Whether the classroom is a university lecture hall, a business conference room, or a church library most people assume the subject matter expert will convey information in such a manner as to aid would be students in the learning process. The expectations relative to the teaching-learning experience rise proportional to the formality and expectations of the environment. Near the high expectation end of this continuum are credit courses at Ivy League universities.
Dan Berrett’s recent article explores the new Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching, a project funded by a $40-million grant to Harvard University. The money will be used for conferences, classroom redesigns, and a grant program to fund selected proposals from within the university. All of the efforts seek to update the teaching and learning experience in light of increased understanding via recent research in a variety of disciplines.
So What?
While all professors are subject matter experts, many did not complete coursework in effective teaching practices. Likewise while most pastors completed considerable academic preparation for ministry, many did not complete coursework in effective teaching practices (especially with adult learners).
- What does your congregation do to help key leaders better understand the teaching and learning environments for ministry with various age groups (children, youth, young adults, etc.) and the congregation as a whole? How is that data fed back in to the system? Are the results of changes measured? If so, how so?
- Has the era of the lecture passed? If so, what type of presentation do you find most effective in the congregational context for material that was traditionally presented in that format? If not, how do you keep learners engaged in lecture classes?