Integrating Faith and Learning: Using Survey Research to Broaden the Findings

Abstract

This case study is designed to demonstrate lessons learned investigating the integration of faith and learning at a faith-based university in southern California. It describes the use of a social survey to explicitly test a hypothesis related to the influence of having an attachment or vocational perspective on students' perceptions of integration of faith and learning. As part of this study, online and traditional sampling methods were employed with varying degrees of success. Three broad areas concerning methodology came into focus based on this research project. First, the survey design provides a good beginning for understanding relative differences between the vocation and attachment perspectives on integration of faith and learning and the differing program levels and delivery formats. Second, this initial study reinforced the need for careful planning regarding the sampling process. The final methodological implication is related to causation. We explicitly adopted a social survey design to understand the students' perspectives on integration of faith and learning at Hope International University. This type of design allowed us to begin to answer questions associated with vocation and attachment perspectives related to integration of faith and learning; however, it did not allow us to describe causal mechanisms related to integration of faith and learning.

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