DOCTOR OF MINISTRY EDUCATIONAL THEORY

The model of education for WCBCS's Doctor of Ministry degree is designed to provide students with a comprehensive and structured approach to understanding church ministry. Each module aligns with specific educational theories and strategies to create a well-rounded learning experience:

  1. Two Course Textbooks:

    • Educational Theory: Traditional Pedagogy

    • Explanation: The use of textbooks follows the traditional pedagogical approach, focusing on structured content delivery. This approach allows students to acquire foundational knowledge and theoretical frameworks essential for church ministry. The selection of textbooks should be based on pedagogical theories that emphasize effective content organization and delivery.

  2. Two Book Reviews and One Book Review Response:

    • Educational Theory: Constructivism

    • Explanation: These assignments encourage critical thinking and reflection, aligning with constructivist theories of learning. Constructivism emphasizes active engagement with content and the development of personal meaning through reflection and analysis. Students construct their understanding of church ministry by critically evaluating the books and their relevance to the course.

  3. One Discussion Board Post and Response:

    • Educational Theory: Social Constructivism

    • Explanation: Online discussions promote social constructivism, where learners interact and co-construct knowledge. Through discussions, students share diverse perspectives and engage in collaborative learning. The discussion format encourages dialogue, debate, and the application of theories in practical scenarios.

  4. Ten Lecture Blog Posts:

    • Educational Theories: Constructivism, Connectivism

    • Explanation: Blog posts align with both constructivism and connectivism. Constructivism emphasizes learning through interaction with content, while connectivism highlights the importance of networked learning in the digital age. Blog posts enable students to synthesize lecture content, reflect on key concepts, and engage in online communities of practice.

  5. Ten Additional Video Questions and Answers:

    • Educational Theories: Cognitive Learning Theories, Bloom's Taxonomy

    • Explanation: These assignments align with various cognitive learning theories, including Bloom's Taxonomy. Students are prompted to summarize, compare, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate content, promoting higher-order thinking skills. The questions also encourage reflective thinking and real-world application.

  6. One Creative Project (PowerPoint or Google Slides Presentation):

    • Educational Theories: Active Learning, Visual Communication

    • Explanation: Creating a presentation integrates active learning strategies, emphasizing student engagement and application of knowledge. The project encourages students to synthesize course concepts and present them effectively, aligning with theories of active learning and visual communication.

  7. One Research Paper (15-20 pages):

    • Educational Theory: Cognitive Apprenticeship

    • Explanation: Writing a research paper is aligned with the cognitive apprenticeship model, where students engage in scholarly inquiry and critical thinking. The paper requires students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from various sources, demonstrating their ability to contribute to the field of leadership and discernment.

  8. One Church Leader Interview:

    • Educational Theories: Experiential Learning, Situated Learning

    • Explanation: Interviews provide an opportunity for experiential learning. The questions encourage students to engage in reflective practice by learning from the experiences and insights of a church leader. This aligns with theories of experiential and situated learning.

In summary, WCBCS's Doctor of Ministry degree model integrates a variety of learning modules that align with different educational theories and strategies. It combines traditional content delivery with constructivist, connectivist, and experiential learning approaches, promoting critical thinking, reflection, and practical application in the context of church ministry leadership, reflective practice, and discernment.