The question concerning “quality” in theological education ... · The question concerning...
Transcript of The question concerning “quality” in theological education ... · The question concerning...
The question concerning “quality” in theological education in
particular and higher education in general
Challenges and Promises of Quality Assurance in Theological Education:
Ecumenical and Multi-Contextual Inquiries WOCATI Consultation
4-8 July 2011 Johannesburg, South Africa
Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, PhD Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation
Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting
Pittsburgh, PA USA 15108
Please do not reproduce without author’s permission
Introduction: contextual assumptions
Mapping the presentation
• Contextual assumptions • Personal
context
Introduction
• Dimensions • Goals • Structures • State of the
industry
State of the question
• Purpose • Dimensions • Areas • Examples:
accreditation, curriculum, assessment
The question of quality
• Transformation • Practice • Pedagogies • Questions about
quality
The question of transformation
• Questions • Comments • Complaints • Reformulati
ons
Discussion
Personal (diasporic) context 5
Vulnerabilities (Humility)
Contingencies (Differences/Pluralities Locations/Positionalities
Limits
Risks (Trust)
Accountabilities (Grace)
Desires Hopes
Passions Struggles
Academic and professional theological/higher education:
Status quaestionis
Dimensions of the question 7
Methodological
Institutional/Political
Metatheoretical
Substantive/Definitional
Difference/Diversity Dialogue/Inclusion
The goals of academic and professional (theological) education
8
Performance
Formation
Interpretation
Contextualization
Transformative imagination
General structure of academic and professional (theological) education
9
(Theological) Curricula:
Explicit/Implicit/Null
(Engaged) Communities
of faith, practice, and Competence
(Theological) Scholarship:
Learning, Teaching, Research
The transformation of our world
(Mondialisation)
(Theological) understanding
Dimensions of academic and professional (theological) education
10
Faculty
Students
Institutional resources
Governance
Academic/ Professional Education
The state of the question: A North American perspective
*All data on ATS member schools from ATS database
Theological education: The state of the industry
Geography, diversity, institutional character and
size as conditions of quality
The ATS Community of Schools
The ATS Community of Schools: Distribution of Schools and Enrollment by
United States and Canada
86%
14%
Distribution of ATS Schools by Country
U.S. Canada
48%
62%
37%
28%
15% 10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Canada (HC = 5,466) U.S. (HC = 70,432)
Relative Head Count Enrollment by Country and Ecclesial Family, 2010
Evangelical Mainline Roman Catholic/Orthodox
The ATS Community of Schools: Distribution of Schools and Enrollment by Ecclesial Family
39%
40%
21%
Schools
Evangelical Mainline Roman Catholic/Orthodox
61% 29%
10%
Students
Evangelical Mainline Roman Catholic/Orthodox
The ATS Community of Schools:
Most Recent Institutional Characteristics
Most Recent Institutional Characteristics
Total ATS
Number of schools 261
HC enrollment 2010 75,898
HC enrollment 2009 75,500
Total expenditures 2010 $1,720,000,000
Total expenditures 2009 $1,684,000,000
Total endowment 2010 $6,430,000,000
Total endowment 2009 $5,800,000,000
Type of Institution Number
Public 4-year institutions 653
Public 2-year institutions 1,127
Private 4-year nonprofit institutions 1,551
Private 4-year for-profit institutions 530
Private 2-year nonprofit institutions 183
Private 2-year for-profit institutions 893
Total 4,937
ATS member schools 261
US Colleges and Universities
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 27, 2010
Theological education: The state of the industry
Institutional resources as a
condition of quality
Adjusted unrestricted revenues, expenditures, and surplus (deficit), all independent schools
-$200 $0
$200 $400 $600 $800
$1,000 $1,200 $1,400 $1,600 $1,800 $2,000
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Mill
ions
Adjusted Revenues Expenses Surplus (deficit)
224
50 139 1 2
215
46
133
1 2 0
50
100
150
200
250 Bi
llion
s
Revenue
Expenditures
Revenue and expenditures for US colleges and universities, Fiscal Year 2008
Expenditures for education, institutional support, and scholarship in ATS schools
$0 $100 $200 $300 $400 $500 $600 $700 $800 $900
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Mill
ions
Education (Instruction, Library, Academic Support) Institutional Support (All Other) Scholarship
Adjusted expenditures for education, institutional support, and scholarship in US colleges and universities, Fiscal Year 2008
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000
Mill
ions
Instruction
Institutional Support
Scholarship
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, August 27,2010
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Har
vard
Yale
Stan
ford
Prin
ceto
n
Ute
xas
MIT
Mill
ions
Endowment
R&D Expenditures
Library Expenditures
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, August 27, 2010
Endowment, R&D, and library expenditures of the top five research universities in the US, Fiscal Year 2008
Average expenditures per FTE student by school size
$0 $5,000
$10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
0-150 151-500 501-1000 1000+
Surplus/deficit in independent schools, FY2001-FY2010 (adjusted revenues – expenses)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Deficit >$2million Deficit $1-$2million Deficit $0-$1million Surplus
Primary reserve capacity/flexibility, freestanding schools, June 2008, June 2009, June 2010
12% 19% 16%
15%
19% 14%
42%
37% 41%
21% 18% 20%
10% 7% 9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
100%
June 2008 June 2009 June 2010
More than 6 years 3–6 years 1–3 years 6 months–1 year Less than 6 months
Theological education: The state of the industry
Students as conditions of
quality
2008 US Population Projection by Race
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
in m
illions
Other Asian African American Hispanic White
Relative Racial/Ethnic Presence in ATS Schools, 1977-2010
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
1977
19
78
1979
19
80
1981
19
82
1983
19
84
1985
19
86
1987
19
88
1989
19
90
1991
19
92
1993
19
94
1995
19
96
1997
19
98
1999
20
00
2001
20
02
2003
20
04
2005
20
06
2007
20
08
2009
20
10
asian
black
hispanic
visa
Total enrollment by race and gender, 1993-2010
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
RE Female RE Male White Female White Male
Enrollment by degree category, 1993-2010
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
Other Adv Acad Adv Prof Acad MA Prof MA MDiv
Women as percentage of total enrollment by degree programs, 1981-2010
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2010
MDiv Prof MA Acad MA Adv Prof Adv Acad Other
Enrollment by age category
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009
50+ 40-49 30-39 <30
Median age during this period has been between 32-33 even as age categories shift.
Growth in Patterns of Program Delivery by Ecclesial Family Head Count Enrollment in Extension Centers in which half or more of the credits required for an ATS-approved degree may be earned, 1995–2010
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Evangelical Mainline Roman Catholic
Fall 2010 completions Duration in years – MDiv & Prof MA
MDIV
Total Completions
Average Duration
Estimated Completion
All ATS 6629 4.3 79%
Evangelical 3185 4.4
Mainline 2896 4.1
RC/Orthodox 548 4.4
PROF MA Total Completions
Average Duration
All ATS 2947 3.7
Evangelical 2240 3.7
Mainline 293 3.6
RC/Orthodox 414 3.8
Full-time position expected after graduation, MDiv students, GSQ
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Perc
enta
ge o
f Res
pond
ents
Male - Parish Ministry Male - Undecided Female - Parish Ministry Female - Undecided
Level of satisfaction with progress in skills related to future work, GSQ, MDiv students
(-2 – Very dissatisfied / 2 – Very satisfied)
-2 -1 0 1 2
Ability to administer parish Knowledge of other traditions
Knowledge of church polity Ability to give spiritual direction
Ability in pastoral counseling Knowledge of Christian ethics
Ability to teach well Knowledge of church doctrine
Ability to lead others Ability to conduct worship
Ability to preach well Knowledge of own tradition
Ability to relate social issues Ability to use Scripture
Ability to think theologically
Educational debt brought by all students, ESQ
52% 51% 48% 48%
6% 9% 9% 10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
100%
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
None <$10,000 $10-20,000 $20-30,000 $30-40,000 >$40,000
Educational debt incurred at seminary by all students, GSQ
46% 43% 46% 43%
12% 14% 15% 16%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
100%
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
none less than $10,000 $10-20,000 $20-30,000 $30-40,000 >$40,000
Significance of financial aid in decision to attend school, ESQ
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
No Significance
Great Significance
Greatest Significance
Did Not Apply
Perc
ent o
f Stu
dent
s
2004-05 2006-07 2008-09 2010-11
Theological education: The state of the industry
Faculty as a condition of
quality
The Changing Context
� “We take as our point of departure a bold and unqualified assertion: American higher education and the academic profession that serve it are on the edge of an unprecedented restructuring that is changing the face—indeed, even the very meaning—of higher education.”
Jack H. Schuster and Martin J. Finkelstein, The American Faculty, 2006.
The Changing Context
� The coming change is unprecedented due to two powerful conditions that reinforce each other: � The sheer number of institution-molding forces that are in
play, and � The stunning rapidity with which these forces are reshaping
higher education.
Full-Time Faculty by Racial/Ethnic Group, 1991-2010
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2010
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Native American
Visa
White
Relative Racial/Ethnic Presence in Students and Faculty, 1991 vs. 2010
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
100%
Students 1991
Faculty 1991
Students 2010
Faculty 2010
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Na@ve American
Visa
White
ATS Faculty Total New Hires
2008 3,676 420
2009 3,629 339
2010 3,566 226
Total New Hires (2010)
Men 77% 73%
Women 23% 27%
Median Age of FT Faculty, Fall 2010 Professor
M F Assoc. Prof
M F Asst. Prof
M F Other
M F
All FT Faculty 60 58 51 53 42 45 51 46
New FT Faculty 59 55 53 53 42 39 44 51
Tenure Status of FT Faculty, Fall 2010 Professor Assoc. Prof Asst. Prof
ALL FT Faculty - Tenured 73% 68% 54%
NEW FT Faculty - Tenured 48% 48% 46%
Growth in PT Faculty, 1993-2007
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
140%
160%
180%
200%
ATS Schools
Research, private
Research, public
Master's private
Master's public
Bachelor's 2-year, public
All higher education
Part-time faculty as a percentage of all faculty in ATS schools, 1990-2010
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Part-Time Head Count as % of Total Head Count Part-Time FTE as % of Total FTE
Average Total Compensation for Administrators and Faculty in US Schools,
2000-2010
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
CEO CAO Professor Assoc Prof Asst Prof
Comparison of PhD training and current work responsibilities
(-2 - not at all effective or important / 2 - very effective or important)
-2 -1 0 1 2
Administration
Service
Student Formation
Scholarship
Teaching
Importance in Current Work Effectiveness of PhD Training
Changes in Faculty Work � Assessment of Student Learning
� Educational Technology: Access vs. Formation
� Changes in Faculty Culture � Workload � Questions about tenure � Definition of “the faculty”
� The Church � Definition and needs � Is the work for the church valued by the school?
Quality
The Purpose of quality 54
Assessment
Relevance
Normative orientation
Transformation (Improvement)
Curriculum (Goals)
Dimensions of quality 55
Accreditation
Quality Assurance
Licensing
Credentialing
Institutional Mission
Areas of quality 56
Faculty Learning, Teaching, Research
Assessment/Planning Student Learning, Program, Institutional
(Outcomes)
Resources Personnel, Financial, Physical
Governance Authority, Structure, Process
Institutional and Degree Program Standards
Example 1: Accreditation 57
Aspirational
Professional
Regulatory
Institutional
Institutional and Degree Program
Standards
Example 2: Curriculum 58
Course and Program Content
Resources
Educational Strategies
Educational Assessment
Curriculum (Goals)
59
Personal
and spiritual formation
Cultural context
Capacity for ministerial and
public leadership
Religious heritage
Pedagogy
Example: Content of the Master of Divinity Among ATS member schools
Example 3: Assessment 60
System of data gathering
Assessment based on information
gathered
Identification of goals or outcomes
Revised goals
Service Educational Program
Performance
Pedagogies and strategies of transformation
Dimensions of transformation
62
Political
Sacred
Personal
Historical
Practice
“The creation and nurture of the fundamentally new which is also fundamentally better.”
“Continuity and change, conflict and collaboration, and the creation of justice.”
In the context of
Practice…
63
Political
Sacred
Personal
Historical
Practice
“The creation and nurture of the fundamentally new which is also fundamentally better...”
“Continuity and change, conflict and collaboration, and the creation of justice…”
“Without shape or predetermined structure, emphasizing state over outcome, process over product, but always articulated as specific and concrete locations and occasions…”
64
Interpretation
Performance
Contextualization
Formation
Transformative Imagination
Pedagogies and strategies of transformation
65
Speaking Listening
Dialogue
(re) reading (re) writing
Understanding
Interpretation
Pedagogies and strategies of interpretation
66
Holiness
Vocation
Identity
Integration
Formation
Pedagogies and strategies of formation
67
Encounter
with context
Experience of context
Consciousness of context
Transforming the context
Contextualization
Pedagogies and strategies of contextualization
Questions about quality
� Is it “green,” (ecologically) efficient, and sustainable?
� Is it personally and institutionally strategic?
� Does it build appropriate, innovative, and useful competencies and skill sets?
� Does it build collegiality, diversity, and transformative leadership?
� Does it build networks of solidarity across the terrain of global civil society?
� Is it personally, professionally and institutionally, dialogical?
� Is it missionally, substantively, and procedurally honorable?
� Is it genuinely hospitable?
Questions about quality
� Is it beautiful?
� Is it truthful?
� Does it create and nurture mindfulness and receptiveness to self, other, and world?
� Does it transform the world?
The question concerning “quality” in theological Education in
particular and higher education in general
Challenges and Promises of Quality Assurance in Theological Education:
Ecumenical and Multi-Contextual Inquiries WOCATI Consultation
4-8 July 2011 Johannesburg, South Africa