An Investigation of Students’ Perceptions of Classical and Christian Education at Selected Classical and Christian Schools in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
Date
2021-04-20
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Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate students’ perceptions of their classical Christian education in selected schools in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The aim of the study was to focus on students’ perceptions at different intervals of their classical Christian school experience. These intervals included high school freshman, high school senior, college, and career levels. The sample consisted of 37 participants from three regional classical Christian schools; participants ranged in age from 14 - 26 years old. Data were collected using focus group interview sessions and were analyzed inductively using Cresswell’s (2013) six-step approach for qualitative data analysis. This process included organizing data, reading data, coding data, describing themes, narrating themes, and interpreting results. The results yielded four global themes: (a) the importance of relationships; (b) spiritual formation; (c) academic preparation; (d) enjoyment of education. These themes provide insight for classical Christian school stakeholders concerning both the positive and negative perceptions of students.
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Classical Christian Education, Paideia, Trivium, Perceptions, student