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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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The Impact Of Troops To Teachers Participants On Student Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Study, Kurt Osuch Feb 2014

The Impact Of Troops To Teachers Participants On Student Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Study, Kurt Osuch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study is to examine the impact of Troops to Teachers (TTT) participants on student achievement by comparing the mean scores of Texas students in the eighth grade during the 2011-2012 academic year taught by TTT participants with the mean scores of all other Texas eighth grade students on each of four mandatory standardized examinations. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provided the archival data used in the evaluation, which consisted of limited teacher demographic information, as well as individual student scores on the vertically equated 2011-2012 version of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness …


Leadership Development In The Local Church: An Intentional Strategy For Developing Leaders At Every Level, Brian Moss Jan 2014

Leadership Development In The Local Church: An Intentional Strategy For Developing Leaders At Every Level, Brian Moss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Every evangelical pastor knows that they have a responsibility to make disciples, and most of their churches have a system for doing so. They also know that every healthy church needs healthy leaders. As more and more of the next generation drop out of church and consequently leadership roles in the church, the evangelical church is facing a serious crisis. Most church leaders would agree that developing new leaders is a critical responsibility of the local church, yet very few churches actually have an intentional leadership development process. Even worse, many pastors are confused as to how leadership development differs …


Addressing Family Challenges Associated With Mental Illness, Phyllis Blackmon Jan 2014

Addressing Family Challenges Associated With Mental Illness, Phyllis Blackmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental illness in a family can be very destructive and the church must endeavor to meet the needs of these families. The stigma associated with mental illness hinders most people from sharing their struggles and needs. Often those who suffer with a mental illness are not embraced by the church. The project will include a survey of church leaders, members, and affected families. Acquired information will provide an understanding of the problems families face and what leaders will need to be of assistance. The goal is to support these families in functioning better in the church and in society. Information …


Understanding The Times: A Causal/Comparative Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Christian Worldview Curriculum In Helping Students Develop A Christian Worldview, Donald Barrows Jan 2014

Understanding The Times: A Causal/Comparative Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Christian Worldview Curriculum In Helping Students Develop A Christian Worldview, Donald Barrows

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian educators are concerned about the development of a Christian worldview in their students. They also desire that their students maintain that worldview after graduation. In this study, the author attempts to determine the effectiveness of the Understanding the Times Christian worldview curriculum in helping students develop a Christian worldview. To do this, a causal/comparative research design was used as participants took a worldview test to determine the extent to which their worldviews compared with biblical teachings. The researcher sampled a random sample of Christian high school graduates who have taken the yearlong Understanding the Times Christian worldview course at …


Overcoming The Five Primary Negative Thoughts: A Twenty- One Day Mind Renewal Plan For Men, Paul Chipman Jan 2014

Overcoming The Five Primary Negative Thoughts: A Twenty- One Day Mind Renewal Plan For Men, Paul Chipman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Bible commands Christians to be transformed by renewing their minds with the Word of God. This project proposes a biblical mind transformation plan targeting men specifically, as well as the broader body of Christ. The plan equips Christians with the skills to learn how to identify, control, and eliminate the five primary negative thoughts. Once identified, these unhealthy thoughts will be replaced with a plethora of healthy self empowering thoughts resulting in a renewed Christ centered mindset. The research for this plan will be based on the Holy Scriptures, neuroscience (brain research), and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Pre and …


Frequent Father Miles: A Phenomenological Study Of Divorced Fathers' Perceived Roles In Their Child's Education, Rebecca Bowman Jan 2014

Frequent Father Miles: A Phenomenological Study Of Divorced Fathers' Perceived Roles In Their Child's Education, Rebecca Bowman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how divorced fathers perceive their role in the education of their middle or high school child. The central focus of this study was: How do divorced fathers describe the roles they play in their child's education? The following questions guided the study: (a) How do divorced fathers describe the role they play in their child's education? (b) What are the factors that influence a divorced father's role in his child's education? (c) What can schools do to facilitate involvement of divorced fathers in their child's education throughout secondary schools? The co-researchers …


Character Traits In Caldecott Award-Winning Literature From 2002-2012: A Content Analysis, Staci Wagner Jan 2014

Character Traits In Caldecott Award-Winning Literature From 2002-2012: A Content Analysis, Staci Wagner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined children's books that were honored with the Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book from 2002-2012, in an attempt to analyze examples of character elements in these books. Modeled after two previous dissertations in which Newbery books were analyzed, I used similar methodology to further their research to books honored with the Caldecott Medal. Therefore, content analysis was used to determine the presence of the sample character traits, following the acronym C.H.A.R.A.C.T.E.R., developed by researcher Bryant (2008). These elements included: (a) caring/compassionate, (b) helpfulness, (c) acceptance, (d) respect, (e) ambition, (f) citizenship, (g) trustworthiness, …


Efficacy Of Hybrid Coursework On Retention Rate In Online Higher Education, Kevin Struble Jan 2014

Efficacy Of Hybrid Coursework On Retention Rate In Online Higher Education, Kevin Struble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Recent developments and technological advances in online education have provided the adult learner with new opportunities to obtain a college education. However, online coursework offers new challenges particularly for online student retention, as these rates are lower than traditional students on a college or university campus. The following research outlines a quantitative study for the perceived effect of social learning for adult online learners through hybrid coursework on undergraduate retention rates through two research questions using a causal-comparative design for research question one and a correlational design for research question two. This study examined retention theory in regards to social …


Adversity Influencing Regard For Education In Northern Uganda: A Phenomenological Study Of Langi Mothers' Value Of Learning, Pamela Pryfogle Jan 2014

Adversity Influencing Regard For Education In Northern Uganda: A Phenomenological Study Of Langi Mothers' Value Of Learning, Pamela Pryfogle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the Northern Ugandan Langi mothers' regard for education in the aftermath of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) conflict and occupation and in the on-going experience of adversity. As both targets and victims of LRA savagery, the Langi and Acholi people have endured over 22 years of war, displacement, and devastation. This phenomenological study specifically identified 9 Langi mothers who were survivors of LRA perpetrated atrocities and live today in adverse village environments. The study used guided interviews and art with storytelling/narrative to elicit a rich, thick, essence of lived experience and to answer the question: How have …


Middle School Teachers' Read-Aloud Practices In The Classroom: A Phenomenological Study, Christina Durham Jan 2014

Middle School Teachers' Read-Aloud Practices In The Classroom: A Phenomenological Study, Christina Durham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The possession of strong literacy skills will improve the quality of life for all children. Teacher read-alouds is a well-used practice within the elementary grades because of the intellectual and behavioral benefits for the students. However, there is a lack of research on this practice for middle school students. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of middle school reading specialists toward read-alouds across the content areas. The participants were five reading specialists from one rural public school system and one suburban/rural public school system in Maryland. The reading specialists were interviewed about their …


The Perceived Importance And Impact Of Instructor Actions In Online Graduate, Education Students' Satisfaction, Rochelle Franklin Jan 2014

The Perceived Importance And Impact Of Instructor Actions In Online Graduate, Education Students' Satisfaction, Rochelle Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of online instructor actions on student satisfaction in online, graduate education courses. Students at an online institution that offers graduate degrees in Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, and Educational Technology completed the Priority Survey of Online Learners, which included questions about various aspects of their online learning experience, specifically focusing on timeliness, responsiveness and frequency of online instructor actions. This causal-comparative, quantitative research study employed survey strategy of inquiry. The sample consisted of 256 graduate, education students at an online, private institution. Paired t-tests were employed in data analysis. The results of this study revealed …


Two By Two Leadership: A Model Of Christian Leadership, Joseph Swanner Jan 2014

Two By Two Leadership: A Model Of Christian Leadership, Joseph Swanner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A growing number of scholars are accepting the suggestion that shared leadership is preferred over individual leadership. The shared leadership model is proliferating into new fields where it is being modified and improved. Biblically, there is a pattern of sending individuals two by two into leadership, as well. Christian leadership models of the future must also return to the two by two, co-leader ideal. There is room for strategizing the details of what this model will look like on a practical level. Utilizing a case study and surveys, this project examines the effects of this leadership model in a church …


Revitalizing The Women's Ministry: Women Mentoring To The Women – A Titus 2 Project, Iva Thomas Jan 2014

Revitalizing The Women's Ministry: Women Mentoring To The Women – A Titus 2 Project, Iva Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Women are ministering in significant roles within the church today. A large number of churches are using women in various leadership roles and implementing mentoring programs through spiritually mature females. One of the problems facing churches today is the structuring of a strategic training program for mentors. This project will devise a strategic nine-week biblical mentoring training project for the more mature Christian women within the inner city churches of Houston, Texas and surrounding areas. The goal is to promote spiritual health and growth that will encourage positive lifestyle choices in younger females. The methodology utilized data obtained from several …


The Effects Of A Technology-Driven Science Application On Postsecondary Chemistry Student Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Darrell Byrum Jan 2014

The Effects Of A Technology-Driven Science Application On Postsecondary Chemistry Student Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Darrell Byrum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to establish if distinction exists in both student achievement and self-efficacy through the application of technology-based instructional approach in the laboratory environment of undergraduate chemistry courses. The achievement of 52 college students in the southeastern region of the United States was measured through one posttest assessment. Following this assessment, students were examined through a self-efficacy scale to determine preexisting thoughts of working in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory environment, as well as peer interaction. Accordingly, three separate college chemistry I courses were used to generate data via a nonequivalent control group design. From the three …


Grade Retention Rates: Impact Of Standards-Based Grading As Compared To A Traditional Grading System In 3rd And 5th Grades, Mishea Dean Jan 2014

Grade Retention Rates: Impact Of Standards-Based Grading As Compared To A Traditional Grading System In 3rd And 5th Grades, Mishea Dean

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student retention is a contentious issue that has spawned considerable debate among school leaders and policymakers. NCLB's accountability requirement has led to the development of a standards-based grading system to ensure students master content and so schools can meet AYP goals. This causal comparative study examined whether a change from a traditional grading system to a standards-based system affected the student retention frequency rate. Convenience sampling was used to collect retention data on third and fifth grade students who attended four Title 1 schools in northeast Georgia during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years when the grading system changed. A …


Effect Of Ebooks On Reading Level, Reading Behaviors, And Attitude Of Second Grade Students, Annette Vanaken Jan 2014

Effect Of Ebooks On Reading Level, Reading Behaviors, And Attitude Of Second Grade Students, Annette Vanaken

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the effect of ebooks as a tool for providing small group reading interventions and independent reading practice to second grade readers in the classroom. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group design was used to compare whether instructional reading environments (ebooks only, traditional books only, or both ebooks and traditional books) affect reading level and attitudes towards reading, while a posttest only non-equivalent control group design was used to measure reading behaviors of second grade students. A convenience sample of 88 English-speaking students at a rural, public elementary school in Southern Michigan participated. Reading level was measured by …


The Success Of Character Education In Relation To Religion In A Public School District, Joseph Johnson Jan 2014

The Success Of Character Education In Relation To Religion In A Public School District, Joseph Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The history of the United States demonstrates a complicated relationship between civil or national religion and the formation of the common schools. This dissertation uses purposive sampling, survey methodology and description research of a local, public school district with noted high scores on character education. The research uses a Likert scale to document educators' perception of success or failure of character education in relation to religion. In the school district, four schools were chosen for their high scores in character education implementation. A purposive sample of 100 participants was provided an email link to a secure, anonymous, online survey. The …


Affective Domain Applications In Standards-Based Education, Wayne Rumbaugh Jan 2014

Affective Domain Applications In Standards-Based Education, Wayne Rumbaugh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research examined the attitudes of teachers toward the affective domain in high versus low levels of standards-based instruction. Teachers from a school district in the suburbs of the greater Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area completed a self-report instrument to determine the level of standards-based instruction they use in the classroom. Confirmation of the level of standards-based instruction was ascertained through expert evaluation of classroom learning activities and a student report assessment. Data from these three sources were triangulated and participating teachers were ranked from high to low standards-based instruction level. Teachers in the lowest and highest levels of standards-based instruction …


Seeking To Glorify God: An Armed Forces Member's Handbook For Discipleship, Charles Blankenship Jan 2014

Seeking To Glorify God: An Armed Forces Member's Handbook For Discipleship, Charles Blankenship

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to equip military Christians in glorifying God through obedience to the Great Commission. Jesus' command to make disciples applies universally to all Christians, yet those in the armed forces often retreat or experience little success in discipleship within their native environment where they feel restricted by institutional policy, ungodly leadership, and isolation from the body of Christ. This project proposes a practical method of discipleship that seeks to equip Christians in uniform to make passionate followers of Christ who willingly embrace the same mission. The research for this thesis will be primarily conducted by …


Effects Of Information Delivery Type On Reading Comprehension And Reading Enjoyment Level In Male Seventh-Grade Disinterested Readers, Douglas Damon Jan 2014

Effects Of Information Delivery Type On Reading Comprehension And Reading Enjoyment Level In Male Seventh-Grade Disinterested Readers, Douglas Damon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this quantitative study, reading comprehension scores and reading enjoyment level of forty-two seventh-grade males (N = 42) from a Mid-Atlantic private school were examined to determine the effect of information delivery type. In this true-experimental posttest only control group design, forty-two participants self-identified as disinterested readers. The control group (n = 22) received a traditionally printed excerpt from a novel, while the treatment Group (n = 20) received the same excerpt enhanced with embedded digital links through QR (Quick Response) codes. Upon completion of the reading, participants took a reading comprehension test, and completed a reading enjoyment questionnaire. Data …


Development Of An Instrument To Measure The Attitudes Of Christian School Leaders Towards Factors That May Influence Their Decisions To Implement Special Education Programs, Julia Elliott Jan 2014

Development Of An Instrument To Measure The Attitudes Of Christian School Leaders Towards Factors That May Influence Their Decisions To Implement Special Education Programs, Julia Elliott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to develop and field-test the School Leader's Special Education Decision-Making Scale and to determine its validity and reliability for use with Christian school leaders. This 11-item scale, derived from the literature, measures the attitudes of Christian school leaders towards decisions to implement a special education program based on four factors: shared vision, parental considerations, teacher input, and religious concerns. This study was exploratory in nature and sought to extend a previous qualitative study by determining a way to quantify six intangible factors identified in that study. Three panels of experts in the fields of …


The Perceptions Of Caucasian Female Elementary Teachers And The Overrepresentation Of African-American Males In Special Education, Thomas Seaberry Jan 2014

The Perceptions Of Caucasian Female Elementary Teachers And The Overrepresentation Of African-American Males In Special Education, Thomas Seaberry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a disproportionate amount of African-American males in special education programs. Several factors have been offered by researchers as to why this phenomenon continues to be a problem throughout the county. The purpose of this study was to understand how Caucasian female teachers' perceptions of African-American male students might influence their overrepresentation in special education. This qualitative study employed an ethnographic case study method, and relied primarily on a pilot study and teacher interviews to obtain data related to this phenomenon. Using this research design, the researcher established six themes related to the research phenomenon: (1) cultural discontinuity between …


Exploring Intrinsic Value Of Educating Military Planners In Design Thinking: A Case Study, John Mangold Jan 2014

Exploring Intrinsic Value Of Educating Military Planners In Design Thinking: A Case Study, John Mangold

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative single instrumental, exploratory, theory-building, holistic researcher case study was to explore a novel approach to military transformation; a prototype of a problem solving methodology that accounts for an inescapable reality in the current and future operational environment: complexity and uncertainty. Design thinking was used as an essential component supporting a theoretical framework to explore the process of solving complex, ill-structured problems. Fifteen participants from a senior U.S. military service college were studied using observations, interviews, and site documents. The data analyzed used the systematic, analytic procedures of Stake (1995, 2008) and Merriam, (1998, 2009) whereby …


Solution-Oriented Teacher Understanding Of School Accountability And How It Influences Perceived Self-Efficacy: A Case Study, Yolonda Bankston Jan 2014

Solution-Oriented Teacher Understanding Of School Accountability And How It Influences Perceived Self-Efficacy: A Case Study, Yolonda Bankston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how accountability requirements influenced teacher understanding self-efficacy at one high school located in Southern Mississippi. Research questions focused on teacher understanding of how accountability requirements influenced their self-efficacy, the strategies that teachers reported they used to develop solutions to improve self-efficacy, and how teachers reported that administrative support, student discipline, and workload influence their self-efficacy as well. The researcher used field notes, interviews, and an online focus group to collect data from a purposive sample of 10 teachers. Survey results indicated teachers possessed high levels of self-efficacy. Six themes emerged …


An Evaluation Of The Penn Resiliency Program For Disruptive Preadolescents In An Elementary School Setting, Mildred Howard Jan 2014

An Evaluation Of The Penn Resiliency Program For Disruptive Preadolescents In An Elementary School Setting, Mildred Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Penn Resiliency Program in decreasing disruptive behavior, modifying negative automatic thoughts and improving academic achievement. Forty-eight students from two Title I schools in Georgia participated in this study. The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Second Edition, Progress Monitor, The Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale and report card grades were used to evaluate program effectiveness. Research results suggest the program effectively reduced negative automatic thoughts and improved academic performance.


Understanding Teachers' Perceptions Of Academic Coaching Quality In An On-Site Professional Development Program, Phillip Wood Dec 2013

Understanding Teachers' Perceptions Of Academic Coaching Quality In An On-Site Professional Development Program, Phillip Wood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Quality teacher training and continued learning is essential to providing the high quality education that yields adequate levels of student success. Though called by many different names, academic coaches appear to be the answer to the continuing problem of creating a positive learning environment that meets the challenges of educating students with varying abilities and needs. Driven by the analysis of student performance data, academic coaches train teachers in the best instructional practices and build teacher content knowledge to support improved student learning. Additionally, academic coaches offer support during the implementation of content learned through staff development. This study utilized …


Classroom Management Strategies: The Impact On Student Achievement, Hope Sowell Dec 2013

Classroom Management Strategies: The Impact On Student Achievement, Hope Sowell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to test the theoretical Classroom Management Teacher Behavior Continuum of Wolfgang and Glickman (1980) that suggests that interventionist, noninterventionist, and interactionalist classrooms may differ in student outcomes. This study explored whether student outcomes in statewide standardized tests reading, English language arts, and math differ by interventionist, noninterventionist, or interactionalist teacher instruction management (IM) and behavior management (BM) styles. Survey data from eighty-three 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers regarding instructional and behavioral classroom management beliefs were contrasted in the percentage students passing standardized tests of reading, ELA, and math using MANOVA at …


Impact Of Leveled Reading Books On The Fluency And Comprehension Levels Of First Grade Students, Melissa Seals Dec 2013

Impact Of Leveled Reading Books On The Fluency And Comprehension Levels Of First Grade Students, Melissa Seals

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this nonequivalent, control group, pretest-posttest design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of leveled book programs on first-grade students' oral reading fluency rates and comprehension levels. This study was conducted over a 10-week time span with four first-grade classes. All of the students in each class were given a pretest to determine their current reading level, and then the classes were randomly placed into the treatment group, which used leveled books during independent reading time, or the controlled group, which used trade books selected by the students during independent reading time. Two individually administered assessments, Developmental Reading …


Perceptions Of Student-Teacher Relationships And Ged Completion: A Correlational Study, Melissa Hairston Dec 2013

Perceptions Of Student-Teacher Relationships And Ged Completion: A Correlational Study, Melissa Hairston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study took an in depth look at student-teacher relationships as one institutional barrier affecting GED completion among adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of student-instructor relationships, specifically Instructor Connectedness and Instructor Anxiety, and its effects on adults seeking GED completion. Data from approximately 120 students who attended classes for at least 20 hours at the Regional Learning Center were surveyed using the Student-Instructor Relationship Survey in Portsmouth, Virginia. A quantitative design utilizing correlational statistics to produce Pearson's r was used to determine if correlations existed among Instructor Connectedness and Instructor Anxiety with the following …


Service V. Presence: Implementation Of The Ministry Of Service In The Military Chaplaincy - A Receptivity And Feasibility Study, Mark Tinsley Dec 2013

Service V. Presence: Implementation Of The Ministry Of Service In The Military Chaplaincy - A Receptivity And Feasibility Study, Mark Tinsley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In Spring 2012, a new ministerial paradigm for the military chaplaincy was proposed in a thesis entitled “The Ministry of Service: A Critical Practico-Theological Examination of the Ministry of Presence and its Reformulation for Military Chaplains.” Known as the “ministry of service,” this new paradigm was heralded as a potential replacement for the current presence-ministry model that has guided military chaplains for decades. The purpose of the current research project is to determine the receptivity of this proposed paradigmatic shift among Army service members, analyze strengths and weaknesses of implementing a new ministry model, and verify if procedures and administrative …