| Religious
and Sexual Imagery in Music Videos: I'm
working with Dr. Mckee from Berry College. We're
comparing Christian, Country and MTV videos. Dr.
McKee, who currently serves as the provost for
Berry College, published a couple of articles
several years ago in this area. We're currently
replicating her previous studies and adding an
audience perception component. We need student
coders for the spring. |
| Sacred
Use of the Profane: Dr. Patton and I are busy
working a book based on his recent community of
learners presentation by the same name. This book
will develop a Cultural Hermeneutic based on
Brugemann's "prophetic imagination." |
| The
Passion of the Christ - I collected over
5000 surveys during spring 05. We published a book
chapter in S. Brent Plate's 2004, Reviewing
the Passion, and have several other
articles in the works for 05. |
| Blackboard
Augmentation of Face-to-face courses - how do
faculty use Blackboard to support their f2f
courses? Does it increase students' sense of
community? Cognitive learning? Affective Learning?
What factors predict successful student outcomes? |
| Ideal
Professor - I'm working with Dr. Rodney
Reynolds, Pepperdine University, on this one. This
arose out of Sarah Yeates' 2003 honors thesis. We
plan on submitting it to the Journal of
Communication and Religion, spring 05. The results
of our factor analysis may shock you. |
| Gender
Differences in Online Communication - Dr.
Diane Badzinski, Bethel College, and I are
planning a couple studies this spring dealing with
gender differences in online threaded discussion
(in online courses). Dr. Badzinski is a seasoned
researcher. I'm thrilled to be working with
her. |
| "God
Talk" - another book with Dr. Patton. How
do people use spiritual language in manipulative
ways? We're collecting data this spring. Come help
us collect stories of spiritual manipulation. |
| Gender
and Conversion Narratives - the relationship
between gender and the way one communicates one's
Christian conversion narrative (Faculty Sponsor,
Dr. Woods, lead student researcher, Dave Knight).
Dr. Innes Jindra, Sociology, will be working with
me on this in the future. We're planning to write
a grant in 05-06. |
| Left
Behind, the Book Series - a Uses
and Gratifications Analysis: what psychological
and sociological reasons do people have for
reading the Left Behind Book Series (Faculty
Sponsor, Dr. Woods; lead student researcher, Kelly
Skarritt) |
| Spirituality
of Twins - differences within and between
fraternal and identical twins in spiritual
disposition. Faculty sponsors, Dr. Woods, Dr.
Darling, Dr. Moore-Jumonville. |
| Media
Ethics: Cases in Moral Reasoning: book
project, involves finding Internet and web-based
resources related to cases included in the Media
Ethics (7th ed). text book (Faculty Sponsor, Dr.
Woods). This is an ongoing project and I need help
every semester. |
| Community-building
in Cyberspace - The Social Dynamics of Online
Learning (Faculty Sponsor, Dr. Woods). How is
community defined online from a student's
perspective? What strategies do faculty use to
build community online? How does it reinforce or
foster cognitive learning? I have 3 or 4
projects in this area, including a book currently
under contract with the Idea Group. |
| Reality
Television - psychological and sociological
motivations for watching this form of programming;
defining what makes this "reality" tv,
distinguishing types or categories of reality tv
programming. You may earn extra credit bonus
points by taking an online (web-based) survey. Click
here and take the survey online. Email me at rwoods@arbor.edu
and let me know that you have taken it. This
article is currently under review by the Journal
of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. |
| Quality
Worship - development of an instrument to
measure a congregant's worship experience. I'm
working with Dr Brian Walrath on this one. We've
already conducted a focus group to help generate
items for the survey. Several additional focus
groups are scheduled. |
| Characteristics
of Effective Drama - what makes a drama, when
used as part of a Protestant Evangelical worship
service, effective? Dr. Patton and I are working
on this, off and on, for the next several years.
This idea arose out of several COM 300 projects;
most recently, fall 2004. |
| Integration
of Faith and Learning - what are the most
common integration strategies among faculty at
CCCU schools? |
