ChrEDiTs

Back in focus

2011-11-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a HUGE delay in posts, and progress has been, well, dribbly. That said, some important milestones have been passed:

A full literature review has been drafted, and first-round feedback has been incorporated.
All data has been gathered and initial analysis has been completed.
The methods chapter has been updated with the latest literature.

I am back in the seat, motivated in part bythe news that two friends have just completed their own theses! I have the excuse of having taken on a senior management job which involved shifting city, resettling family and getting used to a whole new way of managing however I know that both of them have also faced demanding life-contexts.

So far it's clear from my work that distance theological education is woefully under-estimated. Much of this is because it has been just as woefully practiced! The latter could be the target for a future book. Some recent readings have been useful however they typically start with technology as the reason why distance approaches ought to be considered. My own perspective goes one crucial step further - church-integrated theological distance education is the sort of theological education we might all aspire to. THe online component can be a valuable addition to this. I have been particularly impressed by a recent article by Brent Hege (2011) in this regard, even though Hege's ECP (Extended Campus Program) requires a residential [sigh].

Some further reading to go, but the end of the literature is in sight!

And, five months later...

2010-08-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

My previous post was in April, in the middle of study leave and at the data gathering phase for the quantitative component of my study. Five months later, in August...

I have a new job.
We've moved to a new city.
The PhD is go again!

Actually, I never really stopped study. I have completed eleven of twenty qualitative (telephone) interviews and have had two already transcribed (more are on the way). I've also completely drafted my quantitative analysis chapter and received a positive response from my supervisors. In the end PSPP was not enough... thankfully the trial version of another popular application met my needs! The quantitative chapter in itself would make an excellent paper, but for now I need to keep my focus.

I have also started a Google group called ChrEDiTS - Christian Education (Distance) in Tertiary Settings. My aim in starting this group is to help people interested in distance theological education to have a place to network. I have been introduced to some people doing excellent and pioneering work through this blog, and I invite you to join. Click here to join. Please let me know in your application which institution (if any) you are involved with, and what your interest in distance theological education is and I'll add you to the growing membership!

So, I'm back into it but am a little bogged down by the fact that my new role does not permit me much research time and I'm in the midst of qualitative research interviews and transcription. I'm also yet to complete my first draft literature review (and more excellent articles are being written even as I type!) I know I can do it... it's just a matter of focus and time...

Time for an update

2010-04-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

This blog has been quiet - but my thesis work has been anything but. I am now in the routine of reading/writing (the current emphasis is the latter). I am working on a comprehensive literature review draft to consolidate my thinking and to provide a framework for the assimilation of new ideas as I read further.

And, it's tough work.

Some news, though:

The CSPP survey is underway. I so far have 31 responses out of a possible 146... not glowing. A reminder on Monday will hopefully bring that number well up. Initial responses indicate that my hunch was right - distance students do appear to be better assimilated in their church contexts and more actively involved in local church ministry... actually the findings so far are a little more exciting than this, but I don't want to be too descriptive at this stage!
Zotero is working wonderfully.
I found an open source statistics application, PSPPire - which seems to be a promising (and free!) alternative to SPSS.
My thinking is now very mature (at least I think so)... I have a far clearer perspectve of the literature review as a coherent whole.

The weeks ahead will see more reading/writing, though once the survey closes on 21 April I will prepare the respondents' own CSPP profiles and begin some data analysis.
So, to sum for now, I'm well into the game - making good progress, all systems go.

Progress report

2010-03-09T01:47:00.000-08:00

This blog has been very quiet again, which, this time at least, is a sure sign that I am working on the PhD itself and not reflecting too much on the process. I'm no longer reflecting on the process because I am now heavily immersed in the process. I have learned some things about myself as a researcher, the complexities of even a conceptually simple research project, and the value of literature... not new lessons overall, but new lessons at this scale. Theological education is not my area of undergraduate (or even post-graduate!) work, so it is a new learning curve.

The research question, methodology and overall structure of the thesis are firmly set now. I have ethics approval, I have identified my sample and the initial quantitative survey goes out in April. At the moment I am reading, reading, reading... I have drafted the complete methodology chapter (which looks reasonably full-bodied) and I'm now working on/revamping my literature review. Current reading (for the next four weeks, in fact) is on theological education. I have just finished reading and taking notes from Cannell's Theological education matters: Leadership education for the church, which confirms some of the reading I have already done for my proposal on the subject of theological education. Leastways, the same names and concepts keep popping up. This gives me confidence as I know I have tapped into a promising vein! I have a healthy diet of reading lined up consisting of twelve books and twenty journal articles (the latter yet to be prioritised - it could be more).

Phew. I am enjoying the journey, but the destination seems sweeter for now...

Up in the air again

2010-01-25T17:45:00.001-08:00

I'm now two days into my study leave (the first two weeks of the year were more or less a completion of other projects, coupled with some reading; now that my one week break is over I feel like I've really started!) At the moment I'm staying in Dunedin with my primary supervisor and his wife, whom I know well from my Massey University days.

I have just finished reading an article by Jane Thayer, "Constructing a spirituality measure based on learning theory: The Christian Spiritual Participation Profile" (Journal of Psychology and Christianity 23[3], 195-207). The instrument is available here.

In my reading thus far I have been impressed with the idea of how difficult it is to measure spirituality. Thayer's CSPP seems to meet the need; it is aligned with Kolb's learning theory; has been rigorously validated and checked for reliability using an education sample; measures items of clear relevance to evangelical spirituality; and is designed for use in evangelical settings. It could also be quite nicely digitised and is easily analysed. So... what I am considering now is whether I might ask all final year students to complete a CSPP as the basis for comparison of spirituality across on-campus (full-time and part-time, residential and non-residential) and distance students. If there is no difference, well, what are we hassling DE for? If there is, differences can be easily followed up in qualitative interviews (which will also touch on the educational influences of student's perceived spiritual growth).

In talking with my primary supervisor yesterday, I really have nothing to fear from findings of spiritual similarity or difference; the former effectively confirms that distance students are not at any disadvantage, while differences provide some concrete avenues for further exploration. I have sent Dr Thayer a message requesting permission to use the instrument and direction to any studies that have been performed since 2004... seems I could be on to a promising direction here for my primary work!

Lots of method reading

2010-01-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been busier than this skeletal blog might indicate! Since my last post I have read eight journal articles and a PhD thesis, investigating primary research into measuring the spiritual formation experiences of students and looking at matters of definition. It's been an interesting journey, and I will be writing my primary research documentation in the next three weeks (following a week of holiday in the South Island). I just have four more articles and three book chapters to draw notes from before I begin; the total expended from that mentioend in my post below thanks to another literature search.

It is clear that I will need to prepare my own research instrument, and it is likely that this will be a major part of the study. Ma's (1999) PhD instrument looks like it will add some useful elements, but reading through her work I became very conscious that what you seek to measure and the approach you take to the resaerch question will influence your results. While Ma's findings are very useful for my study, the instrument does not consider church involvement among its quantitative measures because this is actually a factor external to the teaching institution. Fair enough for her study, which considered academic and non-academic matters relating to on-campus study, but unfortunate in terms of not providing any comparative data for what is likely to prove a very significant factor (Ma's qualitative findings found church involvement very significant).

So, a bit more reading then into the methodology - with a focus on developing an instrument. Exciting days, but hard work ahead! Zotero's working well, and another study I am involved in looking at the transofrmative aspects of theological education across a particular course is also going well. I'm also now on study leave (YES!) so the PhD - and this blog - are likely to get a lot more attention now!

From 'steady progress' to 'stormy seas'

2009-12-11T18:41:00.001-08:00

Just when I thought I had methodology sorted! I have just finished taking notes from Hancock, T.E et al (2005). Attempting valid assessment of spiritual growth: A survey of Christ-centred living. Christian Education Journal 3 2(1), 129-153.

Their work could change mine.

Hancock et al surveyed freshmen and seminarians in an on-campus setting to measure and compare spirituality across both groups, as a snapshot. One of their findings (from my notes – emphasis added):

Hancock et al (2005, p.147) found in their survey that those scales “that focus on an individual’s living of Christ with other Christians... are among the lowest of all items for both seminarians and freshmen”. They also found that “of the 18 items that discriminate between freshmen and seminarians, there was not one of these five items [relating to the living of Christ with other Christians] that is significantly higher for the seminarians”, noting that “it could be that this vital aspect of the Christ-centred life is just not developing properly” (2005, p.147).

In other words, freshmen at the entry part of the University programme and seminarians at the start of theirs, both in on-campus settings, reported poor relationships with other Christians – as I would expect in my own thesis. While this is useful fodder for my own study, Hancock et al have also developed a rather good instrument… while they intend it for longitudinal comparison, I am considering its potential for use in comparison across the on-campus (part-time and full-time) and distance student groups.

At the back of my mind I have often wondered how graduates of previous years might be able to adequately recall their study experiences over time, as my own (draft) methodology required. If I switch to an existing instrument, I might be able to focus on surveying final-year students with 60 or fewer credits remaining before they achieve their 360 credit degree. This will remove any error that might arise from recall and improve the objectivity of the study. There are some additional things I would like to measure relating to the transformative aspects of their study experiences however for my interest relating to spiritual formation drawing on Hancock et al’s instrument seems a good move.

So, methodology for my study is yet to settle. I had, until now, considered a mixed-mode study that would begin by developing a quantitative instrument based on qualitative interviews exploring graduates' understanding of spiritual formation during their studies. Now, it seems, I may be able to focus instead on rich data-gathering for comparison rather than instrument creation. This means I may be able to include some questions relating to educational transformation (again drawing on an existing instrument) alongside those relating to spiritual formation (drawing on Hancock et al and Ma, whose work I mention in my previous post).

I have some six or so more works (including books and a dissertation) to consider before coming back to my methodology. For now, I have the sense of being in story waters where once steady progress was being made! I just hope my hull is up for the journey ;o)

'Steady progress'

2009-12-01T21:01:00.001-08:00

'Steady progress' is a term used to describe what is happening when nothing appears to be happening, but you're not slipping backwards... a term good for morale!

At the moment I'm reading Czaja & Blair's Designing surveys, an excellent introduction to effective survey design and question construction. I've also started reading through articles relating to primary research instruments for assessing formation, a largely fruitless search (with the exception of Ma's "The Christian college experience and the development of spirituality among students" in Christian Higher Education 2(4), 2003).

I emailed Stella Ma and received a helpful reply; her dissertation (which I had to purchase!) includes the research instrument.

My supervisors have given me the 'thumbs up' for my new methodological proposal, which includes designing a quantitative instrument as a highlight of my research activity.

My activity this week has actually been on an invited address for next week's Ascilite conference, here in Auckland, which required me to draw on some of my e-learning work. There are 405 delegates at last count, and it has been a real challenge putting a presentation together that might be worthy of such a gathering! Still, I think I have it sorted now.

On with the PhD!

Tightening up... and Creswell is fantastic

2009-11-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

I have been reading through Creswell's Research design (3rd Edition). I only wish I had read it sooner. It is clear, concise and easy-to-read - and, it has me reconsidering many elements of my PhD project. For example, I am toying with the idea of changing my research question from...

To what extent, if any, are students of theological education at a distance disadvantaged in terms of spiritual formation?

...to a different format made up of title and explanation:

The formation of theological education students at a distance: Is there a disadvantage?

My study investigates the formational experiences of students who have successfully completed undergraduate degrees in theological education. It will compare the formational experiences of distance students with those of on-campus students (part-time and full-time) in order to determine whether, as literature assumes, distance students are at a disadvantage.

I am also considering changing the structure of my mixed-mode methodology, from quantitative then qualitative, to qualitative then quantitative for reasons of instrument development.

I have a nice pile of formation in theological education readings assembled for the next stage of my thesis work... for now (and for the next two and a half months!) my focus is on methodology and the requirements of instrumentation. Slow, but definite, progress...

Back on track!

2009-11-03T15:59:00.001-08:00

This blog has been rather quiet for a few months, but I have good excuses:

I have completed the various projects I have been involved with for Ako Aotearoa, including the last in the E-Primer series and another project looking at distance education retention for Laidlaw College.
I presented two webinars based on some of my E-Primer work (you can watch one of the archives).
I completed and submitted my formal PhD proposal (yes!) I need to add here that Zotero was just brilliant.

I still have some other commitments to take care of (an invited session at this year's ASCILITE for example), but I am now firmly back on my PhD track. And, this time, I'm going to start saying 'no' to those additional projects beyond those I've already committed myself to!

Seriously, it is very hard to focus when so many other opportunities present themselves. I am learning to prioritise... but this, surely, must dog ALL part-time PhD candidates.

I have five months' study leave starting in January, and have just drafted my plan for that time. I am aiming to complete the literature review, gain ethics approval for the primary stage of my study, AND complete the methodology chapter... my supervisors both think these are realistic goals, given the scope and level of detail in my proposal.

I also aim to have a two-part journal article defending distance education in theological settings sent for peer review by the end of that period as well, drawing together my understanding of the critique of distance education and providing a theoretical basis for its validity. By the time the articles are drafted I hope to have some initial survey responses and some interviews lined up... hopefully these will lead to further publications. The generation of the survey instrument could provide yet more opportunity for publication, as I am aiming to produce an instrument that can be used to measure formational development during formal theological education (and, insodoing, promote comparison studies across an area of formal theological education largely taken for granted).

So, I'm back. My activity now (for the next two months!) is very much on research methodologies and instrument development. I am enrolled in a methodologies paper (at a distance, of course) starting in late February/early March 2010, but my need for a thorough overview of method is more pressing. My next deadline is a draft ethics application, due 25 January 2010.

So, my journey now turns from an exploration of literature and the ideas of other theorists to a consideration of research methodologies and drawing on others' experiences. In some ways this feels like a diversion from the main action, but I know that the lessons I will learn will feed into my capacity to investigate my thesis and - ultimately - get me that "Dr" prefix!

My immediate reading - Creswell's Research design and Czaja & Blair's Designing surveys. I'll also be reviewing Saris and Gallhofer's Design, evaluation, and analysis of questionnaires for survey research. Following these I will be exploring qualitative methods in more depth from Denzin & Lincoln's work (x2 books - one, two) and Patton's Qualitative research & evaluation methods. I've read Punch's Introduction to social research from cover to cover and recommend it as a great introduction... The others I will read/skim as required.

Here goes...

On-campus, or in-community?

2009-08-26T00:59:00.000-07:00

Is the 'on-campus' vs 'distance' or 'online' debate sadly misframed? Is it just a classic, unhelpful dichotomy? I am starting to think so. 'Hybrid learning', a middle ground, is not the only way of navigating the potential of on-campus 'real-life' and the reach and flexibility of distance and online approaches. How about reframing the debate completely: 'on-campus' vs 'in-community'? The terms 'distance' and 'online' imply an isolation and separation that need not be real. The reframing asks the question, is the student studying residentially within a campus community, or within their local church community?

This distinction is somewhat related to the line of thought in my previous post. If theological education is dependent on community for the purposes of spiritual formation, then wouldn't a logical and defensible place to site study be within a learner's genuine church community? This is not to suggest that students would not benefit from highly qualified faculty (through distance and online learning methods), or that they have only their fellow parishioners to talk to (through collaborative and online discussion). It is to suggest that formal theological education can - and should - seek ways of integrating student learning within local church contexts. This might be done through deliberate assignments requiring students to engage with their local church community (at times from a critically constructive perspective), their social habitat, and their close relationships with fellow-believers and local leaders.

Yes, this assumes a sympathetic local church leadership... but how unusual is this, really?

I'm a little overwhelmed with reading at the moment, and my formal proposal is due in four weeks... I intend to explore these themes more formally as opportunity presents!

'Embodiment'. From whose perspective?

2009-07-17T20:50:00.001-07:00

This occured to me the other day. The lack of 'embodiment' is frequently mentioned as a criticism of theological education. But is distance education somehow 'disembodied'?

The student remains embodied. The teacher or tutor remains embodied. At all stages of the process.

Of course, it is the interaction taking place between student and teacher where 'disembodiment' is apparent... but is that interaction most critical? I would argue, based on my previous post ("Slow learner..."), that a Christian studying theology at a distance is embodied in terms of Christian education, even if their theological study is 'disembodied'. So, why the big fuss? Do we assume that a student's Christian education context is somehow irrelevant to their theological study? If so, then it is theological education itself that is disembodied.

In my use of 'embodiment' here I'm assuming connection to the body of Christ in meaningful ways. With this perspective in mind, theological education at a distance that makes use of church-connected models (such as Rockbridge, mentioned below) are actually more embodied in everyday contexts than are on-campus theological education settings (see the contrast in the "Slow learner" post between Christian education and theological education).

I am amazed at how often 'disembodiment' is raised as a criticism of distance education. Do distance learners suddenly enter a vacuum devoid of human experience when they enrol for theological study at a distance? Do on-campus learners suddenly enter an authentic, deep community when they enrol on-campus? This is not to deny the value of the on-campus experience, but we must be careful not to enshrine the campus with more status than it deserves.

...and, they're already doing it!

2009-07-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Exciting to add Rockbridge Seminary online to a very small but growing list of international Colleges taking distance educaiton exceptionally seriously (that is, more than just a 'tag on' to a predominantly on-campus based institution. Yes, my criteria here are subjective!)

What really grabs me abnout Rockbridge at first sight is their insistence that all admittants must be in an active ministry role in a church (a lay volunteer is sufficient). This sort of theological education/church involvement is the sort of mix I believe in.

SATS, the South African Theological Seminary, is also on the list. I am in contact with both institutions in the hope of learning more about how their courses work and what the future holds. Both make extensive use of online learning... but, of course, it is the 'distance' part that inspires me!

Slow learner... theological education and Christian education

2009-07-17T18:30:00.001-07:00

I finished reading Estep et al's A theology of Christian education last week when it hit me:

Christian education and theological education are not the same thing.

Now, no doubt this is common knowledge. "Well, d'uh!" I suspect you're thinking. But hear me out.

I'm not claiming any new discovery here. But, for me, differentiating between these is key to a rich avenue of thought. You see, I have wrestled with theological education's ability to provide a rounded, holistic Christian experience. Of course, it can't... the difference between academic knowledge and everyday knowledge is far too great. I have also read many scathing critiques of spiritual formation in theological education contexts - yes, even on-campus ones.

The significance of this newly-owned difference between Christian education and theological education is this: It goes toward validating my thesis (see question to the right of this text). Part of what I have been struggling with is the assumption that theological education is Christian education, with all of its holistic implications. Of course this was wrong. But here's the nub: distance education is frequently considered inferior to the on-campus experience. The on-campus experience is normative. But, on-campus education itself is highly questionable as an expression of Christian education - particularly if it is facilitated in such a way that the learner's church context is assumed, rather than integrated.

My thoughts on this are too early to expand on here, too raw and untested. For now, here are the contrasts I drafted between Christian education and theological education... of course, I present these as polar opposites in the knowledge that reality exists in the 'broken middle'...

Christian education:

Emphasis on discipleship and apprenticeship
Community as venue
'Teachable moment' or life as curriculum
'One another' as teacher
Church as context
Long-term, life-long
Gemeinschaft, intergenerational, family
Education as implicit
Integrated ontologically
Tacit
Assimilation into the body of Christ; transformation as socialisation

Theological education:

Emphasis on learning
Classroom or study space as venue
Programme as curriculum, cognitive emphasis
Lecturer or professor as teacher
Campus as context
Fixed duration; programme-based
Gesselschaft, cohort, transactional membership
Education as explicit
Integrated artificially
Transparent and expressed
Transcendance of thought; transformation as cognitive shift

Of course both of these are important. But in many ways that's the point - both of these are important. Christian education cannot 'replace' theological education in the same way that 'theological education' cannot subsume Christian education. Much of my thinking has been 'distance' as opposed to 'on-campus'. Now, my playground is that much bigger.

Ah well. It is important to me!

Re-orientation and eating the elephant

2009-07-01T03:30:00.001-07:00

I spent the day re-organising myself for PhD study. I prepared a three-page document to my supervisors to get things rolling again; the sections were progress to date, current thinking, proposed time line and issues and concerns.

I'm feeling extremely positive and organised, even though I know too well that much work awaits!

The following quesitons are guiding further reading from this point, and form the basis for my formal proposal (due in late September):

How is ‘distance education’ understood in theological education?

What, if anything, is distinctive about distance education in the theological education context?
What are the major themes of the literature in theological distance education?

What is the nature of theological education, that is, what is it attempting to bring about?

What are the distinctive elements of theological education in contrast to non-sectarian education?
What are the overall objectives for theological education? What are the implications for theological education at a distance?

What is Christian formation?

How is formation portrayed in theological education contexts?
What are the potential overlaps between everyday formation and formal education?

What does adult learning theory contribute to an understanding of spiritual formation?

What does it mean to be ‘formed’ as an adult learner? How does this differ from being ‘formed’ as a Christian?
What are the links between transformation as an adult learner, and formation as a Christian?

After an initial analysis for the formal proposal, I am considering whether a 'mini-essay' approach considering each of the questions above in, say 3,000 words might work to help get on top of the literature review. The best way to eat an elephant, I'm told, is one piece at a time! I've asked my supervisors for their thoughts in this approach. I am also considering enrolling in a post-graduate research methods paper next year at a distance. It has been recommended to me, and I know that it will be very useful for me later in the preparation of this thesis.

[Image "Elephant Bull 1" uploaded April 2, 2005 by Tambako the Jaguar]

Nearly back into it!

2009-06-18T00:50:00.000-07:00

Well, it's nearly time to again pick up the books and journal articles... I have finished the draft for my last E-Primer and now await the peer review process.

I have already got an opportunity to speak to the upcoming NZATS event held at Laidlaw College next week, so that provides me with an excellent opportunity to familiarise myself again with the ley of the literature and get my juices flowing again. I've also been asked to contribute a paper relating to hybrid learning at Laidlaw College to the upcoming ATA conference in Malang, Indonesia (I am, regretfully, unable to attend). The connection is a good one though, as there is considerable interest in theological education at a distance within that group.

So, in the next few weeks this blog will again get traction... about time.

Distance education, surely, is the answer?

2008-10-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying Dr Geoff Pound's Theologians without borders and have been prompted to post on his latest entry relating to the Baptist International Conference on Theological Education (BICTE), held in Prague.

One issue raised is really one of simple economics:

Supply outstrips demand in the West; seminaries are merging and closing.
Demand outstrips supply in the Majority World; pastors go untrained.

The solution does seem rather simple... accessible distance education courses, perhaps facilitated through Western seminaries, coupled with a TEE-type model of delivery. Accessible media might include radio, print, fax, or Internet where it make sense. If a multi-national distance education seminary of excellent academic standard might be established, the benefits of centralised course production and maintenance, economies of scale and locally-nuanced delivery through local tutors would provide a high quality and cost-effective solution. It is possible to achieve, with careful planning and the right investment, the following in one neat institution:

High-quality courses that consistently reflect the latest scholarship.
A non-banking (Friere) distance education experience.
A highly-qualified and tenured (committed) faculty,who are active researchers and contributing academics to course delivery.
A constantly dynamic team of local tutors, well-supported and resourced.
A flexible selection of media, chosen based on local conditions.
Low (accessible) per course costs, based on economies of scale.

Such a BIG opportunity... part of the solution involves a visionary funding body, and the use of funds to develop an institution that does not rely on the charity or goodwill of busy academics so that longevity and consistency of service can be assured. Another part: overcoming the incredibly short-sighted and non-defensible notion that distance education is a second-rate option compared to the 'real thing'. Finally, partnerships with mission agencies - already well-represented globally - so that their work might be partnered with.

Any takers...?

What is distance education? DEANZ presentation

2008-10-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

I finally got round to adding one of my DEANZ presentations, the one most relevant to my PhD ("What is distance education?"), up into my ePortfolio. One of the beautiful things about Mahara (the application used for my ePortfolio) is that you can create separate views... a larger version of the presentation (one that does not mess up my public ePortfolio) has been added to another public view.

It provides a useful means of distinguishing between different 'types' of distance education and so is a critical element of my thesis.

I welcome any thoughts or comments. I am progressing on E-Primer Four but my PhD will not be getting any more serious attention until about May 2009. In the meantime, the updated verisons of the previous three E-Primers are now available through Ako Aotearoa.

(Trans)formation: The critical difference

2008-08-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have just emailed a draft of "Spiritual formation in distance education" to supervisors, outlining where my reading on the subject has taken me thus far. Here's the conclusion of the draft:

Spiritual formation is seen as a valid objective in all forms of adult education, however it is considered a necessary element of theological education. The apparent inability of distance education to provide a formative experience is one of the major objections to its use in theological education. However, recent theorists have been challenging the extent to which theological education in any context enhances formation. Further, the association of formation with the affective domain in theological education literature reveals a dualism out of step with the more holistic adult learning theory of transformation.

It is proposed in this study that distance education is capable of providing a transformative learning experience for students of theological education, and that this transformation subsumes the traditional understanding of formation. This shifts the debate of what it means to be formed through theological education, making this study very timely and ensuring that it will make a unique and valuable contribution to scholarship.

It has been an interesting draft to prepare, primarily because of the need to wrestle with the terminological differences between spiritual formation as a secular objective and Christian education as a theological objective. Also interesting has been the dualism of cognitive and affective outcomes apparent in much theological education literature, a dualism that seems untenable in light of adult transformation theory. This dualism, I am proposing, denies distacne educaiton a fair hearing when it comes to transofrmation of students.

So, the way ahead is clear. The road is well sign-posted. Problem is, I am taking a detour for a while... for the next six months my research will not be directly associated with my PhD. Instead, I am authoring the final two E-Primers in the series soon to be made available through Ako Aotearoa (see e-ako.blogspot.com).

So, signing off for a while...!

Boiling it down

2008-08-07T01:58:00.000-07:00

I'm back into the PhD, after a relaxing holiday and a focus on preparing a PG presentation. As I prepare a full draft on the subject of formation (one of my three main focuses) I am struck by the fact that I know more about the subject than I can adequately write about, and that I have at my disposal far more quotations and perspectives at my disposal than I can possibly hope to include.

I've decided that this is a good thing.

When I lectured in business communications, I became acutely aware that a student's writing typically betrays the worth of their storehouse. In other words, students with far more to draw on than what they were able to include inevitably had a depth and richness to their writing that their lesser-informed peers did not. In other words, it's better to boil something down to concentrate than it is to water it down to provide volume.

So, at the moment I'm not merely writing, I'm boiling, bubbling over, surrounded by the cloudy fragrance of formational thought, mentally savouring the concentrated flavours that subtly blend into a mouth-watering read...

At least, I hope so!

Great reading from Bates (2005) on definitions, and Anderson (2007, in Theological Education) on the InMinistry programme and associated distance education-style technique... plenty to, err, chew on and throw into the mix of authors already cited!

A presentation - where I'm at for now

2008-08-04T01:16:00.001-07:00

I presented this (AVI, 10MB) at last Friday's PG symposium held at Carey College, uploaded in AVI format in my ePortfolio. The session went very well and gave rise to some excellent questions, many of which are already addressed well enough in the literature I've read but not included directly in the presentation. I'm happy to respond to comments to this post and welcome further dialogue on thinking so far!

Discovery time

2008-07-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

I have been preparing a presentation for this Friday (1st August) providing an overview of where my studies are at to date. As a presentation, it can lack a bibliography - it's more a chance to consolidate thoughts than provide a comprehensive perspective of the literature I've been engaged with thus far.

It's been helpful to think at this level.

Primarily, reflecting on progress to date has been good for morale! The two weeks absolute holiday I took started with a self-conscious me feeling as though I had turned my back on my PhD project. Preparing the presentation has enabled me to get back into thinking about the topic again... and has renewed my appetite for study.

But secondly, and more importantly, it's enabled me to step back from the detail of literature to reflect on broader issues.

I have noticed something for the first time, a use of terminology that gets to the heart of my thesis.

In Christian education literature, the terms 'cognitive', 'affective' and 'psychomotor' are used to describe different learning outcomes. In transformation theory literature, these terms are not used at all (at least in the materials I have studied thus far). In Christian education literature, the term 'transformation' is reserved for the influence of interpersonal community on the individual's growth. In the transformation theory of adult learning, the term is used to describe the holistic change in an individual that comes about from perceiving reality in a new way.

In other words, the transformation theory literature sees educational outcomes as holistic. Change someone's perception of reality, and you have made the ultimate cognitive shift - one which will overflow into their affective appreciation and their actions. Transformation as an adult learning theory overflows into the head, heart and hands. Christian education literature does not seem to share this same sense of holism, differentiating between cognitive and affective outcomes whcih leaves little wriggle room for distance education. Further, by equating transformation with community involvement, the case is made for on-campus interventions.

A pretty crude description, but this is a worthwhile theme for further investigation.

BTW - I will make a Camtasia version of the presentation available on my ePortfolio shortly... will link to it from this blog.

Into formation

2008-07-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

The proposal has had its first round of feedback from supervisors, largely positive but naturally there are some issues I need to address. It's a tricky business, this - I am working on the formation side of the proposal even though I know I need to go back and panel-beat the theological education at a distance part later. I also have a presentation to do early August on the formational side of the study and am taking two weeks off as of next week!

This in addition to a full-time job (with one full day's research per week!)

The formational side is shaping up well. At this stage I'm not certain as to how Christian formation in higher education relates to the literature on adult transformation through education, but I am confident that the question is addressed somewhere in the articles and readings I have amassed! Defining formation itself is problematic, but thus far I am struck by the extent to which Christian formation in on-campus theological education is assumed rather than substantiated.

Zotero continues to serve well... now, back to it!

Writing, writing, writing...

2008-06-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

I am at the stage of this study where I need to get my head down and word count up! I spent the day refining the first stage of my proposal, which is now structured as follows:

Introduction
Toward a typology of distance education

Further typologies in theological education literature

Typologies and definitions in non-sectarian literature

Distance education: A working typology

The BCNZ model

Objections to theological education at a distance
Addressing the primary issues (UP TO HERE)

Formation

Technology

Community

Embodiment

Significant questions that remain
Bibliography

The concern is where I'm up to ;o) but I have not really done sufficient reading yet on formation or community to adequately address the section. I have fifteen more readings to complete relating to theological education at a distance, then I turn my attention to Christian formation.

So, as far as writing goes, I may have come as far as I am able to at present. I will glean through my summary document (stage 3) to ensure that I have captured all major themes and ideas to date before submitting my final draft of the review thus far. My date of submission for this proposal is mid-August, and I am presenting on the theme of formation through distance education at a Tyndale-Carey graduate seminar, so there's still plenty to do and plenty of pressure to complete it with!

Once this proposal is complete, I turn my attention to general Christian education theory (particularly its goals and current contentions) and a more thorough treatment of formation. My initial reading has included an excellent book by Brian V. Hill called Beyond the transfer of knowledge (WorldCat, not Amazon), a well-written, thought-provoking and ultimately practical piece that gives an excellent touch-stone for formational thought in Christian education.

Thanks Brian.

The reading contrinues...

2008-06-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

...and so does the writing. I have read and summarised twelve articles since my last post, and have written some 4,000 words (mostly good ones). Writing has been very enjoyable; because of all of the reading it is actually easier, not harder. My "Background to research question" document is progressing well.

Thus far it consists of the following sections:

Toward a typology of distance education
Successful distance education in theological contexts
Theological concerns
Addressing the primary issues
Significant questions

My research question has been slightly refined:

To what extent, if any, are students of theological education at a distance disadvantaged in terms of Christian formation?

It is still largely robust even after all of the reading over the last few weeks. So far my proposal has focussed on getting to the bottom of what I actually mean when I use the term 'distance education'. It has been a reasonably complicated journey, but I think I've sorted that one now. I have a bit more reading to do on this area before I switch my attention to formation.

My initial reading about formation has been very disappointing. Everyone talks about its importance, no one defines it, and everyone assumes that it takes place in a classroom but not at a distance. Hmmm. It was timely, then, to receive the inaugural issue of the Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care late last week, with what looks to be a very definitive article on the subject by R.E.Averbeck. It is a journal from the same institution that prepares the Christian Education Journal, a very impressive source that I have subscribed to.

But that's all getting ahead of myself. In the next three weeks I aim to have completed the immediate reading I have before me on theological education at a distance, and to have completed the section of my proposal based on distance education. From there my attention will swing to matters of formation, then to Christian education.

So far, not bad...

Reader/writer and Zotero blues...

2008-05-20T21:41:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks since my last post... but rest assured that I'm not resting! I have been working on the "Background to proposal" document requested by my supervisor(s), and am continuing reading at the same time. It's remarkable how easy (or is efficient a better word?) it is to prepare that document now that I have read broadly and have Zotero assisting me to search through notes.

I am now ready to remove 4b) from my system (see earlier post), as I am satisfied that Zotero will perform the same function much more effectively. It is hard to properly draw from "a repository of ideas" when it is a lengthy document that is continually updated.

My reading recently has been as follows:

Mary Hess's Engaging technology in theological education.
Gresham's (2006) The divine pedagogy as a model for online education, Teaching Theology and Religion 9(1), 24-28 - and it's logical co-requisite...
... Kelsey's (2002) Spiritual machines, personal bodies, and God: Theological education and theological anthropology, Teaching Theology and Religion 5(1), 2-9.

I am actively exploring the main objections to theological education at a (virtual) distance, which I suggest to be the themes of formation, community, and embodiment. Kelsey's and Gresham's work feeds nicely into the category of embodiment, which of course draws on the example of the incarnation of Jesus. Kelsey's anthropological centering is nicely addressed by Gresham, who suggests that the embodiment objection to online education is the result of misunderstanding the implications of the incarnation. Gresham (2006, p.27) proposes that “virtual instruction can be incarnational if it points students toward response to the gospel in their daily lives and if the instructor communicates his or her own lived participation in the truth”. Communication, says Gresham (2006), is more important than presence; indeed, unless the instructor is able to personally communicate with students, Gresham questions whether a classroom is in itself incarnational.

I'm enjoying seeing all of this debated.

Now, to my Zotero issue...

I have been singing the praises of Zotero in this blog, and only yesterday I was asked to demonstrate it to students on campus here. However, I have a problem. The associations with Zotero in my documents are being lost! I have reported the issue (see this thread) and have since been corresponding with one Zotero support person via email. I have sent some document samples in the hope that the issue can be revised (ignore the last post in the thread linked to above - it's being followed up). I have to say that I am exceptionally impressed with the support I have received so far, even though the issue is not yet resolved. In the meantime I am continuing to edit the document and adding citations manually. It will be easy to link the proper citations in later!

I am back to reading one article per day (I have now planned which articles on which days) and have also started Mezirow's Learning as transformation. I was also referred to a recent PhD thesis submitted by someone here in Auckland on the subject of transformation in theological education... I hope to meet with the Dr behind it soon!

Head down, tail up

2008-05-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

I had a very effective meeting with one of my supervisors today, who was up in Auckland working on a particular research project. Among the various tips (in my words):

Include a chapter in the thesis contextualising your own interest in the question and background. This helps to explain your own perspective - which in turn gives clues to the reader as to how it should be interpreted.
Be sure to assess Australian and Asian literature in addition to US and UK (and African writing will also be valuable; I have already read one interesting article with roots in Namibia and am aware of some interesting e-learning activity there).
Consider doing a course on methodologies (this can take place later, as the literature review comes to its end and the primary research phase starts).
My initial proposal (now due August!) needn't be comprehensive but should demonstrate a firm grasp of the issues and a statement of limitations regarding where reading has taken me so far and what is yet to come. In fact, the proposal could even be treated as a draft chapter...

During the valuable discussion I also reflected out loud (always a good process). I, err, learned from myself the approach of starting with an exploration of what 'community', 'embodiment' and 'trans / formation' are, educationally and in Christendom, and to use this as the basis for examining on-campus and distance tuition through those lenses.

Contact will be initially through one-a-month teleconference calls for 15 minutes or so... I now need to contact my supervisor to kick this off. In the meantime, I am enjoying Hess's Engaging technology in theological education. Nice work, Mary! Today I also managed to transfer all of my previous notes into Zotero. I'm looking forward to using it for real in the proposal.

I got a system...

2008-05-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

I'm finally at the stage when I think I have a workable note-taking system in place. Here are the nuts and bolts...

Find good stuff. This is made extremely easy thanks to the Internet; digital catalogues and online databases provide, if anything, too much good information. Amazon.com, EBSCO, ProQuest etc are just amazing - very comprehensive and highly searchable! As good stuff is found it is added to Zotero automatically and (if digital) the work is downloaded and associated with the Zotero entry. I print articles as I get them, as a reminder of what I have and have not read (see below).
Read like crazy. I have set myself a goal of one article a day to read, summarise and add to my Zotero library. I will typically read a book in a week, though it depends on the size of the book... I try to complete a topic before moving on, but topics themselves change as reading continues.
Summarise as you go. I take full notes in a Writer document, sometimes just taking key quotes, other times writing ideas in full sentence complete with citation. The summary document is ordered by author, with an automated Table of Contents included.
Add notes to library. For me this is a two-stage process: a) Adding the notes to my Zotero library, including all notes and adding some tags, and b) inserting the notes into a very early repository of ideas associated with particular topics. This leads to a triple-up (full notes in one Writer document, ideas organised into topics in another, all included in Zotero) but it also makes writing easier later, for me at least.
File the reading. I take the hard copy and add it to a bank of Eastlight folders according to author surname. The articles in the Eastlights are those I have read and annotated. If a book, there is a particular place on the shelf where they go (I am better at remembering which books I have read!)
Ready to write! Between the repository of ideas (see 4. above) and the Zotero library it is relatively easy to prepare a first draft. If the repository notes are insufficient to remind me of the context, I can easily find the original notes I made (either in Zotero or the Writer document mentioned in 3. above) and the original article (again, linked to from within Zotero or else in the Eastlight folders). Once I have a first draft I can quickly scan through the Writer notes document (step 3) to make sure I have included main ideas, and can also check by tag in Zotero.

So far, so good. This system has emerged following a false start with Endnote and the various issues associated with what was at first a somewhat cloudy topic becoming more tangible. Must be a sure sign of progress...

...here are my main challenges, and my strategies for tackling them:

Information overload. Wow, I have read soooo much and know so much about my topic - but I am in danger of missing some important details when I write. In part this is countered by the technique of preparing a repository of ideas document, with the "scan through the Writer notes" of step 6. adding to the safety mechanism!
Reading from topic to topic. This has been a real issue for me. My reading has flicked around (see previous post, second paragraph) so I do not yet feel as though I have a comprehensive grasp on my topics of transformation in adult education; formation in Christian education; or distance education in Christian education. At least I am at the stage where I can see that these are the three main topics for me to engage with! Christian education theory is another area I need to come up to speed in.

Even as I write I am anxious about whether I should flick back to 'distance education in Christian education' as a focus, to cover that as far as I can before heading again back into adult transformation theory. I have some books to read on this as well, which are yet to be opened... I have Tisdell waiting, but may well engage with Hess first - and finish those 60 or so related articles I am yet to digest!

Photo from ChincillaVilla

A change in activity

2008-05-01T04:03:00.001-07:00

I've started compiling my 6,000 word research proposal, not due until August. It is a change in activity - well, actually, that's not quite true...

I'm still reading in parallel. One article a day is a goal that I do not want to give up on (this week I have read and taken notes from four articles from the latest CEJ, and have read three more with notes to follow).
In starting the proposal, I realised how important my Zotero library really is. It has 252 items in it already, about half of which consist of materials already read and commented on. I also realised how incomplete my Zotero library is, with many of the entries in it yet to have the notes I have made added to them. Until this is done, my notes are the equivalent of a chaotic multiplicity similar to index cards (actually, my notes are organised across various Word files). So, much of my activity today involved properly populating my Zotero library. This will continue for a wee while yet!
...so, my research proposal as of the end of today (1st May) consists of a reasonable heading framework and some initial thoughts and references. I am surprised at how much I actually know, no doubt one of the benefits of actually getting down to some writing!

The problem with the Zotero library is that I started with Endnote... then, when my trial ran out (and well before my actual enrolment with Otago) I couldn't use it, so some notes backed up. I started on Zotero some time later, and never added those notes I had taken - I populated Zotero with notes only from subsequent reading. So, the job has needed doing for some time; preparing the research proposal has just made it more necessary. So, while I've got lead time, I will use it for this purpose.

In the small elements of the proposal I have already prepared, Zotero is already proving its worth.

Latest CEJ arrived today...

2008-04-28T02:15:00.001-07:00

...and it's packed with great stuff. The Christian Education Journal has released volume 5(1), a special issue focussing on 'College and young adult ministry'. It's got some great themed articles on spiritual formation for young adults, and so it has gone straight to the top of my reading list. It is a nutritious change from Gushee & Jackson's Preparing for Christian Ministry, which is no doubt ideal as a first-year text but left me chewing too much mountain in search of the gold!

This will be my focus in the week ahead (there are at least six articles in this issue that look promising). I also received Tisdel's Exploring spirituality and culture today (with some additional titles), so more reading awaits!

I am learning how much I need to focus on the PhD. My reading plan of one article per day soon gave way to other commitments, which I am now fighting so that I can once again pursue that goal.

The article I have just finished is Kiesling, Chris (2008). A long adolescence in a lame direction? What should we make of the changing structure and meaning of young adulthood?, pp.11-27. The article focuses on the challenges facing young adults - a very difficult category to define, as the path to adulthood is not as clear or pre-defined as it once might have been - and the dearth of effective ministry in these formative years. His value to my thesis rests in the nature of the education suggested: "Kiesling (2008) advocates practical action in authentic context, and “incorporating events of imbalance into processes of high reflexivity and perspective taking” (2008, p.22) as suggested by Mezirow" (from my notes), and the insight offered into the generation most often seeking theological education.

This Thursday (research day), I have decided to start work on the 'proposal' that will undergird my research question and help to consolidate the ideas gathered this far.

I'm looking forward to more from this journal.

Mezirow and adult education

2008-04-20T03:23:00.001-07:00

Finally I have finished taking notes from Mezirow's Fostering critical reflection in adulthood. It's a classic that I wish I had read before now. I think that Malinen's work makes it pretty clear that Mezirow's fantastic work must be taken in the context of other theorists; I can only imagine this sort of dialogue taking place in an evening class:

"So, it's vital that you explore your own underlying assumptions and learn to critique your perceptions of reality if you are to be really educated as an adult".
"I'm sure you're right, but, I'm only here to learn how to get my balance sheet columns to agree".

So, there is education and there is education. To be fair Mezirow is clear that his focus is transformation, but the extent to which this is linked with what it means to educate adults is somewhat questionable. I suppose learning to add one's balance sheet columns means that how you look at those two columns of numbers will forever be transformed somehow!

Rather than read Taylor next, I will pick up Gushee & Jackson. It's a bit lighter, and it's a borrowed book. Interspersed with all of this will be some writing on a model for adult education as developing perspective, and preparation for a sermon this Sunday!

This is taking SOME time!

2008-04-17T00:53:00.000-07:00

"It's been a while since my last post" is probably the blogging equivalent of "It was a dark and stormy night...", but I have my reasons. I'm chewing on the notes I made from Mezirow and associates' Fostering critical reflection in adulthood. The book is a fabulous read, transformative even in itself in the way it broadens perspectives on what it means to educate. It also opens up some fascinating questions relating to the nature of transformation in Christian education. It has taken me two weeks to get this far with Mezirow, and it is only 376 pages in length. Further, I am yet to actually incorporate the many lessons from it into my draft.

And, the reading is stacking up! This represents a strange feeling for me, an interesting conglomerate of the following:

Satisfaction at having read such an educational classic.
Dissatisfaction at still not being able to put it aside to read the next title, Taylor's Teaching for change.
Energy from Mezirow's work, and that of his associates, across the eighteen chapters of the book - inspiring me to read still further.
Weariness from considering the many books still to go!
Eagerness to write up my swirling thoughts on adult education and transformation, to bring some sort of order to them.
Reluctance to consider what I know so far to be adequate.

Well, if teaching is flush with paradox, why shouldn't learning?

Innovate: new articles on ee-learning

2008-04-08T21:17:00.001-07:00

The latest issue of Innovate (April/May 2008) contains three promising articles on 'ee-learning':

Lindsey Godwin and Soren Kaplan: Designing ee-Learning Environments: Lessons from an Online Workshop
Ana-Paula Correia: Moving from Theory to Real-World Experiences in an e-Learning Community
Joanna Dunlap, Jackie Dobrovolny, and Dave Young: Preparing e-Learning Designers Using Kolb’s Model of Experiential Learning

Previous articles by Trevitte and Eskow (2007), Nilles (2007) and Chisholm (2007) introduced me to the concept. It's a wee bit frustrating in that Innovate tends to be magazine-ish, but the leads it provides are conceptually excellent.

That squishing sound is me under books

2008-04-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

No sooner had I finished Dewey that I started on Mezirow's Fostering critical reflection in adulthood. It is going well; I am learning to take better notes.

So far I have moved from a focus on e-learning to education philosophy to distance education to Christian education – and now to adult learning theory. This is an interesting process; things seem so much sharper now that the reading is underway. From what I’ve heard this ‘sharpness’ is only a phase, and I’m aware that my coverage has been very much less than comprehensive to date!

The questions guiding me at the moment are as follows:

What does it mean to be ‘transformed’ as a result of education?
What are the mechanisms of transformation?
How does this ‘transformation’ translate into terms relevant to spiritual growth and theological education?

I have had several additional works recommended to me, and I already have some titles waiting for my attention. I'm still enjoying the process - this is concentrated learning - but the book pile seems never-ending. Part of me rejoices, another part is a wee bit intimidated by the size of the pile vis-a-vis the time of my first self-review (July), six month report (August) and 'Background to research question' (August/September).

Reading, reading, everywhere...

Experiencing Dewey

2008-03-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

I finished Dewey's small Education and experience just now... it's a little classic. It's highlighted to me how education is basically formed from experiences (d'uh), and the role of an educator as one who creates and manages effective experiences for the intentional development of the student. Dewey's keen insight on experience and its fundamentals provides a great foundation for considering tranformation in education. It was particularly encouraging to see Dewey's 'Either-Or' principle; this reinforces Palmer's notion of paradox and Tubb's 'broken middle'.

Elsewhere I have speculated on Dewey's response to 'education 2.0'.

Now it's on to Mezirow's Fostering critical reflection in adulthood. I can hardly wait... ;o) The problem with reading a little Dewey classic is that it only reduces my reading pile by about 5mm!

An 'experiential' theme

2008-03-27T01:57:00.000-07:00

I finished taking notes from Malinen's Adult experiential learning tonight... it was a tough read, but rewarding. I was reminded of the work I did some eight or so years ago now on adult learning (see 2002 review, PDF); it is now free of charge, and one chapter was used by the University of London - and may still be used - as a text resource); my work still seems current, which is both exciting and somewhat disturbing. It probably means that I'm out of touch with the developments of literature ;o(

I found Malinen's distinction between first-order experience and second-order experience a helpful one, and her foundations in Kant's categories have also proved a useful lead. I could see the validity of Malinen's model... this from the notes I took:

In her integrative model of experiential learning, Malinen (2000) places ‘personal experiential knowing’ at the core. This is first-order experience, “tacit, holistic, ‘true’ and inadequate” (2000:135, emphasis original). This knowing has a solid core and a flexible boundary called a protective belt. Second-order experiences penetrate, permeate or ricochet away from this protective belt. The protective belt is “safe territory, and can be built up in an eclectic fashion” (2000:135); its width is determined by the subject's own receptivity and commitment to learning.

I would consider perspective to be a more useful term than 'personal experiential knowing', reserving the term 'experience' for Malinen's 'second-order experience'; it just seems less clumsy.

The differences between 'formation', 'transformation' and 'experience' need to be further explored. So, I have taken a necessary diversion down the adult education theory path. This sets the foundation for further reading on Mezirow, yet to arrive from Amazon. In the meantime I am working on Dewey's Experience and education (already very useful as s follow-on for Malinen, even though the great Dewey is some decades earlier), and have Gushee & Jackson's Preparing for Christian ministry waiting as a basic taster of Christian formation (to be followed by Gangel & Wilhout's Christian Educator's Handbook on Spiritual Formation).

Nothing too heavy at this stage! Mezirow will need to wait his turn, it seems...

Chewin' on adult education

2008-03-22T00:26:00.000-07:00

The interloan mentioned in my last post has arrived - and it's a chewy one. Malinen's Adult experiential learning reads like a PhD written in book form... which makes it a challenge to read! Still, it is a worthwhile synthesis of Knowles, Kolb, Merizow, Revans and Schon - and, a valid place to start based on my research question:

To what extent, if any, are students of theology at a distance disadvantaged in terms of Christian formation?

I have a lot of reading ahead of me, and it is somewhat frustrating to change course again from the literature of theological education and distance and e-learning, to adult education with a formational bent. Still, it's what I signed up for...

...and my application for direct candidacy is now sent off. Back to Malinen...! This book will help me to get Merizow into perspective.

A slight distraction tinged with a new focus

2008-03-13T01:00:00.001-07:00

I've been pretty silent lately, and, yes, the goal of one article per day has given way to other distractions! Apart from the need to prepare a church camp session, they were rather scholarly distractions - literally.

Over the last two weeks I have read and summarised four journal articles (more on them in a future post) but, more significantly, three books:

Boyer, E.L. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the professoriate. USA: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Braxton, J.M. (Ed.) (2006). Analyzing Faculty Work and Rewards Using Boyer's Four Domains of Scholarship: New Directions for Institutional Research. USA: Jossey-Bass.
Hatch, T. (2006). Into the Classroom. USA: Jossey-Bass.

These were interloans for a paper I'm working on for work purposes, so I wanted to deal with them quickly. On the PhD front, a few further developments have taken place:

My primary supervisor, on learning about my intention to focus on formation through distance education, suggested starting with some adult education that has been done in the area. Jack Mezirow was the name given; titles are on the way courtesy of Amazon, along with one interloan.
I have completed my application to formally enrol (I have interim admission at the moment). Filling in forms to apply for formal admission should actually bring its own qualification!
I have my first deadlines: a self-review ready for July; a six-month report for August; and a 'Background to research question' of between 5,000-8,000 words for August/September.

The new research question, as on my memorandum of understanding:

To what extent, if any, are students of theology at a distance disadvantaged in terms of Christian formation?

The lack of 'e-learning' is actually intentional - it is actually subsumed in my use of the term 'distance'. Inevitably hybrid or blended learning will also be caught up in this. Disturbingly for me the theme of formation is a relatively new one... more reading ahead! The worth of reading is already apparent for me though. The topic is becoming more refined. I have also upped my weekly allocation of hours now that all is upon me.

The 'brief description of project' is as follows:

An investigation into the dynamics of personal formation as an additional outcome of distance education, from a Christian education perspective. Work by Patterson (1996), Le Cornu (2001) and Bramer (2007) tie the theme of Christian formation with distance education. Themes of pragmatic application of distance education without serious consideration of formation, the ‘authoritarian’ nature of distance education materials and a heavy emphasis on cognitive development through distance education require investigation and assessment through primary research.

Here goes...

Something formational is forming...

2008-02-25T18:12:00.000-08:00

The dates of the articles I've read this week demonstrate a return to the earlier articles on Christian education and distance learning. There were only eight articles published in the 1990s with the search configuration of ‘hybrid’ or ‘distance’ or ‘technology’ or ‘online’, and ‘education’, and ‘religious or theological’ in the ATLA database; I have processed seven of them to date (two in the last few days, below). Most of them draw richly from mainstream literature, a tendency that declines as we move into articles from the new Millenium.

Recent articles:

Walton, R. (1997). New wineskins? Distance education and computer conferencing. British Journal of Theological Education 9(2), 38-48.
Patterson, E. (1996). The questions of distance education. Theological Education 33(1), 59-74.
Le Cornu, A. (2001). Is adult theological education through distance learning self-defeating? An exploration of the relationships between truth, authority and self-development. British Journal of Theological Education 11(2), 9-21.

Emerging thoughts:

One of the prominent themes emerging from my reading to date is that of formation. In many ways it seems a hot potato passed to and from one author to another, each of which provides a perspective before passing it on (and you can almost hear the 'ouch' in some articles!) The three articles read over the last few days also touch on this theme, which seems to me desperately needing some primary research activity. This could be my way to contribute something original (and useful!) to the literature.

Walton (1996) suggests four problems with distance education:

Limited opportunities for dialogue and group interaction between students.
The expense of updating and modifying mass-produced print and other resources.
The relative inflexibility of distance education courses in response to individual learning needs.
Less learner control and mutuality, amplified by the distance relationship between student and tutor.

Not all of these seem to still be with us to the same degree they were 12 years ago, thanks to LMSs and changing pedagogies (Walton writes from Nipper's second-generation perspective). While Walton (1999) finds even this generation of distance education effective for cognitive development, and speculates on its effectiveness for purposes of formation:

To imagine that distance education does not already allow for personal construct building, does not take the learner’s context seriously and does not include conversation or collaboration, is to misrepresent the area… [for our students] there is a continual emphasis on enabling the learner to establish his or her own views, to engage with and learn from the local context and to dialogue with experts (through their writing), and others (in church, work or family)” (1999:43).

This is in contrast to Patterson (1996), who seems more detached in her analysis of distance education's potential. Patterson (1996) is one of the more challenging articles I have read of late, mainly because of the objectivity of the arguments presented. Patterson (1996) suggests that distance education is emerging as significant mainly because communications technologies are making a significant shift; she is critical of this 'pragmatism' and the dangers that it may present epistemology: “When information is a limited resource, seekers come to drink at the well of those who control that resource. When it becomes a commodity, those seekers become shoppers.” In other words, the very openness and accessibility that distance education provides challenges issues of quality and consumer choice: “education can be “purchased from competitive offers for the best deal, most painless terms, and highest payoff”. Were it not for accreditation and quality assurance criteria, such consumerism may well shape theological education at a distance.

I found Patterson (1996) a little alarmist, but she does raise pertinent questions that deserve a response. One of Patterson's (1996) main areas of concern is formation, however a novel angle is taken; rather than slamming DE as inferior to the classroom here, she draws attention to the need for theological educators to question their own assumptions:

What is it that we assume happens on campus? The defining issue in distance education is the distance, and yet the reality is that most theological schools no longer have much control or even connection with the lives of their students outside of their presence in class… Educational systems are a part of a lerger social context within which our students (and our faculty and staff) are shaped and developed. This is true for all of our students, but distance education has brought the question into high priority (1996:71).

For me this raises the question: To what extent should theological education be concerned with formation beyond the cognitive? A scripture that immediately springs to mind is Ephesians 4:11-16, which places formation and maturity in Christ in the context of the church, along with its various ministries and people of complementary emphases. Again, my thinking is drawn toward the role of the student's own church context as the primary means of true formation.

Finally, Le Cornu (2001). I met Alison four years ago when visiting the Open University; she was stationed at Oxford Brookes at the time. Le Cornu (2001:9) addresses the question of authority, which can be implicit in distance education materials and detrimental to “the growth and development of the self.” Le Cornu's concern is that formation may be hindered in distance education by nature of the course materials themselves:

…the communication of the ‘faith’ in assuming by its very nature an authoritative role, risks discouraging the formation and / or development of an independent self-identity… [when this takes place outside of the context of culture and society this] might prove to be one of the causes of the ‘split personality’ experienced by a number of theological students.

For distance education to overcome this split personality phenomenon, Le Cornu (2001:17) argues that a distance learning course should be conceptualised as “a tool for development and construction” of ideas rather than a prescriptive text book. Self-reflective questions, computer conferencing and student journaling are practical means by which students might express their own ideas and so assert more control over their own learning. Le Cornu (2001) speculates that, if done well, this may even lead to a formational advantage over classroom settings. And so the potato changes hands once again...

Underway at last

2008-02-22T23:07:00.001-08:00

I have been granted interim status as a PhD student with the Otago University College of Education - at last, I'm *officially* underway! Notification immediately followed the submission of a draft book chapter on Web 2.0, after which I was going to focus more on PhD study anyway.

My plan has adapted somewhat. I've decided to focus initially on reading articles related to Christian education and distance and e-learning; so far I've read 32 peer-reviewed articles relating to this combination. I have roughly two-thirds of the hundred or so left to process and reflect on. I am importing notes on each article into Zotero, which I have been using for a few months now.

My goal is to read and annotate one peer-reviewed article per day - so far so good (though I'm only three days into this new regime!) I will do this first thing each day as much as possible, toward the end of the day if not. An understanding family sure helps! Tuesday, which is my traditional study day at Bible College, will be spent incorporating the new articles into the literature review.

Many of my Amazon wish-list (see "Plan of Attack") have already been granted... I have a nice little stack of specialised titles to read (my LibraryThing catalogue is up to date). So far my reading has largely been concerned with general education theory and Web 2.0 matters. My next book (once I have finished Boyd's The myth of a Christian nation) will likely be Thistlewaite & Cairns's (2003) Beyond theological tourism, of interest because of its emphasis on mentoring and transformation. Both of these are emerging as key themes for me as I consider the common concerns raised by theological educators about distance education.

Recent articles:

Kuligin, V. (2007). Going the distance: Adapting full-time residential curricula into distance format. Evangelical Missions Quarterly, July, 298-305

White, R. (2006). Promoting spiritual formation in distance education. Christian Education Journal 3(3), 303-315

Lumsden, D.B, Ray, A.A., Lowe, S.D., & Newsom, R.W. (1999). Theological education via distance learning part one: Participants and programme strengths. Christian Education Journal 3(NS), 109-117

Lumsden, D.B, Ray, A.A., Lowe, S.D., & Newsom, R.W. (1999). Theological education via distance learning part two: Problems and prospects. Christian Education Journal 3(NS), 119-126

Emerging thoughts:

It seems that most of the concerns raised about distance education vis-a-vis on-campus education in theological education relate mainly to extra-curricular matters (Kuligin, 2007). The fact that a distance student is academically catered for is scarcely debated, but whether a distance student undergoes a paritive formational experience is questioned. White (2006) provides an interesting but not (to me) altogether convincing perspective. It also appears that literature on Christian education and distance learning lacks a dedicated heritage; if Lumsden et al (1999) are to be believed, it seems that now would be the time to celebrate its first decade! This is an exciting time to be involved in Christian education with a distance bent. There is significant work to be done, many significant questions to explore, incredible scope for PhD study.

A paradigm shift, or wishful thinking?

2007-07-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

I've just finished taking some notes from Delamarter's (2004) "A typology of the use of technology in theological education" in Teaching Theology and Religion 7(3), 134-140 and finally completed Cannell's (1999) "A review of distance education literature" in Theological Education 36(1), 1-72. It's been a bit of a pause in PhD work because of eFest and church preaching commitments, which have all taken place at the busiest administrative part of the year for me!

Anyway, the theme that has been going around in my head as I've read both articles - and it's also a theme from the various other Theological Education articles I've reviewed - is that there is some confusion or assumption about a de facto paradigm shift being brought about by the introduction of technology in theological education. Delamarter places this in a good context, but from other writings I've examined seem to imply an automatic relationship with technology and teaching reform.

I'm evaluating the automatic 'paradigm shift' assumption rather critically. I guess that's a scholarly way of saying, "I think it's baloney!"

There is indeed potential for a paradigm shift in theological education. But that potential has always been there. There is nothing inherent about on-campus education that precludes reflective discourse, collaborative learning, 'student-centred learning', or even community-centred learning - and there is nothing in online education or distance education that automatically achieves these either. We get what we design for. Both on-campus and distance education have potential for fantastic learning activities. More important than technology - as both Delamarter and Cannell state explicitly - is the pedagogical approach that is applied. But from time to time the assumption of a paradigm shift can still be seen just beneath the surface. I guess most of my confusion lies in the fact that the new paradigm is not well defined. Delamarter (2004:135) talks about the “classic paradigm of theological education” as being full immersion in a residential programme using lecture-based pedagogies and face to face community discourse, library research, and writing. However we can easily create (successful!) online distance education that uses resource-based pedagogies and online virtual discourse, virtual library research, and writing... and I'm not certain I see much of a discrepancy (or even a disadvantage) when comparing Delamarter's classic paradigm and the virtual one suggested here, particularly if the instructional design is imaginative and dialogue between participants is reflective by nature.

So, what concerns me is the assumption being made about on-campus teaching and hybrid/online education. Delamarter (2004:140) observes that “there is no small difference in practice over what constitutes a truly online course or program… what some institutions are calling distance education would not be viewed by the rest as anything more than electronically-mediated correspondence courses… A program that merely uses technology to deliver lecture materials and receive assignments and essentially leaves students to an independent study, is still functioning according to the classic paradigm.” Fair enough. But what about the face-to-face community discourse? If we merely add online discussion, have we achieved anything truly resembling a 'paradigm shift'?

What I'm trying to get at is that we do not necessarily need a paradigm shift in education. All we need to do is see the potential of technology for offering additional possibilities within the existing paradigm. Distance approaches facilitated through technology enhance convenience and access. This, I would suggest, is an evolutionary advance rather than a paradigm shift. We can overcome objections to distance education without needing to even use the word 'paradigm', and recognise many of its benefits without having to invent a new one.

I think we need to reframe our discussions about pedagogy and online/distance theological education. We don't need a new paradigm; what we need instead is an openness to evolving practice. I agree with Delmarter (2004:140) that "We need a common vocabulary and some helpful categories of analysis by which we can size up the big picture"; in my opinion, 'paradigm shift' is not a term that should be included in the common vocabulary.

And, yes, I have a well-thumbed copy of Kuhn on my shelf!

Like a mosquito who found the aorta...

2007-05-31T02:48:00.000-07:00

...what better way to describe the mixed blessing of finding a comprehensive literature review during PhD research? I am referring here to Linda Cannell's "A Review of Literature on Distance Education", Theological Education 36(1), 1999: 1-72. Yes, 72 pages. Cannell's work is a very comprehensive literature review that, while incredibly rich, is also incredibly full.Summarising and incorporating this into my own literature review (still working on the Christian education and DE/e-learning component) is proving quite a challenge. After an investment of about five hours solid I am only half way through - and I have not yet started adding the already five pages(!) of typed notes to my initial draft.

But I'm learning so much. Another potential research question has started to form, and I am feeling far more confident about my ability to complete this section of the literature review. then there are three additional elements to the completed literature review, and, of course, the necessity of revising everything once I get supervisor feedback.

Just as well I'm loving the learning.

The skirmish begins

2007-05-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

I'm into my reading on the subject of Christian and theological education and distance and e-learning (topic 1a). From the initial readings gathered, I have 16 down and 50 to go! I have been carefully reading each article, extracting key themes and quotes in Endnote. From there I have been assembling thoughts in a draft chapter. Only then is an article considered 'down'. I have assembled 24 pages of raw notes (using a smaller font) and 13 pages of early draft notes. At the current rate, I can look forward to about 75 pages of raw notes and 39 of early draft notes from these initial readings alone. The scale of things is starting to dawn on me.

I have been challenged by my primary supervisor to read (='down with') six articles each week as a part-timer. I feel up to it.

This round of articles is sourced from only four journals, only two of which could be considered thoroughly gleaned. The oldest article is from 1996; the youngest three are from 2007.

Already the draft headings I have used for the draft of this 'chapter' are showing their inadequacy. I am redrafting under the following structure:

1.0 Terminology: Online distance education and hybrid learning
1.1 Paradigm shift
1.2 Online theological education
1.3 Hybrid learning
1.4 Barriers and issues
2.0 Technology and change
2.1 The imperative
2.2 Opportunities
2.3 Theological arguments
3.0 Unanswered questions and issues for exploration

It's exciting to already see a useful article result from my progress, as several lessons become apparent once the ideas in the first 16 articles are mixed together and decanted. My next step is to redraft my raw notes for this 'chapter' into the structure above. Then, it's back into the reading... it will be about eight to nine weeks before I finish this initial round of readings. During this time I will also trawl through other journals, then it will be a task of 'downing' them. Once I've done that, I think a publication will be timely!

Or is this just typical early war optimism...?

Plan of attack

2007-05-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

Much has happened since my last entry below (as you'd hope, considering the substantial gap in time!) I have confirmed both supervisors and a statement of expectations is agreed upon.

Here's the plan:

Primary field of inquiry: Christian education, particularly as it relates to a) distance and e-learning and b) philosophy/theory.
Supplementary fields of inquiry: a) Philosophy of education; b) distance education (general); c) e-learning (general).

My prospective research question:

How can we place distance education and e-learning in a sound Christian education context, so that its practice can be optimized and theologically/philosophically legitimized in Christian circles?

At the moment I am delving into distance and e-learning literature within Christian education. It's a surprisingly rich literature base, but already I am struck by the lack of theological discussion.

Key activities thus far:

Family and employer on board.
Supervisors confirmed.
Statement of expectations finalised.
DRC2 form (application) sent off - today!
Endnote installed, 65 articles from three journals(!) added, all with full text available.
Nine articles fully reviewed and incorporated into draft chapter, "Christian education, distance education and e-learning" (snappier chapter title required...)
Amazon wishlist ready.
I'm geared up for it as well!

I have set a goal to fully process four journal articles or half a complete book each week. At this rate I hope to have a comprehensive literature review relating to "Christian education, distance education and e-learning" in about five months or so - then it's on to general philosophy of education, then Christian education (or the other way around...?) before examining mainstream DE and e-learning literature afresh.

Phew.

At the Franciscan University, the gloves came off...

2007-02-19T14:40:00.000-08:00

In a fine display of academic discourse, various faculty at the Franciscan University of Steubenville partook in a fine textual melee about the merits of distance approaches to theological education. A few issues of the University Concourse ("an independent journal of opinion published at Franciscan University, Ave Maria University and related Catholic institutions of higher learning") featured an exchange between advocates and naysayers on the subject of distance education. Here's some links to the articles, and some commentary.

"Some doubts" about distance education (depersonalisation; less cultivation of virtue; loss of the educator's moral example; informational vs transformational aspects of education, the latter not possible by DE; dispensing of community between learners; the importance of embodiment) gets things started.
"At the threshold of a new missionary frontier" suggests that distance education helps to facilitate the Great Commission, the taking of the gospel to the ends of the earth. A parallel is drawn with intermediaries in sacraments; the Bible and texts as vehicles of education; adult learners with specific access needs are profiled; education is described in terms of information transmittal; distance education overcomes temporal and spacial separation.
"Doubts about DE that won't go away" is a response to the above, questioning the relevance of the sacramental parallel, challenging the relative value of texts compared with encountering the authors of those texts, and the weaknesses of the information transmittal model suggested by the previous author.
"How might we improve our education for both reisdents and DE students?" tries to find some middle ground; couldn't networks be set up for DE students so that they might be mentored, too?
"DE: a gift to the Church: A current student's perspective" provides the candid voice of a learner. Without DE, this clear-thinking and carefully evaluating individual would not have been able to study at all. In fact, even a residential requirement would have disqualified them. The student points out that "force of character" can be conveyed through intermediate technologies. The (virtual) helpfulness of academic faculty is attested to, as are the benefits of asynchronous study. The student hints that PG students may not require the same level of on-campus formation than do undergraduates.
"Distance technology alone cannot provide a proper university education" (bad news for me personally in more ways than one should this be true!) is an interesting little piece highlighting again the role of oral tradition. A worthy distinction between the Great Commission's evangelising and education's catechising is drawn, and mention is made of the value of on-campus culture. Further, intermediated forms of communication are said to lack "full expression and enthusiasm". The author suggests that technologies be used, but not that they replace traditional education. Finally, a separate qualification for DE students(!) is suggested.
"Oral traditions and distance education" picks up on the importance of the spoken word and the teacher's presence, drawing on the work of Cardinal Newman's "The idea of a University" (full text). Reference is also made to the 'genius loci' (the "spirit of the place"), that is, the on-campus culture. While the student cited earlier seems somewhat gruffly dismissed, the article ends with a suggestion that faculty could go to the people.
"DE: Is it good enough?" takes the position that DE may not be optimal, but it may be enough for the awarding of a degree. A nice quote here: "if DE is about anything, it is about extending the teaching of the teacher beyond the walls of the traditional classroom." It continues: "The crux of the issue is whether the teacher need be personally present to the student to teach him [sic] well." A helpful ditinction is also made between reading and being taught. It is also maintained that DE studies are, indeed, worthy of academic award. Suprisingly though the author suggests a different award for DE students: A degree in theological studies rather than a degree in theology! Finally, DE is held up as a worthy alternative to 'bad education', and an interesting analogy is applied; if someone who is thirsty can't get to the well, do we refuse to bottle the water for them? "A great chasm exists between the uneducated and the distance educated." Nice.
Finally, a piece entitled "What is our mission really?" addresses a fundamental issue raised in the very first article. It is the Church's responsibilty to evangelise; the role of the education institution is to "see to the higher education of the students" entrusted to them. A wonderful insight to finish with!

At least three of the faculty involved in the exchange from the FU are still there. It is somewhat ironic I think that the prominent advocate of DE is a theologian, the detractor a philosopher! This is a very clearly and passionately argued exchange; it is curious to think that some of the faculty might rejoice in that I have learned from their exchange whereas others might have insisted that I would have learned more had they been debating face to face with me in the room. I am content to let both be absolutely right.

It's who you know

2007-02-07T01:29:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned my PhD topic to some people at College, and it didn't take long for the name dropping to start. "Try such-and-such". Well, I contacted some such-and-suches by email and received the ultimate payback just today. An Emeritus Professor generously prepared a series of comments and a comprehensive reference list for promising works on Christian education! It is hard to express ones gratitude for such assistance.

At the moment I'm reading Freire's Pedagogy of the oppressed to get a better handle on general philosophy of education, to be followed by Bertrand Russell's On education. Friere is challenging - the pendulum probably swings too far in correction, but his context is more extreme that mine - and he is certainly stimulating thought. One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received when starting was "be sure to start writing straight away". This is working well, but there are many revisions of copy to come!

Ohmigosh - Google Books blows my socks off

2007-01-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

I'm actually quite speechless. Google books. It's amazing. Try searching for anything - anything - and you will find that it has performed text searches of individual works and links to previews.

Wow.

Promising veins of peer reviewed information

2007-01-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

At first I wondered whether there was a literature for Christian education and e-learning; I am discovering that, as with most other fields, there is - and that it is particularly useful. Work by Steve Delamarter (George Fox Evangelical Seminary) in Teaching theology and religion (article available here for free) and a recent issue in the Religious Studies Review focussing on "Religion online" show that there is a lot of very interesting activity taking place in this area.

I am discovering the benefits of online journal subscriptions - something I just took for granted at Massey. For the moment I am very limited in what I can access, and there are frustrating holes in the online searches I am able to perform. I guess I finally need to enrol... I am making
inquiries at the moment.

Ten myths about distance learning

2007-01-10T14:20:00.000-08:00

This from the US Distance Learning Association's recent USA Today insert (PDF)... ten myths about distance learning:

Classroom learning is superior to distance learning.
Distance learning lacks important interaction with faculty and other students.
Distance learning works well for some subjects/degrees but not for others.
Distance learning works well only for certain types of students.
Employers don’t value online degrees or courses as highly as classroom instruction.
It is difficult to measure learning at a distance, because you can’t be sure how much time people are spending or who is really doing the work.
Distance learning is a quick and easy way to get a degree.
Online learning diminishes the teacher’s importance.
Distance learning is less expensive to provide than traditional education.
Distance learning will make traditional classroom – based education obsolete.

Touche. I particularly like #7; let's not mistake convenience for simplicity!

Sloan-C View - Online Courses Lead the Way in Quality Assurance

2007-01-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Not yet subscribing to Sloan-C (the Sloan Consortium)? Do so! This little pearl from the latest version that arrived in my inbox this morning, written by Ron Legon, Executive Director, The Quality Matters Program :

Paradoxically, while the rapid growth of online education has generated quality concerns, online instruction has actually advanced the art of quality assurance in higher education...

This is because online education makes it so much easier to investigate the actual operation of the course itself, rather than measuring inputs (faculty credentials, library resources, etc.) and outcomes. As Legon says,

The electronic record of an online course lays out the entire instructional strategy and learning process of the course as it unfolds, lesson by lesson and week by week.

Legon's own online quality rubric can be used for the purposes of evaluation, and is worth a look alongside the New Zealand e-learning guidelines.

Best Web 2.0 software of 2006

2007-01-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Derek W who has drawn attention to a list by Dion Hinchcliffe. It is difficult to keep up to speed with Web 2.0 applications, and I admit to some frustration in making a commitment to a particular service only to find it later superceded (such is the case for me with PageFlakes at the moment - I see that, for Dion at least, "Netvibes" comes first in the 'Start Pages' category).

I celebrate the diversity and innovation, but part of me is looking forward to some sort of Web 2.0 'shake-up'. I have some unease about making a personal investment in services that could eventually become either out of date, fall so far behind what is possible that add-ons become clumsy, or where the service becomes less comprehensive than others (the reason for me moving from Bloglines to PageFlakes).

Bring on the Web 2.0 killer-app... but then again, that's not a very Web 2.0 thing to wish for, is it? PageFlakes is working wonderfully for me for now, but my loyalty is only as deep as the investment I have made in setting up my Flakes. If something new and whizzy comes along that is easy to set up (and PageFlakes itself was wonderfully simple), I confess that my shallow and fickle Web 2.0 consumerism would see me migrate!

Foundations, intentions, expressions

2006-12-17T23:30:00.000-08:00

I've been reading some of Steven M. Cahn's The philosophical foundations of education, a collection of essays from philosophers ranging from Plato to Locke, Dewey to Russell. I won't have time to finish it before I have to return it to the College of Education (I got up to p.146 - part way through Locke - out of 424), but it has prompted my thinking and hence this post!

In his introducton to his extract from Locke's 'Some thoughts concerning education', Cahn remarks as follows:

"As was pointed out earlier, philosophy of education involves discussion of the aims of education within the context of metaphysical, epistemological, moral, and political considerations. If an author treats these considerations sketchily or not at all, it is misleading to refer to his [sic] work as a philosophy of education." (1970:133).

This statement, supplemented with my foray into Locke's work, prompted the title of this post. Knight (1998), in his Philosophy and education 3rd ed., likewise establishes metaphysics and epistemology as two elements of a highly comprehensive treatment of philosophy (which might be too comprehensive for my purposes, but that will be a later post!), including axiology as a third element of the content contribution to philosophy.

Anyway, Cahn's four elements might be thought to contribute to the foundation of education. From this philosophical foundation, be it stated or otherwise, we draw our intentions for education. And it is our intentions that determine our expressions of education, and what we measure our expressions against. This is a working model for the consideration of DE and e-learning in Christian education.

At this stage my impression is that I will find a rich philosophy of education from CE literature. Knight's work already provides that to a certain extent, and there are other books on my shelf waiting to round of his work. DE and e-learning literature is awash with intention and expression, and expression, respectively. I will need to be careful to emphasise those CE works that focus on intention and expression, and likewise those DE and e-learning works that aim to provide some sort of foundation (such works do actually exist in DE, but they are rare; Otto Peters's work comes to mind, as do the early writings of Borge Holmberg who once even sat in my office!)

Cahn, S.M. (1970). The philosophical foundations of education. New York: Harper International.

Right at the start

2006-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a blog for PhD musings. It's gonna be pretty empty for a while, but soon the emerging perspectives will start dribbling in.

Why the title?

Christian Education and IT (e-learning actually) s. Thought I'd better claim the blogname while it was available. Also, 'credits' implies the currency of future exchange - at least it did in 2000AD comics in the early 80s.

My thesis is still emerging, but essentially I aim to explore the 'fit' between Christian education and distance and e-learning. This will involve an in-depth analysis of philosophy of education (both generally and specifically to Christian education), and an examination of the underpinning values of distance education and e-learning as two parallel streams. I will then explore common ground between the two and attempt to establish some sort of DE/E-l framework for Christian education. Quite straightforward to describe here, but I do anticipate some messiness. As I progress I am certain that I will find some unexplored territory to hack away at with an academia-tipped machete, made of literature-reinforced stainless objectivity. At the moment Web 2.0 and networked learning seem like interesting gaps on the Christian education map, but I am yet to explore literature thoroughly.

Anyway, a new blog is born! It is likely to be a gestation of some years though...