Profound Learning and Transformative Learning: Characteristics and Comparisons

This exploratory, theoretical study develops the concept of profound learning through a mutual interrogation of the literature and research of transformative learning

End-of-Life Caregivers and Profound Learning: A Grounded Theory Study

This study developed a deeper understanding of profound learning as experienced by volunteer end-of-life caregivers. This paper shares preliminary results of the study, including the following findings: Kinds of Knowledges; Tools; Engages the Human Condition; Relational

Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge and Continuous Improvement

The aim of this review was to conceptualize continuous and lifelong learning within Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge framework to explore individual learning processes occurring over time

Conceptualizing An Abundance Mentality and Its Relationship to Lifelong Learning, Human Flourishing, and Profound Learning

The purpose of this exploratory literature review is to describe and continue to develop the concept of an abundance mentality and how it relates to lifelong learning, human flourishing, and profound learning

Izkušnje učiteljev v javnem šolstvu s prodornim učenjem

Teachers play a fundamental role in the democratic process by forming an educated populace. Of our many different expectations of teachers, teacher-as-lifelong-learner is among the most neglected. Our basic research questions are: what are teachers’ perceptions of profound learners and profound learning experiences. Through an in-depth focus group with public school teachers, the purpose of this study was to build our understanding of teachers-as-learners by exploring these two questions. Based on this research, the qualities of a profound learning experience include: growing, emotive, disruptive, real, irreversible, either positive or negative, social, opening, and surprising. Profound learners, according to themes which emerged: have depth of thought, are emotionally wise, take life seriously, are adventurous in thought and deed, are unbounded, and are humble. Through a constructivist lens, these qualities direct us to the following findings: profound learning is non-dualistic and holistic, is a cumulative process, and is integral to the complex role of structural identity.Učitelji so bistvenega pomena za demokratični proces, saj oblikujejo izobraženo prebivalstvo. Od številnih pričakovanj, ki jih imamo do učiteljev, je učitelj-kot-vseživljenjski-učenec med najbolj zapostavljenimi. Osrednji raziskovalni vprašanji tega prispevka sta, kako učitelji dojemajo učence in kako izkušnjo prodornega učenja. Namen študije je bil bolje razumeti učitelje-kot-učence, in sicer na podlagi podatkov ciljne skupine učiteljev v javnem šolstvu in osredotočenosti na zgornji dve vprašanji. Raziskava je pokazala, da izkušnjo prodornega učenja zaznamujejo naslednje značilnosti: rastoče, čustveno, pretresljivo, pristno, nespremenljivo, ali pozitivno ali negativno, družabno, odpirajoče in presenetljivo. Znotraj procesa prodornega učenja in glede na teme, ki se pojavijo, učenci kažejo globino misli in čustveno inteligenco, življenje jemljejo resno, so pustolovski v mislih in dejanjih, so neomejeni in skromni. S konstruktivističnega vidika nas te lastnosti usmerjajo k naslednjim ugotovitvam: prodorno učenje je nedualistično in holistično, je kumulativen proces in je osrednjega pomena z vidika kompleksne vloge strukturalne identitete

The Effect of Theological Education on the Spiritual Formation of the Women of a Local Church

This thesis project seeks to utilize seven weeks of theological training and spiritual discipline practices to facilitate the spiritual formation of the adult female members of Christ the Foundation Church (CFC). The aim is to develop Christians that are hearers and doers of God’s Word. Consequently, equipping them for the Kingdom task assigned to every follower of Christ, recorded in Matthew 28:18-20. Qualitative research with a sample size of 10 participants was conducted. A pretest/post-test questionnaire was used to assess spiritual growth. Bloom’s educational model taxonomy was employed for intervention evaluation. Exposure to sound theology, spiritual formation practices, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit propels the participants toward Christlikeness. The importance of this thesis project can only be understood in light of the Church’s mission. The Church of Christ is mandated to disciple and equip the believers to participate in spreading the Gospel of God’s Kingdom. This equipping involves the development of believers with sound biblical/theological knowledge and with a heart that gravitates toward being Christlike

SPIRITUAL MENTORING DURING EMERGING ADULTHOOD: A DYADIC PERSPECTIVE

Mentoring relationships have long been identified as a valuable means for supporting identity development in young adults and assisting these individuals in navigating life transitions. The guidance and stability afforded by mentoring relationships can be particularly beneficial to individuals undergoing transitions in their personal or professional lives, or both, and are thus well-suited to play a meaningful role in the lives of emerging adults. Emerging adults are also in a unique developmental stage in which they experience increased freedom and opportunity for exploration away from parents and guardians. While this freedom often results in increased risky behavior, it also allows for exploration and evaluation of moral systems and religious beliefs- a process that is at times accomplished alongside a mentor. However, existing mentoring research is largely directed towards three types of mentoring relationships (adolescent, academic, and vocational) and the spiritual mentoring of emerging adults is infrequently addressed. It is even more rare to find research on the influence of spiritual mentors and the ways mentors may be impacted by spiritual mentoring. Guided by the broader mentoring literature and Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, the current quantitative study aims to better understand spiritual mentoring relationships and their reciprocal influence on mentors and mentees through the actor-partner interdependence model. The study was conducted using data gleaned from 189 spiritual mentoring pairs. Respondents were obtained through convenience and snowball sampling methods that consistent of contacting colleges, campus organizations, and college ministries across the country that help facilitate spiritual mentoring relationships. Overall, numerous factors from both mentee and mentors’ perspectives that were associated with higher levels of mentee relationship quality, instrumental support, psychosocial support, and mentor relationship quality are detailed. Additionally, a preliminary investigation of the impact of mentee perceptions of psychosocial support, instrumental support, and mentor and mentee relationship quality on mentor and mentee outcomes revealed potential improvements in spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, religious commitment, spiritual modeling self-efficacy, and forms of well-being. Consistencies with, and deviations from, findings in the larger mentoring literature are discussed and examined in light of the distinctiveness of spiritual mentoring relationships. This study serves as an initial and unique investigation into the dyadic nature of spiritual mentoring relationships and highlights numerous factors that may enhance relationship quality, instrumental support, and psychosocial support. Although much of the mentoring literature emphasizes mentee perspectives and outcomes, this study corroborates existing evidence that both mentees and mentors stand to benefit in meaningful ways from engaging in spiritual mentoring relationships. The necessity of considering both mentee and mentor perspectives is also underscored by the numerous partner effects uncovered in the current work, and the reciprocal dynamics likely underlying the relationships that were explored. Theoretically relevant, but less-studied factors like mentee and mentor perceptions of the other’s motivation and credibility-enhancing displays were demonstrated to be important considerations in spiritual mentoring relationship research. Additional implications of these findings include improved insight for spiritual mentees and mentors, preliminary evidence of the impact of spiritual mentoring relationships, and potential guidance and direction for facilitators of spiritual mentoring relationships

How a Balanced Christian Message in Film Can Inspire Christ-Like Transformation

This thesis will attempt to examine the need for a balanced Christian message in film and how everyday acts of the Christian faith can inspire Christ-like transformation within society. This thesis will also explore the importance of developing faith and spiritual disciplines through the creative screenplay, All Hail the Hoodlums. Throughout history, living as a faithful Christian and practicing spiritual disciplines can appear to go directly against society’s natural flow as belief in a Creator oppose man’s selfishness and sinful nature. Seemingly, society at large currently projects that believing in a Monotheistic and Triune God and having a deep personal relationship with something “spiritual” is preposterous (Carr-Chellman, 2017). Furthermore, the word “discipline” also distinguishes the wildly popular worldview of “do whatever makes you happy” as it requires doing hard and resilient practices which benefits are not immediately seen (Young, 2012). While faith is common in society and there are seemingly churches on every corner, deep acts of faith like spiritual disciplines can seem rare and even rarer in film. Through the creative screenplay All Hail the Hoodlums, this thesis will attempt to showcase the importance of a balanced Christian message and elements of the Christian life for the purpose of sparking transformation in the Lord, personal development, and growth within audience members with a fun, action-packed historical drama and project. This thesis project will also aim to showcase how movies, documentaries, and television shows allow for natural creative expression to display a message or present an acute awareness of an issue, including the Gospel message. There is power in film, and there is power in believers who strengthen their relationship with God through core practices like prayer, serving, and giving. By using creative screenplays and films as strategic tools to showcase spiritual disciplines and a realistic look at a relationship with Christ, the Gospel message could seemingly reach a broader audience. With this in mind, while the screenplay All Hail the Hoodlums is not an exclusively Christian film, spiritual disciplines and solid faith practices are heavily intertwined within the subtext of the creative screenplay, indicating its value within the thesis project

'Does it matter where you pray?':Relating Christian spiritualities to theologies of place

This thesis explores how Christian lived experience of place impacts a person’s prayer life. As an empirical project in Practical Theology, it contributes to the growth of academic interest in place and placelessness in society, and in the development of theologies of place and the missional placemaking role of the church. The primary aim is to evaluate the relationship between place and prayer by investigating the effect places have on prayer both individually and corporately. Whilst prayer is central to a study of Christian spiritualities, adequate scholarly attention has not been given to how prayer specifically relates to place. The contention in environmental psychology is that places are of vital importance to our sense of identity and well-being. This research assesses the parallel contention that places are also of vital importance in our encounters with God. This assessment includes a critique of John Inge’s threefold relational view of place. The research context is Abbey Baptist Church located within the precinct of the ruined medieval Abbey of Reading. This church’s missional strapline includes the phrase, ‘a place of prayer.’ This research explores what it means for a church to be a place of prayer and how the experience of historic sacred places influences the practice of prayer. This qualitative research in theology and practice employs an ethnographic and phenomenological approach to the methodology based on the Praxis model of theological reflection. Insights from lived experience are dialogued with Scripture, Christian spirituality genealogies and church denominational traditions. An integrated theology of place and prayer that includes time is developed by introducing the concept of ordained, contested and missional places of prayer. While historic sacred places are important in Christian spirituality, place is less significant for prayer. In conclusion, I challenge the privatisation of prayer and call for a renewal of corporate prayer