Digital Commons Network^™

How Was The Book Of Mormon Used By The Early Saints?

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

When the Book of Mormon was first translated and published, it was brand new to the entire world. Its doctrines, messages, personalities, and details were all in need of rediscovery. Even the Prophet Joseph Smith, the instrument through which God transmitted this record, does not appear to have fully assimilated all its complexities and nuances, for he rarely quoted from the Book of Mormon (as one might expect had he written the book).

Joseph Smith And The Book Of Mormon

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Increasingly, questions are being asked about how the Book of Mormon came to be. Few of these questions are new, for each generation must confront the challenging presence of the Book of Mormon for itself, the same as have the generations before us. In this light, it may be of interest for us to reread the five-part series from the 1959 Improvement Era written by Hugh Nibley, entitled "Mixed Voices." For the first time, these five articles are now available as a set.

"Salamanders" And "Short-Hand Egyptian"

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The 1830 letter of Martin Harris to W. W. Phelps, published in the Church News in April, has already attracted national attention. In this letter, Harris describes an early spiritual appearance to Joseph Smith, stating that "the spirit transfigured himself from a white salamander in the bottom of the hole."

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Parallelism In The Book Of Mormon

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Parallelism is a fundamental feature of biblical Hebrew composition, appearing In many different varieties and contexts. Don Parry has recently completed an Impressive research effort, identifying and classifying many poetic parallel passages in the Book of Mormon.

Spotlight On Janet Twigg

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The Foundation Is pleased to recognize our devoted employees and volunteers. At this time, congratulations are in order for our office manager, Janet Twigg.

1988 Contributions Now Payable

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In 1988, as in the past, all who donate $10.00 or more ($5.00 for low-income families and students) will receive the Foundation's quarterly newsletter Insights. If you want to keep your name on the mailing list, now is a good time to make your tax-deductible contribution. To indicate your renewal, complete the attached order form and send it with your contribution to the F.A.R.M.S. office.

Hebrew And Uto-Aztecan Languages Compared

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Three years ago Brian Stubbs, then a doctoral candidate In linguistics at the University of Utah, received a grant from F.A.R.M.S. to find out if elements of Hebrew could be detected among native tongues of the Uto-Aztecan family of western North America. He has now prepared a technical report summarizing his extensive research.

Chiasmus In Helaman 6:7-13

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Now available is John W. Welch's recent report on the discovery of a particularly fine example of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. Welch comments, "This text seems to be among the clearest examples of chiasm in the Book of Mormon." This chiasm, found in Helaman 6:7-13, is the full report for the 64th Year of the Reign of the Judges, a year in which great change occurred among the Nephite and Lamanite peoples. During that yea r, both Nephites and Lamanites enjoyed an extraordinary peace, prosperity, and freedom of travel uncommon at any other time before in Nephite history. …

Virginia Refugee’S Access To Covid 19 Health Information, Krunal Patel, Sarah R. Blackstone, Fern R. Hauck

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Background: This study examined how refugees in central Virginia, United States were able to access public health information about COVID-19 and any barriers to following COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

Methods: Individual interviews were conducted with refugees (n = 40) attending a family medicine clinic serving refugees and immigrants. Participants answered questions about their primary methods of obtaining COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine information, how they prefer to receive this information, information given by employers, precautions taken at their place of work, and current vaccination status.

Results: We found that television and social media played a large role for refugees in obtaining COVID-19 …

Imagination Grasping Reality: An Ignatian Foundation For Critical Hope In Jesuit Education, Susan Haarman

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

As public faith in higher education faces an all time low, the need for hope to both infuse and be a product of our institutions of higher learning is paramount. Rather than a simple hopeful optimism, Henry Giroux conceptualized critical hope - an educated hope that will form students capable and willing to view themselves and the world through a critical lens and then imagine new ways of proceeding that serve the public good and honor human dignity. Jesuit education, at its best, is rooted in expressions of critical hope with a world-affirming commitment to depth of thought and imagination …

The Role Of Linguistics In Education, Laiba Zia

Publications and Research

This research aims to uncover the critical nuances that shape global learning experiences by delving into multifaceted dynamics of linguistics in education. This investigation includes the analysis of language barriers, preservation efforts, policy challenges and organizational obstacles, illuminating the complex relationship between language and education. A fundamental question guiding this inquiry is how linguistics fundamentally shapes educational landscapes, focusing on understanding the diverse ways language impacts different aspects of education. Using a thorough approach with articles, surveys, and case studies, this research gathers insights from different sources. It delves into the perspectives of final-year medical students, recognizes the role of …

“Every Nation Except Our Own”: The Social Gospel, Anti-Immigrant Sentiments, And U.S. Foreign Policy, Andrea Darmawan

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This thesis concerns the social gospel, a liberal Protestant movement that enjoyed its heyday in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The thesis argues that the movement’s two most prominent figures, Washington Gladden and Walter Rauschenbusch, expressed an antipathy toward immigrants and a paternalistic attitude toward foreign nations and cultures. These attitudes then laid the foundation for contemporary anti-immigrant sentiments and US foreign policy. Gladden and Rauschenbusch’s rhetoric contains sentiments which act as a precursor to various elements of American exceptionalism, from missionary activity abroad to liberal attitudes toward the Middle East after 9/11. These links have …

Inoculant To Influence: Cultivating Critical Citizenship By Foregrounding Ontology Through Kenneth Burke And Walter Fisher’S Rhetorical Frameworks, Mark Griffin

English Department Theses

Scholars interested in exploring the potency of the writing modality of critical pedagogy for molding students into proactive citizens will find the integration of Kenneth Burke’s Dramatism and Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm instrumental, offering tools essential for cultivating a rhetorical awareness adept at navigating narratives in the 21st century. Synthesizing Burke’s rhetorical dialectic between the nature of reality and our understanding of it with Fisher’s concept that the human condition is a narrative condition yields insights into the critical writing process. This integration fosters a rhetorical awareness, serving as an inoculant to influence, countering the prevailing persuasive elements within today’s …

A Report On H-2a Workers And The Mattawa Community For The Mayor And Mattawa City Council, Audrey Hudgins

International Studies Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Youth Identity And Postsecondary Decision Making In A Rural State: Evidence Of A College For All Master Narrative, Jayson Seaman, Cindy L. Hartman, Andrew D. Coppens, Erin H. Sharp, Sarah Jusseaume, Molly Donovan

Faculty Publications

This study examined the normative messages that inform youth postsecondary decision making in a predominantly rural state in the northeastern U.S., focusing on the institutionalization and circulation of identity master narratives. Using a multilevel, ecological approach to sampling, the study interviewed 33 key informants in positions of influence in educational, workforce, and quality of life domains. Narrative analysis yielded evidence of a predominant master narrative – College for All – that participants described as a prescriptive expectation that youth and families orient their postsecondary planning toward four-year, residential baccalaureate degree programs. Both general and domain-specific aspects of this master narrative …

Teachers’, Administrators’, And Staff’S Perspectives On Their Role In Supporting Preschool Mental Health, Jennifer Ann Coggin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Funny Business: The Decline Of The Comedy Film, William Liston

Honors Theses

This paper concerns the role of economic forces in driving shifts in culture. To explore this topic, I look at the sudden and significant decline in the number of Comedy films released by Hollywood and argue that it is the result of changes in prices rather than changes in preferences. In doing so, I develop a theory linking the decline of Comedy films produced to the expansion of the international market for Hollywood films and illustrate this theory with a model. To support my theory, I use data I have collected regarding Hollywood’s output, the domestic and international film markets, …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of The Flipped Classroom: A Blended Learning Approach To Improving Phonemic Awareness For Kindergarten English Language Learners, Karen Wilson Twitty

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using the flipped classroom model of instruction to increase English language learners’ phonemic awareness compared to English language learners who received instruction using the business-as-usual approach. This quantitative perspective used a causal-comparative approach to measure achievement in developing phonemic awareness for students at risk due to lack of exposure to English language phonemes. The study involved 167 participants who underwent a pre-test to address any initial group differences. One group received flipped model instruction with curriculum-based video lessons, while the other received traditional in-class expository instruction without access to …

A Content Analysis Of Non-Profit Organizations Social Media: Through The Lens Of Compliance-Gaining & Persuasion, Meredith Diene Kiljan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Non-profit organizations utilize social media platforms like Instagram to reach the community, fundraise, convey their mission and vision, establish themselves, and educate others. This study examined whether the communication artifacts of selected nonprofit organizations employed Cialdini's (2021) compliance-gaining strategies through an eight-week qualitative digital content analysis on Instagram to address the problem of understanding how non-profit organizations use Instagram tools to influence and persuade their audience. Compassion International (@compassion), CARE (@careorg), and Direct Relief (@directrelief), the three non-profit organizations chosen in this study, demonstrated the usage of Cialdini’s (2021) compliance-gaining strategies within their digital media communication strategy. Non-profit organizations operate …

The Causal-Comparative Analysis Of Academic Performance Of High School Students With And Without Disabilities In The Face-To-Face And Online Educational Settings, Marina V. Clayton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental causal-comparative study was to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in the academic performance of high school students with and without disabilities who received math instructions in face-to-face and online educational settings during the 2020-2021 school year. During that year, educational establishments worldwide transitioned from traditional face-to-face to online delivery mode, complying with the social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemics. The current study employed a convenience sample that consisted of 588 high school students from Georgia. Participants took the Georgia Milestones End-of-Course Test in Algebra I in the spring of 2021 …

Empowering All Learners: The Role Of Cultural Responsiveness In Elementary Literacy Education, Meghan Claire Arbury

Masters Projects

Instructional strategies used by teachers impact student literacy performance. Students’ literacy skills can improve when teachers incorporate culturally responsive teaching practices that are also high-quality in nature. There is a particular need for these methods to be adopted in elementary classrooms in order to make learning accessible and equitable for diverse learners. Literacy skills are highly social and students’ backgrounds experiences are pivotal connections around which knowledge and understanding are constructed. In the Northwest Michigan region, as well as nationwide, performance disparities among cultural groups are reflected in literacy achievement data (“Grades 3-8,” n.d.), solidifying the need for change to …

The Effects Of Communicative Language Teaching Methods (Clt) Of Teaching Ancient Greek On Student Motivation, Language Learning Experience, Self-Efficacy, Facilitating Anxiety, And Debilitating Anxiety Compared To The Grammar Translation Method (Gtm), Dustin J. Humphreys

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if ancient Greek language programs that use communicative language teaching methods (CLT) produce different student motivation, language learning experience, self-efficacy, facilitating anxiety and debilitating anxiety scores than programs that primarily use the grammar-translation method (GTM) of teaching ancient Greek. This study is critical because the comprehensive teaching of the ancient Greek language has been on the decline in recent decades. This research aims to inform colleges, seminaries, and other language learning schools that teach classical languages, such as ancient Greek, about the potential positive effects of CLT on student motivation, …

Third-Grade Students’ Poor Performance On The Math Section Of The Stanford Achievement Test At Chapel Hill Elementary School: An Instrumental Exploratory Qualitative Single-Case Study, Giovanny Guillermo Gaviria

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental exploratory qualitative single-case study was to explore the understanding of the principal, teachers, and parents related to the poor performance on the math section of the Stanford Achievement Test and the related factors of self-determination and self-efficacy of third-grade students in a private Christian elementary school in a city (pseudonym, Chapel Hill) in the Western United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory, which is the foundation of self-determination theory, academic self-efficacy, and school-related parental monitoring. This case study contained a purposeful sample of ten participants (one principal, four teachers, and …

A Qualitative Research Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of K-12 School Teachers Who Serve African American Students Who Speak African American Vernacular English, Kayla K. Davies

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the proposed transcendental phenomenological study will be to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of k-12 schoolteachers working with African American students and their usage of AAVE in the State of Maryland. The theories guiding this study are critical race theory and Krashen’s second language acquisition theory. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study will collect data from 12 participants in the state of Maryland using individual interviews, focus groups, and letters. The data will then be analyzed using Braun and Clarke's qualitative descriptive research data analysis plan. The data showed that k-12 schoolteachers mainly perceived AAVE as a …

Exploring The Influence Of Pbis, Rti, And Mtss Implementation On Classroom Time, Student Behavior, And Academic Achievement: A Phenomenological Study, Robert L. Pettit

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover how elementary schools implement evidence-based, multi-tiered programs (i.e., Multi-Tiered System of Support [MTSS]) to improve students’ academic and behavioral successes. Today’s teachers are expected to have a constantly expanding knowledge base and skills that support working within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, including Response to Intervention (MTSS/RTI). Since the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 and subsequent regulations that allowed school districts to use alternate processes for determining learning disabilities, implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) frameworks in preschool to 12th …

Inauthenticity, Delusion, And Victimization: Interrogating Affective Rhetoric Targeting Trans* Youth, Ben Bishop

Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research

In this essay, I interrogate Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s KP-0401, a 2022 legal opinion letter that frames gender affirming healthcare as dangerous, sterilizing, and therefore, child abuse. Within this framing, trans* youth are presented as both delusional and deviant, written off as victims of abuse and social contagion. In analyzing KP-0401 through a critical perspective of affect and performativity, I demonstrate how particular affects have gained power through their circulation to reify feelings and performances of cisheteronormativity, often through establishing the trans* body as a source of negative affect, like fear or repulsion, and trans* youth as infantile and …

Reinventing Black Womanhood: Alternative Media And Identity Discourse In The 2019 Chicago Mayoral Race, Ololade Afolabi

Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research

This paper examines how a Chicago-based alternative medium covered the 2019 Chicago’s mayoral race. The study uses critical discourse analysis and the theory of Black feminism to argue for the need to examine the multiple identities of Black women and how such identities determine their representation in socio-cultural and political spaces. The findings from this study show that agency is a major part of media coverage and that the identities of Black women are better represented when the women are portrayed as agents in their own stories. These findings provide an alternative narrative to the discourse of Black womanhood which …

"Is This Place Inside Or Outside?": Issues Of Space In Kentucky Route Zero, Jesse Snider

Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research

Using the video game Kentucky Route Zero as an artifact and the theories of Space and Place of De Certeau, I examine “confused spaces:” places that present simultaneously as two or more contradictory spaces. Through the inevitable confusion between my performance/agency as the game’s player and the performance/agency of the characters within the game, I re-examine De Certeau’s idea of the pedestrian through the lens of twice-behaved behaviors, bureaucracy, remembered religion, inside, outside, and the agency to exert perceived change in one’s environment. Finally, I bring what I learned through Kentucky Route Zero into the realm of the physical, as …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.