Copyright © 2019 Chase Tolliver Austin 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. WISDOM, ELOQUENCE, AND ACADEMIC RIGOR IN ACCS SCHOOLS: 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 Chase Tolliver Austin December 2019 APPROVAL SHEET WISDOM, ELOQUENCE, AND ACADEMIC RIGOR IN ACCS SCHOOLS: A MIXED METHODS STUDY Chase Tolliver Austin Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Jeffrey M. Horner (Chair) __________________________________________ Anthony W. Foster Date______________________________ For Reagan, James, and Piper Austin. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ ix LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. x LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiii PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ xiii Chapter 1. RESEARCH CONCERN ........................................................................................1 Introduction to the Research Problem .................................................................2 Presentation of the Research Problem ....................................................... 5 Current Status of the Research Problem .................................................. 10 Christian Liberal Arts and Sciences ........................................................ 13 Academic Rigor ....................................................................................... 15 Research Purpose ..................................................................................... 19 Research Population ................................................................................ 19 Research Questions .................................................................................. 20 Delimitations of Research ........................................................................ 20 Terminology ............................................................................................ 21 Sample and Delimitations ........................................................................ 26 Limitations of Generalization .................................................................. 27 Methodological Design ............................................................................ 27 Research Assumptions ............................................................................. 29 Instrumentation ........................................................................................ 29 Research Competencies to Conduct the Study ........................................ 29 iv Chapter Page Conclusion ........................................................................................................30 2. PRECEDENT LITERATURE ..............................................................................32 The Liberal Arts and Sciences ..........................................................................33 Classical Education .................................................................................. 33 Summary .................................................................................................. 35 Contemporary Christian Foundations of Classical Education ..........................35 Philosophical Commitments .................................................................... 36 Theological Convictions .......................................................................... 42 Summary .................................................................................................. 44 Recent Dissertations and Studies ............................................................. 45 Summary .................................................................................................. 48 Introductory Overview of Mixed Methods .......................................................49 Qualitative Literature Review ...........................................................................50 Curriculum Theory .................................................................................. 50 Curriculum Analyses ............................................................................... 55 Classical Christian Schools and Curriculum ........................................... 57 The Christian Liberal Arts and Sciences ................................................. 59 Wisdom and Eloquence ........................................................................... 60 Integration of Faith and Learning ............................................................ 61 Recent Dissertations ................................................................................ 63 Quantitative Literature Review .........................................................................66 Academic Rigor ....................................................................................... 66 Research Hypothesis .........................................................................................73 3. METHODOLOGICAL DESIGN ..........................................................................75 Purpose Statement .............................................................................................77 Research Synopsis .............................................................................................77 v Chapter Page Research Design Overview ...............................................................................77 Coding Criteria ..................................................................................................79 Population .........................................................................................................80 Sample and Delimitations .................................................................................80 Limitations of Generalization ...........................................................................81 Research Method and Instrumentation..............................................................81 Ethics Committee Process .................................................................................82 Research Procedures .........................................................................................82 Qualitative Procedures ............................................................................. 83 Quantitative Procedures ........................................................................... 84 Data Transformation and Mixing ............................................................ 85 4. ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ..................................................................................86 Compilation Protocols .......................................................................................86 Quantitative Data ..................................................................................... 87 Qualitative Data ....................................................................................... 92 Demographic and Sample Data .........................................................................98 Covariate Data ....................................................................................... 101 Independent Variable Data .................................................................... 103 Findings and Displays .....................................................................................106 Research Question 1 .............................................................................. 106 Research Question 2 .............................................................................. 113 Research Question 3 .............................................................................. 115 ANOVA Results .................................................................................... 116 ANCOVA Results ................................................................................. 124 Comparison of Estimated Marginal Means ........................................... 127 Evaluation of the Research Design ........................................................ 128 vi Chapter Page Strengths of the Research Design .......................................................... 128 Weaknesses of the Research Design ...................................................... 129 Summary of Analysis ......................................................................................131 5. CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................134 Research Purpose ............................................................................................134 Research Questions .........................................................................................135 Research Implications .....................................................................................135