The benefits of in-class discussion, a form of active learning, are well-documented; in particula... more The benefits of in-class discussion, a form of active learning, are well-documented; in particular, discussions allow students the opportunity to learn from their peers. Yet students often treat discussions as 'down' or 'free' time. If students are not taking notes during discussion and reviewing those notes later on, they may not be learning much from this activity, despite their professed understanding of its value. This article reviews the benefits of discussion and the important functions of note-taking before introducing an online weekly reflection assignment that was designed to motivate students to take notes during discussion, particularly on their peers' contributions. An analysis of past weekly reflection text and survey data from students confirms the utility of the assignment. Intended and unintended benefits of the weekly reflection assignment are shared, as well as its limitations. The conclusion offers suggestions for future areas of research to complement this study.
The site visit (also called “field trips,” “excursions,” even “field research”) is a well-known l... more The site visit (also called “field trips,” “excursions,” even “field research”) is a well-known learning activity in religious studies classrooms. In this article, I will analyze site visits to reveal how ableism is embedded even in educational practices common to religion courses. First, I will provide a brief overview of disability studies, various models of disability, and the pervasive ableism that structures higher education. Next, I will describe the typical conceptions and components of a site visit, as illustrated by real religion syllabi, with consideration of the barriers that it may present for students who ‘deviate’ from the ‘norm.’ I will then introduce some principles of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning, which may give readers ideas and tools for revising and expanding all of their assignments, including site visits. Finally, I will conclude with some (not definitive, admittedly, but specific) ideas for making site visits more inclusive.
Milton Steinberg’s posthumously published novel The Prophet’s Wife retells the story of the proph... more Milton Steinberg’s posthumously published novel The Prophet’s Wife retells the story of the prophet Hosea and his “wife of whoredom,” Gomer. To analyze the novel’s interpretation of the biblical text, the article first reviews the book of Hosea and outlines the concept of “retrieval” in biblical retellings (that is, the restoration of characters overlooked in the Bible). Because Steinberg retrieves Gomer by drawing upon language of sight, body, and beauty, the article turns to the concept of the “male gaze” from film studies. Using this concept, the article examines several key moments of retrieval from the novel, in which Gomer is framed as a beautiful object for male eyes to appraise. What becomes clear is that Gomer’s retrieval in The Prophet’s Wife paradoxically results in her increased exposure to the male gaze. The article culminates in an exploration of this risk, possibly inherent in biblical retellings that retrieve female figures.
One of the most illuminating finds in Barbara E. Walvoord's Teaching and Learning in College Intr... more One of the most illuminating finds in Barbara E. Walvoord's Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses (2008) is what she calls "the great divide," a mismatch between instructors' goals for their courses, which are academic, and the students' reasons for taking them, which relate to their personal interests and development. Motivationor, rather, the lack thereofis not explicitly considered as a potential victim of this mismatch. This article will turn its attention squarely to this issue. First, I will review data about the "great divide" and link them to the common practice of asking our students to bracket the personal when they take our courses. The article will juxtapose this practice with what research tell us about motivation, which will allow us to further explore why the divide Walvoord and others have identified is so problematic. The article will conclude with pedagogical strategies that can help instructors intentionally influence motivation in religion courses. Ultimately, I suggest that we may be doing studentsas well as ourselves, as the purveyors of our disciplinea disservice, if we do not attend to (or, worse, if we actively avoid) what we know motivates students to learn.
This chapter analyzes educational development through the lens of disability studies, exposing co... more This chapter analyzes educational development through the lens of disability studies, exposing commonplace barriers and providing recommendations to ensure those who identify as having a disability are included in programming.
A recent "Quick Fix" in College Teaching offered five strategies for energizing a class through p... more A recent "Quick Fix" in College Teaching offered five strategies for energizing a class through physical activity. Embedded in this "Quick Fix" and other such techniques, however, is a presumption that all students are able-bodied, which may, unintentionally, contribute to the invisible but pervasive ableism that we know students (and instructors) with disabilities encounter routinely-in society and even in higher education. This response to the "Quick Fix" is intended to raise awareness about considerations of disability and to offer a brief introduction of principles of Universal Design (UD), which may help instructors create more inclusive learning activities.
The benefits of in-class discussion, a form of active learning, are well-documented; in particula... more The benefits of in-class discussion, a form of active learning, are well-documented; in particular, discussions allow students the opportunity to learn from their peers. Yet students often treat discussions as 'down' or 'free' time. If students are not taking notes during discussion and reviewing those notes later on, they may not be learning much from this activity, despite their professed understanding of its value. This article reviews the benefits of discussion and the important functions of note-taking before introducing an online weekly reflection assignment that was designed to motivate students to take notes during discussion, particularly on their peers' contributions. An analysis of past weekly reflection text and survey data from students confirms the utility of the assignment. Intended and unintended benefits of the weekly reflection assignment are shared, as well as its limitations. The conclusion offers suggestions for future areas of research to complement this study.
The site visit (also called “field trips,” “excursions,” even “field research”) is a well-known l... more The site visit (also called “field trips,” “excursions,” even “field research”) is a well-known learning activity in religious studies classrooms. In this article, I will analyze site visits to reveal how ableism is embedded even in educational practices common to religion courses. First, I will provide a brief overview of disability studies, various models of disability, and the pervasive ableism that structures higher education. Next, I will describe the typical conceptions and components of a site visit, as illustrated by real religion syllabi, with consideration of the barriers that it may present for students who ‘deviate’ from the ‘norm.’ I will then introduce some principles of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning, which may give readers ideas and tools for revising and expanding all of their assignments, including site visits. Finally, I will conclude with some (not definitive, admittedly, but specific) ideas for making site visits more inclusive.
Milton Steinberg’s posthumously published novel The Prophet’s Wife retells the story of the proph... more Milton Steinberg’s posthumously published novel The Prophet’s Wife retells the story of the prophet Hosea and his “wife of whoredom,” Gomer. To analyze the novel’s interpretation of the biblical text, the article first reviews the book of Hosea and outlines the concept of “retrieval” in biblical retellings (that is, the restoration of characters overlooked in the Bible). Because Steinberg retrieves Gomer by drawing upon language of sight, body, and beauty, the article turns to the concept of the “male gaze” from film studies. Using this concept, the article examines several key moments of retrieval from the novel, in which Gomer is framed as a beautiful object for male eyes to appraise. What becomes clear is that Gomer’s retrieval in The Prophet’s Wife paradoxically results in her increased exposure to the male gaze. The article culminates in an exploration of this risk, possibly inherent in biblical retellings that retrieve female figures.
One of the most illuminating finds in Barbara E. Walvoord's Teaching and Learning in College Intr... more One of the most illuminating finds in Barbara E. Walvoord's Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses (2008) is what she calls "the great divide," a mismatch between instructors' goals for their courses, which are academic, and the students' reasons for taking them, which relate to their personal interests and development. Motivationor, rather, the lack thereofis not explicitly considered as a potential victim of this mismatch. This article will turn its attention squarely to this issue. First, I will review data about the "great divide" and link them to the common practice of asking our students to bracket the personal when they take our courses. The article will juxtapose this practice with what research tell us about motivation, which will allow us to further explore why the divide Walvoord and others have identified is so problematic. The article will conclude with pedagogical strategies that can help instructors intentionally influence motivation in religion courses. Ultimately, I suggest that we may be doing studentsas well as ourselves, as the purveyors of our disciplinea disservice, if we do not attend to (or, worse, if we actively avoid) what we know motivates students to learn.
This chapter analyzes educational development through the lens of disability studies, exposing co... more This chapter analyzes educational development through the lens of disability studies, exposing commonplace barriers and providing recommendations to ensure those who identify as having a disability are included in programming.
A recent "Quick Fix" in College Teaching offered five strategies for energizing a class through p... more A recent "Quick Fix" in College Teaching offered five strategies for energizing a class through physical activity. Embedded in this "Quick Fix" and other such techniques, however, is a presumption that all students are able-bodied, which may, unintentionally, contribute to the invisible but pervasive ableism that we know students (and instructors) with disabilities encounter routinely-in society and even in higher education. This response to the "Quick Fix" is intended to raise awareness about considerations of disability and to offer a brief introduction of principles of Universal Design (UD), which may help instructors create more inclusive learning activities.
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