Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses

From public to private, non-sectarian to faith-based institutions, this book describes the best ways to teach introductory courses in theology and religion. The author's research data from 533 introductory courses yields concrete, useful information about student goals, student learning, and effective pedagogical methods. Offers practical, realistic, research-based guidance for faculty and graduate students, incorporating the practices of highly-effective teachers Looks at key topics, such as how to establish and communicate with students about learning goals, what kinds of student development to expect, how to construct effective assignments, how to manage the paper load, and how to ensure that students are prepared for class Includes case studies of theology and religious studies courses at various institutions both public and private, including large and small classes, in subjects as diverse as World Religions, Introduction to Religion, Bible, and Theology.

Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. Faculty and Student Goals for Learning: The Great Divide. 2. Were the Goals Met? Students’ Academic and Spiritual Development. 3. Pedagogies: What Influenced Student Learning?. 4. Case Studies: Large Classes. 5. Case Studies: Small Classes in World Religions, Introduction to Religion. 6. Case Studies: Small Classes in Theology, Bible, Christian Formation. Appendix A: Faculty Demographics. Appendix B: Student Demographics. Appendix C: IDEA Surveys. Appendix D: Discipline-Specific Surveys Administered to Highly Effective Classes. Appendix E: Choosing Highly-Effective Faculty. Appendix F: Data Tally for Highly-Effective Classes. Appendix G: Prompts for Student In-Class Reflections. Appendix H: Suggestions for Leading Faculty Workshops. References. Index