ACE Series Part II: Asserting ACE Arguments One Paragraph at a Time Posted on August 1, 2013 by Richard NewtonThe assertion is an endangered species. With stunning regularity, I read student papers where paragraphs are flush with facts but lacking in authorial opinion. And if my conclaves with other teachers are any indication, you’ve noticed this too. I hear ya’. What can possibly be confusing about the assertion? You take a topic. You take a stance on it. Bada bing, bada boom, you’ve written a assertion. Nothing to it, right? But if you want students to bulk up their anemic arguments, then it’s worth looking at why many struggle with assertions….
Why The Simpsons and Mashed Potatoes Matter Posted on July 24, 2013 by Lea SchweitzTrue confession. In a systematic theology class, I may have encouraged a student to use mashed potatoes as a metaphor for the Trinity. In my own defense, it allowed us to talk about the integrity of three separate flavors (salt, butter, potato) that together made up the unified thing we know as mashed potatoes. A concrete, if untraditional, example of three-in-one. Even better, it allowed us to explore other themes like modalism and the economic/imminent Trinity with a working metaphor to anchor an abstract discussion.
Reimagining Nimble Ways of Preparing Persons for Church Leadership—1 of 2 Posted on July 24, 2013 by Robin SteinkeIf the world needs the church to be better at being the church and the church needs theological education institutions to be better at educating a wider range of people for leadership in the church, then how might we imagine such work? Recap Many schools are working to rethink both the time to degree and the delivery methods needed to prepare persons for ministry. Changes in ATS accreditation standards now define a minimum of 72 hours for a Master of Divinity Degree and allow up to 25% of the degree to be handled through advanced standing.
Smartphones, Tablets, and Cloud(s) Posted on July 23, 2013 by Cari CrumlyIt used to be that teaching was about lecturing through peer reviewed texts and journals and students utilized the local or university library to complete research; nowadays we are consumed with technology. Technology permeates our lives, from the time we awaken in the morning to the time we rest our heads at night. I challenge educators to find one student in their classroom that doesn’t have a smartphone, a tablet, a computer, or some form of technology that they use on a daily basis. Teaching…education has succumbed to the age of information overload and technological advancements that can make teaching more challenging and difficult; or does it?
“I know it when I see it”: Pedagogical Scaffolding—2 of 2 Posted on July 23, 2013 by Jane S. Webster“I know a good one when I see it.” These words haunted my experience as an undergraduate student. No doubt my professors intended to reassure me that they had some reasonable expectations of my work product, but they failed to enlighten me what those expectations might actually be. I groped around in the dark until I would accidently get it right. I was an anxious mess. I vowed to let my students know the secrets of success right from the start. But what is the best and easiest way to do it?