|
THEO 621 |
Richard S. Ascough
This course will be taught online as a
distance
education course in Winter 2001, using
WebCT.
If you are interested please contact
the instructor in the Fall of
2000.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions about THEO 621 Luke's Gospel and Acts, to be taught online in Winter 2001 through Queen's Theological College. If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Return to course description
Is there a
syllabus?
I am afraid that it will be some time before I get a complete syllabus for the course designed. This is the first time I am teaching the course online and I am redesigning my classroom course to reflect current thinking for online distance education courses. To do so I am myself undertaking a certificate in distance education through online classes (University of Wisconsin - Madison).
That being said, I do know that the content and structure of the course will be similar to my online course. The syllabus for that course can be viewed online at http://post.queensu.ca/~rsa/Luke.htm (not a very attractive page I'm afraid, as I was in the early stages of learning HTML). I also taught it as a one-week intensive summer course at Loyola University Chicago and varied the syllabus a little (see http://post.queensu.ca/~rsa/Lukeips.htm).
The big difference in moving to the online format will be the use of computer interface to create an online collaborative learning environment. Regular weekly participation will be required and learners will be expected to be more self-directed than is often the case in classroom environments. The online course description can be found at http://post.queensu.ca/~rsa/lukedscp.htm.
What is the nature of the course?
I characterize my approach to biblical texts under the larger rubric of socio-rhetorical criticism, which includes both historical and literary approaches. The course will utilize a number of methods, including source and redaction criticism (particularly for Luke). Much of the work will be as part of a collaborative learning group -- that is, working together with others in the course to understand specific texts or Luke's overarching theology and purposes. I will also include some discussion of the "so what" for various ministry settings (preaching, teaching, counseling). However, this is not the primary aim of the course.
In part I will be developing the course as we go in order to meet the needs of the students enrolled. Thus, while there will be an outline which takes us through Luke and Acts the assignments will not be posted "up front." Most of the assignments will be done online. I anticipate there being some academic questions/discussions along with some case studies (pastoral). In my classroom teaching I tend to blend both into a course.
When will the course be run?
The course will run from January 8 through April 6, 2001. The course will be run as a collaborative group where students will work together online on specific tasks each week of the course. Thus, it would be difficult to start and/or finish early.
How much work will the course be?
I expect that there will be about 10-12 hours of online and off-line work per week (we get a one week break from Feb 19-23). This will make it equivalent to a face-to-face classroom experience and thus meet the accreditation standards of the university and the Association of Theological Colleges.
Do I need to be a computer expert?
A minimal familiarity with the computer is required. You will need to have a Pentium class computer with Netscape 4.0 or better or a recent version of Internet Explorer. To login to the WebCT course site you will need a Queen's user id and password. You can obtain this after registering for the course.
Do I need to be ordained in the United Church?
Ordination / United church membership is not a factor in taking this course. In fact, I am neither! More important is Pentium class computer with Netscape 4.0 or better!!
How much does it cost?
The cost of the course is the same as for our regular classroom course offerings, $387.40 Canadian. For non-Canadians the fee is $890. The audit fee is $194.00, but to be honest it doesn't make much sense to audit this particular course since to benefit from the course requires participation and participation is the majority of the grade!
How do I register?
Contact the QTC registrar John Young at (613) 533-6000 x74327 or jy1@post.queensu.ca
What if I don't have the prerequisite?
The prerequisite for taking 621 Luke-Acts is THEO 516 Introduction to the New Testament. In fact, we see it as a prerequisite for all of QTC's upper year courses. Much of the emphasis in 516 is on the content of the the NT and methodological considerations. When teaching 621 I will be assuming basic familiarity with the development of early Christianities and a knowledge of different approaches to studying the texts. Students in 516 generally have some practice in doing exegesis and synoptic comparisons. Both of these will be components of 621. Those who feel that they have comparable background should contact the instructor.
| Instructor |
Richard S. Ascough
Assistant Professor of New Testament
Queen's Theological College
Kingston, ON, Canada, K7L 3N6
Telephone: (613) 533-6000 x78066