Date
7-31-2023
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
Roger Erdvig
Keywords
clergy, credentialing, instructional practices, andragogy, adult learning theory
Disciplines
Curriculum and Instruction | Education
Recommended Citation
True, George Rexaville III, "A Causal-Comparative Study of Learner-Centeredness Among Assemblies of God Clergy by Credential Level" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4651.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4651
Abstract
This non-experimental, causal-comparative study sought to evaluate the learner-centeredness of Pentecostal ministers in the Assemblies of God. Building on the foundations of Adult Learning Theory and Pentecostal epistemology, this study examined the instructional practices of Pentecostal clergy. Utilizing the Principles of Adult Learning Scale [PALS] and a survey of basic demographic information, the instructional methodologies of certified, licensed, and ordained clergy in the Northern New England, Pennsylvania-Delaware, Arkansas, and Northwest districts of the Assemblies of God were examined. A Welch’s ANOVA analyzed the relationship between clergy credential level and scores on the PALS. The results of this study revealed a statistically significant difference between clergy credential level and learner-centeredness as measured by the PALS, specifically between certified and licensed ministers, and licensed and ordained ministers. Further research should explore learner-centeredness in other Pentecostal organizations and the instructional environments of Pentecostal colleges, as these often form and shape the instructional methods of the clergy.
