Click - Leadership Formation Through Theological Field Education

2005·1.2 MB·English

by  Emily Ann Click

Leadership Formation
Through Theological Field Education

A Dissertation presented to
the Faculty of the Claremont School of Theology

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
by
Emily Ann Click
May 2005
ii

Table of Contents

Abstract ................................................................................................................ viii
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................... x
Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................... 1
Theological Field Education Prepares Religious Leaders ................................................ 1
The Problem Within Theological Field Education ............................................................... 1
Goals for the Study ............................................................................................................................ 3
Methodology for the Study ............................................................................................................ 3
Summary of the Dissertation ........................................................................................................ 4
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Chapter 2: Methodology ....................................................................................... 6
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Statement of the Problems .................................................................................................... 6
Goals for the Study .................................................................................................................... 7
Description of Methodologies ...................................................................................................... 8
Overview of the Study .............................................................................................................. 8
The Three Phases of the Study ............................................................................................. 8
Summary of How the Three Phases Built the Study Results ................................ 10
Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Method One: Grounded Research .................................................................................... 11
Method Two: Participatory Action Research .............................................................. 17
Summary of Research Methods ................................................................................................ 20
The Phases of the Study ............................................................................................................... 21
Phase One ................................................................................................................................... 21
Phase Two .................................................................................................................................. 37
Phase Three ............................................................................................................................... 41
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Chapter 3: Overview of Theological Field Education ..................................... 44
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 44
A Religious Leader’s Most Important Capacity Is to Reflect ................................ 44
Ministerial Leaders Face Challenging Conditions ..................................................... 47
Theological Field Education Employs Three Educational Components to
Teach Reflection on Experience ............................................................................... 47
The Importance of Understanding What Actually Happens in
TFE Programs ................................................................................................................... 48
Theological Field Education’s Purposes ............................................................................... 49
Theological Field Education’s Main Purpose Is the Preparation of Religious
Leaders ................................................................................................................................ 49
Association for Theological Schools Guidelines ........................................................ 50
How Theological Field Education Program Materials Describe Program
Purposes ............................................................................................................................. 51
Summary of Purposes ........................................................................................................... 52
Description of Theological Field Education ......................................................................... 53
Field Education Case: Josephine ....................................................................................... 53
Variations on Josephine’s Example Within Theological Field Education ............... 59
How Elements Are Included in Programs ............................................................................ 59
Full-time Internships vs. Part-Time Concurrent Internships .............................. 59
Variations in Reflective Practica ...................................................................................... 61
The Educational Relationship Between the Intern and Laypersons ................ 62
How Supervisors Teach Students .................................................................................... 62
Types of Placements .............................................................................................................. 63
Level of Staffing and the Roles of Field Educators .................................................... 63
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 64
Chapter 4: The Key Elements of Field Education ........................................... 67
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 67
Description of the Field Educator ............................................................................................ 68
Definition of the Term: Field Educator .......................................................................... 68
Variations on How the Role of Field Educator Is Configured .............................. 71
Summary of the Field Educator ........................................................................................ 77
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The Field Education Reflective Practicum ........................................................................... 78
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 78
Definition of the Term: Reflective Practicum ............................................................. 78
Vocabulary Used in Relation to the Term: Reflective Practicum ....................... 79
Variations on How the Seminar Is Configured ........................................................... 80
Conclusion re: Reflective Practicum ............................................................................... 86
The Field Education Handbook ................................................................................................ 87
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 87
How the Study Gathered Information about the Uses and Purposes for
Handbooks ......................................................................................................................... 87
The Contents of Handbooks ............................................................................................... 88
The Use and Purposes of Handbooks ............................................................................. 89
Gaps between Manuals and Actual Practices .............................................................. 91
The Supervisor ................................................................................................................................. 92
The Role of the Supervisor .................................................................................................. 92
Training of Supervisors ........................................................................................................ 93
Establishment of Mentoring Relationships ................................................................. 94
The Relationship between the Field Education Program and the Curriculum .... 95
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 97
Chapter 5: Reflecting Through Mentoring ...................................................... 98
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 98
Overview of the Use of Models .......................................................................................... 98
Overview of the Three Models in This Study .............................................................. 99
The Reality of Forced Choice in Developing Educational Strategies .............. 100
Overview of the Reflecting Through Mentoring Model ................................................ 101
Description of How Field Education Works in the Mentoring Model .................... 102
Three Programs That Emphasize Mentoring for Theological Reflection ............. 105
Introduction to the Three Programs ............................................................................ 105
Fuller Theological Seminary ............................................................................................ 106
The Institute for Pastoral Studies at Loyola University, Chicago ..................... 108
Luther Seminary .................................................................................................................... 110
Key Pedagogical Questions ....................................................................................................... 112
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The Pedagogy of the Mentoring Model ........................................................................ 112
What Is the Primary Learning Environment? ........................................................... 114
Who Is the Main Instructor for Field Education? .................................................... 115
Who Evaluates the Student? ............................................................................................. 117
What Is the Role of the Field Education Department? .......................................... 118
What Is the Learning Relationship Between Abstract and
Embodied Ideals? .......................................................................................................... 119
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 121
Chapter 6: Reflecting Through Practica Model ............................................ 122
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 122
Overview of Reflecting Through Practicum Model ................................................ 122
Description of How Field Education Works in the Practicum Model ............. 123
The Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry ............................................. 126
General Description of the School ................................................................................. 126
Field Education Program Staff ........................................................................................ 127
The Field Education Program’s Use of Theological Reflection Practica ........ 128
Other Aspects of the Field Education Program at the STM ................................ 131
Why the STM Field Education Program Is Part of the Practicum Model ...... 131
Union Theological Seminary .................................................................................................... 132
General Description of the School ................................................................................. 132
Field Education Program Staff ........................................................................................ 133
The Field Education Program’s Use of Theological Reflection Practica ........ 133
Why Union Is Part of the Practicum Model ............................................................... 134
Claremont School of Theology ................................................................................................ 135
General Description of the Claremont School of Theology ................................. 136
The Field Education Staff ................................................................................................... 137
How CST Incorporates the Reflective Practica ......................................................... 137
Other Aspects of the Field Education Program at CST .......................................... 140
How This Model Resolves Five Pedagogical Questions ................................................ 142
The Pedagogy of the Practicum Model ........................................................................ 142
What Is the Primary Learning Environment? ........................................................... 145
Who Teaches, or Is the Main Instructor? .................................................................... 146
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Who Evaluates the Student? ............................................................................................. 147
What Is the Role of the Field Education Program? ................................................. 148
Abstract vs. Embodied Ideals ........................................................................................... 149
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 150
Chapter 7: The Reflecting Through Curriculum Integration Model .......... 152
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 152
Five Basic Areas That Are Part of the Literature of Integrative Teaching and
Learning ............................................................................................................................ 153
Definition of What Happens in the Reflecting Through Curricular Integration
Model for Field Education ......................................................................................... 156
Schools That Are Representative of the Reflecting Through Curricular
Integration Model ......................................................................................................... 159
Denver Seminary ........................................................................................................................... 160
General Description of the Seminary ........................................................................... 160
The Field Education Program Staff at Denver .......................................................... 161
The Field Education Program at Denver .................................................................... 162
Why Denver Seminary Is Included in the Reflection Through Curricular
Integration Model ......................................................................................................... 162
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 163
Western Theological Seminary ............................................................................................... 164
General Description of the Seminary ........................................................................... 164
The Field Education Staff ................................................................................................... 164
How Western Coordinates Its Field-based Learning with the Overall
Curriculum ....................................................................................................................... 165
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 167
Harvard Divinity School ............................................................................................................. 168
General Description of Harvard Divinity School ..................................................... 168
The Field Education Program Staff at Harvard ........................................................ 168
How Harvard’s Field Education Program Relates to the Overall
Curriculum ....................................................................................................................... 169
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 170
Five Pedagogical Questions ...................................................................................................... 171
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The Pedagogy of the Reflecting Through Curricular Integration Model ....... 171
What Is the Primary Location for Learning? ............................................................. 172
Who Are the Main Teachers? ........................................................................................... 173
Who Evaluates? ...................................................................................................................... 175
What Is the Relationship Between Field Education and the Rest of the
Curriculum? ..................................................................................................................... 175
The Meaning of Integration in Education ................................................................... 177
Summary of Seminaries That Engage Integrative Learning Through TFE .......... 177
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 181
Chapter 8: Conclusion ...................................................................................... 182
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 182
The Existing Diversity of Methods, Purposes, and Structures in TFE .................... 182
Who Teaches Ministerial Reflection? ................................................................................... 184
A Need for Further Scrutiny of the Formation Process for Field Educators ....... 187
Further Study Related to the Three Categories Identified in This Project ........... 189
Appendices
Appendix A: Survey ........................................................................................... 191
Appendix B: Table of Respondents .................................................................... 194
Appendix C: Titles for Field Educators .............................................................. 198
Appendix D: Original Schema ........................................................................... 200
Appendix E: Regional Gatherings ...................................................................... 203
Appendix F: Participants in Newport Beach, California Gathering ................... 204
Appendix G: Participants in Nashville, Tennessee Gathering ........................... 205
Appendix H: Literature review ........................................................................... 206

Notes ................................................................................................................... 233

Bibliography ........................................................................................................257
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Abstract
Leadership Formation Through Theological Field Education
By
Emily Click
This dissertation addresses the problem that little study has been conducted of the
methods and practices of theological field education. It documents how theological field
education programs build learning environments for students, and for what purposes.
Using combined methods of grounded research and participatory action research, the
study built a descriptive compendium of the essential components that comprise field
education programs. The study also identified three predominant pedagogical models
used by field education programs to engage students in contextualized learning. Finally,
the dissertation developed a vocabulary that field educators could utilize to enable better
communication on issues of greatest concern within theological field education.
The study was conducted through several phases, using a recursive method. It
began with a survey, and continued with gatherings of field educators who both received
and helped interpret data. This then led to further data collection by the researcher, who
returned once again to report to field educator participants and to receive their input.
This recursive method of gathering, reporting and interpreting data in conversation with
participants, enabled the construction of an ongoing conversation within field education
about the basic methods and purposes that guide our work in each of our settings.
The researcher concluded by positing that there are three basic pedagogical
models that describe most of the ways programs function within theological education.
These are the reflecting through mentoring, reflecting through practica and the reflecting
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through curricular integration models. The researcher called for follow up studies to
determine the ways in which these descriptive categories might represent best practices in
particular situations. The researcher did not conclude that any one category represented a
superior model of how to construct field education. Instead, the study suggests that each
setting must determine which aspects of their program will receive the greatest emphasis
and attention.
The study’s fundamental purpose was to describe the ways in which theological
field education programs prepare leaders for the important and challenging work of
leading religious communities.
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Acknowledgments

I wish to acknowledge the following for their support and encouragement during
the research and writing of this dissertation. Thanks go to my collaborators in field
education, who worked with me and deserve credit not just for support but also for their
substantive contributions to the content of this dissertation. These are too numerous to
name. Special thanks go to Dudley Rose, who provided crucial critiques that spurred me
ever on to more nuanced analysis. Thank you to Frank Rogers and Mary Elizabeth
Moore, who inspired and read and encouraged. I have found Scott Cormode to be a
valued mentor, conversation partner and supporter as I have grown through the writing of
this dissertation, and appreciate all of his encouragement. Elaine Walker, the librarian
with whom I have worked in the final editing process, has been exceptional in patience
and professionalism.
Greatest thanks go to John, Amy and my beloved life partner, Rodney.