Digital Commons Network^™

A Strategy For The Balanced Discipleship That Integrates Emotional Health And Spiritual Maturity Within The Korean Presbyterian Church, Kwang Shik Seo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to understand the biblical basis for a balanced discipleship that integrates emotional health and spiritual maturity within the Korean Presbyterian Church. This project reviews historical research and provides an analysis of the emotional issues in the Korean Presbyterian Church. Based on the survey, this project defines current reality and offers a vision for the Korean Presbyterian Church. Through the evaluation of biblical models and churches, this project suggests effective principles for developing a balanced discipleship that incorporates both emotional health and spiritual maturity.

Comparison Of Fifth-Grade Students’ Mathematics Achievement As Evidenced By Georgia’S Criterion-Referenced Competency Test: Traditional And Departmentalized Settings, Marcia Wright Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effect of traditional (self-contained, one teacher for all academic subjects) and departmentalized (math taught by a different teacher) instruction upon the mathematics CRCT achievement of fifth-grade general education students. A secondary purpose addressed teachers' experiences, perceptions, and opinions concerning the classroom structure at this level. The 2007 and 2008 CRCT math data was used with a total of 9,386 students. The researcher's Data Collection and Opinions (DCO) for Teachers surveyed 180 fifth-grade teachers. A z score population proportion and a two-sample t test determined significant differences between the two structures. Results of the passing percentages showed …

The Value Of The Navy Chaplain In The Fleet Marine Force Environment, Bruce Crouterfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As a result of interviews, it was found that many Naval Chaplains serving in the Fleet Marine Force fail to have an accurate sense of worth as they serve the people God has called them to serve. Because Marines and Sailors don’t share with their chaplains how they really think of the chaplain, the chaplain is left wondering about his significance. Through interviews and questionnaires, Marines and Sailors serving in the Fleet Marine Force were queried regarding their concept of the value of the Naval Chaplain serving in the Fleet Marine Force. In short, it was found that for the …

Problem-Based Learning In Police Academies: Adult Learning Principles Utilized By Police Trainers, Eric Paul Werth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the use of adult learning principles by instructors at two state-run multi-jurisdictional police training academies using Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Instructor use of adult learning principles was assessed using an electronic version of the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS). PALS scores indicate that instructors at both institutions favor an instructor-centered as opposed to student-centered teaching style, that time since PBL implementation did not lead to a greater use of adult learning principles by instructors at the academy utilizing PBL for a greater length of time, and that there is little significant difference in the use of adult …

An Analysis Of Factors That Influence Success In A Low Socioeconomic Georgia Middle School, Faith Mims Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze teacher perceptions as they relate to practices considered critical to success within low socioeconomic middle schools. Teacher perceptions from four schools with similar demographics were included, and survey research was utilized in this quantitative study. The general question addressed in this study was: To what extent is there a difference when comparing teacher perceptions in a school that has been identified as a "needs improvement" school to the teacher perceptions in a school that has been identified as a "successful" school? Analyses showed a significant statistical difference in five of the seven …

Inclusive Learning Environments: An Analysis Of Early Intervention Service Options For Preschoolers With Special Needs, Mimi L. Heath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the quest to restructure educational programming toward higher student outcomes for preschoolers with special needs, professional educators are continuously challenged to provide with integrity a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restricted environment (LRE) as mandated by law. This study analyzed the effectiveness of an inclusive programming model for preschoolers with special needs by examining achievement gains in the developmental domains of adaptive, motor, and cognitive skills as assessed by the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Second Edition. Analysis of an inclusive learning environment for six preschoolers with special needs as guided by IEP committee recommendations occurred. In order …

Development And Analysis Of A Survey Assessing Eleventh Grade High School Students' Preferences For Specific Types Of Online Course Structures, Jonathan Burton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation describes an exploratory study to develop a survey that assesses high school students' attitudes towards various modes of online course delivery. The primary focus of the study was the development of a survey that could be used to determine these preferences with a target population of high school juniors. A panel of experts in the fields of online education and adolescent psychology examined the survey and provided feedback during its development. Reliability was established with a Cronbach's alpha. Validity was assessed through an exploratory factor analysis. Two factors emerged, focusing on interaction and student learning. The predicted online …

Bullying In Public Schools In Missouri, David A. Copeland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research conducted sought to find evidence and data to support or lack of support to the following questions: Do school administrators perceive a problem with bullying in their schools in Missouri? Is there a relationship between the victim of bullying and the learning process? Do female adolescents engage in cyber bullying more than male adolescents? Do public schools in Missouri have policies in place that address bullying? The researcher used the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program survey on bullying. The study examined the perceptions and beliefs of the superintendents in the State of Missouri concerning bullying and student responses from …

A Comparative Analysis Of Factors Contributing To The Biblical Worldview Among High School Students In The American Association Of Christian Schools Of Georgia, North Carolina, And South Carolina, Michael Hugh Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This non-experimental quantitative study is a comparative analysis of factors contributing to the biblical worldview of students attending select Christian schools in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The research design uses non-randomized control groups, an instrument which includes original questions in addition to items from three other instruments, and a Likert-type scale. Results imply that the subjects appear to consistently reflect orthodox doctrine in their responses, if not always in their behavior. The subjects were homogenous in many of their answers even though there were particular questions that evoked a wide disparity of answers. The particular …

The Effect Of Graphic Organizers On The Academic Achievement Of High School Students In United States History Who Receive Instruction In A Blended, Computer-Based Learning Environment, George Kim Conley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of graphic organizers on the academic achievement of high school students receiving instruction in United States History via an online blended learning environment. With 60 participants in the study, the students were equally divided into two groups of 30 participants each. Group I was designated as the treatment group, while Group II formed the control group. A two-tailed t-test was used to determine that the means of the two posttests were not significantly different at a probability level of .05. Therefore, the results of this research study indicated that high …

Personality Characteristics Of Counseling Students At A Midwest Evangelical Seminary As Correlates Of Success, Satisfaction, And Self-Perceived Effectiveness, Keith Edward Marlett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

his study examined the question of how well personality traits as assessed by the MMPI-2 (clinical and L, F, K validity scales) and the NEO PI-R (domain scales) predict useful post-graduation markers of success in Master's level counselor education students. The subjects were 74 graduates of a seminary counselor education program in the Midwest. Participants completed the MMPI-2 (first 370 questions) and the NEO PI-R prior to admission and a post-graduation self-report questionnaire. Significant correlation between several personality traits and post-graduation markers of success emerged, but after Bonferroni adjustment, did not retain statistical significance and are therefore noted as trends …

Obtaining Success With Freshman Transition Plans: A Study Of Programs In Four High Schools In Virginia, Martin Eugene Ringstaff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the successes and challenges small school (school population between 300-900 students) administrators and teachers experienced when designing, implementing, and sustaining their ninth-grade transition programs. The purpose of this study was to add valuable insight to the knowledge that currently existed for the development and implementation of freshman transition programs. This study identified common and unique elements in the implementation designs of transition programs in four small high schools in the state of Virginia. Fifty-two teachers were surveyed and the four high school principals completed their questionnaires. Significant differences were noted in the years of teaching experience …

A Comparison Of A Christian And A State Institution Of Higher Education: The Relationship Between Religiosity And Academic Dishonesty Among Athletes, Lori Robertson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between religiosity and academic dishonesty among intercollegiate athletes at a private Christian college and a state university. This study also examined the level of academic dishonesty and the level of religiosity among intercollegiate athletes at both institutions. The researcher administered a questionnaire to 163 intercollegiate athletes. The questionnaire included 17 cheating behaviors and several subscales of religiosity (overall religiosity, intrinsic religiosity, organizational religiosity, and non-organizational religiosity). A significant difference was found in the level of religiosity between the athletes in the two schools. However, no significant difference was found in …

The Effect Of The Teacher's Worldviews On The Worldviews Of High School Seniors, James A. Fyock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

James A. Fyock. THE EFFECT OF THE TEACHER’S WORLDVIEWS ON THE WORLDVIEWS OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. (Under the direction of Dr. Steve Deckard) School of Education, June, 19, 2008. Christian educators today are interested in assisting their students in formulating a biblical Christian worldview. One important factor in developing a biblical worldview in students is the Christian school teacher. This study examined the effect of teacher’s worldviews on the worldviews of high school seniors in a Christian school. The teacher’s worldview was measured by Nehemiah Institute’s PEERS (2003) worldview survey and was designated the attribute independent variable. A convenience sample …

The Effects Of Participation In Athletics On Academic Performance Among High School Sophomores And Juniors, Lee Sitkowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Athletics and academic performance has been studied at length over the years in the literature. Despite the mostly university level research conducted, no consensus has been reached regarding the impact of athletic participation on academic performance at the high school level. As a result, the relationship between the in season and out of season school academic performance of high school sophomores and juniors in one high school was investigated in this study. It was determined that there was a significant relationship that existed between academic performance, measured by GPA, and athletic participation. Through an analysis of 249 high school sophomore …

Fire/Emergency Medical Services And Coping Methods: Mitigating Traumatic Stress Symptomatology, William Mark Holland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals must cope with a variety of job-related stressors. One significant stressor for fire/EMS providers involves exposure to personally disturbing incidents (PDIs). To manage the untoward effects of exposure to PDIs, fire/EMS professionals use a variety of coping methods. In this study, the effectiveness of various coping methods utilized by fire/EMS professionals for mitigating the negative effects of exposure to PDIs was examined. This study provides some clarity by identifying the subjective distress associated with certain PDIs and pinpointing detrimental coping methods of fire/EMS personnel through scores on the 28-item General Health Questionnaire and …

Examination And Survey Of User Satisfaction With Internet-Based Learning Compared To Traditional Classroom-Based Learning, Melinda Carol Kushniroff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Abstract Melinda Kushniroff. AN EXAMINATION AND SURVEY OF USER SATISFACTION WITH INTERNET-BASED LEARNING COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM-BASED LEARNING. (Under the direction of Dr. Clarence Holland) School of Education, April, 2008. Although some research has been done in the internet-based learning discipline, user satisfaction with internet-based classes compared to traditional classroom-based learning requires more attention and research due to the substantial and continued growth in this area. During the 2007 Fall semester, 720 university undergraduate students, internet-based and traditional classroom-based, were randomly sampled with the only requirement that the students be participating in at least one internet class and one traditional …

Using Career Education To Enhance School Success And Reduce The Dropout Rate, Cindy Lue Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The new career education program was developed to help over-aged and under achieving 9th graders who are one or more years behind in earning their high school diplomas. This program was designed to reduce the dropout rate and provide every student with a South Carolina State Diploma and a marketable skill upon entering the workforce. This study determined if the program reduced the dropout rate and if students participating in the career education program would show an improvement in factors established as dropout indicators. The students who met the programs qualifications began in the fall of 2006 and were studied …

Education For Woman’S Ministries: A Rationale For And Review Of Woman’S Ministries For The Beginning Of The 21st Century, Monica Dawn Rose

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide a theoretical basis for the development of programs for women in the church and Christian ministries. The author will approach this project by first defining women’s ministries as well as presenting the two predominant evangelical views of women in ministry. This project will also provide an overview of issues women encounter and the needs women have in today’s culture. After presenting a need analysis, the author will provide an overview of academic institutions training women in the field of women’s studies and/or ministries as well as curriculum being used to equip women …

Teacher Training Manual For The Christian Education Program Of Bethesda Church, Rick Allen Wolgamott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current teacher training in local churches often consists of asking a teacher to read pre-developed curriculum and follow the publishers’ instructions. Teachers are not being taught to critically evaluate the materials, and as a result they simply follow the directions provided. The purpose of this project is to train teachers in the local church in basic theology, hermeneutics, and preparing a Bible lesson. As a result, teachers will be trained to study Scripture and evaluate lessons based on Scriptural truth, and to prepare their own lesson plans. Recruiting and retaining teachers will become more effective as a result of providing …

A History And Evaluation Of The Revolution Generation Youth Ministries Mentorship Program, William Lee Barnett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of academic and Para-church organizations reveals that few programs exist that provide a balance of academic and professional preparation for youth ministers. Revolution Generation Youth Ministries has attempted to design such a program. The purpose of this project is to explore the history and design of the Revolution Generation Mentorship Program and evaluate it in comparison to such programs. This evaluation will be accomplished through a programmatic comparison with the standards of the Association for Biblical Higher Education, accredited college programs and other internship programs. The information gathered will be utilized to strengthen the Revolution Generation Mentorship Program.

Separate Threads Or A Single Woven Piece? A Phenomenology Of The Integration Of Faith And Learning, Elizabeth Canby Sites

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenology investigated integration of faith and learning among eight Liberty University faculty members. Criterion sampling was used by asking 150 randomly selected graduate students to nominate the professor from whom they had learned integration the most. All participants described their holistic, existential, faith-praxis integration. Themes pertinent to their understanding of integration included the inseparability of faith from their being and a sense of calling. The outworking of their faith was seen in two main themes: teaching practices that included Biblical truth, and the humility and deliberate actions that develop relationships with students, colleagues and staff. Counseling and generalist participants …

A Critical Examination Of The Biblical Teaching On The Image Of God, And Its Implications For Christian Living, Timothy T. Faber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a biblical understanding of what it means to be human. The purpose and intent of God in creating man in His own image is explored. How being made in the image of God impacts one’s life and purpose is also considered. In this process, the effects of sin on the image of God, how man attempts to compensate for sin’s damage, and how man expresses the image of God as a result of sin are discussed. Finally, the ways Christ demonstrates that He is the exact representation of the divine nature, the …

The Enemy In The Screen: A Collective Case Study On Perpetrators Of Internet Crimes Against Children, Janet M. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This collective case study explored the phenomenon of Internet crimes against children from the perspectives of select Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigators. The research focused on three questions: (1) How do select investigators describe perpetrators of Internet crimes against children? (2) What, if any, common characteristics do participants identify among the perpetrators and (3) How do participants' descriptions compare and/or contrast? Data was obtained utilizing semistructured, conversational interviews with eight ICAC investigators. Three main themes emerged from these interviews: general demographic descriptions, motivations and behaviors. Perpetrators of Internet crimes against children were found to be predominantly non-Hispanic males. Other …

Job Satisfaction Of Adjunct Faculty Serving In The Online Environment At A Private Evangelical University, Anita Satterlee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to describe levels of satisfaction of the adjunct faculty who teach in online modalities of instruction at a private evangelical university located in the southern United States. The three faculty groups included in the study were (a) online adjunct faculty (independent contractors), (b) adjunct faculty (university full time staff and administrators teaching part-time in the online program) and (c) full-time residential faculty who teach online courses in the distance format. The abridged Job Descriptive Index and the abridged Job in General index were chosen to survey respondents regarding satisfaction levels. The results of the …

Role Of Spirituality In Persons Choosing A Career In Education: Calling As A Motivating Factor, Jared Bigham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The job of a teacher undergoes more scrutiny and accountability with each passing year. The esteem for the profession and extrinsic rewards do not increase commensurately to the ever growing challenges that teachers encounter. It therefore raises the question what motivates a teacher to enter such a profession? Many teachers in the profession say they answered a calling to teach. This phenomenological study examined the role that spirituality plays in persons choosing a career in education. Participants were chosen from college students who were in their methods semester of training. The participants were interviewed, and the dialogue was analyzed for …

The Cell Keys Are Turning: Spiritual Integration In The Treatment Of Christian Women With Anorexia Nervosa, Lisa Sosin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explored Christian spirituality, counseling practice, and recovery from anorexia nervosa. A spiritual integration model based on a comprehensive review of the literature was proposed. This model reflects a step care treatment approach, including the current standard of practice, spiritual integration, and Christian spiritual integration.

Next, a phenomenological analysis of document, interview, and observation data revealed several themes pertinent to counseling practice with Christian women suffering with anoexia nervosa. These themes were classified as (a) prior to treatment: spiritual disconnection, including suffering and brokenness, taking control of brokenness through anorexia nervosa, and her broken faith; (b) during treatment: …

Measuring The Effectiveness Of After-School Programs Via Participants’ Pre And Posttest Performance Levels On The Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test, Cheri Lynn Ogden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Schools failing to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress on annual state assessments are given federal and state funds to support supplemental educational services. This study was designed to measure the effectiveness of two after-school programs in one middle school in a medium-sized county in Georgia. The school has failed to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress for eight years and has been offering supplemental services for six years. The after-school programs are funded and students are offered opportunities to participate based on low performance on the annual assessment, the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test. The effectiveness of the after-school programs was assessed based …

The Relationships Between Cognitive Deficits And Spiritual Development, Charles Nolan Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

An individual’s spirituality is shaped and supported by his or her cognitive capacities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between various cognitive deficits and the spiritual development in individuals who qualified for special education under the category of Specific Learning Disability. Participants were randomly selected through systematic sampling of students and former students of Kellyville Public School who met the criteria. The cognitive deficits were measured by the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (2001) or the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery- R (1989), and spiritual development was measured by the Spiritual Assessment Inventory (2002). The results of …

Character Traits In Newbery Award Literature 1997-2007, Julie Beth Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the character example elements in the Newbery Award winning books from 1997-2007. Content analysis was used to identify the pertinent character traits identified by the researcher using the acronym C.H.A.R.A.C.T.E.R. These example elements include: (a) caring/compassionate, (b) helpfulness, (c) acceptance, (d) respect, (e) ambition, (f) citizenship, (g) trustworthiness, (h) encouragement, and (i) responsibility. Using a coding system developed for this study, four readers read and discussed the books to attempt consensus as to the character traits identified. The researcher sought answers to the following questions: (a) Do the Newbery Award winning books …