Digital Commons Network^™

The Feasibility Of Effective Online Mentoring Of School Principals, Donald C. James

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Comparing the qualities of traditional mentoring with the qualities of online mentoring, this study examined the feasibility of uniting the two mentoring approaches in the preparation of school principals. The communication and implementation of national principal preparation standards via online and face-to-face methods were ranked by four categories of key individuals (university professors who prepare principals, active principals who have mentored a novice principal, novice principals being mentored, and mentored principals) involved in the principal mentoring process. Using a pilot-tested original survey instrument, 73 individuals completed the survey indicating perceptions toward the feasibility of online principal mentoring. A one-way ANOVA …

Factors Of Teacher Turnover In Church-Related Schools In A State Association Of Christian Schools, Joanna Ruth Oster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher turnover is high in schools, identifying the factors may possibly lead to solutions to reduce this problem. Factors of teacher turnover in private and public schools were researched through the literature review and factors were identified. The goal of this descriptive study is to provide information on teacher turnover for administrators in a state association of Christian schools. A research table was developed through the literature review, which led to the pilot survey where a team of experts, the coordinator of the state association of Christian schools, one high school principal, two elementary principals, and three headmasters, made recommendations. …

The Effects Of Life Skills Instruction On The Personal-Social Skills Scores Of Rural High School Students With Mental Retardation, Mary K. Quigley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Effects of Life Skills Instruction on the Personal-Social Skills Scores of Rural High School Students with Mental Retardation. (Under the direction of Dr. Margaret Ackerman) School of Education, March, 2007. The current legislation No Child Left Behind mandates that students with mental retardation have access to core curriculum courses. A comprehensive life skills program, Life Centered Career Education (LCCE), was integrated into the curriculum of high school students with mental retardation. The LCCE program was utilized to educate students on Personal-Social, Daily Life skills, and Occupational lessons with an academic emphasis. The study measured improvements made in the personal-social …

Brain-Based Learning Theory: An Online Course Design Model, Abreena Walker Tompkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The development of a theoretical brain-based online course design model with potential transferability across course management systems in higher education is the problem for this study. Qualitative inquiry was the emergent design and consisted of an extensive current, relevant literature review of educational literature in brain-based learning theory, online course design, and course management systems for the purpose of developing a theoretical brain-based online course design model for higher education. The model developed includes synthesized indicators from the analytical charting. The proposed model is presented in acronym form, which in and of itself aligns with brain-based learning theory. The acronym …

Sixth Grade Fitness Levels And The Fitnessgram Assessment Program, Reginald S. Kimball

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine sixth grade students’ level of fitness on the FitnessGram physical fitness testing program at the beginning of the 2006 – 2007 school year. This study examined if students entering the sixth grade were in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) or needs improvement zone of the FitnessGram. The primary participant population for the study was 155 sixth grade students from four different Metro-Atlanta middle schools. Although there were 155 students, gender was not reported for two of the students. Data was collected during the 2006 – 2007 school year during the first 3 …

The Relationship Between Oral Reading Fluency And Comprehension, Jessica A. Talada

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Oral reading fluency and reading comprehension are identified as components in effectively gaining meaning from text. A reciprocal relationship exists between the two that allows one to comprehend more thoroughly as one reads more fluently. Additionally, as one reads more fluently, one’s ability to comprehend also improves. This is due to the fact that one’s brain is more capable in processing text meaning when one is able to read fluently. Therefore, when one automatically identifies words one is able to comprehend text more completely. The oral reading fluency and comprehension relationship was tested for a second and third grade population …

Understanding The Influences Of Parenting A Child With Oppositional Defiant Disorder On The Marital Relationship: A Phenomenological Study, Jimmy Kyle Myers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Using a phenomenological framework this qualitative study explored the experience of parenting a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and its influence on the marital relationship. Eight intact married couples with children previously diagnosed with ODD were interviewed to assess each couple’s communication, non-sexual and sexual intimacy, conflict management, conflict avoidance, parenting disagreement related conflict, religious faith and practice, and social/recreational activities as it related to parenting an ODD child. The results of the study confirmed that the couples perceived several negative effects which included disagreement over parenting, being critical of or blaming spouse for parenting difficulties, increased stress levels, …

Personality Profiles Of Experienced U.S. Army Rotary-Wing Aviators Across Mission, Robert Grice

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Numerous studies have attempted to identify a relationship between personality traits and workplace performance. Workplace performance in this study was construed as including perceptions of congruence with the type of work and performance on the job. The Five-Factor Model (FFM) has been used to predict workplace performance across a number of vocations including aviation and the Revised NEO Personality Instrument (NEO-PI-R) is the most widely used FFM-based instrument. The NEO-PI-R has been used with commercial and military aviators to identify personality trait levels that are distinct from the general public and to predict performance in cockpit situations such as during …

The Integration Of Church And Home: A Strategic Partnership For Spiritual Formation, Michael B. Haynes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The American family is deteriorating according to current research. This deterioration stems from the church’s inability to develop Christians who practice life according to the principles of the Bible. In a culture characterized by an atomic worldview, the church and family must work together to develop Christians who live according to the relational worldview of Scripture. This project describes how one church developed and implemented a strategy partnering the church and family for the spiritual formation of the next generation. This project is designed as a model for churches seeking to impact the culture one home at a time.

Proportional Process Conflict In Undergraduate Cooperative Learning Groups, Glenna K. Dunn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The first purpose of this research was to determine if minimal training on the concepts and effects of relational, task, and process conflict would have an effect on proportional process conflict (Jehn, 2000) in undergraduate cooperative learning groups. Proportional process conflict is explained as the amount of process conflict in proportion to relational and task conflict and to the overall amount of conflict within the group. The second purpose was to increase knowledge about the cultural patterns and perspectives of undergraduate cooperative learning groups. The sample consisted of 68 undergraduate students from four classes of the same course at a …

Pastoral Leadership For Local Church Growth In The Korean Church, Gi In Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to help Korean pastors, and other pastors who want to become better leaders. It presents pastoral leadership from a biblical perspective which includes meaning, principles, disciplines, ministries, qualifications, and portraits of pastoral leadership. The project shows that the pastoral leader must lead, must guard, must feed, must equip, and must love. Pastors should lead with servant leadership, keep praying, keep the vision alive, and be a change agent.

Select Counselors’ Perspectives On Alcohol And Substance Abuse Among Hispanic Adolescents., David E. Tetrault

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative instrumental case study investigated the issue of alcohol and substance abuse among Hispanic adolescents through the perspectives of select counselors. Hispanic-Americans are the largest and fastest growing minority population in the United States. Simultaneously, alcohol and substance abuse among Hispanic adolescents is increasing with the commensurate consequences and need for solutions.

Data was collected using semi-structured, recorded, transcribed interviews with middle school and substance abuse counselors—key informants—who practiced in a community located in the Southwestern United States. Participants’ interactions with Hispanic adolescents spanned Hispanic adolescents’ experience with alcohol and substance abuse prior to onset through treatment.

The first …

Attitudes Of Pre-Service Physical Educators At A Faith-Based University Toward Individuals With Disabilities., James E. Schoffstall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an undergraduate adapted physical education course on the attitudes of pre-service physical educators toward individuals with disabilities. The participants for this study were 108 students enrolled in undergraduate adapted physical education courses at a faith-based university. The Physical Educators Attitude toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities, third edition pre- and post-intervention was utilized to assess any changes in the participants’ attitudes toward individuals with disabilities.

Statistically significant differences were found between the participants’ pre- and post-intervention attitudinal scores on all measured areas (i.e. emotional disturbance, learning disabled, mild intellectual disability, …

Insights On Leadership: God’S Preparation And Selection Of The Southern Baptist Convention’S Conservative Resurgence Presidencies, Darrell P. Orman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current literature indicates that very little material analyzes the processes God used to prepare and then select the unique leadership group, within Evangelical Christianity, known as the Conservative Resurgence Presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention. Many writings have covered the history of the resurgence and some writings have analyzed the biographical history of these men. But none to date have integrated these two elements into a specific study of the leadership preparation of this group of leaders along with the office of the president. The primary source of gaining insights into their leadership preparation and abilities shall …

A Strategy On The Application Of Cell Ministry As A Model Of A Healthy Immigrant Church, Jong Dae Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The objective of this thesis is to first understand the distinctive characteristic of the cell group church, and to research the strategy of transitioning the traditional immigrant church to a healthy cell group church. The foundational concept of this thesis was brought from the early church in the New Testament, and its origin could have been found in the historical small group movement. Seoul Baptist Church of Houston and Light Mission Global Church of Washington D.C. were the model churches that were used. Surveys and interview were examined focusing on the two church’s cell group leaders and members, and it …

Developing A Purpose Driven Model For Today’S Korea Evangelical Holiness Church Pastors-Teachers, Seung Min Chang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis is to develop a purpose driven model for the pastors-teachers of the Korea Evangelical Holiness Church. This project explains that being a purpose driven education ministry means following the biblical principles behind the movement rather than copying specific characteristics that are unique to the Saddleback Church. In that view, this paper discusses how to implement Rick Warren's paradigm in the educational setting of the KEHC that has its own theological and cultural distinctives. Two kinds of surveys show that the denominational educational needs can be effectively covered through the results of the implementation.

Moral Self-Concept Of Public And Christian School Teachers In An Atlanta Metropolitan Area County, Timothy Reid Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Historically, the importance of moral and ethical behavior has helped govern the educational process in the United States. The research shows that students notice and are affected by the moral character of a teacher as it is conveyed by a teacher’s behavior and lifestyle, both in and out of the classroom. This quantitative causal-comparative study, conducted in October and November of 2004, examined the moral self-concept of teachers as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: Second Education (TSCS:2). The population consisted of 210 teachers from a metropolitan Atlanta county employed by public and Christian elementary and secondary schools. The investigation …

Father Presence Matters: A Case For Family, Marcia Redmon Miles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Children from single parent homes experience disadvantages that often continue into adulthood. This qualitative dissertation project examines the pain and lived experiences of a family where father absence continued through three generations. Literature regarding father absence is reviewed, and the negative outcomes associated with fatherlessness are explored. This project combines a l2-week curriculum training, a 12-day Twelve-Step component, and a 12-month mentorship in a faith-based response to fatherlessness. The objective of this project is to reconnect fathers in a meaningful way with their children, ease pain and facilitate healing of all involved parties.

The Role Of The Pastor In Southern Baptist Churches: A Biblical View Versus A Prevailing View, Wilford A. Stone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project will address the role of the pastor by looking at the Biblical view of the role of the pastor and the prevailing view of the role of the pastor in the Southern Baptist Church. Biblical research will be conducted and will be presented in the Biblical view of the role of the pastor. Based on surveys sent to Southern Baptist pastors, Southern Baptist seminary students, and laity in Southern Baptist Churches, perspectives on the prevailing view of the role of the pastor will be presented. Then, the two views will be compared.

Characteristics Of A Healthy Church From The Seven Churches Of Asia That Can Apply To Yohan Tokyo Christ Church, Jong Yoon Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to understand the characteristics of a healthy church from the seven churches of Asia, using Revelation 2-3 and to apply those characteristics to Yohan Tokyo Christ Church. The project carefully examines the characteristics of a healthy church from Jesus Christ’s commendations and condemnations to the seven churches of Asia. It also analyzes and evaluates current situation of the Yohan Tokyo Christ Church based on surveys. Five practical strategies for spiritual health development of the Yohan Tokyo Christ Church are offered. Those strategies will help the spiritual health of the Yohan Tokyo Christ Church and …

An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Remote Intercessory Prayer On Depression, Jason Gary Wright

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study utilized a double-blind, controlled, pre-test/post-test design to examine the effect of remote intercessory prayer on 20 participants who received counseling for depression in various clinics throughout central Virginia. The researcher randomly drew from a pool of 20 numbers; participants given even numbers were assigned to the experimental group and were prayed for by assigned intercessors for 28 days. Participants given odd numbers were assigned to the control group and were not assigned intercessors. Twenty-eight days (or as soon a possible) after all participants took the first BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory, second version) they completed the BDI-II for …

Distance Counseling: Perceived Advantages And Disadvantages Among Christian Counselors, Anthony J. Centore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Not available.

“Waltzing With The Monster,” Interventions With The Substance-Abusing Adolescent For Pastors, Treatment Providers, And Family, Philip A. Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The biblical story of the "Prodigal Son" is a universal experience made significantly more precarious by the use of mind altering chemicals. A review of the literature reveals that approximately half of all problems impacting American families are caused or exacerbated by the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. This project's focus is the impact of substance abuse on the developing adolescent. Chemical "hijacking" of the brain's pleasure centers and resultant dysfunction is examined. Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention are discussed. Interventions which facilitate the young person's "homecoming" and implications for the community of faith are integrated.

The Effect Of Spiritual Attitudes On Female Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, Ralph W. Fox Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study hypothesized that there is a relationship between religious orientation (conservative, moderate, or liberal) and the occurrence of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) among Christian women. The participants of this study were 71 married Christian women who were patients from a Christian obstetrical! gynecological medical practice in southern Georgia and who volunteered for an anonymous survey. The survey instruments used in this study included the Sexual Self-Assessment Questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Christian Religious Orientation Scale. Demographic information was also gathered on each participant.

Results showed that all of the women had a conservative orientation and …

Analysis Of Reading Comprehension And Thinking Process , Kevin D. Washburn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to the U.S. Department of Education, middle school literacy research in four areas is currently mandated: neurocognitive elements, instructional processes, instructional materials, and professional development. This study presents appropriate statistical analysis of fifth grade student gains in reading comprehension and thinking processes. The results suggest reading programs based on findings from the four key areas of research produce significantly greater student achievement in reading comprehension and thought processes than programs not based on findings from the key research areas. The study includes a Research-Based Rubric for Reading Comprehension Components, detailing findings from the four research areas. This rubric serves …

The Perceived Effectiveness Of A Beginning Teacher Mentoring Program In Central Virginia, Toni M. Flanagan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This descriptive study examined the perceived effectiveness of a beginning teacher mentoring program in a public school district in Central Virginia. A total of 87 participants, including beginning teachers, new-to-district teachers, mentor teachers, and administrators were surveyed about the perceived effectiveness of the teacher mentoring program and general demographic information. In addition, 17 of the survey respondents were interviewed as a follow-up to the study. A 5-point scaled survey questionnaire based on Virginia’s guidelines for teacher mentoring programs was the primary means of assessment. Results from the study indicated that the teachers and administrators surveyed had overall positive perceptions of …

Continuous Quality Improvement: A Two-Year Analysis Of One School’S Achievement During Initial Implementation, Peggy Garrett Coffey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine two intervention programs to determine if participation in one or both programs affected student achievement. Both programs addressed student achievement in reading, language arts, and mathematics. The programs emphasized score disaggregation, teacher instruction, weekly assessments, tutorial and enrichment classes on the academic concepts. This study compared ninety-six fifth grade student scores who completed both intervention programs. The hypotheses were tested using paired t-tests. Participation in the first intervention program showed a statistical significant difference at the .05 level for language arts and no statistically difference for reading or mathematics. Participation in both …

Early Childhood Cognitive Development: A Descriptive Study On The Effectiveness Of Preschool Curricula, Alisa Shook Dyson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the lack of rigorous, systematic evaluation of preschool curricula utilizing three survey instruments developed by NSSE: Parent/Guardian Questionnaire, Staff Questionnaire, Program Specific Indicators o/Teaching and Organizational Effectiveness. The measures were designed to reflect the concepts of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) as presented in the revised 2005 NAEYC guidelines, Association of Christian Schools International Intended Student Outcomes, and The National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE) accreditation assessment instruments. Two hundred surveys completed by nonprofit, Christian early childhood center administrators across the United States were utilized in this study. Quantitative data presented utilizing NSSE's psychometric instruments provides the information …

Developing A Spiritually-Formative Leadership Mentoring Ministry At Southwood Community Church, Aaron David Rock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mentoring is increasingly being recognized as a tool for advancing the God-initiated life-long quest for spiritual formation in newer believers. The purpose of this project is to develop a mentoring ministry at Southwood Community Church in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The project first explores biblical, historical and contemporary mentoring principles and strategies, develops mentors through a training course, and couples them up with a mentee. The mentor and mentee engage in a mentoring relationship with an assessment tool administered before and after a three-month mentoring process to evaluate the impact of the relationship upon the mentee.

A Consideration Of Church Planting Through Radio Broadcasting In Thailand, Byung Jo Chang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation focuses on the meaning of church planting, and the successful church planning through radio broadcasting and its benefit in Thai missions. Radio broadcasting is the best way of opening up the door for spreading the gospel to start church planting. The research focuses on founding and organizing the broadcasting station in the hopes of giving non Christians opportunities to hear the gospel for the first time, and helping them to become Chris like.

The potential radio broadcasting missions carry, the meaning of it all, and the efficiency behind planting a church through the broadcasting missions is examined. These …