Copyright © 2016 Jeffrey Michael Horner
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Copyright © 2016 Jeffrey Michael Horner All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. CHRISTIAN CURRICULAR EMPHASES AND ACADEMIC RIGOR: A MIXED METHODS STUDY __________________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education __________________ by Jeffrey Michael Horner December 2016 APPROVAL SHEET CHRISTIAN CURRICULAR EMPHASES AND ACADEMIC RIGOR: A MIXED METHODS STUDY Jeffrey Michael Horner Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Anthony W. Foster (Chair) __________________________________________ John David Trentham Date______________________________ To Elizabeth: my wife, my best beloved, my educational partner; mother of our children and patient reader of all my work, I could not have completed this without your support. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ xiv Chapter 1. RESEARCH CONCERN ........................................................................................1 Introduction to the Research Problem .................................................................2 Presentation of the Research Problem ....................................................... 4 Current Status of the Research Problem .................................................... 6 Christian Curricular Emphases .................................................................. 7 Academic Rigor ....................................................................................... 10 Research Purpose ..............................................................................................12 Research Population ..........................................................................................13 Research Questions ...........................................................................................14 Terminology ......................................................................................................15 Methodological Design .....................................................................................18 Research Assumptions ......................................................................................19 Procedural Overview .........................................................................................20 Conclusion ........................................................................................................20 2. PRECEDENT LITERATURE ..............................................................................21 iv Chapter Page Foundations of Christian Education for the Study ............................................21 Introductory Overview of Mixed Methods .......................................................24 Qualitative Literature Review ...........................................................................25 Curriculum Theory .................................................................................. 25 Curriculum Analyses ............................................................................... 30 Christian Schools and Curriculum ........................................................... 34 Integration of Faith and Learning ............................................................ 41 Christian Curricular Emphases ................................................................ 46 Recent Dissertations ................................................................................ 53 Quantitative Literature Review .........................................................................56 Academic Rigor ....................................................................................... 57 Studies Combining the Qualitative and the Quantitative Variables ..................66 Research Hypothesis .........................................................................................68 3. METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN ..........................................................................70 Purpose Statement .............................................................................................71 Research Question Synopsis .............................................................................71 Research Design Overview ...............................................................................72 Coding Criteria ..................................................................................................73 Population .........................................................................................................74 Sample and Delimitations .................................................................................74 Limitations of Generalization ...........................................................................74 Research Method and Instrumentation .............................................................75 Ethics Committee Process .................................................................................75 Research Procedures .........................................................................................75 Qualitative Procedures ............................................................................. 76 v Chapter Page Quantitative Procedures ........................................................................... 77 Data Transformation and Mixing ............................................................ 78 4. ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ..................................................................................79 Compilation Protocols .......................................................................................79 Quantitative Data ..................................................................................... 80 Qualitative Data ....................................................................................... 84 Demographic and Sample Data .........................................................................88 Covariate Data ......................................................................................... 90 Independent Variable Data ...................................................................... 92 Findings and Displays .......................................................................................94 Research Question 1 ................................................................................ 94 Research Question 2 ................................................................................ 99 Research Question 3 .............................................................................. 101 MANOVA Results ................................................................................. 103 MANCOVA (MANOVA with Covariates) ........................................... 109 Comparison of Estimated Marginal Means .......................................... 129 Evaluation of the Research Design .................................................................131 Strengths of the Research Design .......................................................... 131 Weaknesses of the Research Design ...................................................... 131 Summary of Analysis ......................................................................................133 5. CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................135 Research Purpose ............................................................................................135 Research Questions .........................................................................................136 Research Implications .....................................................................................136 Christian Curricular Emphases Among CESA Schools ........................ 137 Academic Rigor among CESA Schools ................................................ 138 vi Page The Relationship between Christian Curricular Emphases and Academic Rigor .............................................................................. 139 Research Applications .....................................................................................144 Research Limitations .......................................................................................146 Contribution of Research to the Precedent Literature .....................................147 Recommendations for Practice .......................................................................148 Further Research .............................................................................................148 Appendix Page 1. RESEARCH PROCEDURES WORKSHEET ....................................................151 2. CESA SCHOOL DATA ......................................................................................158 3. IFL DATA USING BADLEY’S PARADIGMS ................................................169 4. COLLEGE RANKING DATA ...........................................................................173 5. COLLEGE BOARD LIST OF AP COURSES ...................................................194