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Today's Featured Biography
Donald Ratcliff Ratcliff
Donald Ratcliff
BACKGROUND
My parents were both educators, my mother a
special education teacher and my father a school psychologist. My first thought of becoming a teacher occurred when I was involved in a philosophy study group in my second year of college. At the time a student commented, �I wish you were our teacher.� After graduating from Spring Arbor College (now Spring Arbor University), I began a masters degree at Michigan State University. I taught at a small college in Ohio for three years, then became a teacher on the island of Dominica in the West Indies. Even though conditions were sometimes difficult (such as the lack of public electricity), for the most part I enjoyed my teaching on the island and appreciated the students� enthusiasm for education. I continue to have some contact with those students, one of whom completed a Ph.D. in psychology and became the director of the counseling department at Asbury Seminary.
Upon returning to the United States, I began working at the Gallipolis Developmental Center in Gallipolis, Ohio. This facility was in the process of deinstitutionalizing. I learned much under the tutelage of my supervisor, Dr. L. D. McClanahan, particularly about the human brain, studying A. R. Luria�s perspectives, and giving psychological tests. After three years of what can be considered an internship at the developmental center, I took a position at Toccoa Falls College where I taught psychology and sociology for nineteen years while completing two additional graduate degrees at The University of Georgia, including a Ph.D. in educational psychology.
I then moved to California to teach in education and later psychology. I was approached by Wheaton College regarding a teaching position, and was employed there for several productive years.
EXPERIENCE/SKILLS
At one time I was proficient in web page design, intermediate level. I maintained eleven distinct web page systems and received more than a million hits each year.
Podcasting 2021-2025.
Founding board member of a conference on children�s spirituality, 2000-2012.
Radio work as news director, program director, acting manager. Family Life Broadcasting, Jackson/Albion/Mason, Michigan.
Television work as a volunteer, Circleville, Ohio
Creating movies and videos using computer software. Samples available at https://youtube.com/@brotherdon777
Church consultant for several large churches in the Chicago area.
Writer, editor, researcher.
AWARDS
Georgia Faculty Development Grant.
Children�s Spirituality Database grant.
Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL � Endowed Chair, Christian Formation and Ministry
August, 2006 - January, 2012
I taught human development, research methods, cross-cultural ministry, and other classes (graduate and undergraduate levels). While at Wheaton I also taught doctoral level classes in qualitative research for Wheaton and Talbot Theological Seminary, La Mirada, CA�a cooperative venture held at Honeyrock Camp in Wisconsin. I also taught using the internet�see below under �projects.�
I also taught doctoral level classes in research at Garrett Theological Seminary, North Park, IL and the Oxford School of Missiological Studies, Oxford, UK.
Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, CA � Professor of Psychology August, 2004 - July 2006
At Vanguard I taught introductory psychology, research, human development, and other classes.. While at Vanguard I also taught doctoral level classes in statistics and qualitative research at Talbot Theological Seminary, La Mirada, CA.
Biola University, La Mirada, CA � Associate Professor of Education
August, 2001 - June, 2004
I taught educational research, educational psychology at both graduate and undergraduate levels, and other classes.
Toccoa Falls College, Toccoa Falls, GA � Associate Professor of Psychology and Sociology.
August, 1982 - June, 2001
At Toccoa Falls College I taught introductory psychology, human development, abnormal psychology, death and dying, introductory sociology, contemporary social problems, and other classes.
Christian Union Bible School, Castle Bruce, Dominica, West Indies � Instructor in Psychology, History, and Bible
June 1977 - May 1978
At CUBS I taught introductory psychology, history, Bible, as well as other classes. I left the island due to a national coup and related violence in the country, as well as an impending hurricane.
EDUCATION
The University of Georgia, Athens, GA Ph.D. in educational psychology
June, 1992 - June, 1995
Emphasis on human development and both quantitative and qualitative research methods. I taught two classes in qualitative research at The University of Georgia after receiving the Ph.D.
The University of Georgia, Athens, GA Ed.S. in educational psychology.
1983-1986
I specialized in qualitative research and human development.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI M.A. in educational psychology.
1973-1975
For my masters work I focused upon human development, educational philosophy, client-centered therapy, and rational emotive therapy.
Spring Arbor University, Spring Arbor, MI B.A. in Social Science
1970-1973
I specialized in history, psychology and biblical study.
PROJECTS
I created and implemented a fifteen week class in children�s spirituality, coordinated by Wheaton College as a doctoral level class, offered on two occasions.
This involved dozens of videos, multiple interviews with experts, and research-based findings related to spiritual development of children, child theology, cultural dynamics of children�s spirituality, and two modules on implications of the research for instruction. There were also modules on methods of researching children�s spirituality. At the time, this was the only doctoral level course on this topic that my students could find in the United States and most if not the entire world. Nearly all of the videos used for this class are available online at https://youtube.com/@Child.Spirituality .
PUBLICATIONS
Books:
ChildFaith (primary author). Wipf and Stock, 2010.
Children�s Spirituality: Christian Perspectives, Research and Applications (senior editor). Wipf and Stock,
2004.
Raising Your Child from Birth to Age Twelve (coauthor with Dr. Paul Meier), Baker Books, 1999. Translated into Russian, 2001. This is an abbreviated version of Child-Rearing and Personality Development, 2nd ed. 1993.
Handbook of Family Religious Education (coeditor with Dr. Blake Neff), Religious Education Press, 1995.
Complete Guide to Volunteers in Religious Education (primary author, coauthored by Dr. Blake Neff), Religious Education Press, 1993.
Bruised and Broken: Understanding and Healing Psychological Problems (coauthor with Dr. Paul Meier and Dr. Frank Minirth), Baker Books, 1992.
Handbook of Children's Religious Education (editor, author of one chapter, coauthor of two other chapters), Religious Education Press, 1992. Reprinted by Wipf and Stock, 2008.
Teaching Introduction to Psychology and Counseling (instructor's manual, micro-published), Baker Books, 1992.
Introduction to Psychology and Counseling (coauthor of second edition, with Dr. Paul Meier, Dr. Frank Minirth, and Dr. Frank Wichern), Baker Books, 1991. Translated into Indonesian (2003), Korean (2004), Russian (2008), and Arabic (2010).
Handbook of Youth Ministry (editor with Dr. James Davies, coauthored one chapter), Religious Education Press, 1991.
Insights into Child Development (coauthor with Stanley Fitch). C.A.T. Publishing, 1991.
Handbook of Preschool Religious Education (editor, authored two chapters, and coauthored two others), Religious Education Press, 1988. Reprinted by Wipf and Stock, 2008.
Social Problems: Christian Perspectives, Instruction Manual. Hunter Textbooks, 1985.
Using Psychology in the Church. Burgess Publishing, 1984.
Journal Publications:
Children�s Spirituality: Past and Future. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 2010.
Soul Projects: Class-Related Spiritual Practices in Higher Education (coauthor). Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 2009.
Key Resources for Qualitative Congregational Research. Religious Education, 2009.
Sociology and Anthropology as Promising Areas of Insight and Research for Christian Education. Christian Education Journal, 2008.
James Loder and Qualitative Data Analysis. Transformation, 2008. Reprinted with minor revisions in Common Ground, 2008.
The Spirit of Children Past: A Century of Children�s Spirituality Research. Christian Education Journal, 2007.
Rituals in a School Hallway. ERIC Document #4457460. An abbreviated version of this document was published in the Christian Education Journal, 2001.
High versus low control during recess transitions at a Christian school. Journal of Research in Christian Education, Fall 2000.
Peer culture and school culture theory: Implications for educational ministry with children, Christian Education Journal, Spring, 2000.
Stages of spiritual development: Crisis experiences in the Christian life. Christian Education Journal, Fall, 1993.
How children understand religious concepts. Religion and Public Education, Spring/Fall, 1992.
Baby faith: Infants, toddlers and religion. Religious Education, Winter, 1992.
Teaching the Bible developmentally. Christian Education Journal, 1987.
General psychology in Bible colleges. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1986.
The development of children's religious concepts: Research review. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 1985.
The use of play in Christian education. Christian Education Journal, 1985.
Toward a Christian perspective of developmental disability. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1984
Using behavioral psychology to encourage personal evangelism. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 1978.
Chapters in Edited Books: (not including books I edited)
Video methods in qualitative research, in Paul Camic, Jean Rhodes, and Lucy Yardley (Eds.), Qualitative Research in Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2002.
Social structure, groups, and organizations. In Cynthia Tweedell (Ed.) The Basics: Using Sociology to Become a World Changer, Triangle Publishing, 2002.
Thirteen topics in the Baker Dictionary of Christian Education, Baker Books, 2001.
My exotic tribe: Children in a school hallway. In Judson Landis (Ed.), Introduction to Sociology, 11th ed.,
Wadsworth Publishers, 2001.
Psychological Foundations of Multicultural Religious Education. In Barbara Wilkerson (Ed.),
Multicultural Religious Education, Religious Education Press, 1997.
Sociological Foundations of Religious Compassion. In Gary Sapp (Ed.), Compassionate Ministry, Religious Education Press, 1993.
Manuscripts Written Primarily for Use in My Classes:
Sociology: Christian Perspectives. A collection of reprints and original writings used in teaching sociology. CAT Publishing, 1999, 1996. (Made available to the public by the publisher.)
Study Guide to Accompany Introduction to Psychology and Counseling. Used in my general psychology classes. Toccoa Falls Print Shop, 1983 (first edition), 1985 (second edition).
Using Psychology in the Church. Burgess Publishing Company, 1984. (The publisher informed me that this book was used at several schools in the U.S., as well as schools in Russia, Africa, and Europe.)
Additional Writings
Video and Audio Media in Qualitative Research--a 100 page booklet available upon request. Also see several hundred pages of resources I developed related to qualitative research. This web site received many compliments from several university teachers and other specialists in qualitative research, and was the basis for my being asked to contribute to the book to be published by the
American Psychological Association (see above).
Unpublished booklet on Ratcliff family history (1988). This was fused with genealogical sources provided by my father, the Ratcliff family genealogist, and became an extensive web page resource which has received many compliments and was visited by several hundred genealogical researchers each month while it remained online.
History of Mount Olivet Camp in Hinton, West Virginia (1990). This booklet was revised and is available upon request.
Many of these Publications by Donald Ratcliff are available in PDF format at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389489878_Publications_by_Donald_Ratcliff
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