Date
4-2017
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Chair
Beth Ackerman
Keywords
Adolescent Development, Biblical Worldview, Christian Education, Discipleship, Fowler's Faith Theory spiritual formation
Disciplines
Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Psychology | Other Education
Recommended Citation
Monzon, Dawn, "The International Christian School Impact on the Spiritual Formation of Its Graduates: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study" (2017). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 1422.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/1422
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine how, if at all, attendance at an accredited international Christian school in South America impacted the spiritual formation of nine graduates. Fowler’s Faith Theory guided this study, which posits that one’s developmental processes and construction of human understanding determine one’s faith. Thus, shared experiences were evaluated to determine whether they shared commonalities that might have had an impact on the phenomenon of spiritual formation. This study incorporated the use of journals and individual interviews that were analyzed through a constant comparison method of data in an analysis spiral and through horizontalization of data. I found that factors influencing spiritual formation included a perceived disconnect between school and life experiences, student ownership and spiritual identity, teachers, and an application of learning. Further research with more participants and different locations and over a longer span of time would be beneficial in determining the long-term impact of Christian education on the spiritual formation of graduates.
Included in
Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Other Education Commons
