Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of the Integration of Faith and Learning as Christian Vocation

The overriding purpose of Christian liberal arts colleges in the United States is to offer a comprehensive education to their students. Inherent in this goal is the deliberate integration of Christian faith with academic content; it is, after all, what differentiates Christian institutions of higher education from their secular counterparts (Muntz & Crabtree, 2006). The mission statement of Trinity International University (TIU) in Deerfield, Illinois is to “educate men and women for faithful participation in God’s redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian fidelity and lifelong learning.” The Division of Education that prepares candidates for certification to teach in K-12 schools in the state of Illinois defines its more specific mission thusly: “to develop highly qualified Christian teachers who view teaching as a mission; they nurture their students, reflect critically on their practice, and facilitate classroom experience to maximize the potential of all learners.” Implicit in this conceptual framework is that faculty members will engage in their own integration of faith and learning so that they can model what it means to be Christian teachers. In February 2009, as professors in TIU’s Division of Education, we informally surveyed a group of traditional undergraduate education majors during a department chapel session to discover their perceptions about the integration of faith and learning within our department. We were curious to find out whether or not what we believed we were doing in our classes regarding the integration of faith and learning was in fact impacting our teacher candidates. After defining the concept of the integration of faith and learning in broad terms, we asked them what has helped them become “highly qualified Christian teachers” within our education program. Their responses primarily focused on the more external aspects of demonstrating personal faith; i.e., professors’ leading in devotions at the beginning of classes and modeling Christian behaviors and attitudes. Admittedly, we were somewhat disappointed with their answers, concluding that our teacher candidates were not viewing integration as an academic endeavor that requires deep intellectual as well as spiritual analysis (Hasker, 1992). This concern led to a desire to explore their perceptions further in a more formal way, leading us to review the literature on the integration of faith and learning in Christian colleges and universities and to conduct this particular research study

Adjustable mount for a trihedral mirror Patent

Adjustable rigid mount for trihedral mirror formed of alloy with small coefficient of thermal expansion supporting screws and spring-biased plate

Effect of Prey Density on Diurnal Activity and Ovarian Development in \u3ci\u3eCalosoma Calidum\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Carabidae): Implications for Biological Control of the Gypsy Moth, \u3ci\u3eLymantria Dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)\u3c/i\u3e in the Midwest

Four feeding treatments were used in the laboratory to study the effects of the availability of prey on diurnal behavior and ovarian development of Calosoma calidum. Activity was closely monitored for six weeks. No significant differences were found between male and female behavior patterns. Diurnal beetle activity was found to be inversely related to prey density; in treatments where prey was available, diurnal activity declined during the course of the experiment. At the end of six weeks, dissections of female beetles showed that ovarian development and fat body quantity were dependent upon the number of prey available for consumption

Integrity and Integration: An Exploration of the Personal, Professional, and Pedagogical in the Professoriate

This paper seeks to explore the connections between the concepts of integrity and integration within the professoriate in Christian higher education. Specifically, it examines commonalities and intersections in the definitions of terms, the gaps between rhetoric and reality, and the reasons for those gaps. Implications for a professor’s inner life, scholarship, and teaching are also discussed, and suggestions for closing the gaps are offered

Suburban Poverty and the Health Care Safety Net

Examines trends in the number of suburban poor, their access to health care, and efforts to improve safety-net services in the suburbs of five cities. Explores causes of limited safety net capacity, community strategies, and policy implications

Community Efforts to Expand Dental Services for Low-Income People

Examines low-income patients' limited access to dental care, as well as state and community efforts to expand services, including changing Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program reimbursement rates and licensing laws for preventive care

Developing Health System Surge Capacity: Community Efforts in Jeopardy

Examines six communities' efforts to build surge healthcare capacities to respond to terrorist attacks, epidemics, and natural and manmade disasters; the needed components and funding; and the effects of the restrictions and decline in federal funds

Getting on the E List: E-Mail Use in a Community of Service Provider

This case examines how a community of organizations providing service to people experiencing homelessness made use of an electronic mail list. Current economic conditions have encouraged organizations in various sectors—including nonprofits—that might normally compete for scarce resources to collaborate with one another to increase their chances of survival. One set of tools likely to be of value in such relationships includes various online discussion technologies. An examination of this community’s email list use over a three-year period suggests a somewhat complex picture regarding technology use. More specifically, some issues both constrain and enable use. Additionally, seemingly basic and minimal uses of the list provided not only the greatest functionality for the users, but also led to several unanticipated consequences for those involved

Massachusetts Health Reform: High Costs and Expanding Expectations May Weaken Employer Support

Examines how, as a result of the state's health reform, improved access to the individual insurance market and increased employer responsibility may reduce employers' motivation and ability to provide coverage. Considers implications