Call number: LD2668 .T4 1962 D87

This study explored the relationship between Christian curricular emphases and academic rigor among Christian secondary schools. It used convergent data transformation methods to analyze published curriculum descriptions in relationship to published academic data. This study correlated the two sets of variables while controlling for the influence of family income on these academic performance metrics. A review of the precedent literature first presented foundations for Christian education. It then examined studies of both Christian curriculum and academic rigor. It reviewed studies of curriculum, both theoretical and practical, and introduced the term “Christian curricular emphases” for discussing intentional assertions of Christian principles. It also reviewed studies examining selected criteria (AP courses, SAT scores, and acceptance into top universities) as measures of academic rigor. Few published studies examined both strands together. The convergent data transformation research design consisted of both qualitative and quantitative analyses consisting of four phases. The study required a population which could demonstrate both Christian curricular emphases and academic rigor, hence the selection of CESA schools. The first phase collected published qualitative curricular data and quantitative academic rigor data. The second phase gathered both tuition and family income data to control for possible confounding variables. The third phase coded schools’ course descriptions for integration of faith and learning (IFL) language, which was then transformed into quantitative data for analysis. The fourth phase performed a multivariate analysis of variance with covariates (MANCOVA) on all collected data. Overall, this study found that CESA schools provided rigorous academics when compared to other categories of schools. Controlling for family income levels strengthened all academic rigor measurements. Increasing years of required Bible courses correlated with lower measures of academic rigor. Higher frequency of IFL language in science course descriptions correlated with higher academic rigor measures, while higher frequency of IFL language in English or social studies courses did not. No school used IFL language in math course descriptions. Evaluating CESA schools’ Christian curricular and academic rigor data confirmed the added clarity of controlling for income data. Additionally, this study provided a new methodology for correlating Christian curricular emphases and academic rigor in Christian secondary schools.

The integration of faith and learning has been the object of study of men and women in the Canadian Calvinistic school movement ever since Dr. Abraham Kuyper pointed out that there could be no dichotomy between the sacred and the secular in the life of a Christian. Acting on the traditions, influences and beliefs these `Reformed' Christians had imbibed in their homeland, the Dutch Calvinistic immigrants who came to British Columbia after WW II built Christian schools as soon as they arrived. As they became more established, they formed curriculum committees of teachers who wrote curriculum for each subject area from a Christian perspective, intentionally planning to integrate their faith and learning in all subject areas. By looking at the history and Bible textbooks of not only the Calvinistic (Reformed) Christian day schools in British Columbia and then branching out to the history and Bible textbooks of three other denominational schools, the Mennonite, the Pentecostal and the Lutheran, I have tried to discover how the faith beliefs of each of these groups are brought to bear on the teaching of Bible. In soliciting the strengths of each of these groups from their history, current practise and teacher comments, I have pitched my own proposal as to how the integration of faith and learning can be enhanced in the teaching of Bible. By blending goals, curricula and best practice, as well combining certain faith belief frameworks in interpreting God's Word, by learning in community, and by listening to the Holy Spirit in the text, I believe the teaching of Bible can become `Spirited teaching'. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Th.

The integration of faith and learning has been the object of study of men and women in the Canadian Calvinistic school movement ever since Dr. Abraham Kuyper pointed out that there could be no dichotomy between the sacred and the secular in the life of a Christian. Acting on the traditions, influences and beliefs these `Reformed' Christians had imbibed in their homeland, the Dutch Calvinistic immigrants who came to British Columbia after WW II built Christian schools as soon as they arrived. As they became more established, they formed curriculum committees of teachers who wrote curriculum for each subject area from a Christian perspective, intentionally planning to integrate their faith and learning in all subject areas. By looking at the history and Bible textbooks of not only the Calvinistic (Reformed) Christian day schools in British Columbia and then branching out to the history and Bible textbooks of three other denominational schools, the Mennonite, the Pentecostal and the Lutheran, I have tried to discover how the faith beliefs of each of these groups are brought to bear on the teaching of Bible. In soliciting the strengths of each of these groups from their history, current practise and teacher comments, I have pitched my own proposal as to how the integration of faith and learning can be enhanced in the teaching of Bible. By blending goals, curricula and best practice, as well combining certain faith belief frameworks in interpreting God's Word, by learning in community, and by listening to the Holy Spirit in the text, I believe the teaching of Bible can become `Spirited teaching'. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Th.

This study seeks to explore aspects of the educational practice of the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) programme. The philosophy (the Christian underpinnings) and pedagogy (mastery learning) of the ACE programme as contemporary educational practice is examined against a background of educational reform movements such as outcomes-based education. In addition, the thesis examines the issue of what it takes for a student to succeed in tertiary education, investigates the stated claims of the ACE programme in this regard, and then scrutinises these claims, in an empirical study, that includes ACE graduates, their parents and university admissions officers. Finally recommendations are made to those who use the programme in schools regarding any perceived strengths and/or weaknesses in the programme itself, or in the management and implementation of the programme, with a view to enhancing the educational experience of high school students preparing to enter the realm of tertiary education. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed.(Educational Management)

This study seeks to explore aspects of the educational practice of the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) programme. The philosophy (the Christian underpinnings) and pedagogy (mastery learning) of the ACE programme as contemporary educational practice is examined against a background of educational reform movements such as outcomes-based education. In addition, the thesis examines the issue of what it takes for a student to succeed in tertiary education, investigates the stated claims of the ACE programme in this regard, and then scrutinises these claims, in an empirical study, that includes ACE graduates, their parents and university admissions officers. Finally recommendations are made to those who use the programme in schools regarding any perceived strengths and/or weaknesses in the programme itself, or in the management and implementation of the programme, with a view to enhancing the educational experience of high school students preparing to enter the realm of tertiary education. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed.(Educational Management)

The dissertation is focused on exploring the aspects of the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum that shows its individualized nature. The aim of the study was to explore individualized instruction from the view of the ACE program with a view of possible recommendation for use on a wider scale in Nigerian schools. This was considered because of the several lapses identified in the present Nigerian education program. The research explored other teaching and learning methodologies to establish commonality and assess if indeed the programs form of individualization is related to any existing form. Interviews were conducted to get the experiences of students and supervisors who are using the program. Recommendations were made for consideration to the users of the program on the strengths and weaknesses examined and suggestions for possible improvement given based on the responses of the research participants. / M. Ed. (Didactics)

The dissertation is focused on exploring the aspects of the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum that shows its individualized nature. The aim of the study was to explore individualized instruction from the view of the ACE program with a view of possible recommendation for use on a wider scale in Nigerian schools. This was considered because of the several lapses identified in the present Nigerian education program. The research explored other teaching and learning methodologies to establish commonality and assess if indeed the programs form of individualization is related to any existing form. Interviews were conducted to get the experiences of students and supervisors who are using the program. Recommendations were made for consideration to the users of the program on the strengths and weaknesses examined and suggestions for possible improvement given based on the responses of the research participants. / M. Ed. (Didactics)