Overview of Learning Theories (Chapter 1 of Faith-Based Education that Constructs)

Virtually everyone would agree that the role of the school is to help students learn. The school, as an institution of education, must incorporate a sense of morality or values. This said, the methods of incorporating morality and values into education vary. This chapter explores three of the most common learning theories of the last fifty years: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Each section will take a brief glance at the history, background, and definition of each of the theories. Then, the chapter will turn to the strengths and weaknesses of each of the theories, illuminating their role in supporting students\u27 learning. In addition, we will examine how these specific learning theories can be combined with faith in the classroom, in the home-school environment, and in other educational settings. Table 1.1 offers a summary of the three learning theories discussed in this chapter

A Case for Student Teacher Placement as Preparation for Future Urban Educators

Do schools of education effectively train young, white, and middle-class teacher candidates to work in urban classrooms? How can schools of education prepare teachers and future teachers for classrooms that are diverse in terms of race/ethnicity, nationality, social class, language and other differences (Nieto, 2004) Classrooms that used to be homogeneous are now diverse, yet the predominant face and gender of the teacher has remained the same. Dramatic inequalities exist in the access that students around the globe have to an excellent, high quality education; inequalities that are lamentably too frequently based on race, social class, language, and other differences (Orfield, 2001). Using data from a descriptive survey, this paper will draw from the experience of eleven teacher candidates in racially diverse urban elementary schools through their first year of teaching to provide recommendations for future program improvements to strengthen existing teacher education programs internationally. Using both qualitative surveys and descriptive statistics, this research strives to answer the question of how to educate the strongest teacher candidates for urban classrooms worldwide

Teaching for a Multifaith World; From Bubble to Bridge: Educating Christians for a Multifaith World

Similar but different is the metaphor to describe both multifaith books reviewed here—similar in that both are exploring the many facets of how to live in our multifaith world today, and different because the books are written for different audiences and ages. Teaching for a Multifaith World, edited by Eleazar S Fernandez, is written for an audience of seminarians. The language is pastoral and the book is a compilation from writers from many well-respected seminaries across the United States. The title of the book implies that this might be a textbook in a course within a religious studies program. From Bubble to Bridge, written by Marion Larson and Sara Shady, with several coauthors, may more likely be used more broadly, from senior capstone courses in Christian universities to churchbased small-group studies. Both books focus on issues within the United States, and some of the views could be carried to other developed countries outside the USA. Neither book is mission-oriented or directly intended for use in conversion of people to the Christian faith

A Treatise on Diversity in a Dominant Culture University

The authors examine progress in strengthening the Diversity agenda in a school of education within a private Christian university. This agenda is informed by external academic accrediting organizations and principles of social justice congruent with the historical roots of the university. Special emphasis is placed on the unique challenges of confronting how privilege manifests itself in seemingly homogeneous environments. The ultimate goal of the authors is to promote moving beyond cosmetic compliance with accreditation obligations towards a metabolized second order change reflecting internal paradigm shifts in which social justice is a central motivating factor in one’s vocation

Building a Sustainable Model for Developing Digital Fluency in Higher Education Faculty on a Shoestring Budget

Building on experience with a campus digital fluency initiative, a sustainable professional development model has been developed that is transferable to mentoring the next generation of leaders in many areas in higher education. Data from four years of faculty development in digital fluency will be shared along with how to get buy-in from administration and motivation for faculty to change current teaching styles to incorporate more technology into existing pedagogy

Digital Fluency Initiative and Faculty Development

A faculty-led peer mentoring program integrating education technologies and complementary pedagogies to facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes

A Peer Training Model to Promote Digital Fluency Among University Faculty: Program Components & Initial Efficacy Data

The Digital Fluency Initiative: A faculty-led peer mentoring program integrating education technologies and complementary pedagogies to facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes

From Cosmetic to Metabolized Change: Promoting Paradigm Shifts in a Dominant Culture University

The authors provide three case examples modeling the implementation of the Diversity agenda in a school of education within a private Christian university. The second article in a series, the case studies demonstrate contextual application of confronting privilege as it manifests itself in a seemingly homogeneous environment. As the authors document programmatic, personal, and pedagogical methods informed by principles of social justice and equity, the intent is to move beyond cosmetic compliance with accreditation obligations towards a metabolized second order change within students and faculty