Is It Working? Researching Context to Improve Curriculum , livre ebook

The fast-changing world we are living in is facing unprecedented challenges: economic, technological, social and personal. Meeting these challenges calls for new educational priorities or even new paradigms of education. This book helps us to rethink how to develop our curriculum in view of our socio-cultural context and challenges us to establish educational priorities in fulfilling the mission of the church. The generous sharing of these theological education institutions and various leaders involved in curriculum revision has opened our eyes to see the importance of sensitivity, openness, innovation, and collaborative efforts in bringing the needed changes. This book is definitely an invaluable resource book for institutions determined to have impact in this age.
Rev Luke Cheung, PhD
Professor in Biblical Studies,
Vice-President, China Graduate School of Theology, Hong Kong
Is It Working? extends the reach of the stimulating presentations and discussions on impact assessment at the ICETE 2015 Consultation in Antalya. It provides theological institutions with a helpful framework for assessing the effectiveness of their training programs and in implementing a “research-driven curriculum revision” to strengthen their impact on the church and in society. Several examples from the field were presented to flesh out the concept. These serve as an inspiration for theological schools to take on the challenge of investigating the impact of their graduates and making the necessary curriculum change informed by research data. Furthermore, this book calls accrediting agencies to focus more on the assessment of outcomes and impact in their accreditation of programs. This invaluable resource is a must for all leaders and educators serious about maximizing the impact of their training programs!
Theresa Roco-Lua, EdD
General Secretary, Asia Theological Association
What a great initiative to make this book available – an ideal tool and resource based on the last theological educators forum (ICETE 2015). The continuous development of methods and approaches will bring tremendous benefits for the global church through theology studies.
Márcio Matta
President,
Associação Evangélica de Educação Teológica na América Latina (AETAL)
This book argues that theological education benefits when we dare to ask the question: Is what we are doing working? As the leader of SAIACS, and one of the participants in the research-based curriculum review process that led up to the ICETE 2015 conference, I agree whole-heartedly. The testimonies show each institution learned unique and valuable things.
I began with some qualms – Should usefulness be the criterion of impact? Are we humans responsible for kingdom outcomes? Does action trump contemplation? To echo Marven Oxenham’s fine article, does “Martha” trump “Mary”? I decided that such research-based review needn’t fall into these traps, and it sure beats keeping our eyes shut! In fact, in SAIACS’ case, we discovered employers and alumni both wanted more “Mary” emphasis on spiritual formation.
This book will encourage more theological education institutions toward confidence they are meeting their goals. It certainly helped SAIACS towards “excellence for the sake of mission.”
Ian W. Payne, PhD
Former Principal,
South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS),
Bangalore, India

Is It Working? Researching Context to Improve Curriculum
A Resource Book for Theological Schools
General Editor
Stuart Brooking

© 2018 International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE)
Published 2018 by Langham Global Library
An imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
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ISBNs:
978-1-78368-333-8 Print
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978-1-78368-444-1 PDF
The International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE) have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as Author of this Work.
This publication was made possible through the generous funding of Overseas Council Australia.
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Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
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ISBN: 978-1-78368-333-8
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Contents

Cover


Acknowledgments


Preface Engaged and Effective!


Introduction “We Want to Know if It Is Working”


Section I – Assessment of Context


1 Effectiveness and Impact in Theological Education from a Biblical Perspective


1. Outcomes Matter (According to the Bible)


2. The Outcomes of Theological Education (According to the Bible)


3. Planning for Effectiveness and Impact


4. Proving Effectiveness and Impact: Can We Measure Them?


Discussion Questions


2 Assessment Beyond the 4Bs


1. Changing the Focus of Assessment


2. Applying the Logic Model


3. Applying the Logic Model to Seminary Education


Conclusion: Three Things I Learned


Discussion Questions


3 Connecting Curriculum and Context:


Models of Theological Education


Connecting Curriculum to Context


Conclusion


Discussion Questions


4 My Assessment Journey


Five Key Areas of Assessment Impact for the Seminary


Seven Essential Qualities of Institutional Assessment


Constructing Assessment Context


Discussion Questions


Section II – Stories from the Field


5 A Colombian Experience:


Discussion Questions


6 An Indian Experience:


Process


Summary of Findings


Discussion Questions


7 A Zimbabwean Experience:


Background


Ownership and Responsibility


Territorial Battles


Market Survey


Analysis


Results


Conclusion


Stories of Our Journey


Discussion Questions


Appendix Proposed Curriculum Model


Underlying Philosophy


Note:


8 A Sri Lankan Experience:


Surprising Outcomes


The Key to Success


What the Research Revealed for Our Seminary and Mission


Non-Faculty Staff Needed to Change


Discussion Questions


Section III – Issues in Change


9 Leading for Change:


Value-Driven Culture


Vision-Driven Culture


Culture of Empowerment


Culture of Risk-Taking


Culture of Continuous Improvement


Culture of Personal and Professional Development


Culture of Community


Discussion Questions


10 What’s It Worth?


Principle 1: It Is Impossible to Over-Communicate


Principle 2: The Library Serves to Support the Curriculum


Principle 3: Context Is Everything; Or, It Really Is All about Location


Principle 4: Community Matters


Principle 5: Be Prepared to Ask for Help


Post-script: Community Matters – Or Location, Location, Location


Discussion Questions


11 Practical Notes on Impact-Based Curriculum Development


1. There Are Different Ways Assessment of a Seminary (via Accreditation) Is Done


2. Why Aren’t We Focusing on Outcomes and Impact in Accreditation and in the Assessment of Our Programs?


3. A Focus on Results Is Not Only How We Should Assess Our Programs, It Is Also How We Develop Them


4. Why Is the Focus on Assessment of Outcomes So Important?


Discussion Questions


12 A Critical Assessment of the Impact Agenda


Impact Through Competences


Intrinsic, Non-Utilitarian Impact


Discussion Questions


13 Culture, Communication, and Research on Impact


High Context and Low Context Communication


Context, Communication, and the Use of Qualitative and Quantitative Research


Towards Understanding


Conclusion


Discussion Questions


14 What Difference Do We Make?


Discussion Questions


Postscript


Bibliography


Resources


List of Contributors


About ICETE


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Acknowledgments
Thanks to the generous donor who has made this volume possible, including the English, French and Spanish editions. He understood the importance of the whole project for the mission of the church.
Thanks to Jo Bailey who also assisted. Jo skilfully proofread the articles, and in some cases assisted by taking the lecture notes of busy presenters and turning them into suitable written pieces. Not only that, but as a lover of God and his mission, she said she loved reading the articles and was encouraged by the contributors’ honest grappling with complex issues and their desire to glorify God in all ways.
Thanks to Dr Perry Shaw who generated the questions at the end of each chapter, and gave encouragement for the project along the way.
Thanks to Marion Brooking, my wife, and to the Lebanese media company One-16, who took the photographs from the ICETE 2015 conference. These feature throughout the book.
Thanks to Dr Riad Kassis of ICETE, and the Langham Literat