Rev. William SC Johnson

The final paper in of the first courses in my studies at Purdue built nicely up on my undergraduate work in cognitive psychology.  EDCI 531-Learning Theory for Instructional Designers required a summative paper which synthesized the various learning styles to explore various learning theories and the appropriate circumstances under which each could be effectively used.  This required not only understanding each of the theories individually, but synthesizing that knowledge to begin examining the appropriate learning outcomes and circumstances in which one might employ each theory to best effect.

In this artifact, I give attention to the major learning theories and their modern equivalencies, as well as the advantages and disadvantages to each theory.  Some theories are particularly relevant in specific circumstances, but find themselves quite divorced from reality outside those particular circumstances.  As an example, constructivism is a worthy framework for exploring new ideas and problem solving in community, but because of its inherent tendency to lead to a diversity of solutions it is less useful when trying to teach factual information.

In examining each theory, I sought out the circumstances wherein we might apply a given learning type at the seminary.  Given our focus on higher education and synthesis of material, it might, for example, seem that behaviorism is too basic for our ongoing use, but it provides precisely the foundation for our current vocabulary learning when students are studying Greek and Hebrew. 

This particular piece of research not only required understanding the given text for the course, but additional research as appropriate.  The shift in the instructional design world seems to have moved somewhat away from learning theories to developing theories of instruction, but those are naturally rooted in learning theories.  As my own studies and efforts on behalf of the seminary continue, I continue to look for new theories and methods of theological instruction and (especially) formation to better serve our students. 

I respectfully submit that this paper fulfills the requirements for competency one:

In EDCI 513- Foundations of Learning Design and Technology: An Introduction to the Field, we were challenged to create a substantial individual research paper which substantively examined key practical issues in instructional design.  For this assignment I opted for an eminently practical topic, a course design manual tailored to our newly revised Doctor of Ministry program.  Because the program was undergoing a dramatic shift in content and teaching style (moving to a hybrid format) it was necessary to create a quick start document which would get professors, especially adjuncts, up and running quickly to create courses effectively for our students.

The document ended up being a worthwhile effort, though its substantive length may well ensure that it remains a valuable reference document rather than a direct study piece.  In the future I would like to revise and abstract much of the information herein for use in our other programs and perhaps to make the delivery more efficient for practical use by our faculty, new and old. 

Given those limitations, however, the document has nonetheless seen great use in the seminary and represents a significant amount of collected research and application of knowledge to real world circumstances.  It has for the most part served well and helped to frame the ongoing conversation throughout the creation process for several new courses.  I look forward to seeing its continued use in the future.

I respectfully submit that the Doctor of Ministry Course Design Manual demonstrates my ability to create knowledge as described in competency 2:

The ability to communicate knowledge effectively is the cornerstone of any educationally focused profession.  Without clear and effective communication all of the knowledge in the world is, at best, poorly used.  On a larger scale, if we fail to hand down our knowledge to future generations then it dies with us, and, in some cases, the historical chain of knowledge from teacher to student will break with us.  Put simply, there is no greater skill for a scholar than to be an effective communicator of knowledge.  

In my studies throughout the program I have demonstrated my ability to communicate effectively in several formats and to adapt to the needs of my content and my audience.  In truth, these are skills obtained years ago as a parish pastor and polished through my studies and work in the program.  The preaching task is one of taking ancient content and communicating it rightly and effectively to a modern audience.  

With regard to the specific competencies, I respectfully submit the following artifacts for competency three:

Socrates once said that the "Unexamined life is not worth living."  While I would disagree on the value of said life, the essence of his statement rings true.  To do anything to its fullest one must do so thoughtfully and reflectively.  Education is no exception.  

A part of the process of learning and teaching is the ability to think critically about theories and ideas and to reflect upon your own practice and design.  Ultimately it's in that analysis that we're able to find where we've fallen short (so that we may do better) and to find where we've done exceptionally well (so that we may repeat it).  Throughout the program I have engaged in critically considering a number of topics and continue to evaluate new ideas as well as my own performance.

I respectfully submit the following artifacts for competency four:

If my years of ministry have taught me anything, it's that there's always more I have to learn.  Whether it's simple, practical techniques for ministry, deeper reaches of theology, exegetical insights or pedagogical theory and practice, there's always something more to be learned and explored.  While our Synod does not have a formal continuing education process for pastors, it's nonetheless true that we're all expected to stay current on our knowledge and practice.  Underlying that, of course, is the reality that one only becomes a pastor in our church body after four years of graduate study, leading to a firm foundation for a lifetime of continued learning. In recent years our church body has additionally sought to codify and encourage the need for ongoing continuing education for pastors regardless of where they serve. (http://blogs.lcms.org/2013/delegates-support-continuing-education-of-pastors)

For my part I've attended numerous conferences (including several teachers' conferences for the Florida-Georgia District of the LC-MS) and conventions (including two Synodical Conventions on behalf of the seminary) over the years, but nothing quite as ambitious as the decision to improve my practical skills at the seminary through enrollment in the LDT program.  While I'm nearing the end of that program, I don't expect for a moment that this is the last step for my studies.  I fully intend to continue to read and learn in the field and to, alongside our faculty, look for new and improved ways to form servants for Christ.  In time I may consider Ph.D. studies in either LDT or Missiology (offered at the seminary). I will be speaking and attending the Lutheran Hour Ministries SENT conference in July to further sharpen my pastoral skills and social awareness. (Because I am speaking my registration paperwork is still pending.)

Additionally I continue to seek out new avenues for further reading and research in theological education. One example of this from my studies in the LDT program is my effort to improve our students retention of Koine Greek vocabulary through the creative use of audio and imagery. You can see the initial framework at http://ctsgreek.azurewebsites.net. This site is one which I have created (using ASP.NET/MVC) in an effort to find better and easier ways for our Greek students to learn vocabulary. We're presently awaiting the first few sets of research trials to see if the site makes a significant difference for incoming students. Those trials are pending the approval of the professor for the course.

I respectfully submit that my enrollment in the program, my continued research and efforts at the seminary and the ongoing refreshing of both pastoral and educational skills demonstrates my disposition as a life long learner.

Active participation in any discipline is a part of the rights and priviledges of the practitioner.  As a clergyman I've been a part of numerous circuit, district and national events, including presentations at seminary conferences and an upcoming conference in Detroit in July.  My participation in the LDT community is also very active.  I participate currently in the LDT Facebook group as well as a group meant for Moodle administrators where we exchange not only technical assistance, but effective techniques for using Moodle for instruction.

• An example post from the Purdue LDT group.
  
• An example post from the Moodle admins group.
  

In terms of professional associations our seminary participates in EDUCAUSE, the Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission.  Each of these offers the opportunity for continued study and mutual support and fellowship, while the ATS offers specialized forums for Educational Technologists who are seeking to integrate technology and sound design into their theological formation programs.  The budget has been requested to attend the national EDUCAUSE conference in 2015, and seems likely to be approved at this point. While these memberships are institutional, they nonetheless provide listservs and resources which I make use of on a regular basis. 

As an individual I'm a member of the Association for Educational Communication and Technology, a professional organization which provides access to a number of journal, networking and other resources to its members. I've only just gotten my feet wet with that membership, and am looking to see what it offers before evaluating AECT and/or SLOAN. All seem to offer worthwhile support and connections for the long term practice of our discipline.

Informally I also network a couple of times a year with Erica Vail, a fellow LDT graduate who serves in an analagous role to my own at Baptist Bible College. We use many of the same tools (Moodle, etc) and encounter many of the same challenges in integrating technology into theological education. Our brainstorming sessions have been incredibly beneficial for us both!

I respectfully submit that my ongoing participation in informal professional networking groups as well as continued membership and partcipation in discipline specific organizations reflect my participation in the community of practice in the field of Educational Technology.

An instructional designer who cannot (or does not) apply instructional design principles is merely playing at his or her work.  The core of what makes ID distinct as a field is that we ground our designs in research and use proven techniques to advance our learning objectives.  

In what was at once the single most frustrating and helpful course in the program, Advanced Practices in Learning System Design (EDCI 672), students are challenged with a series of case studies which they are to analyze.  Students are expected to note key stakeholders, instructional challenges, non-instructional challenges (such as interpersonal dynamics) and to suggest several potential solutions for the instructional designer in the case to attempt.  While these assignments were challenging, they stretch the student to begin applying ID principles to the real world.  

For the final criteria of this competency, I submit my draft recommendation for evaluation of the seminary's newly revised Doctor of Ministry program.  This is a full plan to examine the actual effects of the D.Min program on the students and their congregations.  

I respectfully submit that I have met competency seven with the following artifacts:

Technology has always been at the heart of education.  From the Greek philosophers (and arguably before) and onwards students have been expected to have basic literacy skills appropriate for their day and to apply that technology as they learn.  In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, this meant literacy in the written word.  Today that means not only the ability to read, but also the ability to find and consume digital resources, and a growing need to be able to create appropriate resources as well.  In many of these areas the literacy of the student may outpace the literacy of the instructor, making designing effective, digitally literate lessons a difficult task.

In EDCI 568, Educational Applications of the Internet, students are challenged to begin thinking less about the teacher's role in instructing the students and more about their role in partnering with their students to accomplish the learning objectives.  By shifting the focus to working alongside the (often already technology literate) students, even instructors with limited technical skill can give their students the freedom to be creative, expressive, and, most importantly, to learn in the ways which are most effective for them.  For this course I created an art lesson to be used in schools with and without access to iPads.  By integrating the available technologies (old and new) into the learning design I was able to create an effective lesson which helps students take ownership of their own learning while still allowing teachers to provide significant guidance.

For the final two portions of this competency, I submit my Doctor of Ministry evaluation plan.  Over the various levels of evaluation it uses a number of different formats appropriate to the technological skill level of the intended recipient.  By varying the format based on audience, I demonstrate that not only can I apply a variety of strategies and formats, but that I have the understanding of the interpersonal dynamics involved which help determine the appropriate technology to be utilized.  With regard to the latter competency, note the necessity of providing alternate strategies in the Art Lesson for the differing socio-economic levels of the target schools.

I respectfully submit that I have met competency eight as follows: