Education Commons^™

Religion’S Transformative Role In African Education: A Zambian Perspective, Brendan P. Carmody

Zambia Social Science Journal

Although religion forms part of the educational curriculum in much of sub-Saharan Africa, its nature and role tend to be greatly restricted. By way of taking the situation at the University of Zambia (UNZA) as a case study, it will be argued that the teaching of religion as more truly conceptualized, as well as a person-centred pedagogy, can make a distinctive contribution and realize some of its transformative potential. This may provide a more appropriate paradigm for much needed transformative education in the region.

Accounting For The Shift Towards ‘Multifaith’ Religious Education In Zambia, 1964 -2017, Nelly Mwale, Joseph C. Chita, Austin M. Cheyeka

Zambia Social Science Journal

This article sheds light on the factors that contributed to the development of ‘multifaith’ Religious Education (RE) in Zambia after 1964. Our analysis makes a contribution to the discourse on inter-religious RE in Zambia by demonstrating how Zambia became a multifaith society, a context in which political statements and ideologies have influenced the framing of the aim, and selection of, the content of the subject. Research for this article consisted of interviews with Christian missionaries who shared with us their involvement in developing, teaching and evaluating standards of the teaching of RE. We also carried out an appraisal of literature …

Aquinas On Inclusion: Using The Good Doctor And Catholic Social Teaching To Build A Moral Case For Inclusion In Catholic Schools For Children With Special Needs, Mary Carlson

Journal of Catholic Education

This article discusses the present status of students with disabilities in Catholic schools. It then builds the case, based upon the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and Catholic Social Teaching, that Catholic Schools, to remain true to Church teachings, must offer special educational services. The article concludes with recommendations for research and practice related to inclusion in Catholic schools.

Résumé
St Thomas d’Aquin sur l’inclusion scolaire : Montrer le bien-fondé moral de l’inclusion des enfants handicapés dans les écoles catholiques en utilisant l’enseignement du docteur de la foi et de la doctrine sociale catholique

Cet article évoque le statut actuel …

Editors' Introduction, Mary K. Mccullough, Ph.D., Martin Scanlan, Karen Huchting

Journal of Catholic Education

Introduction to the new issue.

Letter To The Editor: A Response To Dr. Teresa Terhaar’S “The Task And Role Of Theater”, John Schuurman

Pro Rege

Response to "The Task and Role of Theatre" by Teresa TerHaar, Pro Rege vol. 42, pp. 34-39. (March 2014).

From Defending Theism To Discerning Spirits: Reconceiving The Task Of Christian Philosophy, Neal Deroo

Pro Rege

Dr. Neal DeRoo presented this paper at a joint meeting of the Society for Christian Philosophers and the Society for Continental Philosophy and Theology, held at Trinity College, June 2014. The topic of the meeting was, "What is Christian Philosophy," celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the publication of Alvin Plantinga's landmark essay "Advice to Christian Philosophers."

Poythress’S Trinitarian Logic: A Review Essay, Calvin Jongsma

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: Vern Sheridan Poythress. Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought. Crossway, 2013. 733 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4335-3229-0.

Jake Van Wyk’S Angels And Beasts -- An Art Exhibition: No Holds Barred, David Versluis

Pro Rege

David Versluis wrote this paper to celebrate the final art exhibition of Jake Van Wyk, Professor of Art at Dordt College.

The History, Nature And Future Of Faith-Informed Research In English Language Teaching, Mary Shepard Wong

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

Although scholarship on Christian faith and education is well established (see Bleistein, Wong, & Smith, 2013), research of Christian faith and English language teaching (ELT) is just starting to emerge. As the recent volume edited by Wong, Kristjánsson, and Dörnyei (2013) demonstrated, what started as a debate on the dilemmas of imperialism in Christian missions (Wong & Canagarajah, 2009a), “has enlarged to include empirical studies that demonstrate the importance of faith to the motivation of language learners, the impact of faith on ELT pedagogical approaches, and the significance of faith for teachers’ professional identity formations” (Bleistein, Wong, & Smith 2013, …

Front Matter

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

No abstract provided.

Editorial: Welcome To The Ijc&Elt!, Michael Lessard-Clouston, Xuesong (Andy) Gao

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

No abstract provided.

Is English A Force For Good Or Bad?, Kitty B. Purgason

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

A survey of university students in China and Kuwait asked for their opinions about the effects of English on various aspects of their life and world: personal character and morals, material well-being, spiritual or religious development, family ties, local social change, international peace or conflict, and international interpersonal harmony. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Both the literature review and specific comments by some respondents suggest positive effects of English that can be encouraged and negative ones that may be countered through language policy, curriculum and materials, or classroom teachers. I also offer suggestions for future research and classroom teachers.

Addressing Reconciliation In The Esl Classroom, Michael K. Westwood

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

The extent to which teachers’ spiritual identities should inform their pedagogy has been a topic of much discussion among TESOL professionals. Under particular scrutiny have been Christian English teachers (CET), whose faith can be disconcerting to a multicultural field that strongly values diversity. Meanwhile, another conversation continues regarding ways in which language teaching can be used as a means of promoting social justice and global citizenship. This article attempts to add to these conversations by proposing that reconciliation should be addressed in the classroom and by suggesting that it is a topic of interest to both CET and others who …

Reviews, Jan Edwards Dormer, William Acton, Marilyn Lewis

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

No abstract provided.

Faith And Pedagogy: Five Voices From Japan, Paul Wicking

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

Despite a recent increase in research into the relationship between faith and practice in ELT, the ways in which actual Christian teachers make meaning of their faith through pedagogy remains largely unexplored. There is little empirical data about the ways in which witnessing and evangelism are (or are not) conducted through English classes. The present study is an analysis of interview data collected from five evangelical Christian teachers living and working in Japan. The participants vary considerably in age and teaching context, yet all share a strong religious faith and a desire to express it through their profession. Each participant …

Nonnative English-Speaking Teachers’ Self-Perceived Language Proficiency Levels, Anxieties, And Learning Strategies, Hiromi Takahashi

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

Research suggests that nonnative English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) suffer anxiety because of their self-perceived inadequate language ability. This paper reports on an online survey of 63 NNESTs and teacher trainees in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings that investigated the participants’ perceived language abilities and their approaches to anxiety and language learning. The results reveal that more than half of the participants were content with their overall language abilities although their levels of contentment varied with distinct skills. The survey results also indicate a complex relationship between NNESTs’ perceived language proficiency levels and …

Entire Issue

International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching

No abstract provided.

Task And Role Of Theatre, Teresa Terhaar

Pro Rege

This paper is part of a larger work, “Four Year Articulation Paper,” which chronicles Dr. Teresa TerHaar’s faith and academic journey.

Faithful Education And Healthy Community: Some Thoughts On Education For A Kingdom Perspective, Daniel K. Chinn

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

With the approach of the 2014 ICCTE conference at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, ON, Canada, (we are still accepting proposals and registration), excitement tends to be a prelude to this issue. As manuscripts arrived, and were reviewed a common theme emerged for this issue. The theme probed faithful practice from a secure spiritual identity while navigating post and post-postmodern landscapes in the realm of education. Our final founding paper from reprints of the first published works following an ICCTE conference, explores this within the scope of 14 years prior. Our newer submissions build upon aspects of that discussion.

Researching The Teaching Context: Faithful Practice, Geoff Beech

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Christian teachers are called to a teaching practice that is biblically grounded or based on a biblical world and life view, but can the same imperative be applied to those wishing to conduct research in Christian education contexts? This paper considers one approach to qualitative methodologies that considers the ultimate goal of truth-seeking in research in the sciences to be a deeply religious activity. The ultimate goal of biblically grounded research is proposed as being greatest-commandment driven, and to accomplish this, an epistemological base that is holistic and relational is proposed. This epistemology moves from a biblically oriented sense of …

The Postmodern Paradox: How The Christian Scholar Has Both Declined And Thrived As A Result Of Postmodernism’S Influence In Higher Education, Patrick Otto, Lani M. Malcolm

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The Christian scholar faces an interesting paradox concerning postmodernism’s influence in higher education (Edlin, 2009). One of the key components of the modernism paradigm was the ability for humans to reason (Pells, 2007). Universities were based largely on a model in which young adults were expected to first acquire knowledge, principles, and skills, and then later apply that which was learned to their career ambitions, citizenship, or professional development (Willis, 1995). But in the 1960s and 1970s, higher education began to face increasing social pressure as the ideas of modernism associated with knowledge acquisition, power, and authority came under scrutiny …

Book Review: Heart Deep Teaching, Heekap Lee

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Teaching has been and continues to be “the most universal and appreciated role of the Christian ministry through the ages” (Nouwen, 1971, p. 10). However, the teaching in churches has not made a positive impact on the young. According to Ham and Hillard (2009, p. 31), over 60% of children who grow up in the church will leave it as young adults. Christian churches need to understand the Gospel’s call to develop human potential to the fullest through what Newton terms heart-deep teaching.

How should Christians in vocations respond to this situation? As the author of this review and …

Book Review: The Shaping Of An Effective Leader, Glen Green

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The Shaping of an Effective Leader has been fundamentally encouraging to me in the area of leadership because I have been fortunate enough to be a recipient of the leadership of the author. Serving on my dissertation committee, Gayle Beebe encouraged me to development a Christian theology of suffering. He recommended reading the works of Diogenes Allen, Lawrence Bowker, Herbert Lockyear, Henri Nouwen, as well as others. In our meetings to discuss these works, it did not take long for me to discover that I was in the presence of one of the most Christlike individuals I had ever encountered. …

Letter From The Editor, Christina Belcher

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Col. 1:17 – He [Christ] is before all things, and in him all things hold together (NIV).

At the time of virtually penning this letter, I am eagerly anticipating being able to meet many of you at the ICCTE conference this May 28-31 at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, Ontario. The theme of this conference is Faithful Presence and Practice,which flows from the verse cited above. Our pre-conference session with Dr. Ken Badley on writing for publication is wonderful, and I highly recommend it to you as well as the full conference session.

Non-Believing Students At A Christian Tertiary Institution: What Drew Them, What They Expected, And What They Found, Ruth Smith

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Many Christian tertiary educators share a passion to see holistic transformation in students’ lives. This qualitative study grew out of the desire to explore whether students who are not Christ-followers, but who apply to study within an overtly Christian context, experience such change. It investigated why they chose to apply, their initial expectations, the positives and challenges of their lived experiences, and self-perceptions of any holistic change. While geographical proximity appeared to be the strongest motivator, many did experience holistic change during their time of study. The most daunting challenge appeared to be the biblical critique required in assignment and …

Eating Baby Food Or Eating Meat? Student Voices On The “Everyday” Use Of Powerpoint In University Teaching, Christina Belcher, Kimberly Maich

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This research study centres on the use of PowerPoint in university classes. It poses the question: How do students perceive PowerPoint specifically and technology overall impacting their university experiences as a process for learning, as an element of social community building and as a worldview lens for examining and critiquing their world? In a qualitative ethnographic narrative, based on the work of Dorothy Smith, student voices in the everyday are heard in order to provide insider perceptions on the key question. Twenty-four volunteer participants signed consent to engage in focus groups flowing from 3, twenty-one hour face-to-face courses. These courses …

Academic College Readiness Indicators Of Seniors Enrolled In University-Model Schools® And Traditional, Comprehensive Christian Schools, Sharon Brobst

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This correlational study examined the relationship between type of high school a senior attends (University-Model School® [UMS®] or traditional, comprehensive Christian) and academic college readiness, when controlling for prior academic achievement and gender. The study compared archival data of Christian school students from six Texas schools. The Stanford-10 controlled for prior academic achievement. SAT and ACT scores measured academic college readiness. Results of three sequential multiple regressions, controlling for confounding, found school type to be a statistically significant predictor for the SAT Composite score, but not for the SAT Writing score or the ACT Composite score. Although the UMS® seniors …

Exploring Spirituality In Teaching Within A Christian School Context Through Collaborative Action Research, Alaster Gibson

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This article reports on a collaborative action research project conducted in New Zealand, during 2012, exploring spirituality in teaching within a Christian school context. The experienced primary school teacher participant chose to take action around the issue of personal fear and insecurity which were believed to be hindering professional growth and relationships. Through self-directed inquiry, critical reflective journaling, Bible study, fellowship and prayer with trusted friends, the teacher experienced a renewed sense of peace and freedom in Christ. This personal transformation was believed to be influential on subsequent professional practice, assisting the teacher to become more relational, responsive and compassionate. …

Developing Servant-Leaders Through Service-Learning At A Southwest Christian University: A Quasi-Experimental Study., D. B. Meinecke

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"this study investigated the effectiveness of service-learning as pedagogy for developing servant-leaders. Participants included 97 students at a faith-based southwest christian university. Fifty-seven of the participants were enrolled in a 15-week servicelearning course (experimental group) and 40 participants were enrolled in similar non-service-learning courses (comparison group). all participants completed the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ) as a pretest and posttest during the semester. Demographic information was collected in order to determine the participants’ age, gender, grade level, major, previous leadership training, and previous number of service-learning courses. Findings indicated that a student’s major or group (experimental or comparison) made no significant …