Presented for the Glory of my Lord, Jesus Christ

May I decrease, that He may increase in all areas of my life and work!

By

Brett A. Peterson

Original submission, December 10, 1999

Phase 7

Published 2-2-2000

"The average Ph.D. thesis is nothing but a transference of bones from one graveyard to another."

I hope this work is an exception to the above quote. My goal is to put the capstone on institutionalized education and give you a new and fresh approach to education that meets the needs of students and frees teachers to excel in the 21^st century.

This dissertation presents a comparative analysis of three teaching methods: traditional education - consisting of memorization of facts, current teaching methods (used in most college classrooms today) and ECA Phase 7 - the instructional method developed in this research. ECA Phase 7 is a new theory of learning based on this research and Biblical learning methodologies. My research began on a philosophical level in 1985 as I was developing a method of teaching for myself. This study started on a scholarly level in 1996 and relulted in theory development. I progressed towards the development of a comprehensive interdisciplinary instructional and learning model based on conceptual and experiential analysis as a method of teaching and learning in the classroom environment. This was completed in December of 1999.

As mentioned, the method developed in this dissertation I have labeled "EXPERIENTIAL CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS" or 'ECA – Phase 7 Instructional Design'. It analyzes and integrates various theoretical perspectives on experiential and conceptual analysis studies and learning methodologies from the disciplines of Biblical Psychology, Sociology, Communication, Theology and historical learning.

A needs assessment, involving both traditional memorization and conceptual ideation (ECA) methods involved in fact disseminating activities was conducted to determine elements in curriculum & instruction that would prove most valuable for a new paradigm of education. This information was used in designing a questionnaire comparing traditional memorization and conceptual ideation (ECA) with student’s perceptions and attitudes towards fact disseminating learning methodologies used in education and measuring the overall effectiveness of these activities. Data was collected by qualitative and quantitative means utilizing a control group, a traditional group, and one based upon ECA - Phase 7 methodological design. The questionnaire developed was both controlled and open ended with the latter component designed to add depth and quality to the quantitative portion of this research.

Quantitative data was analyzed using Spearman’s rho, Pearson’s correlation, cross tabulations, means and frequency distributions. The qualitative information was analyzed and displayed in descriptive display matrices. The design used three groups of participants who were involved in a twelve-week college course. Findings reveal clear results regarding the effectiveness of ECA - Phase 7 learning methodology developed in this research. Students in Calvary Chapel Bible College and an almost equal number from Saddleback College made up the control groups, the traditional groups (memorization) and the conceptual groups (ECA). See figure 1 for a brief matrix of the process evaluation and outcomes.

Although traditional studies and learning methodologies of this century have been greatly influenced by the disciplines of Psychology, Sociology, Communication, Theology and historical learning, most models have emerged unilaterally from their respective disciplines (as I will demonstrate with an overview of each model later in this treatise) and lack diversity, interrelatedness and richness of complexity in both design and function. This research presents a balanced theoretical and practical approach to education and resulted in ECA - Phase 7 Instructional Design as a new method of instruction and learning. This process produced a learning framework and systems perspective with a vision towards educational reform for the postmodern/ neoexperiential (I will define this later, or turn to the glossary at the end of this work) student. I also am giving teachers the tools needed to move towards achieving a much needed paradigm shift.

This shift is, at a very basic level, understanding the need for schools and classrooms (which I call ‘esoterically enhanced environments’ or ‘dynamic learning classrooms’) to integrate traditional and cutting edge epistemologies. ECA has been established in this research as a catalyst for educational change and has shown its effectiveness in the students and teachers as well.

It is with this dissertation I am attempting to add depth to the educational system by adding dimensions to the edges. Now some of my colleagues will call my work ‘fringe’ or even ‘cutting edge’. I see it more as clarifying and adding depth to the classroom. Education, to this point in time has been two dimensional – teachers present knowledge, students take notes on knowledge presented and cram for the test that is supposed to measure how well they learned that knowledge. Utilizing ECA – Phase 7 methods, the teacher adds depth and dimension to the classroom experience. Much like Zeuxix, the first Greek painter who added shading to paintings to give them a three dimensional look and for the first time gave paintings a sense of reality. He painted Fifth century BC. Now, 2,500 years later, I hope this method makes the educational experience more ‘real’ to the students and adds a whole new dimension to the instructional & learning process in the 21^st century.

All rights reserved.

The terms "experiential conceptual analysis (ECA) as a method of teaching", "experiential conceptual analysis (ECA) as a method of students to assimilate facts", experiential conceptual analysisÔ , ECAÔ , and "experiential conceptual analysis (ECA) as a new framework to structure College instruction", "Phase 7 Instructional DesignÔ ", "Phase 7Ô ", "Phase 7 IDÔ ", "ECA-Phase 7Ô ", "visioneeringä ", "Core Motivated Learningä " or CMLä , "dynamic learning classroomsä " and "Esoterically Enhanced EnvironmentsÔ " or "EEE classroomsÔ " are here in copyrighted and the trademarks of Brett Peterson, and the intellectual property of the same. Any use of these terms must refer back to the author and are reserved and protected by the author of this dissertation and under US and International copyright and trademark laws.

First and foremost I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who gives me life, peace, and the great hope of eternal life in Him. All I do is for the glory of God, and I now clothe myself in humility and direct all praise to my Father in heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. For it is by my Lord’s grace and mercy that I was able to complete this laborious work you now hold in your hand.

I gratefully acknowledge the support of Pastor Gary Kusunoki, the elders, board, and congregation at Calvary Chapel Rancho Santa Margarita, through which, I was awarded the time and support to perform this research at the Bible College in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.

I am also gratefully indebted to those who have helped shape my view on epistemology at Southern California College / Vanguard University - including Professor Phil Robinette, Ph.D., Professor William Williams, Ph.D., Professor Vince Gill, Ph.D., & Professor Ronald Wright.

Special thanks to all the participants in this study as well as a formal acknowledgment of your dedication and determination in being a foundational part in building an academically enhanced system of learning and teaching.

I would also like to acknowledge the people in my personal life whose support and encouragement have provided me with the inspiration needed in accomplishing this research: Drew Segawa, the students of Calvary Chapel Bible College in Rancho Santa Margarita, the board of directors of Coastland Ministries (Larry and Eileen Eimermann & Mark and Lorey Chew), and friends that are to many to mention.

Most of all, I want to thank my family for never giving up hope in God to work in me His perfect will - many thanks to my parents, Grant and Dee Peterson, Debora (my sister) and her husband Danny and their daughter Sarah Hawley, and of course my son Cody.

Finally, my most profound and heartfelt thanks goes to my inspiration in life, the focus of my desire and attention, my princess and my wife, Cheryl. Thanks for putting up with the late nights and early mornings I spent typing on the computer and studying – I could not have accomplished this without your loving support!

"It is not enough for theory to describe and analyze, it must itself be an event in the universe it describes. In order to do this, the theory must partake of and become the acceleration of this logic. It must tear itself from all referents and take pride only in the future. Theory must operate on time at the cost of a deliberate distortion of present reality."

A New World is emerging, and it is radically different than the one our current educational system is based on. With the advent of the Internet and CD computer technology, knowledge and information is accessible to any student on any subject from around the world! This was foreseen by the Prophet Daniel in Daniel 12:3,4:

"3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (sounds like a teacher to me)

In this ‘postmodern’ or ‘neoexperiential’ world (I will define this in chapter 5), I observed a need for a paradigm shift on a foundational level within our educational system – both for instructional and learning methodologies. In the needs assessment of this research, I found my observations were in fact confirmed.

Let me ask you a fundamental question right in the beginning: Do you believe the same teaching methods used before computers and the advent of the Internet is still applicable to 21^st century students? If you are unsure, let me ask you another clarifying question: Do you believe education before the printing press was different than education after books became available? The answer is a profound ‘yes’!

Society has changed, students have changed, the world has become connected, and knowledge has increased exponentially via the access to that knowledge on the Internet, and it is time to produce a significant shift in educational and learning philosophy and methodology. This is why I was driven to develop ECA – Phase 7 Instructional Design. I hope it will be a catalyst for this paradigm shift to occur so that the needs of the students in this 21^st century can be met.

Let us press on to a bold New World of instruction and classroom dynamics. Let us embrace change and meet the needs of the students of this generation and beyond. Let us catch the vision of instruction that will revolutionize the way the classroom is used.

Come teachers, let us reason together, take part in visioneering with me into the future of education and a bold new way of instruction – Phase 7 Instructional Design is at the forefront of this movement – dare to grow!

Brett Peterson,BA Religion, BA Sociology, MA Education, MA Social Work, Ph.D. in Educational Research, & most importantly, Servant of Jesus Christ.

"Education is the art of making man ethical."