SPARK Bethel University
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2160 research outputs found
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Dr. Joel Olson
No full textUnderstanding the Lived Experiences of Minnesota\u27s PSEO Students: A Qualitative Explorationhttps://spark.bethel.edu/edd-show-images-2021/1009/thumbnail.jp
Barriers to Churches Understanding How They Are Impacted by White Supremacy Culture
No full textThe problem this project addressed was the barriers to Christian churches\u27 understanding how they are impacted by white supremacy culture. The research identified themes that hinder racial equity and arrived at recommendations on how to disentangle white supremacy culture and the Christian Church. Biblical and theological resources were utilized to provide support for the scriptural foundation of the Christian faith, and current literature provided scholarly backing to identify the barriers to understanding the possibility of the entanglement of Christian churches and white supremacy culture. Conclusions reached included that the same foundational faith among folks of different races/color, results in a different and uneven experience; that addiction of the Christian church to white supremacy culture is likely a true phenomenon, for both racial groups; both white and black churches agree that change must be made that dismantles the connection between white supremacy culture and the Christian church; and disconnecting the Christian church from white supremacy culture, provides the avenue for the Christian church to return to the roots of the Christian faith. The focus of the research project on the possibility that white supremacy culture is an addiction opens new avenues of study and research across multiple subject areas. The argument that the Christian faith has been undermined and co-opted by white supremacy culture was cemented by the focus scriptures, the definition of addiction and addictive behaviors, and by the collected data. Scholars offer recommendations that lead to disentanglement
Recovering Motor Skills, Grit, and Social-Emotional Learning Through Art Education: The Lasting Impact of Covid-19 on Middle School Students Who Were in Kindergarten–Third Grade During the Pandemic
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education, and students in early grades missed critical motor and social-emotional skill development. These students are now in middle school, where delays are evident in motor skills and decreased perseverance. This review examines how arts education can help rebuild these losses. The literature reviewed focused on studies published between 2020 and 2024 across the fields of education, psychology, neuroscience, and art therapy. Themes include motor skill development through art, cognitive growth and executive functioning, social-emotional learning, and grit and perseverance through art projects. Art education offers a unique setting for holistic recovery, but this requires educators to intentionally design lessons that target developmental and social-emotional growth
Benefits of Fluency Instruction for Students With Disabilities
No full textComputational fluency is a foundational skill in math instruction that allows students to access a variety of higher level skills. Mastery of fluency requires the coordination of several brain systems, including the hippocampal memory system, the working memory apparatus, and appropriate connections between brain regions, especially within the prefrontal cortex. A variety of disabilities affect different parts of these systems and cause different deficits, which require specific strategies and interventions. Many students have multiple deficits or learn in classrooms with other students whose deficits vary from their own. Multimodal approaches to fluency instruction are most effective, with three to five specific components. There are differences in which combination of components is more effective based on student age and mathematical operation
An Exploration of Inquiry-Based Learning: Effects on Critical Thinking, Engagement, and Achievement
No full textThis thesis explores the effects of inquiry-based learning on three key student outcomes: critical thinking, engagement, and academic achievement. Drawing on studies from which the methodology was applied across K-12 and higher education settings, this review summarizes empirical findings to identify strengths and limitations. Inquiry-based learning is frequently associated with improvements in student participation and reasoning skills due to its emphasis on providing opportunities for hands-on investigative processes and collaborative work; however, the magnitude of these effects varies based on the type of inquiry-based learning used and the level of instructional support. In this paper, literature was reviewed on different applications of the inquiry process as an independent teaching practice, as well as in combination with other strategies, such as load reduction and information literacy instruction, and computer game-based learning. The reviewed literature highlights the importance of consistency between the pedagogical and practical applications of inquiry-based learning, the need for increased teacher support during lesson planning, and its positive reception and success in classrooms with appropriate scaffolding and quality feedback
BSW Students\u27 Understanding of Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at a Predominantly White Institution
No full textSchools of social work are updating their curriculum to meet updated 2022 EPAS changes, specifically to teach and measure outcomes related to Engagement in ADEI Social Work Practice. This university is a private, Christian, predominantly white institution (PWI) located in the Midwestern, USA. This BSW program redesigned its pre-practicum course sequence to emphasize community-engaged learning. The redesign requires students to be placed in a community context that differs from the student\u27s ethnic/racial identity, engages in critical reflective readings, explores concepts related to white supremacy, develops an advocacy/justice project with a poster presentation on campus to follow. An exploratory qualitative method was used to understand how students\u27 engagement in this pre-practicum course may influence their understanding of ADEI social work practice
Early Introduction of Simulation in Undergraduate Nursing: How to Improve the First Year Nursing Experience
No full textIn spring 2023, nursing faculty introduced a simulation experience in the sophomore Health Assessment course. This initiative aimed to enhance student learning outcomes and reduce anxiety related to clinical practice, based on current research which indicates early introduction to simulation has a positive impact on student anxiety in the clinical setting. The simulation served as a summative assessment, integrating key competencies such as patient data collection, therapeutic communication, vital signs assessment, and respiratory evaluation. Initial evaluation efforts are ongoing, with data collection extending into 2024 after adding a documentation element. Data from the 2023 pilot suggests that the simulation significantly improved their learning and decreased anxiety. These findings indicate that simulation-based learning may effectively support the transition from theoretical knowledge to clinical application, building student confidence and competence
Women of Bethel: An Oral History Project
No full textFor Women\u27s History Month, we\u27ll celebrate the women of Bethel who sat down for a new oral history project now available from Bethel\u27s Digital Library. This project is an Edgren Scholar recipient.https://spark.bethel.edu/primetime-presentations/1019/thumbnail.jp
Special Education Student Success Factors for the Online K-12 Learning Setting
No full textThis study investigates the dynamics of teacher-student communication and its impact on the academic success of students receiving special education services in grades 6–12 within an online school setting. With the growing adoption of online education, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding how communication frequency, types of communication, and the mode of interaction (e.g. synchronous versus asynchronous) affect student outcomes is important. Grounded in the CoI Framework, this quantitative analysis examines the relationship between teacher-student communication and course passing rates for students receiving special education services. The analysis addresses three key questions: how the frequency, type, and mode of communication influence student success, while controlling for demographic variables. The results reveal that while the frequency of communication did not have a statistically significant impact, certain types of communication, particularly synchronous interactions, were positively correlated with higher course passing rates. Conversely, asynchronous communications were less effective in supporting academic achievement. Findings from this research provide actionable recommendations for educators and administrators on fostering effective communication strategies to enhance engagement and academic achievement in online school settings. By identifying best practices, the study aims to inform the design of inclusive and supportive learning environments, promoting success for students receiving special education services in online schools
A Model for Understanding Anxiety and Practices to Alleviate it as it Relates to Divine Sovereignty and Human Free Will
No full textThis research focuses on the lack of practices that address emotional anxiety in rural church attendees in Southwestern Iowa caused by the apparent absence of control over situations that require trusting divine sovereignty or human free will. The research theorized that the anxiety of rural church attendees in Southwestern Iowa is caused by inadequate control over adverse situations. As a result, adverse impacts were always considered harmful. However, according to Scripture, what an individual perceives as harmful is always used by God for their good in some manner. Thus, anxiety seems rooted in a desire to avoid perceived harm rather than trusting that God is working for their ultimate good. This qualitative research employed surveys, pre-interview questionnaires, interviews, post-interview questionnaires, and thirteen case studies to examine the spectrum of emotional anxiety impacting a rural church. Incorporation into the research is an examination of Bowen Family System Theory, Romans 9:1-24 and Ephesians 2:1-10 to develop an understanding of divine sovereignty and human free will in which to modify Bowen Family System Theory, specifically emotional triangles, to incorporate God as rescuer and indweller. The modified emotional triangle is proposed as the basis for alleviating anxiety by developing the practice of trusting divine sovereignty to guide human free will through spiritual and cognitive fusion