Arts and Humanities Commons^™

President E. B. Norton Correspondence To Alumni About Homecoming Events, 1951, E. B. Norton, President, Florence State Teachers College

Documents

Correspondence from President E.B. Norton to Alumni, 1951.

Florence State College Homecoming 1959, Florence State College

Documents

Florence State College Schedule of Homecoming Activities, 1959.

Digital Presence In Live Hybrid Performance, Luke Cargill

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis examines how digital presence, the sense that a digital performer is socially and performatively "there," is designed and tested in live hybrid performance. Drawing on four practice-based projects (Vicarious, Voltage, Vicarious: Encore Edition, and SUPER BLOOM), the first phase identifies a recurring but empirically untested claim: that digital presence depends on interactivity and co-presence with live performers, though these factors were always entangled in practice.

The second phase tests this claim directly. A new mini-performance, featuring the first fully AI-driven digital character in this line of work, was produced for controlled comparison. Using a 3 (intro type: AI-driven, …

An Examination And Demonstration Of Bildungsroman As A Plot Type, Eric Holmes

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on plot types for Bildungsromane, commonly called a coming-of-age novels. This story theme was first described two hundred years ago, and since, the definition has transformed, broadened and segmentized. However, making a specific plot type for a Bildungsroman, is not commonly discussed. This thesis identifies two distinct plot types which have been used multiple times in Bildungsromane. The first plot type is based on a protagonist who has not fully matured and suffers through a lack or flaw in maturity. The second plot type has the protagonist embark in a journey and matures and gains wisdom on …

The Recurring Motif Of The Sexualization Of Women Within The Biblical Narratives And The Accompanied Theme Of The Providence Of God, Joseph S. Bernath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project seeks to inform others on how selected women of the Bible, those of the Old and New Testament, may have made wrong choices regarding sexualization, whether it be prostitution, infertility, or adultery, that the plan of God did not deter from their lives—within the Old Testament God used a multitude of family dysfunctions to carry out His plan to bring about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, it was to further the Kingdom of God.

In the gospels, Jesus had a heart for women who had been involved in sexual situations of some kind, and …

From Faith To Faithful Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of Intergenerational Discipleship In Southern Baptist Ministries, Yolanda E. Hanspard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the availability of Christian education curricula and teaching tools in churches today, a significant disconnect exists in the programs designed to develop spiritually mature adults who actively live as disciples of Christ. This gap between religious instruction and transformative spiritual growth represents a critical challenge for contemporary Christian education. Traditional approaches have underperformed due to inadequate professional development and implementation fidelity. Grounded in Morris’ (2020) Four Pathways for Christian Discipleship framework and Hull’s (2010) Church-Centered Disciple-Making Plan, with this phenomenological qualitative study, the researcher explored effective strategies for discipleship and spiritual formation among adults in Southern Baptist Convention ministries …

Beyond The Stage: Rural Music Educators' Perceptions Of Educational Travel, Andrew Ford Rewerts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the recognized value of educational travel for student musicians, research on performance-based trips for middle and high school ensembles, particularly in rural communities, remains limited. This gap in the literature hinders understanding of how travel experiences can benefit students in these unique contexts, where financial constraints, geographic isolation, and smaller ensemble sizes can limit access to performance-based travel opportunities. Rural student musicians may consequently miss out on potential benefits, including enhanced motivation, ensemble cohesion, and social development. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine rural middle and high school music ensemble directors' perceptions of how performance-based …

Integrating Transformative Social-Emotional Learning In The Orchestra Classroom Of Title I Schools, Amy Valena Ellington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this historical, secondary, qualitative study was to explore the evolution of integrating transformative Social-Emotional Learning in the music classrooms of Title I schools. The aim was to determine which social and emotional skills have been taught in the music classroom, what barriers have been encountered in integrating SEL, and which assessment measures have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of SEL integration. The CASEL model was used because it supports ongoing critical analysis to ensure students’ social and emotional needs are met. Music educators are uniquely poised to provide instruction to students and equip them with essential …

Timothy Baptist Church Of Amherst, Virginia, And Technology, Christopher L. Groom

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The contemporary local church faces a critical crossroads, challenged by a widening gap between traditional ministry approaches and today's digital-native world, resulting in decreased engagement and relevance. This research tackles the urgent issue of ecclesiastical stagnation in a highly connected society. When the local church and technology strategically unite, they can dramatically shift the church’s path from static tradition toward active, missional innovation. Embracing digital tools will transform preaching from a localized, one-dimensional event into a rich, multi-layered homiletic experience that enhances message impact and clarity. By intentionally using these tools, the church can reach a wider, more diverse audience …

Fostering Musicianship Through Trumpet Pedagogy: A Qualitative Comparative Case Study Analysis Of Beginning Band Method Books, Michaela Brock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the diversity of beginning band methods, their pedagogical approaches must be more consistent, particularly in developing musicianship among young trumpet players. This study examined the effectiveness of five beginning band method books (Essential Elements (2025), Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician, Tradition of Excellence, Sound Innovations, and Standard of Excellence) in fostering musicianship among young trumpet players by analyzing instructional strategies, content diversity, and alignment with developmental needs, ultimately providing valuable insights to enhance educational practices in music pedagogy for beginning trumpet players. This study employed a qualitative comparative case study research approach to identify perspectives on five …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Sixth Grade Beginning Band Rhythm Pedagogy Through Second-Language Education Strategies, Eliú Nolberto Santos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigated the implementation of second-language education strategies by middle school band directors, drawing on the theories of Jean Piaget, Noam Chomsky, Benjamin Bloom, Howard Gardner, and Lev Vygotsky, among others. This study sought to examine participating band directors' perceptions regarding the implementation of second-language education practices for beginning band students. In parallel, this dissertation sought to quantify the competition results of the surveyed middle school band directors, particularly in sight-reading competitions. The study employed a robust mixed-methods design, commencing with a qualitative survey of middle-school band directors to gather data on the implementation of various second-language acquisition strategies, …

Appropriate Modified Instruction Benefits Autistic Spectrum Disorder Students In Instrumental Music Education: A Instrumental Case Study, Ian Lee Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are still limited studies in music education with published documentation for autism, despite growth over the last ten years in educational research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Teachers have received limited preparation and training for students with special needs, including those with autism. Many teachers ask which specific teaching strategies produce positive learning outcomes in instrumental music that align with the curriculum's educational goals, standards, and objectives for students with ASD. The qualitative instrumental case study documents educational outcomes resulting from intervention strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in music classrooms through video modeling and computer-assisted learning. …

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

Una Homecoming 2015, Office Of Alumni Relations/University Of North Alabama

Documents

"Party like the King!" Homecoming program, 2015.

Agapē, Aretē, And The Arena: Exploring Sport Through Faith, Reason, And Olympism, Gary V. Meegan

Journal of Catholic Education

Young people have a passion for play, for competition and sport, a place where they feel fully alive. As a result, Catholic schools have introduced courses to explore sport and spirituality, delving into the working of God in their lives through athletics. However, the study of philosophy is integral to the understanding of the Catholic faith, therefore any education must also include the study of philosophy if it is to be authentically Catholic. The opportunity to create a course that incorporated both disciplines with sport resulted in a high school elective course titled, Philosophy and Theology of Sport. Its purpose …

Finding God In All Things: A Course On Theology Of Sport At A Jesuit High School, Craig M. Smith

Journal of Catholic Education

This article examines the development, structure, and impact of a senior elective course on the Theology of Sport at an all-boys Jesuit Catholic high school in the east coast of the United States. Grounded in Ignatian pedagogy and the Catholic theological tradition, the course invites students to reflect critically on their lived experiences in sport through the lenses of play, spirituality, and Church teaching Drawing on sources such as Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Play, papal and Vatican statements on sport, and contemporary theological reflections on athletic experience, the course challenges the tendency to silo athletics from other dimensions of student …

The Bambisanani Partnership: A Global Initiative Activating Faith And Sport, David Geldart, Matt Hoven

Journal of Catholic Education

The Bambisanani Partnership: A Global Initiative Activating Faith and Sport Partnership is a United Kingdom-based charity that originated as a sports-based partnership between St. Mary’s Catholic High School in the UK, and Mnyakanya High School in rural KwaZulu- Natal (KZN), South Africa, in 2006. Inspired by papal teaching about sport, this article explores the ways in which this particular program has been successful in providing opportunities to live out the Catholic faith through sports participation. The partnership, which remains based at St. Mary’s School and is run entirely by volunteers, operates in the Nkandla region of South Africa, which is …

The Magis Ministry Model - Building Sustainable Sports And Performing Arts Ministries, Drew J. Vilinsky

Journal of Catholic Education

The Magis Ministry Model addresses the documented decline in youth religious practice by leveraging the high participation rates in secondary school athletics and performing arts. Recognizing that many students struggle to connect faith with what they value, the model embeds lay adult chaplains within teams and troupes to provide a "ministry of accompaniment". Key to this framework are chapel talks—weekly, 15- to 20-minute reflections that invite students to encounter God through their specific craft. Longitudinal data from Saint Ignatius High School demonstrates significant impact:  over 74% of surveyed participants strongly advocate for the program's continuation, and successful head coaches now …

Faith, Formation, And Sport: How Diocesan Athletic Associations Articulate Catholic Mission, Samuel Naab

Journal of Catholic Education

As Catholic schools navigate declining enrollment, expanding school choice policies, and increasing specialization in youth athletics, diocesan Catholic youth athletic associations represent an understudied site of mission articulation and identity formation within Catholic education. This study examines the organizational composition of diocesan athletic associations in the United States and analyzes how these organizations construct and communicate mission and Catholic identity through governing documents. Using structural topic modeling, the study analyzes 81 mission-oriented statements drawn from publicly available handbooks, bylaws, and policy manuals of 51 diocesan athletic associations. Results indicate that mission-oriented language across organizations reflects a consistent set of value-based …

A Comparative Analysis Of Educator And Parent Perspectives Of Catholic High School Athletics, Kevin J. Calkins

Journal of Catholic Education

This study surveyed parents to compare their perceptions of the role of athletics in the Catholic high school environment with those of educators, and to examine the degree to which athletics influences parental enrollment decisions. Educators and parents mostly agree on the role of interscholastic athletics in Catholic high schools. The most noticeable difference between educators and parents is about the perceived role of athletics in student formation. While the strength and health of a Catholic high school’s athletic program are important considerations when parents choose a Catholic high school for their child, the results indicate that academic quality is …

Trauma-Informed Coaching: An Application Of Catholic Social Teaching To Formation And Healing Through Sport, Kristin K. Sheehan, Peter Piscitello, Elaine Cassidy

Journal of Catholic Education

Mission-driven athletic programs aim to form the whole athlete—physically, emotionally, socially, morally, and spiritually. A critical component of this mission is equipping coaches to serve as ministers of the Church while embracing trauma-informed practices. This paper introduces the rationale, process, and techniques for trauma-informed coaching as a research-based approach to supporting athlete mental health. Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, this framework emphasizes community, participation, and the dignity of the human person, particularly care for the vulnerable. Drawing on neuroscientific and psychological research on trauma alongside Church documents and papal pronouncements, the paper demonstrates how trauma-informed coaching fosters healing and resilience …

The Case For Sports In Catholic Schools: Philosophical Considerations And Practical Guidelines, James Foeckler

Journal of Catholic Education

Building on the work of Jānis Ozoliņš, this article establishes a philosophical justification for the place of sports at catholic schools and follows with practical guidelines for the integration of athletics and academics in catholic schools. The justification relies primarily on the works of Patrick Kelly and Thomas Aquinas and asserts that moral formation and play are essential elements of the end of sport which is victory. The guidelines concern implementation of sports with respect to the student-athletes themselves, the academic curriculum, and families. The article considers moral formation with respect to Aquinas's cardinal virtues and makes distinctions between catholic …

Sporting Educational Pedagogy In Catholic Western Europe In The 19th And 20th Centuries: What We Can Learn From The Past, Dries Vanysacker

Journal of Catholic Education

This article presents a historiographical overview of the development of the role of sport within the Western European Catholic education in the 20th century. Since the late 19th century, combining gymnastics with new sport disciplines was a huge challenge for Catholic schools. Within the 20th century, changing political situations and educational policies by governments continuously influenced the Catholic education theories and practice. Catholic schools also depended on the Holy See’s policy concerning education and its attitude toward sport. As the Catholic pedagogy is part of a broader theological concept of the human being, and the latter changed in the 1950s/1960’s, …

Sport, Human Flourishing And The Common Good: A Jesuit Perspective, Patrick M. Kelly S.J.

Journal of Catholic Education

The author interprets humanist and early Jesuit education inspired by the Spiritual Exercises through the lens of the flow psychology theory of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi to highlight that they bring about differentiation – the development of the different interests, skills, dimensions of the person – and integration – in a way that is connected to community and fosters the common good. The inclusion of physical education and sports in the humanist and early Jesuit schools – the first instance of it in Catholic schools – was influenced by longer traditions which emphasized the unity of the person and a “play ethic”, …

Sport Is The New Religion? Speculations In A Time Of Profound Cultural Change, Richard M. Rymarz

Journal of Catholic Education

Utilizing a narrative approach, this article begins with an indicative account of how religion and sport are related in a particular context. This narrative is a prelude to a closer examination of the decline of religion in contemporary culture. Religion is conceptualized following Durkheim. Its decline, using sources such as Berger, Luckmann, and Stoltz, is simply explained by using powerful descriptors such as loss of ritualized practice, secular competition, and diminishing plausibility. A second narrative is offered as a departure point for the oft-discussed maxim that sport is the new religion. Rather than one being seen as a substitute for …

Introduction, Max T. Engel, Matt Hoven

Journal of Catholic Education

Sports are a big deal in Catholic schools. But their educational, communal, and even spiritual elements within participating school communities are often underestimated in the research. This introduction firstly offers a concise survey of the theoretical foundation for Catholic endorsement of sports. It then provides a framework for understanding the major authors in the field and the key issues that scholars confront in the area. It concludes by outlining the articles presented in this special issue and invites readers to consider engaging with this expanding community of scholars and practitioners. Overall, this introduction explains the purpose and rationale for this …

Wille Zum Wald: Nietzsche’S Discovery Of Forest Bathing, Gary Shapiro

Philosophy Faculty Publications

In the fourth part of our “The Forest as a Living Foundation” series, the distinguished American Nietzsche scholar Gary Shapiro investigates new angles on Nietzsche’s bonds to the woods: the philosopher’s personal enthusiasm for what is increasingly called “forest bathing,” the science behind how this practice benefits body, mind, and spirit, and the sheer pleasure of breathing fresh air, in woodland and wherever else we can find it. Shapiro’s essay showcases why this particular Lebensraum matters, not just for our individual well-being, but for the health of the entire planet.

Raising History From The Grave: Reparative Archival Pedagogy, International Virtual Exchange, And Community Engagement, Antonia Macdonald, Leah Rosenberg

archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis

This article brings together three threads in digital pedagogy: international virtual exchange, archival recovery work, and reparative pedagogy to argue that their convergence generates a transformative framework for reimaging critical archival practice and transnational collaborations. Our argument is supported by two related pedagogical projects that we undertook. The first is a collaboration with Pan Caribbean Sankofa (PCS) and the Panama Canal Museum Collection (PCMC) at the University of Florida (UF). The second is a collaborative online international learning (COIL) exchange that took place between two undergraduate classes at a university in the Eastern Caribbean and UF. Both initiatives were grounded …

Unaccountable Archives: A Review Of Underwriting Souls, Samantha Stephens

archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis

No abstract provided.

Measure By Measure: Reflections On Building A Quiz Map For Critical Caribbean Digital Pedagogy, Ra Bacchus, Medardo G. Rosario, Alexander S. Butler

archipelagos: a journal of Caribbean digital praxis

This article reflects on the web development of a digital quiz map designed to help students critically engage with the representation of the Caribbean in digital space. Emerging from workshops organized by Visiones del Caribe—a digital humanities initiative using digitized maps and archives to teach Caribbean history, culture, and cartography—this tool responds to students’ inquiries about the region’s spatial boundaries. The quiz invites students to select on a map those countries and territories they consider part of the Caribbean, prompting reflection on the diversity of perspectives shaping Caribbean identity. Drawing from the discourse of critical cartography and digital pedagogy, we …