Some Pointed Observations on the Practice of Teaching in Higher Education and Theological Education

Collected by Matthias Drochner, 2011 In a study of 1,800 faculty members of diverse institutions, 90% rated their teaching ability above average. Two other studies report that 99% of the faculty rated their teaching above average. Student ratings of instruction are generally mild and thus support that positive self-image (cited in Gardiner, 1994, p. 57, p. 58, for Higher Education [HEd]). College teaching may be the only skilled profession for which systematic training is neither required nor provided pizza delivery jobs come with more instruction! (Felder, 2004, p. 41, for HEd). It is fascinating to observe how the teachers teach. The fact of the matter is that they teach and examine the same way they have taught and examined for centuries (Kollar, 2005, p. 12, emphasis added; for theological education [ThEd]). Do you know Dr. N.? Last week we had invited him to our church to preach. All he talked about in his sermon was where he studied, all the places where he had taught, and how he got his doctorate. It was annoying! (For many years, Dr. N. has been training preachers in homiletics at ABB Bible college.) (Personal conversation, Carlos Torres Chvez, March 28, 2011, for ThEd). Bible School teachers may be theologians, but few are educators! (Coon, 2003, p. 17, emphasis added; for ThEd). With rare exceptions, no one teaches college teachers to teach! They receive training as researchers, join faculties, and enter their classrooms without so much as five seconds of instruction on what to do there (Stice, Felder, Woods, & Rugarcia, 2000, for HEd). In most nations theological schools and churches continue to await a renewal of ministry training that will yield an adequate supply of leaders equipped for effective ministry (Ferris, 2000, pp. 945-946, emphasis added; for ThEd). References Coon, Roger E. (2003, March-April). Equipped, or drilled?: Pastoral training in the third world: Illustrations from Africa. Mission Frontiers, 25(2), 16-17. Felder, Richard M. (2004, Jan.). Teaching engineering at a research university: Problems and possibilities. Educacin Qumica, 15(1), 40-42. Retrieved from www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/TeachEngr(EdQuim).pdf Ferris, Robert W. (2000). Theological education in non-Western contexts. In A. Scott Moreau, Ed., Evangelical dictionary of world missions (pp. 945-950). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. Gardiner, Lion F. (1994). Redesigning higher education: Producing dramatic gains in student

learning. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, No. 7. Washington, DC: George Washington University. Kollar, Nathan R. (2005). Assessing teachers of religion in U.S. post secondary education. Retrieved from ERIC (ED490587), www.eric.ed.gov Stice, James E., Felder, Richard M., Woods, Donald R., & Rugarcia, Armando. (2000). The future of engineering education: IV: Learning how to teach. Chemical Engineering Education, 34(2), 118-127. Prepublication manuscript retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Quartet4.pdf