Christian Higher Education and Students with Diverse Beliefs: Impacts and Challenges

The ethos, mission, and values of Christian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are usually grounded in a biblical worldview. Increasingly, Christian HEIs are attracting students who do not share the faith espoused by the institutions they attend. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of six final-year education students with different belief frameworks to those of the Christian HEI they attended. They were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the transparency of the ethos, mission, and values of the HEI, the impact of the HEI on their lives, and the challenges they faced as students. The data revealed some positive impacts and some challenges for both the students and the Christian HEI and identified an overarching factor that moderated the identified tensions. Introductio

Leading Collaborative Learning: Empowering Excellence

This dual authored book brings together the expertise and experience of educators Sharratt and Planche. Their work contains both theory and practical suggestions for school leaders who wish to maximise learning through creating a collaborative learning culture in their school. The authors recognise that plans and good intentions may not always lead to action and propose a logical and achievable pathway towards purposeful practice

As Light Lingers: Basking in the Word of God

In her recent book, aptly named As Light Lingers: Basking in the Word of God, Nina Atcheson follows many other Christian authors in tackling the topic of how to study the Bible. Atcheson has written this book in a refreshingly honest and sensitive manner. There are many books on how to study the Bible, but I found a number of features set this book apart

Nature-Based Learning in Christian Schools: Essential Element or Optional Extra?

When children commence school, they face thirteen or more years of formal education, most of it within four walls. Outside of school, many children are growing up in a world that offers decreasing opportunities to connect with nature. Advances in technology, changing social structures and urbanisation are factors that limit the time children spend in the natural world. In the face of these changes, the voice of educators advocating for a return to naturebased learning is growing. These champions of nature-based learning cite physical, cognitive, social-emotional, spiritual, and sustainability benefits as their rationale. This article explores the relationship between nature-based learning and the aims of Christian education, with specific reference to student wellbeing, spirituality and stewardship

Pre-Service Teachers\u27 Self-Efficacy and Instructional Tactics: The Impact of Pre-Service Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Self-Efficacy in Relation to Instructional Tactics: A Sequential Study

Research indicates that self-efficacy, a person‟s belief in their own ability to meet certain expectations, can impact on their success. This concept has implications for pre-service teachers who are required to bridge the gap between theory and practice on professional experience sessions. This study aimed to explore pre-service teachers‟ perceptions of factors that influence their instructional self-efficacy. Data were collected from 71 students studying a Bachelor of Education (Primary) course using both qualitative and quantitative research instruments. Focus group (qualitative) transcripts were categorised and themes developed from these categories. Quantitative data was collected from a 50-item questionnaire, exploring their perceptions of their use of classroom planning, communication and management and its impact on their instructional self efficacy. Descriptive statistics for each question and sub-scale were determined and a linear regression was used to identify relationships between sets of independent variables (planning, communication, management), and two dependent variables teaching English and teaching Mathematics). Pre-service teachers identified vicarious and enactive modelling, accompanied by reflection, feedback and a supportive social environment as strong contributors to instructional self-efficacy. In contrast to expectations, they also identified instructional tactics booklets as very useful for increasing instructional self-efficacy. Data from the questionnaire indicated that there is a positive correlation between pre-service teachers‟ perceptions of their ability to manage classes and their instructional self-efficacy in teaching English and Mathematics. It also indicated that different sets of instructional tactics were perceived by pre-service teachers to determine their instructional self-efficacy in teaching various content areas. This study provided significant evidence that the use of specific instructional tactics and quality of pre-service classroom practice can be enhanced significantly by the manner in which the instructional tactics are taught, and may also provide relevant information for structuring practical teaching subjects in the future

The Parable of the Master Teacher: Redemptive Discipline and Biblical Metanarrative

This is a story about a teacher

Revealing Jesus Through Close Encounters in Far Places: How One Bible Lands Study Tour Impacted Christian Educators

The perceptions of educators who participated in a Bible lands study tour were investigated. Using a qualitative research model, participants shared their thoughts before the tour, during it, immediately after and again four years later. Interviews and observations during the tour recorded in-depth and general reactions to experiences. The literature indicates that visits to the Bible lands impact people spiritually. This investigation offers evidence that the participating educators on this study tour perceived spiritual and professional impacts as a result of the tour. They also perceived that after the tour, they were able to reveal Jesus and the biblical narrative with more authenticity, empathy, passion and insight

Education Matters: Readings in Pastoral Care for School Chaplains, Guidance Counsellors and Teachers

This is a review of the book Education Matters: Readings in Pastoral Care for School Chaplains, Guidance Counsellors and Teachers by James O\u27Higgins Norman

Wellbeing Notebook: New Idea or Old Wisdom?

In a series of introductory classes on wellbeing in schools this year, my primary pre-service students and I looked at wellbeing from four different perspectives