Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses » (1st Edition)

Barbara Walvoord is Professor Emerita at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. She founded and directed teaching and learning centers at Notre Dame and at three other institutions, including public and private. She has consulted and led workshops on teaching and learning at more than 300 institutions of higher education and at dozens of national conferences. Her publications include Academic Departments: How They Flourish, How They Change (2001), Assessment Clear and Simple: A Guide for Institutions, Departments, and General Education (2004), Effective Grading: A Tool for Learning and Assessment (1998), and Helping Students Write Well: A Guide for Teachers in All Disciplines (1982, revised edition 1986).

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.

Acknowledgments     vi
Introduction     1
Faculty and Student Goals for Learning: The Great Divide     13
Were the Goals Met? Students' Academic and Spiritual Development     56
Pedagogies: What Influenced Student Learning?     82
Case Studies: Large Classes     99
Case Studies: Small Classes in World Religions, Introduction to Religion     131
Case Studies: Small Classes in Theology, Bible, Christian Formation     160
Faculty Demographics     209
Student Demographics     212
IDEA Surveys     215
Discipline-Specific Surveys Administered to Highly-Effective Classes     221
Choosing Highly-Effective Faculty     238
Data Tally for Highly-Effective Classes     240
Prompts for Student In-Class Reflections     243
Suggestions for Leading Faculty Workshops     245
References     248
Index     251