A Biblical Model for Professional Development to Transform Teaching Practices

In the past, professors have always taught as they were taught, but this needs to change, Why? Due to the fact that the majority of professors completed their graduate degrees in a non-Adventist institution of higher learning. So if they teach like they are taught, they won’t be teaching from an Adventist Christian worldview. In addition, the changing student demographics along with the infusion of technology into our daily lives is providing the tools and an opportunity for professors to teach differently than they were taught. Three main changes professors are facing today include: the professorate expectations, a different student body, and the changing nature of teaching. Each of these factors alone would encourage change, but added together they will require change. How will this happen and who will help professors make this transformational change which will lead to increased learning? This paper will describe a need for professional development specifically developed to meet the needs of professors hired to teach in Adventist Christian Institutions of Higher Learning, a model intentionally developed on a biblical foundation. These professional development activities must include opportunities for professors to learn how to develop their own courses on a biblical foundation with an emphasis on the Adventist Christian worldview. This professional development model for use in Adventist Christian Institutions of Higher Education will build professional development opportunities on Psalm 25:4-5, “Show me your ways (model), O Lord; teach me in your paths (teach). Guide me in your truth (mentor) and teach me. For you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you (reflect). This text highlights: model, teach, mentor, and reflect, research based best practices for professional development (McQuiggan, 2012). These professional development strategies will also reflect Jesus as the master developer of people

The Development of a Higher Education Biblical Foundation Course Design Model

Every course at a Seventh-day Adventist (Adventist) institution of higher education should be qualitatively different from the same or similar course at a secular institution. They should also be different from a similar course taught at another Christian university. There are fundamental differences in Adventist beliefs that should influence the way Adventists view life and through which the disciplines are approached to form a unique and distinctive Adventist biblical worldview. Professors come to academia as experts in their discipline; however, because they are not generally educated in teaching theory, they often bring little understanding of course development, let alone course development from an Adventist biblical worldview foundation. Unable to locate an existing course design model built on an Adventist biblical foundation, the authors created one founded on learning theory research and supports such a foundation. The model created by the authors assists professors as they support students in not only becoming knowledgeable in the content, but more importantly becoming committed, faithful Seventh-day Adventist professionals with a clearly defined biblical worldview. Teaching from a biblically based, well-articulated Biblical Course Concept that is linked to biblical examples of stories and teachings along with the use of active learning strategies to introduce the academic knowledge and processes of the course will change the way professors teach. While this Biblical Foundation Course Design Model may sound simple in theory, it requires a strong commitment from professors, support from deans, department chairs, and administrators, along with professional development education. The model is not a cookie-cutter approach; instead, it challenges professors to think differently about the biblical worldview as it relates to their course content knowledge and course development. Therefore, professional development activities such as Summer Institutes of Course Design, ongoing faculty study groups, and peer presentations showcasing how professors have incorporated elements of the design into their classrooms or courses, are critical. Financial support from academic administration is necessary to make this change and support possibl