ACSI Research Fellow Program

Association of Christian Schools International / Thought Leadership / ACSI Research Fellow Program
Program Overview

The Research Fellowship program at ACSI offers a unique opportunity for talented researchers to contribute to advancing the field of Christian education while addressing critical global challenges. By fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovative research, the program aims to make a significant impact on the world stage.

Program Aims:
  • Create a vibrant and inclusive international research community.
  • Foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovative solutions to address both US and global challenges through research projects in Christian education.
 
Program Oversight:
  • The fellows will collaboratively work with ACSI’s research department and Thought Leadership and the Research Director will oversee the program.

 

ACSI Fellows Collaborate on Research to Advance Faith-Based Education

ACSI Fellows collaborate with the Thought Leadership team (Research Department) to develop research and Working Papers on important topics in education, spirituality, and culture, focusing on their impact within the realm of Christian education. Their work addresses current trends and challenges, offering valuable insights for advancing faith-based learning.

Research in Brief

RiB is a biannual publication by ACSI, aimed at sharing the latest research findings and insights on the Christian school sector. It is available exclusively to ACSI member school and is managed by ACSI Director of Research.

 

Current Fellows
Lynn Swaner

 

Lynn Swaner Ed.D.

President of Cardus USA – ACSI Senior Research Fellow
Dr. Lynn Swaner is the President, US at Cardus, a non-partisan think tank dedicated to clarifying and strengthening, through research and dialogue, the ways in which society’s institutions can work together for the common good. She also serves as a Senior Fellow for the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Dr. Swaner is the editor or lead author of numerous books, including Future Ready: Innovative Missions and Models in Christian Education (Cardus & ACSI, 2022); Flourishing Together: A Christian Vision for Students, Educators, and Schools (Eerdmans, 2021); and MindShift: Catalyzing Change in Christian Education (ACSI, 2019). Dr. Swaner holds a doctorate in organizational leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University and a diploma in strategy and innovation from University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School. She previously served as a professor of education and a Christian school leader in New York.
Matthew Lee

 

Matthew Lee, Ph.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University - ACSI Senior Research Fellow
Matthew Lee is Clinical Assistant Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University. He previously served as the Director of Research at the Association of Christian Schools International, where he helped develop the Flourishing Faith Index. His peer-reviewed research on Christian education has appeared in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Journal of Religious and Health, International Journal of Educational Development, and the Journal of Religious Education. He is co-author of Future Ready (ACSI/Cardus 2022) and co-editor of Religious Liberty and Education (Rowman & Littlefield 2020). He earned his Ph.D. in education policy at the University of Arkansas.
Francis Ben

 

Francis Ben, Ph.D.

Associate Professor & Head of Postgraduate Coursework and Research at Tabor College Adelaide Australia – ACSI Global Research Fellow
Francis has more than 30 combined years of experience in secondary and tertiary education. He has an undergraduate qualification in Civil Engineering, and postgraduate qualifications in Physics and Education. At secondary schools in North Carolina, he taught mathematics and physics subjects. He also taught Physics, Research Methods, and Education-related subjects at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. His research and publications include Physics Education, Educational Measurement, large-scale studies (e.g., PISA). He is currently Head of Postgraduate Programs and Research in the Education Faculty at Tabor College of Higher Education in South Australia.
Alison Heap Johnson

 

Alison Heape Johnson

PhD candidate at the University of Arkansas – ACSI Junior Research Fellow
Alison is a PhD candidate and Distinguished Doctoral Fellow at the University of Arkansas where she studies education policy, with research interests in school finance, school choice, and teacher/administrator pipelines. She previously taught in both public and Christian schools and has a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language. She and her husband Blake reside in Arkansas with their newborn daughter and enjoy exploring the beauty of the Natural State and gathering with their church where Blake is a pastoral resident.
Become A Fellow
    Eligibility:
    • Understanding of Christian education.
    • Strong academic credentials (e.g., relevant degrees, publications, minimum a Ph.D. candidate in education programs for Junior Fellow and a Ph.D. or Ed.D. for Senior Fellow).
    • Demonstrated research excellence.
    • Experience in international research collaboration.
    • Excellent English communication skills.
    • Minimum five years experience of doing research.
     
    Nomination and selection process:
    • The selection of the fellows is done through ACSI’s internal nomination.
    Blog

    The Lasting Influence of Christian Private Schools

    Jan 28, 2025, 07:22 by Dr. Stacey Davis
    A common question asked by those involved in Christian school education is, “Will anything I teach influence the adult years of my students?” As a former minister to children and a professor in Christian education, I ask this question myself as I seek to train and equip future ministers and teachers. Pondering the connection between childhood experiences and adult religiosity led me to study the experiences in childhood that influence Christian commitment in young adulthood. During the fall of 2018, I conducted in-depth interviews with a group of ethnically diverse, young adults living in Southern California. This blog post shares three major themes that emerged from these stories which have significant implications for Christian school educators.

    This blog was originally published in 2021.

    A common question asked by those involved in Christian school education is, “Will anything I teach influence the adult years of my students?” As a former minister to children and a professor in Christian education, I ask this question myself as I seek to train and equip future ministers and teachers.

    Pondering the connection between childhood experiences and adult religiosity led me to study the experiences in childhood that influence Christian commitment in young adulthood. During the fall of 2018, I conducted in-depth interviews with a group of ethnically diverse, young adults living in Southern California. This blog post shares three major themes that emerged from these stories which have significant implications for Christian school educators.

    Theme 1: Personal Engagement with Christianity

    Participants in this study made a personal decision to participate in Christianity during their childhood and considered these experiences—such as choosing to be baptized, talking about the claims of Christ with an adult, or engaging in a spiritual discipline on their own—to be key contributors to current Christian commitment.

    This reinforces the importance of Christian-school teachers discussing the claims of Christ with the children in their classes and of curricula that teaches creation, salvation, the resurrection, and the accuracy of the Bible. Christian schools should also consider including a “foundations of the faith” or apologetics course; participants in the study expressed gratefulness for these types of classes as they provided them solid reasoning for the claims of Christianity. Christian schools can also provide moments of personal interaction with spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, or reading the Bible, as well as times of question and answer to provide children the opportunity to express their doubts. 

    Theme 2: Loving Actions from—and Close Relationships with—Christians

    Participants professed appreciation for Christians in their childhood who treated them kindly. This included guidance from Christians other than parents, Christian peers who asked for friendship, being prayed for by someone, and being comforted by a Christian during hard times. Participants also pointed to close relationships with Christian peers and teachers who were Christians as important in developing their own faith commitments.

    The Christian school setting provides a ripe environment for students to both experience loving actions from other Christians, as well as to develop close relationships with Christian teachers and peers. Many participants cited making a lifelong Christian friend as specifically occurring during their time at Christian school; these types of friendship go beyond the single classroom experience and influence children for many years to come. Finally, teachers should consider themselves as part of a circle of relationships of the children in their class. The value of teachers reading the Scripture with children, praying with them, and showing them the love of Jesus can impact students’ spiritual commitments well into adulthood.

    Theme 3: Engage Difficult Childhood Experiences

    Participants in this study shared difficult experiences in childhood that influenced their current Christian commitment. For many participants, these experiences pointed them to the goodness of God and helped them develop a sense of trust in Him. Christian schools can purposefully engage negative experiences during childhood as a means to encourage spiritual development during times of difficulty.

    One particularly poignant story shared by a participant involved a special chapel held by his Christian school after September 11, 2001, at which the school principal shared that God was still “in charge” and would be there for them during this tragedy. The study participant stated that he was proud to be at a Christian school, because while the rest of the world was unsure about God and His goodness, his school was declaring this truth.

    Rather than shying away from the difficulties in students’ lives or in the world at large, Christian school educators can engage them directly with biblical truth and loving care. Teachers can also share with their students moments from their own lives when they had to rely on God. These approaches can encourage children to develop a faith that relies on God during times of difficulty.

    Conclusion

    Research has repeatedly demonstrated that experiences during childhood help to shape faith during the adult years, including positive caregiver attachment, involvement with a Christian community, multi-generational interactions, and a Christian environment and religious instruction in the home. Research on different types of schooling (such as the Cardus Education Survey) has also demonstrated that a Christian school education is positively linked with differential outcomes for students in many areas, including religious practice.

    The themes uncovered in this study help to shed further light on how Christian schools specifically can contribute to the faith commitments of their students. Christian school educators—as well as parents and families who chose Christian schooling for their children—can be encouraged by these findings and the lasting impact a Christian school education can have on students’ faith commitments.