Education Commons^™

The Express: September 29, 2005, Taylor University Fort Wayne

2005-2006 (Volume 10)

Hensley joins Jenkins and Higgs Among co-authors of new writing book — Christian education provides more career opportunities — By Any Other Name — Film review: Hitch — Witmer Hall basement offers opportunity to create new music — SAC Schedule of Events — It’s all Greek to me — Women’s volleyball steps up program — Home Game Schedules — Alumni Soccer Game — Sports Updates

Implications Of Differentiated Instruction On Student Attitudes, Valorie L. Zonnefeld

Master of Education Program Theses

This research examines the implications of a differentiated curriculum on four general factors of student attitudes: motivation, enjoyment of mathematics, value of mathematics, and self-confidence. It is quasi-experimental by design. The sample included the 73 students enrolled in the Algebra I course at Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa. During the third quarter of the school year, students with eligible grades were allowed to contract out of portions of the regular assignment. Attitudes were measured before and after the quarter using the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (Tapia, 1996). A t-test was used to compare student attitudes. There were significant …

Defining The Phenomenon Of Teaching Christianly At A Christian College: A Study Conducted At Dordt College, Barb Hoekstra

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Despite the high value that Christian colleges place on teaching, there is scant literature on teaching christianly in higher education. Pedagogy that promotes Christian beliefs resides in the K-12 literature. Using the work of Van Brummelen (1988) and Van Dyk (2000) originally developed for teaching christianly at the K-12 level, a conceptual framework was developed. This study investigated what it means to teach christianly at a small Christian college. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used to explore teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about teaching christianly in higher education. A criterion sampling strategy was used in selecting 10 participants who had the …

Is Classical Christian Education Compatible With A Reformed Christian Perspective On Education?, Peter L. Ton

Master of Education Program Theses

Is the growing classical Christian education movement, based on Dorothy Sayers’ trivium methodology, compatible to a Reformed Christian perspective on education? The classical Christian position claims that children progress through three stages of development and that the three components of the trivium complement these natural learning stages. The first stage involves memorizing facts through chants, stories and songs. In the second stage students learn how to argue and analyze by means of formal training in logic. The third stage focuses on learning to express knowledge persuasively and elegantly. When compared to the Reformed understanding of covenant children as well as …

A Comparative-Qualitative Research Analysis Of Character Education In The Christian School And Home Education Milieu, Gretchen M. Wilhelm

Master of Education Research Theses

This qualitative study provides a phenomenological perspective and comparative analysis of character education within the Christian school and home education milieu. The study is based on semi-structured interviews of fifty-two individuals (N = 52) representative of a sampling of Christian educators from four private, evangelical Christian Schools (n = 26) and area home educating families (n = 26). The intent of the researcher was to bring attention to the importance for Christian educators to come to terms with the worldview from which the desire to educate Christian youth in a separate moral community originates. Although the purpose and intent of …

Study Of The Effects Of A Buddy Reading Program On The Reading Achievement And Attitudes Of Kindergarten And Grade Seven Students At Abbotsford Christian School, Heritage Campus, Susan M. Dykshoorn

Master of Education Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a Buddy Reading Program on reading levels and attitudes towards reading. A Buddy Reading Program is a type of peertutoring strategy that can be used across various grade levels spanning from kindergarten through grade 12. As defined in this project, a Buddy Reading Program pairs older students with younger students in a language arts setting. The older students prepare a short reading lesson and tutor the younger students in hopes of improving reading success.

This study took place using a control group of one kindergarten class of 18 students …

Using Teacher Instructional Time More Efficiently Through The Use Of Madminute Software: A Tool For Teaching Elementary Children Basic Mathematics Facts, Jeremy Tinsley

Master of Education Program Theses

Time constraints often force elementary mathematics teachers to teach only from the textbook and sacrifice conceptual, hands-on approaches to mathematics instruction. This study explores the potential time-saving benefits of using MadMinute computer software to teach elementary students basic mathematics facts. Data was collected by administering pretests and posttests to participating students, and through time logs kept by participating teachers. Results showed that teachers who used MadMinute software saved a mean of 20.4 minutes of instructional time per day, compared to teachers who used traditional methods of mathematics facts instruction. Students receiving traditional methods of instruction had higher levels of growth, …

What Do People Believe To Be The Essential Elements In A Christ-Centered Curriculum?, Adam James Sterenberg

Master of Education Program Theses

In present times, Christian schools struggle to maintain a distinctive alternative to public education. Recently, many veterans of Christian education have been pointing the way to a more Christ-centered education- one that calls for explicitly Christian ways of teaching and learning. As a result, there has been great deal of rhetoric as to how people should/would define a truly Christ-Centered curriculum (CCC). Yet, many reputable Christian educators would argue that they already have a CCC while others would say that the curriculum is merely a public school curriculum with a Christian "coating". In order to bring some resolve to the …

Measuring Christian Education Against National And State Standards: A Review Of The Literature, Beth Gordy Waddell

Perspectives In Learning

Almost all states within the United States have adopted state education standards as a tool to measure the knowledge and skills needed and the expected outcomes students should be achieving within a given school year (Juarez, 1999). There are two kinds of standards, content standards and performance standards. Content standards indicate what a student should know and be able to do. Performance standards incorporate content standards, but are expanded to include suggested tasks, sample student work, and teacher commentary on that work (Georgia Department of Education, 2004). According to Robert J. Marzano, a Senior Fellow at the Mid-Continent Research for …