Resources

Three themes guide Auburn Center studies of theological education: practices in teaching and learning, the management of institutional resources, and the role of theological education in religious and public life. With this issue of Auburn Studies, we present our first report related to the critical, but complex, reality labeled by our third guiding theme. In the spring of 1998, a research team visited four cities to interview leaders in all sectors of society--business, politics, education, religion, community service, philanthropy, and others--about perceptions of religious leaders and their training. What does the public think about theological education and the religious leaders that seminaries train? People interviewed for this study consider seminaries invisible institutions that produce leaders who offer little civic or public leadership. Most thought this lack of public involvement a missed opportunity, but we heard no consensus about what an increased religious presence in public life would mean. (From the Publisher)

From one student's off hand remark, the idea of a casebook for use in adult education grew into a reality. Regina Lopata Logan and Robert M. Fromberg have collected twenty cases representing various experiences of faculty, students, and administrators which, while not necessarily representing historical facts, are all true. These cases convey a sense of the dynamism and complexity that educators of adults and adult students experience when they return to school in the midst of busy adult roles and responsibilities. This is an ideal workbook for those involved in higher education, especially faculty developers, deans, department chairs, or anyone else who teaches about adults in the classroom. (From the Publisher)

Part-time and temporary faculty now constitute a majority of all those teaching in colleges and universities. This volume presents analyses of the changes in academic work, in faculty careers, and in the economic conditions in higher education that are associated with the shift away from full-time academic jobs. Issues for research, policy, and practice are discussed. The chapters in this volume were originally prepared for a conference on part-time and adjunct faculty sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.This is the 104th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Higher Education. (From the Publisher)

Drawing on his wealth of experience as both a seminary professor and minister, John Leith identifies and confronts the contemporary crisis in theological education. He argues that the crisis in the seminaries is interwoven with the crisis in the church, and that the secularization of educational institutions has led seminaries to move away from their primary responsibility - preparing pastors for ministry. (From the Publisher)

Here is a compelling read for every teacher in higher education who wants to refresh or reexamine his or her classroom practice. Building on the insights offered by recent discoveries about the biological basis of learning, and on his own thought-provoking definitions of teaching, learning and education, the author proceeds to the practical details of instruction that teachers are most interested in — the things that make or break teaching. Practical and thoughtful, and based on forty years of teaching, wide reading and much reflection, Robert Leamnson provides teachers with a map to develop their own teaching philosophy, and effective nuts-and-bolts advice. His approach is particularly useful for those facing a cohort of first year students less prepared for college and university. He is concerned to develop in his students habits and skills that will equip them for a lifetime of learning. He is especially alert to the psychology of students. He also understands, and has experienced, the typical frustration and exasperation teachers feel when students ingeniously elude their teachers' loftiest goals and strategies. Most important, he has good advice about how to cope with the challenge. This guide will appeal to college teachers in all disciplines. (From the Publisher)

Religious Advocacy and American History explores the general question of bias and objectivity in higher learning from the perspective of the role of religious convictions in the study of American history. The contributors to this book, many of whom are leading historians of American religion and culture, address primarily two related questions. First, how do personal religious convictions influence one's own research, writing, and teaching? And, second, what place should personal beliefs have within American higher education? (From the Publisher)

Unauthorized Methods makes accessible some of the best theoretical innovations in critical pedagogy of the last decade. The contributors consider how an integration of popular culture and cultural studies into the lesson plan can enrich and reinvigorate the learning experience. These essays, ranging widely in topic and educational level, are grounded in theory but intended for practical application. By focusing on classroom methods, the contributors provide educators with techniques, strategies, and examples designed to transform the classroom into a truly multicultural and democratic space. Unauthorized Methods will be an indispensable resource for teachers, students, and policy makers. (From the Publisher)

Here is a book for the millions of Christians who want to make a vital connection between their faith and their lives. This practical book provides a way for all of us to experience greater meaning in life and a more tangible sense of God's creative presence. (From the Publisher)

In this candid and delightful memoir, Alvin Kernan recalls his life as a student, professor, provost, and dean during turbulent decades of change in the hallowed halls of Columbia, Williams, Oxford, Yale, and Princeton. His vividly remembered account is a unique personal story and more--it is also a history of what has been won, and lost, in the culture wars of the second half of the twentieth century. (From the Publisher)

Today's Colleges and Universities face a new environment in which information technology is rapidly becoming the preferred mode of learning and academic institutions can no longer rely on traditional methods to survive and prosper. In this collection of essays, seven highly respected institutional, association, and financial leaders examine the formidable challenges facing all types of campuses. (From the Publisher)