Teaching Bible with Tech at #AARSBL15Posted on November 20, 2015 by Richard NewtonWhether you’re a veteran scholar or are attending the Society of Biblical Literature for the first time, you may be asking how to narrow your session options….The Academic Teaching and Biblical Studies and Global Education and Research Technology groups are joining up to bring you a program that you won’t want to miss.
Teaching the Bible and Race in the USAPosted on July 1, 2015 by Richard NewtonLast fall at Elizabethtown College, I taught an upper-level seminar entitled the Bible and Race in the USA. Our small class was divided evenly among Caucasian and African American participants.At the close of the semester, I asked a few students to reflect on their learning experience. With their permission, I’ve edited together their remarks into the collaborative essay below.
AAR + SBL: Toward an Anthropological Study of ScripturesPosted on November 14, 2014 by Richard NewtonEach November, droves of Religious Studies educators leave their students to attend the jointly held meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature. Maybe it’s the nametags. Maybe it’s the S.W.A.G. Or maybe it’s just the mutual acknowledgement that in order to catch a pre-conference nap, we too lied to a seatmate about where we are going for the week. The camaraderie that exudes the meeting hall defies definition…
Writing With a Point—Part 3: Literature Reviews in the HumanitiesPosted on September 22, 2014 by Richard NewtonLiterature reviews offer a chance to experiment with drawing connections. They train students to attentive to what previous research has said. Like a jazz musician, the seasoned learner knows when to hold ponderous silence, when to harmonize, when to bring some dissonance, and when to breakout with a solo. Ultimately, the literature review is an exercise in active listening….
Writing With a Point—Part 2: The Annotated Bibliography 2.0Posted on September 15, 2014 by Richard NewtonFew things are sadder than the student who cites a work without the foggiest idea of the author’s argument or its relevance to a discourse. To help my undergraduates clarify the reading process, I have them keep an annotated bibliography of course materials and independent research. “Isn’t that a little much?” Here’s the thing. If a student is going to read something for me, I want them to at least get the point of what they’ve read….