Understanding Bible by Design: Create Courses with Purpose (Seminarium Elements) - Softcover

G. Brooke Lester (author)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1451488793 ISBN 13: 9781451488791

Publisher: Fortress Press, 2014

Synopsis

Today's seminary and religious-education instructors are expected to design and redesign their courses more nimbly than in the past. We have to adapt our courses to novel learning environments, for more diverse learners, toward more diverse vocations. At the same time, institutional rewards for time invested in course design are fewer than ever. Understanding Bible by Designintroduces the reader to UbD: an approach to course design that is proven time-efficient and grounded in the instructor's most closely-held convictions about her subject matter's "big ideas and essential questions." This book's contributors (one in Old Testament, one in New Testament, and one in Jewish Studies) demonstrate the value of UbD for the Biblical Studies instructor, whether at seminary or university, face-to-face or online, from the intimate seminar to the massive MOOC.

Lester's synopsis of course design and suggested action is followed by a collaborative dialogue with Jane S. Webster and Christopher M. Jones. Webster and Jones provide practical commentary regarding the successful implementation of Lester's proposed approaches. As a group, Lester, Webster, and Jones create a text that extend pedagogical innovation in inspiring but practical ways.

About this title

About the Author:

G. Brooke Lester curates and blogs for Seminarium, and blogs also at his own site anumma.com. He is assistant professor of Hebrew Scriptures and director for emerging pedagogies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He coordinates digital learning, guides faculty in recognizing and adopting sound practices, offers innovative digital pedagogy in online and face-to-face courses, and helps craft a vision for Garrett-Evangelical's continuing approaches to digital instruction. He teaches courses in Hebrew Bible and biblical languages. Brooke enjoys backpacking, tae kwon do, and hapkido, also teaching tae kwon do to elementary school students and to youths with special needs.

Review:

"This book is a warm and thoughtful friend to have alongside as you design learning experiences. Brooke does an excellent and accessible job of introducing the 'understanding by design' principles, using his own context of biblical studies as the focus. Chock full of specific examples of rubrics, assignments, and key questions, this book also offers a friendly counterpoint to academe's all-too-frequent dismissal of pedagogical reflection. The book includes not only typical classrooms, but also the challenges to be found when moving the process of teaching and learning into online or hybrid environments. The text offers numerous pragmatic ideas for engaging your students, whether you teach in an undergraduate or graduate, public university or seminary, setting." --Mary E. Hess, Luther Seminary

"Lester and his colleagues explain in clear, engaging terms why professors of biblical studies should invest the time to explore backward course design. Using detailed examples grounded in their own teaching practice, they invite careful attention to focusing on what really matters to enhance student learning. With their fingers on the pulse of contemporary teaching challenges such as multiple time formats and new environments for course delivery, they serve as creative collaborators and guides for both novice and veteran teachers in the field." --Katherine Turpine, Iliff School of Theology

"Don't worry if you are new to the notion of course design, backward design, or understanding by design. If you care about teaching and want to do more than just tweak your syllabi, this exciting volume is for you. Lester, Webster, and Jones offer practical advice on designing courses that reflect your true learning objectives. Intended specifically for biblical studies professors, Understanding Bible by Design far surpasses any one-size-fits-all workshop or professional development seminar on pedagogy. It provides clear, helpful, and user-friendly guidance on designing and implementing innovative teaching in diverse learning environments." --Nyasha Junior, Howard University School of Divinity

"Lester and his colleagues explain in clear, engaging terms why professors of biblical studies should invest the time to explore backward course design. Using detailed examples grounded in their own teaching practice, they invite careful attention to focusing on what really matters to enhance student learning. With their fingers on the pulse of contemporary teaching challenges such as multiple time formats and new environments for course delivery, they serve as creative collaborators and guides for both novice and veteran teachers in the field." --Katherine Turpine, Iliff School of Theology

"Don't worry if you are new to the notion of course design, backward design, or understanding by design. If you care about teaching and want to do more than just tweak your syllabi, this exciting volume is for you. Lester, Webster, and Jones offer practical advice on designing courses that reflect your true learning objectives. Intended specifically for biblical studies professors, Understanding Bible by Design far surpasses any one-size-fits-all workshop or professional development seminar on pedagogy. It provides clear, helpful, and user-friendly guidance on designing and implementing innovative teaching in diverse learning environments." --Nyasha Junior, Howard University School of Divinity

About this edition

• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1451488793
• ISBN 13: 9781451488791
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 136