Transformative professional learning in PreK—12 Protestant Christian schools : a quantitative study examining predictors of faculty faith and learning involvement.

Historical, theoretical, and structural complexities challenge widespread integration of faith and learning (IFL) through instructional practices in PreK–12 Protestant Christian schools. Varied IFL definitions, inconsistent traditional professional learning models, and competing demands for professional learning impede implementation of intentional Christ-centered teaching and learning practices. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the predictive relationships among spiritual well-being, transformative professional learning, and faculty involvement in IFL within PreK–12 Protestant Christian schools within a Christian school network in the United States. I used a conceptual framework influenced by Charaniya’s (2012) cultural-spiritual perspective of transformation to guide my study, integrating spiritual well-being (Bohlmeijer et al., 2023), social support, attitude towards uncertainty, criticality, transformative learning outcomes (TL outcomes; Cox, 2021), initial, interpersonal, and institutional involvement in IFL (Cosgrove, 2023). I used an online survey to collect data from teachers in 10 different PreK–12 Protestant Christian schools across eight states in the United States about their sense of spiritual well-being and experiences with transformative professional learning to predict perceived involvement in IFL. The multiple linear regression results revealed that spiritual well-being, social support, attitude towards uncertainty, criticality, transformative learning outcomes were statistically significant predictors of initial involvement, F(5, 128) = 5.8, p < .001, explaining 19% of the model variance. Additionally, the same variables were statistically significant predictors of interpersonal involvement, F(5, 125) = 6.04, p < .001, explaining 20% of the model variance. Finally, the set of variables were statistically significant predictors of institutional involvement F(5, 125) = 2.84, p = .00, explaining 14% of the model variance. In this study, I found teacher spiritual well-being, experiencing transformative learning outcomes, and a supportive learning environment statistically significantly contributed to cultivating PreK–12 teacher involvement in IFL. These results have implications for IFL instructional design, leadership investment, and further scholarship needs for transformative professional learning for PreK–12 IFL.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Mactavish, Christy L., 1972-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Vaughn, Shelby Duncan.

• PreK–12 Christian education.
• Transformative learning.
• Spiritutality.
• Professional development.
• Faith and learning.
• Faith integration.
• Christian pedagogy.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/15171

OAI record oai:identifier

https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Abaylor-ir.tdl.org%3A2104%2F15171