COURSE LEARNING GUIDE

Christian Education (SM 37)

Fall Semester, 1998

Dr. Steve Lowe

Visiting Professor of Christian Education, Erskine Seminary

Visiting Professor, Robert B. Toulouse Graduate School, North Texas State University

Office Phone: 8748

Home Phone: 379.3514

Email: Slowe@Erskine.edu

Intended Teaching/Learning Outcomes

    1. To introduce you to selected foundational issues in the field of Christian
    2. Education.
    3. To expose you to a selected biblical theology of Christian Education that will provide a starting point for reflecting upon and developing your own biblical theology of Christian Education.
    4. To provide you guided opportunities to engage in theological reflection and discussion about the praxis of Christian Education.
    5. To encourage you to consider alternative viewpoints and to develop the ability to write out your thoughts and discoveries in a clear and cogent manner.
    6. To facilitate your ability to function as an adult self-directed theological inquirer in a community of scholars. The class will be conducted on the basis of the best andragogical principles and practices.
    7. To provide ample opportunities for you to become better acquainted with me and with your fellow students through in-class and out-of-class experiences of learning and fellowship.

Your Intended Outcomes as a Learner

1.

2.

3.

 

 

Required Textbooks

  • Teaching for Reconciliation: Foundations and Practice of Christian Educational Ministry, Habermas & Issler (Baker, 1992).

    You Are My Witnesses: A Biblical Theology of Christian Education, Stephen D. Lowe. Unpublished manuscript, 1998.

    •

    • Course Learning Experiences

      1. Read both required texts as indicated. You Are My Witnesses by October 29
  • Write a one page "Memo to Myself"* that is single-spaced with one inch margins all around. In the Memo identify one issue, topic, theme or concept that caught your imagination, piqued your interest, made you think, or stimulated a disagreement. Some suggested starter phrases for your Memo might be:

    It seems to me that . . .

    The one thing I will take with me after reading this book is . . .

    After giving this careful consideration, I must take issue with . . .

    The one issue that struck me most while reading this book was . . .

    Upon further reflection . . .

    • Teaching for Reconciliation by December 3

  • Ditto the one page "Memo to Myself"*

    2. Write a summary of your own Christian Education Philosophy or Biblical Theology of Christian Education.*

    • No footnotes are needed since this is not a term paper. However you are

    forewarned that you are expected to write well. This means that I

    do pay attention to grammar, typos, logic, coherence, etc. Please avoid

    submitting a first draft. Put your paper through several drafts before

    submitting it for grading much as you would if you were submitting it for

    publication. You may wish to enlist the aid of a fellow-student or a

    knowledgeable third party to assist you in editing your final submission.

    No specific number of pages is required but a range of between 15-25

  • pages would be adequate. You may submit your drafts to me for a response prior to the submission of your final copy.
    •

    • Due November 12

      1. Propose your own ministry project related to the content of this course.
  • I must first approve the proposal before any work is commenced on the project. The proposal is expected to be no more than one page in length and identify clearly what you are going to do and why you think it is needed. Evaluation of this project will be done on the basis of your ability to present your project and demonstrate its benefit to the group for which it was designed. The report of your project should be made in written form* indicating what you did, why you did it, what it accomplished, what you might do differently next time, and what you learned from the experience both positively and negatively

    This option may also be used as a peer teaching opportunity in class. If you wish, you may select one of the topics from the Teaching for Reconciliation textbook listed in the Class Schedule below and teach a class session of one hour. You must incorporate the textbook content into your classroom presentation integrating it with your own viewpoints and material. You will be evaluated on the basis of content (50%) and presentation (50%). Content must reflect substantial information about the topic being presented. Presentation must incorporate the best of Christian education teaching practices with adult learners. A sign-up sheet will be provided for those interested in participating in this option.

    Due December 3 or as assigned.

    •

    • 4. Formative evaluation of your progress will be made through the taking of

  • quizzes. No prior notification will be made as to when a quiz will be
  • given. Quizzes will be designed to assess your level of learning according to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives in the Cognitive Domain (see attached sheet). The quizzes will assess major themes and concepts not minor pieces of information. The quiz will provide you an opportunity to obtain feedback and clarify issues and concepts being presented in class. An average grade will be determined from all quizzes taken during the semester (dropping your lowest score) and a letter grade awarded.

    • 5. Final Exam

  • The final exam will be a short essay exam that you can take home to complete. The design of the final exam questions will encourage you to integrate and synthesize major content areas covered during the course of the semester. Part of the final regular class session will be devoted to integrating key concepts developed throughout the semester in preparation for taking the final exam. The final exam hour will be used to facilitate a debriefing of your learning experiences from the semester as summarized in your take home final exam. Be prepared to discuss with fellow students and the instructor the nature of your learning experience and how it changed your thinking.

    As scheduled by the Dean

    •

    • *These writings may be re-submitted for grading if the grade you received was not what you

    hoped to achieve. In order to qualify for re-grading, the re-submitted work must be turned back to me by the next scheduled class period and must be accompanied by the original document. If the grade on the re-submitted piece is lower than the original, the first grade will be recorded. If the grade on the re-submitted piece is higher, the last grade will be recorded. The re-submission option may be used only once per assignment.

    Class Schedule

    September 3 Introduction, Overview, Getting Connected

    September 10 Biblical Theology of CE Old Testament Part I

    September 17 Biblical Theology of CE Old Testament Part II

    September 24 Biblical Theology of CE Old Testament Part III

    October 1 Biblical Theology of CE Old Testament Part IV

    October 8 Biblical Theology of CE New Testament Part I

    October 15 Biblical Theology of CE New Testament Part II

    October 22 Biblical Theology of CE New Testament Part III

    October 29 Biblical Theology of CE New Testament Part IV

    November 5 Christian Maturity and Reconciliation (Ch. 3)

    Patterns of Growth (Chs. 5 and 6)

  • Biblical Orientations to Learning (Chs. 7 and 8)
    •

    • November 12 Christian Principles of Teaching (Chs. 9 and 10)

    Teaching Adults (Chs. 11 and 12)

    November 19 Teaching Youth (Chs.13 and 14)

    Teaching Children (Chs. 15 and 16)

    December 3 Summary and Tying Up Loose Ends

  • Synthesis and Integration
    •

    • Grade Scale

    A 93-100

    B 86-92

    C 78-85

    D 70-77

    Incomplete grades ("I") are given to a student only in the face of catastrophic life situations (i.e., Job) and only if the student has completed earlier course requirements.

    All scores obtained for each learning experience will be averaged equally to obtain a final score and letter grade. Students are encouraged to track their own grade progress during the course of the semester but are welcome to consult me about your grade at any time. It is important that you know where you stand and how you are doing as you move through the semester.

    If your background and experience have adequately prepared you for the subject matter presented in this course and you determine that you need more academic challenge to maintain your interest, please contact the instructor. Special arrangements can be made for those who demonstrate, through a personal interview with the instructor, that they indeed do possess adequate knowledge levels in the course subject matter and need special consideration.

    Expectations

    1. I expect you to attend class,
    2. to be on time,
    3. to stay for the entire class session unless previously arranged,
    4. to attend chapel,
    5. to be honest and truthful,
    6. to treat others christianly and humanely during class deliberations,
    7. to actively participate in class deliberations and discussions,
    8. and to glorify God through the pursuit of excellence in all of your
  • course assignments and other "theological work."

    "In view of the danger to which theology is exposed and to the hope that is enclosed within its work, it is natural that without prayer there can be no theological work. We should keep in mind the fact that prayer, as such, is work; in fact, very hard work, although in its execution the hands are most fittingly not moved but folded. Where theology is concerned, the rule Ora et labora! is valid under all circumstances—pray and work!"

    Karl Barth (Evangelical Theology, 1963:160).

    •

    • Recommended Works

    Hakes, J. Edward (1964). An Introduction to Evangelical Christian Education.

    Chicago: Moody Press.

    Graendorf, Werner C. (1981). An Introduction to Biblical Christian Education.

    Chicago: Moody Press.

    Clark, Robert E. et al (1991). Christian Education: Foundations for the Future.

    Chicago: Moody Press.

    Pazmino, Robert W. (1988). Foundational Issues in Christian Education.

    Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

    Brueggemann, Walter (1982). The Creative Word: Canon as a Model for Biblical

    Education. Philadelphia: Fortress.

    LeBar, Lois (1981). Education That is Christian. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell.

    Marino, Joseph S. (1983). Biblical Themes in Religious Education. Birmingham, AL:

    Religious Education Press.

    O’Hare, Padraic, ed. (1978). Foundations of Religious Education. New York: Paulist

    Press.

    Richards, Lawrence O. (1975). A Theology of Christian Education. Grand Rapids:

    Zondervan.

    Christian Education Notes 1

    Christian Education Notes 2