based on A. B. Bruce's 19th century seminal work, The Training of the Twelve. This training …

The Effect Of A Manualized Group Treatment Protocol On God Image And Attachment To God, Jacqueline Diane Rasar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study tested the effect of a manualized group treatment protocol on God image and attachment to God in a sample of college students attending a Christian college. Thirty undergraduate students from a homogenous population were tested with one measure of God attachment, two measures of God image, one measure of religious coping, and one measure of spiritual outcomes. It was hypothesized that significant God image and attachment to God change would occur among the treatment group participants. In addition, it was hypothesized that significant religious coping and spiritual outcome change would occur among the treatment group and comparable group …

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

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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