Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2000. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-224).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2000. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-224).

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That the formative assessment leads to pupils’ knowledge, all four teachers has to be united, which is also the point of the formative assessment according to Hatti and Dylan. The purpose of formative assessment is that it will improve student learning, dissimilar summative assessment that measure students’ knowledge. The purpose of this essay is to examinate how other society oriented subjects’ and religious education teachers at high school pronounce themselves on formative assessment in the subject religion. And what advantages and disadvantages they see with it. This study is based on four interviews with society oriented subjects and religious teachers at high school (7- 9). Lastly, grounded on my results of my respondents’ statements conclude that the perception of what formative assessment is contrast in opinion. Educators don’t certainly know what formative assessment is. All four respondents say they use formative assessment in their teaching but in different ways. Some said they use written examinations whereas others preferred matrices. The teachers also had different opinions about formative assessment. The higher probabilities teachers saw with formative assessment was that it provided students a chance to knowledge.

<p> As a Buddhist female from Japan who has lived in the United Sates for 15 years, I examine how Buddhist spirituality and aesthetics influence religious inspiration through woman&rsquo;s eyes; in other words, from a feminist perspective to the &ldquo;practice&rdquo; of justice based on Buddhism. Hence, the driving questions of this dissertation are, how can we define beauty and spirituality from a feminist perspective so that they empower women&rsquo;s voice through art, and what kind of contribution can this study provide to feminist scholarship in the West? </p><p> The study&rsquo;s significance lies in its illustration of the concept of feminist aesthetics that nurtures spirituality based on Buddhism, Taoism and Asian traditional thought which are not well known to the Western world. Thus, through using art and feminist- based research, as well as symbolic interactionism as a perspective, principles for a feminist aesthetics theoretical model as a dimension of spiritual and religious education are generated based on Eastern thought. </p><p> The use of symbols and their interpretation are crucial to understanding the relationship between art and human perception which fosters awareness for social justice. Therefore, this study addresses the following questions: (1) What does Buddhist feminist aesthetics mean? (2) What are the characteristics of feminist ecology in Eastern thought? (3) How does Buddhist or Eastern feminist aesthetics contribute to eco-justice in the context of religious education? (4) In what ways can a theoretical model of Buddhist or Eastern feminist aesthetics enhance and contribute to foster spirituality as dimension of religious education in the West? </p><p> The dissertation has five chapters. The first chapter is an introduction to the study, while chapter two reviews art as a source of creating imagination. The third chapter describes Rima Fujita&rsquo;s artistry based on an Eastern perspective of aesthetics. Chapter four reviews feminist theological aesthetics and suggests how a Buddhist feminist perspective can make a contribution to Western scholarship. The final chapter proposes educational application, in particular to interreligious education, which fosters spiritual growth. Drawing deeper insights from these and other scholars, a new perspective, which incorporates and contributes to Western scholarship is proposed.</p>

The dissertation is concerned with Christian religious education as a school subject in Gazankulu. As such, the research aims at establishing the nature, as well as the problems experienced in Gazankulu secondary schools concerning this subject. The founding of Swiss Mission stations among the Tsonga/ Shangaan people since 1873, went hand in hand with the founding and maintenance of schools for almost 82 years - a period in which Religious Education was overemphasised. Certain aspects of the Welsh Commission Report of 1935-1936 as well as of the Eiselen Commission Report of 1949-1951 revealing the position of Religious Education, and the subsequent introduction of the so-called Bantu Education with its negative effects on Religious Education, are examined. Problems experienced in Gazankulu secondary schools have, therefore, been exposed and their influence on pupils have been assessed. A few practical solutions in the form of recommendations concludes this study / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

<p> Christian college environments remain connected to Biblical doctrine that can create a challenge for student affairs practitioners responsible for supporting all students but then instructed to take &ldquo;corrective&rdquo; (e.g., disciplinary) action against LGBTQ students. This study examined experiences of ten student affairs staff at Christian campuses negotiating institutional context, professional relationships, and personal values when interacting with LGBTQ students. Interview data was organized along three themes: campus culture, tensions, and strategies to manage tension. Participants perceived campus culture as familial, but also as silent, fearful, and confusing on LGBTQ issues. Consequently, they experienced tensions between personal beliefs in serving students versus supporting institutional values about LGBTQ identity and behavior. Participants employed cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal strategies to negotiate these tensions and balance service to their institution with advocacy for LGBTQ students. Recommendations provided relate to staff development, graduate level training, and sustainability of the Christian college approach to human sexuality.</p>

The research documented in this thesis took place against a background of concern for the wellbeing of children, the educational standards being achieved in schools and questions about the purpose of education itself, particularly within a Christian framework. The focus of the research was an ethnographic study into the factors influencing the development and nurture of children’s spirituality in a Church of England Primary School where faith, belief and spirituality are explored as part of the educational experience of pupils. All schools are expected to provide opportunities for children’s spiritual development according to the 1944 Education Act, which replaced the term “religion” with the term “spiritual”. For Anglican Church Schools such provision is perceived to be a priority. However, because they are church schools within a state system they are subject to the differing expectations of a dual inspection system. This creates certain tensions and a degree of complexity for the schools. Beginning with a focus on the potential contribution that Philosophy for Children could make to children’s spirituality, the study broadened its scope to take account of the larger questions and concerns (outlined above) which were impacting on the potential for schools to offer opportunities for spiritual development to children during their primary school experience. The case study is analysed using Bernstein’s pedagogic theories and models to elucidate the “double tension” which exists for Anglican Church Schools as they seek to achieve high academic standards and provide opportunities to explore spirituality both of which are central to the mission of church schools. This tension was evidenced in the leadership style, language and pedagogy operating within the case study school. The study concludes that recognising this tension seems to be a prerequisite for supporting church schools as they seek to fulfil their mission within the current educational climate.

<p> Church affiliated Human Service Organizations (CAHSOs) are drastically understudied.Consequently, the experience of their executive leaders is understudied. Information on CAHSOs and the experience of their executive leaders is often blended into general faith-based organizational research. Yet, CAHSOs play a vital role in the United States and abroad. CAHSOs are responsible for the social welfare of millions of indigent people in suffering communities. These organizations provide housing to the homeless, food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and educational programing to at-risk youth, among many other things. These organizations, however, only function because of the expertise and work of executive leaders. </p><p> This research study used the phenomenological qualitative research method to interview executive leaders in CAHSOs. The goal of this research was to determine the challenges executive leaders face within CAHSOs and the strategies they use to overcome these challenges while gauging their definitions of success and documenting the advice these executive leaders have for others in their field. The analysis revealed various challenges including lack of financial, human, and real estate resources; unqualified staff; stressful work expectations; and strained relationships. Their strategies included measuring successes, building external networks, and leveraging religious practices. Executive leaders defined themselves by organizational performance and money. They encouraged other executives to leverage general business practices while evaluating their motives for working as an executive leader within a CAHSO. Generally, the results of this research offer insight into the challenges and celebrations of executive leaders of CAHSOs.</p>

<p>Since equipping students for service to God and others is either an implicit or explicit element of the mission statement of every Christ-centered college and university, academic officers at such institutions should give serious consideration to making service-learning one of their regular pedagogical strategies. This paper presents the philosophical, pedagogical, and theological framework upon which a Christian higher education institution could build a shared rationale for a service-learning program. The author discusses a case study of a Christian liberal arts college that is taking steps to develop a campus-wide commitment to service-learning, including the implementation of a pilot program in order to better accomplish their service-oriented mission. The work provides a number of research-based guidelines to assist faculty members who want to learn how to embed a service-learning component into one of their academic courses. These guidelines are organized by use of a mnemonic device developed by Saint Mary's College of California to outline five basic components involved in such a process. The letters O.P.E.R.A. represent outcomes, partnerships, engagement, reflection, and assessment. The author describes each element in some detail, including examples of practice at a number of colleges and universities, and lists a summary of key points for each one. Readers will also find a discussion of an eight-step process, based on a review of best practices, by which the case study institution sought to develop an effective service-learning program within its curriculum. First, the researcher helped lead the college community in a discussion of the alignment of service-learning with its mission in order to develop a shared vision for the program. The provost appointed a service-learning advisory team, which worked with the faculty to develop an institutional definition of service-learning, select instructors to participate in a pilot program, determine the most appropriate means by which to train faculty members in service-learning practice, and assist the initial instructors in the process of developing community partnerships. The writer discusses the implementation of the pilot program in three courses in a single semester and presents the results of the various means of assessment employed at the course and program level. A factor analysis of student survey items provides the basis for a discussion of statistical analyses comparing responses across the three courses and across demographic categories. Although the pilot program did not achieve the specific criteria for success established by the advisory team for the student, faculty, and community partner groups, most participants reported positive impact in many outcome areas. The results confirm the importance of following best practice guidelines in assuring a high quality experience for all participants. The work concludes with an examination of a number of issues that service-learning practitioners suggest a campus community must consider if it desires to institutionalize service-learning and collaboratively integrate it into both the curriculum and co-curriculum. The author also provides recommendations based on the results of the case study institution's pilot program to improve its practice of service-learning as it prepares to expand the use of this strategy into additional courses&mdash;recommendations that could also help other colleges strengthen the implementation of their first pilot programs. Finally, the writer presents topics for further research that could contribute to a program's continuous quality improvement and to the larger body of scholarship on service-learning. </p>