Instructional Reflections

Over the last several months I have been reflecting on pedagogy or more precisely andragogy - the teaching of adults. Having taught for over twenty years at the undergraduate and graduate level I find myself increasing frustrated by the learning-teaching process. As an educator, this is okay. What I find frustrating is how both the understanding of teaching and learning are changing.

Sadly, when I began teaching the focus was on conveying data to students so that they could accurately recall it on an exercise. Yes, the students were to develop their reading skills, ability to communicate and critical thinking skills. Those things were generally "caught".

Over the years my understanding of teaching morphed to where I saw myself as mentoring students into a field of study. This shift in focus to mentoring was accompanied by a renewed interest in the learning process. Mentoring students into the field of biblical studies is different than teaching General Education survey courses. How do you assist students to develop a knowledge base so that they learn to evaluate, think, engage and make decisions as an educator?

• Define what it means to be competent - what is a sufficient knowledge base so that our understanding of the educational process is clear and one is able to clearly communicate?
• Learn how to ask the right types of questions - What are good questions and how ought they be framed? (Challenge: students are socialized into asking certain kinds of questions in a certain contexts?)
• Diagnosis a situation is accurately - What is taking place?
• Develop a biblically and theologically consistent instructional strategy - Will the approach build up the body of Christ and foster unity in the faith?

Teaching for data transfer, in the early years, was much easier. Mentoring students into a field of study is much more difficult and challenging.