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Research for EEAA CouncilOctober 2011

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PurposeTo understand;1. The process of change in TE in

Europe2. How colleges are thinking about

the future3. What EEAA network services

should be doing

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Method1.Non-directive

questionnaires2.21 open ended questions3.Representative circulation

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Response1. From twelve colleges2. From 12 countries3. From a full spectrum of different academic

levels4. From a variety of levels of experience,

although most were very experienced5. Most responses were individual, some were

collaborative, two questionnaires were received relating to one college.

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Question A 1 - In what ways has TE changed since you were a student?

1. Academic level risen2. Social Science and practical ministry emphasis3. Variety of delivery systems4. Less community or residence5. Teaching more student oriented6. Other issues mentioned included less daily

devotions, less rules and less narrow-mindedness

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Question A2 How are students different today from then?

1. They bring contemporary culture into the college

2. Demographic change3. More pastoral care and mentoring needed4. Other issues – less biblical knowledge,

more interest in social issues and more concern for certificates and degrees.

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Question A3 How has the role of the teacher changed?

1. Becoming a facilitator of student learning

2. Therefore the teacher should be approachable, humble, transparent, a model, helping students to think for themselves

3. Other issues mentioned included – it was always the case that the teacher was more important than the content of the teaching, and that teachers were now expected to fulfil pastoral as well as academic duties.

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Question A 4 Has the relationship between teacher and student changed in nature and practice? How?1. The closing “power gap” between

lecturer and student2. Therefore modelling learning, life and

integration is key3. Other issues mentioned – still too much

of the “lecture and leave” pattern around and that TE had been more ionfluenced by HE of late.

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Question A 5 The role of the teacher is often seen in tension between being a scholar and a minister; do you agree with this and, if so, how has it changed?1. General agreement there is this

tension, some said the academic too strong a factor, others said pendulum is swinging back

2. All said pastoral care should be provided by the teacher

3. Some mentioned that the heavy admin burden makes this very difficult

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Question A 6 TE is often described as having three formation objectives for students; academic, practical ministry and spiritual. Has the balance and relationship between these changed? Is this taxonomy out of date?

1. All agreed it was stil;l valuable but a few thought it was so ubiquitous it needed qualification.

2. Most talked of integration needed between the three

3. Some said the academic had distorted the balance and a re-balancing was needed

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Question A 7 Accreditation for schools, government and otherwise, has become a larger issue. What are your views on this?

1. Almost all agreed that it can be beneficial

2. Most warned that it can not be allowed to damage college mission or values

3. Various advantages were listed

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Question D1 How do you think your college/theological education provision will change in the next ten years?1. More flexible provision2. This will be in response to financial pressure and

student demand3. Larger variety of courses, especially at masters level4. A few mentioned that we may see a comeback of

spiritual provision running separate from academic validation

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Question D2 How do you think theological education will change in your country in the next ten years?

1. Finance will be difficult, schools will close or merge, church training schemes will grow2. Gap between gov. accredited schools and ministry training non-accredited schools will grow3. Other issues mentioned – eroding of community, greater social engagement, more reflective practice structure

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Question D3 How will students be different from today, in ten years’ time?

1. Some questioned whether there would be a significant difference

2. Gap between young students and older faculty will increase, especially over technology

3. Students will be more consumers and more in charge of their learning – yet they may be more insecure

4. Others mentioned were – they will have even less biblical knowledge and they will expect even more flexibility in delivery

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Question D4 How do you expect theological education to change in the next ten years because of finance issues/problems?1. Small schools will be in danger of closing and larger

schools will tend to survive as more consumer attitudes by students lead top greater competition

2. Finance will also accelerate the move towards more flexible delivery and away from traditional schooling

3. Other isssues mentioned were the need to educate the churches as to the value of TE and that we need to work together and share resources more

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Question D 5 People in Europe today (unlike the past) have a number of different jobs and careers in their lifetimes. Does this affect what we do?1. General agreement that this is an issue2. One common response to this was that we need to be

more welcoming to older students3. Another common response was that we should

concentrate more on lifelong learning4. Another was that we should emphasise general

theology and bible subjects and reverse the trend to specific ministry degrees in the 90s

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Question D 6 It has been suggested that nowadays, people come to college for different reasons than some years ago. Do you agree and how does this project into the future?1. About half disagreed and said that students were

there for similar reasons and with similar commitment. Students have always also come for non-ministry reasons such as spiritual growth

2. About half agreed and generally mentioned that students tend more nowadays to come to “sort themselves out” academically or spiritually and have less idea of where they are going

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Question D 7 There has recently been a shift away from residential training. Will this continue and what do you think about it?1. Most agreed that this will continue and may intensify for financial reasons2. It was often expressed that this was a loss because TE was relational and community based3. Two thought that the good in this trend was that it gave access to a wider variety of students4. Some thought that there would be a swing back to college community based training because it is so attractive to contemporary society

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Question D 8 What are the things we must do as theological schools in view of the possible future?

A complete variety of responses with almost no overlap between the responders

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Question D 9 What will be the characteristics of effective theological teachers in the next ten years?

1. Greatest response was in the area of relationship with students – love, care for, respect, guide, be a paraclete, inspire, be a model2. After that was the spiritual life and reality of the teacher3. Some mentioned that teachers will have to increasingly know their subject4. A few saw that teaching well was vital5. Other issues mentioned were – that they should be chhurch people, willing to learn, and be younger!

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Section E Is there anything else you would like to say about theological education in Europe not covered by the questions above ?Vey little was added, some mentioning that after so many questions, there was little more to sayOne attached a very useful essay on TE today, another said we need hope and joy ultimately in God and what we are doing. Another mentioned the need for a missional perspective. A few mentioned again the issue of th disolving of strong community under financial pressures

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Major FindingsPresent

1.Academic excellence

2.Social understanding and competence

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Major FindingsFuture

1.Delivery Systems

2.Staff/student relationship

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Question B.1 “What are the best things the network could do for the leaders of colleges?”

1. Bring leaders together for networking, encouragement

2. Ongoing leadership education3. Discussion about key issues in

Europe and the church

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Question B.2 – Teachers “What are the best things the network could do for teachers in their regular work?”

1. Resources and teaching on the job of teaching in TE2. Other ideas mentioned – encouragement, teaching education, practical ideas that work3. The heavy workload was noted

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Question B.3 “What are your views about EEAA services and helps being restricted to those who are members rather than available to all theological educators in Europe?”

1. All agreed there should be some special benefit for members only

2. These were variously described as Financial benefits, restriction of services to members and priority given to members

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Question B.4 “What is the value of your college being in membership of (as opposed to accredited by) EEAA?”

1.Networking2.Resources3.College profile

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Question B.5 – “What is EEAA doing right and what is EEAA doing wrong in supporting best thinking and practice in TE in Europe ?”

1. The Theological Educator, Training courses and the GA are good practice for EEAA

2. Be encouraged !3. Be warned – Understand diversity

across Europe and don’t try to duplicate what is already being done

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What you would like to see

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5

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35

score

score

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The four most popular1.GA conferences2.Seminar/retreats for

principals/leaders3.Discounts on course fees4.Access to on line journals

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The three next most popular

4. Book discounts5. Voting rights6. Expert help to call on

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Major FindingsEEAA Network Provision

1.Encouragement2.Member benefits3.Principal

retreats/seminars4.Books, journals and

expert help