Fostering Community and a Culture of Learning in Seminary Classrooms: a Personal Journey

Abstract

While a syllabus can helpfully outline the various topics and expectations for a course (“explicit” curriculum), it is increasingly realized that all learning is framed by an “implicit” curriculum. These “implicit” values and convictions about pedagogy that instructors (and students) bring to the classroom greatly influence the quality of learning, but they are often unexamined or unexpressed. Effective learning happens when these values are shared, explored and critiqued in the class. In this essay, the author provides practical ideas and suggestions to explore the pedagogical values of instructors and students. His goal is to deepen the learning experience through fostering community and a culture of learning in the classroom