3,098 research outputs found
Resetting Foundations. Congregational Training for the Small Group Ministry: An Action Research to Correct Intent, Cultivate Community, and Grow Spiritually
Small group ministry is crucial for the health and well-being of the church. The problem this DMIN action research sought to address was that Valley Gate Church did not grasp the purpose of small group ministry due to not implementing small groups with well-defined intent. Valley Gate Church is a church plant that launched in 2016. This DMIN action research aimed to create and implement a six-week congregational training to develop small group leaders and members at Valley Gate Church. Twenty-two participants were involved in the entire six-week training. All participants took a pre- and post-training assessment consisting of surveys, questionnaires, and open-ended questions. This researcher also interviewed six participants. The goal was to assess participants’ outlook on small group ministry and see how this foundational training would build upon that knowledge to lay a clear intent regarding small group ministry. The research methods employed were content analysis and thematic analysis. In the end, there was a positive correlation with post-training participants reporting being highly motivated to be active participants in future small groups, and the majority strongly agreed that they now understood the overall intent behind small groups. The training proved successful in participants’ understanding that the two overarching themes of small groups are cultivating community and spiritual growth, and this DMIN action research is needed in the ministry field to help any congregation reset and build the necessary foundations for this vital ministry
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The Experiences and Educational Involvement Practices of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Parents of Preschoolers with Disabilities: An Exploration of Cultural and Ecological Factors During the Kindergarten Transition
This dissertation consists of three studies which examine the experiences and involvement of parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as their preschooler with disabilities underwent the transition into kindergarten. The first study was a systematic review which explored the transition experiences and perceptions of parents (n = 467) across 20 studies as their children transitioned from early childhood special education services to school-based special education services. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and thematic analysis was used to synthesize parent experiences across included studies. Themes revealed that parents’ transition experiences were rooted in various ecological contexts (i.e., family, school, and system levels). Parents reported challenges to the transition, including inconsistent communication and disconnects with their new schools, but also facilitators, such as support from their early childhood settings, and these experiences influenced their subsequent role on the school teams.
The second study used a one-year, prospective, longitudinal design to examine the transition and virtual learning experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse families (n = 15) as their families adjusted to kindergarten and kindergarten special education services during the COVID-19 pandemic (summer of 2020 to summer of 2021). Qualitative interview and focus group data was collected from families at five timepoints across one year, and interviews were conducted once with educational stakeholders (n = 10; teachers, social workers, psychologists, and administrators) who supported these families during the transition. Thematic analysis revealed that parents experienced a turbulent year characterized by disruptions to their children’s learning experiences, as well as shifts in their parent role and family functioning as their children transitioned to kindergarten during the pandemic. However, facilitators such as supports from their schools promoted parents’ coping.
The third study was a mixed method study which investigated the cultural values and involvement of culturally and linguistically diverse parents (n = 53) of preschool children with and without disabilities. Pearson correlations revealed positive relationships between parents’ home-based educational activities and aspects of their parent involvement. Hierarchical regressions revealed that educational values predicted parents’ home-based activities, and an interaction suggested the protective nature of educational values on parents’ home-based educational activities when parents reported low cognitive and contextual resources. Qualitative data were used to triangulate quantitative findings. Thematic analysis of eight family interviews revealed that parents reported strong educational values which they promoted with their children, along with various ways they engaged with their children in the home context
LIPIcs, Volume 274, ESA 2023, Complete Volume
LIPIcs, Volume 274, ESA 2023, Complete Volum
A strategic turnaround model for distressed properties
The importance of commercial real estate is clearly shown by the role it plays, worldwide, in the sustainability of economic activities, with a substantial global impact when measured in monetary terms. This study responds to an important gap in the built environment and turnaround literature relating to the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. The present research effort addressed the absence of empirical evidence by identifying a number of important factors that influence the likelihood of a successful distressed, commercial property financial recovery. Once the important factors that increase the likelihood of recovery have been determined, the results can be used as a basis for turnaround strategies concerning property investors who invest in distressed opportunities. A theoretical turnaround model concerning properties in distress, would be of interest to ‘opportunistic investing’ yield-hungry investors targeting real estate transactions involving ‘turnaround’ potential. Against this background, the main research problem investigated in the present research effort was as follows: Determine the important factors that would increase the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. A proposed theoretical model was constructed and empirically tested through a questionnaire distributed physically and electronically to a sample of real estate practitioners from across the globe, and who had all been involved, directly or indirectly, with reviving distressed properties. An explanation was provided to respondents of how the questionnaire was developed and how it would be administered. The demographic information pertaining to the 391 respondents was analysed and summarised. The statistical analysis performed to ensure the validity and reliability of the results, was explained to respondents, together with a detailed description of the covariance structural equation modelling method used to verify the proposed theoretical conceptual model. vi The independent variables of the present research effort comprised; Obsolescence Identification, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Tenant Mix, Triple Net Leases, Concessions, Property Management, Contracts, Business Analysis, Debt Renegotiation, Cost-Cutting, Market Analysis, Strategic Planning and Demography, while the dependent variable was The Perceived Likelihood of a Distressed Commercial Property Financial Recovery. After analysis of the findings, a revised model was then proposed and assessed. Both validity and reliability were assessed and resulted in the following factors that potentially influence the dependent variables; Strategy, Concessions, Tenant Mix, Debt Restructuring, Demography, Analyse Alternatives, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Property Management and Net Leases while, after analysis, the dependent variable was replaced by two dependent variables; The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Turnaround and The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Financial Recovery. The results showed that Strategy (comprising of items from Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) and Concessions (comprising of items from Concessions and Triple Net Leases) had a positive influence on both the dependent variables. Property Management (comprising of items from Business Analysis, Property Management, Capital Improvements Feasibility and Tenant Mix) had a positive influence on Financial Turnaround variable while Capital Improvements Feasibility (comprising of items from Capital Improvements Feasibility, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) had a negative influence on both. Demography (comprising of items only from Demography) had a negative influence on the Financial Recovery variable. The balance of the relationships were depicted as non-significant. The present research effort presents important actions that can be used to influence the turnaround and recovery of distressed real estate. The literature had indicated reasons to recover distressed properties as having wide-ranging economic consequences for the broader communities and the countries in which they reside. The turnaround of distressed properties will not only present financial rewards for opportunistic investors but will have positive effects on the greater community and economy and, thus, social and economic stability. Vii With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, issues with climate change and sustainability, global demographic shifts, changing user requirements, shifts in technology, the threat of obsolescence, urbanisation, globalisation, geo-political tensions, shifting global order, new trends and different generational expectations, it is becoming more apparent that the threat of distressed, abandoned and derelict properties is here to stay, and which will present future opportunities for turnaround, distressed property owners, as well as future worries for urban authorities and municipalities dealing with urban decay. The study concluded with an examination of the perceived limitations of the study as well as presenting a comprehensive range of suggestions for further research.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, School of the built Environment, 202
Digital writing technologies in higher education : theory, research, and practice
This open access book serves as a comprehensive guide to digital writing technology, featuring contributions from over 20 renowned researchers from various disciplines around the world. The book is designed to provide a state-of-the-art synthesis of the developments in digital writing in higher education, making it an essential resource for anyone interested in this rapidly evolving field.
In the first part of the book, the authors offer an overview of the impact that digitalization has had on writing, covering more than 25 key technological innovations and their implications for writing practices and pedagogical uses. Drawing on these chapters, the second part of the book explores the theoretical underpinnings of digital writing technology such as writing and learning, writing quality, formulation support, writing and thinking, and writing processes. The authors provide insightful analysis on the impact of these developments and offer valuable insights into the future of writing. Overall, this book provides a cohesive and consistent theoretical view of the new realities of digital writing, complementing existing literature on the digitalization of writing. It is an essential resource for scholars, educators, and practitioners interested in the intersection of technology and writing
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