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Enhancing Spiritual Care in Medical Missions through a Contextual Apologetic Workshop
No full textThere is a lack of resources and a gap in the literature for training prayer teams for medical mission endeavors. The Contextual Apologetic Workshop, an intervention project, was designed to fill the gap in the literature by training participants in prayer, evangelism, and apologetics. It utilized the Contextual Apologetic System, a framework built around the Contextual Triad, which includes the cultural context, setting, and endemic religions that inform outreach dynamics and preparation. The cultural context identifies if the population is high- or low-context, and includes the subcultures. The setting refers to outreach types, such as medical missions or construction projects. Endemic religions are the prevailing beliefs in a region, which mission prayer teams must know beforehand to prepare theologically and apologetically. The workshop’s training focused on medical mission outreaches in Latin America, a high-context culture where Catholicism is syncretized with animism, and has competing Mormonism. The workshop emphasized three apologetic tools: the Two Question Evangelism, Conversational Apologetics, and the Continuity of Scriptures tools. The eight-week workshop was successful in training the participants in prayer, evangelism, and apologetics, as demonstrated by triangulated quantitative and qualitative analysis, and shows promise for enhancing the evangelistic efforts of other medical mission organizations
The Influence of Leadership Development on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Moderated by Leader-Member Exchange
No full textThis research study addressed the problem of lacking leadership development in the higher education industry and the reduction of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Increasing demands on higher education resulted in a need for improved leadership acumen across the industry, but inefficient and lacking development persists. This study evaluated a regional higher education institution of higher education in the Southwest to better understand how specific leadership development opportunities relate to organizational behavior. The research utilized the 24-item OCB survey and the LMX-7 survey to capture participant responses in combination with different leadership development participation responses. The findings indicated that while leadership development improved mean scores across four out of five OCB domains, the results failed to meet statistical significance, indicating development alone is insufficient in improving OCB. The LMX-7 instrument added the factor of leader-member relationships as a moderating factor, resulting in a statistically significant finding indicating those with less effective leader- member relationships did see an improvement in OCB. These findings are important in highlighting that while leadership development is important, it is not effective in isolation and depends on other factors within the organization to bring out its value
Understanding the Influence of Declining Nursing Motivation on Hospital Performance: A Qualitative Mixed Method Case Study
No full textThis qualitative single-case study examined how a decline in nursing motivation affects nurse retention and organizational performance in a large urban hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with nurse managers and anonymous surveys administered to registered nurses, resulting in a total of 20 participants. There were three emergent themes discovered from the findings from the interview transcripts and survey responses. Supportive leadership, intrinsic and extrinsic factors, safe staffing and workplace management were the primary emergent themes for this research. This research revealed that open communication, fair compensation, and proactive support from leadership are imperative. Additionally, these factors were correlated to an increased nurse satisfaction, reduced burnout, and reduced turnover rates. According to the findings, a balanced approach to personal drive and external rewards enhances patient care outcomes and overall organizational efficiency withing a hospital. The implications of this qualitative research suggest that structured leadership development along with refined staffing practices can be instrumental in building a more resilient workforce. These insights can contribute to empirical evidence along with existing literature on nurse retention strategies. Moreover, this case study research also suggests avenues for policy development both within healthcare and in wider organizational contexts
Educational Technology Instruction in Teacher Preparation Programs: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study
No full textThe purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the technological experiences of pre-service educators enrolled in teacher preparation programs in the Southern United States. The theory guiding this study was Mishra and Koehler’s Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), as it informs the three main categories and four subcategories of knowledge required to use technology effectively in educational settings. The central research question asked what the experiences are of pre-service educators with educational technology instruction and integration while enrolled in teacher preparation programs. To address this research question, individual interviews, focus group sessions, and journal prompts were used for data collection and analysis. The sites included teacher preparation programs in the Southern United States. Data collection included individual interviews, focus group sessions, and journal prompts, which were all analyzed using the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method, as modified by Moustakas. Transcriptions, paired with journal entries, were used to identify keywords, terms, and themes within participant responses. The findings in this study revealed four main themes that reflect the varied experiences of the participants. While some participants felt confident and supported by their programs, others described inconsistencies in instruction, a lack of authentic practice, and a need for more hands-on learning to develop technological literacy
The Knowledge-To-Practice Gap in Personal Trainers: The Usage of Periodization
No full textThe purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand the knowledge-to-practice gap in personal trainers regarding periodization. The theory that guided this study was the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) by Albert Bandura as it reflects the triadic reciprocity between personal, behavioral, and environmental interactions. Self-efficacy also interacts with the three influences and impacts an individual’s effort, task choice, and persistency. Human behavior is motivated by self-influence and purposeful fore-thought, thus personal goals lead to specific courses of action to elicit a desired outcome such as in learning. Thirteen personal trainers in the United States were recruited for this study and data collection consisted of interviews conducted via TEAMs. Data analysis began once the transcripts were imported to MAXQDA and the data was analyzed through codes, memo-writing, constant comparison, and an independent reviewer. Six themes emerged related to the efficacy of the certified personal trainer course, formal education, learning methods, and the participant’s environment, and a theory was generated around a central phenomenon. The findings of this study supported the theoretical framework and showed that continued research needs to focus on personal trainers and the general population, educated and experienced instructors are necessary for knowledge transmission, and learning methods should include vicarious experiences
A Qualitative Intrinsic Case Study for a Christian Marriage Mentorship Program in Kentucky
No full textThe purpose of this intrinsic qualitative case study was to explore the marriage mentorship program of Glory Carriers Church (pseudonym) a non-denominational Christian ministry in central Kentucky to be a larger model for other churches that may also have or want to build their marriage mentorship program. The theories guiding this study are social constructivism therapy, the wraparound model, solution focused therapy, emotion focused therapy and last, the Gottman Method: Sound relationship house. The central research question asked, “What programs does Glory Carriers Church provide for married couples?” with Sub-question 1 that asked, “How does this program provide wraparound support toward God’s purpose for Christian marriages?” and Sub-question 2 which asked, “What practical tools are provided to the couples-mentees to assist with effective communication, conflict resolution, connection, spiritual growth, and accountability?” The study indicated that the mentorship program provided mentees with numerous resources to enrich their marriages through more effective communication skills, resources for growth, and developing strong support systems. Results reflect marriage as a spiritual and family legacy. Having access to experience and practical tools provided within mentorship, incorporating prayer and authentic spiritual consistency can aid marital restoration through the redeeming power of Christ
Bridging the Gap: A Phenomenology on Social Work Faculty Leaders\u27 Insights on Transactional Distance in Online Courses
No full textThe purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand social work faculty leader perceptions related to transactional distance’s impact on student engagement in online social work courses in Michigan. The theory guiding this study was Moore’s transactional distance theory, which was used in relation to examining faculty leaders’ perceptions of the perceived distance students may experience in the online learning space. The central research question posed was: “What are the perceptions of social work faculty leaders on transactional distance\u27s impact on student engagement in online social work courses? Faculty perceptions were explored through qualitative data collection and analysis in the form of document analysis, journal prompts, and semi-structured interviews. This research resulted in valuable insights on faculty leader perceptions. Study results included that faculty perceptions of the impact of transactional distance elements on student engagement in online social work courses is largely impacted by the timing of online instruction, modality of instruction, student characteristics, online tools, instructional practices, institutional supports and training, and faculty stance on social work education
Shaping the Hills: Women Folklorists and Writers in the Ozarks and the Advancement of a Romanticized Regional Identity and Heritage Tourism
No full textThis study examines how women folklorists and writers in the Ozarks, between 1930 and 1970, shaped a romanticized regional identity, preserved its history, and, as cultural representatives, reframed the perception of the region, thus facilitating the advancement of heritage tourism. This development is further explored within the context of a national framework. Moreover, by focusing on three women, May Kennedy McCord, Mary Elizabeth Mahnkey, and Lucile Morris Upton, and using them as key analytical tools, a broader assessment of women’s contributions to Ozark cultural identity and their leadership in the development of heritage tourism is achieved. Drawing on archival material from numerous collections, including contemporary newspapers, regional publications, and radio broadcasts, this examination demonstrates that women in the Ozarks successfully leveraged their traditional gender role as cultural custodians to assert themselves as cultural ambassadors, economic agents, and innovators in the emerging heritage tourism industry. This analysis addresses a lack of scholarship about Ozark women and contributes to the burgeoning field of Ozark regional history
Acculturative Stress Among Immigrant High School Graduates in North Carolina: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study
No full textGlobal migration will continue to escalate in the future. In this transition process, the United States is a popular destination. Migrants are motivated by a variety of factors, including education, employment, and research. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed to better understand lived experiences of acculturative stress among immigrant high school graduates in North Carolina. This qualitative design sought to get answers to the central research question: What are the lived experiences of immigrant high school graduates who encountered acculturative stress? The theoretical framework includes two theories that are essential to this study: acculturation theory, and resilience theory. The data collection methods incorporated surveys, interviews, and journaling. A criterion sampling of 10 participants aged 18 to 25 were employed for two universities. Snowballing was the other method used to locate participants. The data were analyzed by adapting Moustakas’s seven steps of common qualities of human science research. The results identified were categorized as themes and sub-themes from the three research sub-questions. The themes include discrimination and marginalization, focusing on academics, and immigrants embracing change. The sub-themes comprised of depression and fear, getting involved in extracurricular activities, and being focused, authentic, and resilient
Ancient Astronaut Theory and Christian Belief Among Evangelical Millennials: A Quantitative Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative, exploratory, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was to explore the possible influence of the Ancient Astronaut Theory upon Evangelical Christian millennials in the aspects of their biblical worldview, belief in the triune God, and Christian praxis. The researcher structured the study upon four pillars: (a) Evangelical millennials, (b) Evangelical theology, (c) Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivism, and (d) Eric Von Däniken’s Ancient Astronaut Theory. The study population was Evangelical millennials in the state of Texas. The study’s instrumentation was a researcher-designed 5-point Likert scale survey titled Ancient Astronaut Theory–Evangelical Christian Millennials (AAT–ECM). Because the respondents were fewer in number than originally anticipated, analysis of covariance was selected as the statistical measurement to reduce Type II errors. The reliability and validity of the survey instrument were established through Cronbach’s alpha and an expert panel, respectively. The desired outcome of the study was to (a) fill the gap in an understudied branch of pseudoscience and (b) better inform Christian ministry leadership and educators regarding the influence that popular culture may have on the biblical worldview, belief in the triune God, and Christian praxis of self-identified Evangelical Christian millennials