{"id":35154,"date":"2024-01-23T05:21:12","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T13:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=35154"},"modified":"2024-01-23T05:21:12","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T13:21:12","slug":"transformation-in-sharing-the-gospel-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/transformation-in-sharing-the-gospel-message\/","title":{"rendered":"Transformation in sharing the Gospel message."},"content":{"rendered":"

I enjoyed the overarching theme of the book Threshold Concepts, which revolves around transformative, integrative, and irreversible concepts that, once grasped, lead to a new way of thinking within a particular discipline. Meyer and Land argue that certain concepts are gateways to deeper understanding and disciplinary expertise. The very idea that there are transformative and integrative ideas that, once understood, represent a shift in perception (p7) of a subject rings true. During my Masters of Leadership studies, I often looked at the essay assignments and found myself reading extensively until I even understood what the questions were asking. Further research caused me to have the \u201caha\u201d moments I needed to develop my understanding and writing. Meyer and Land brilliantly argue that these threshold concepts act as gateways to deeper understanding but can also pose significant challenges because these threshold concepts are often challenging for students to grasp due to their transformative nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

The authors argue that troublesome knowledge is not merely characterised by complexity; rather, it arises from a misalignment between learners\u2019 pre-existing conceptions and the fundamental concepts inherent to a discipline. The authors contend that these cognitive obstacles can impede the acquisition of threshold concepts, hindering students\u2019 progression to a deeper and more nuanced understanding of a subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through excellent empirical research and illustrative case studies, the book expounds strategies for educators to recognise, address, and overcome troublesome knowledge. In essence, \u201cOvercoming Barriers to Student Understanding\u201d underscores the significance of acknowledging and navigating troublesome knowledge to facilitate meaningful learning and conceptual development among students.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Interdisciplinary applicability of threshold concepts is not confined to a specific discipline of academic learning. It is a valuable learning resource for educators, even in Gospel proclamation. While it is inevitable that the concept of salvation through Jesus, once grasped, leads to a new way of thinking, the idea of troublesome knowledge is an insightful way to look at those on the journey of salvation. If not rectified, the inherent misalignment between an unsaved person\u2019s pre-existing concept of Jesus and the fundamental truthful concept of Christ creates grave obstacles in the salvation journey. The troublesome knowledge in this area underscores the importance of pedagogical approaches in teaching the gospel that actively engage the unreached with challenging biblical concepts, fostering a transformative learning experience. With pedagogical reflection in mind,\u00a0 Meyer and Land encourage the gospel witness\/preacher to reflect on teaching practice, encouraging instructors (or preachers) to reconsider their assumptions about learning and teaching and fostering a continuous improvement mindset. Considering this idea as a gospel preacher could bring about a revolution in the church in how preachers and parishioners share the gospel with friends, work colleagues and family.<\/span><\/p>\n

In positing that traditional pedagogical methods may fail to address the intricacies of threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge (p169), the authors advocate for pedagogical innovations that actively engage students in grappling with challenging concepts. The authors emphasise the importance of incorporating active learning strategies, such as problem-based learning, case studies, and collaborative activities, to deepen students\u2019 understanding and promote conceptual transformation. What would this look like in a gospel proclamation sense?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Benjamin Bloom\u2019s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, though devised in 1956, still has a modern application that may help preachers. He developed six categories that support the enabling of learners to overcome threshold concepts. They include:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Remembering: This level involves recalling facts, concepts, or information without necessarily understanding them. It includes tasks like memorisation and recognition.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Understanding: At this level, individuals demonstrate comprehension of the material by interpreting, summarising, or explaining it in their own words. Understanding goes beyond mere memorisation to grasp the meaning of concepts.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Applying: This category involves using acquired knowledge in new situations or solving problems. Applying skills often requires the transfer of learned information to practical scenarios.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Analysing: Analysing requires breaking down information into its components, examining relationships, and understanding the organisational structure. It involves critical thinking and the ability to identify patterns or connections.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Evaluating: This level involves making judgments about the value of ideas, materials, or methods based on criteria or standards. It includes critical assessment and forming opinions.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Creating: The highest level of Bloom\u2019s Taxonomy, creating, involves synthesising information from various sources to generate new ideas, products, or solutions. It requires originality, innovation, and the ability to combine elements in a novel way.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In summary, \u201cOvercoming Barriers to Student Understanding\u201d guides students, educators and preachers, offering insights into pedagogical approaches that transcend conventional methods, fostering an environment conducive to overcoming cognitive hurdles and ultimately enhancing the learner\u2019s comprehension of challenging disciplinary content.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    References<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    Heflin, Houston. “That\u2019s a Good Question: Inquiry as a Pedagogical Strategy of\u00a0 <\/span>Jesus in Matthew.” <\/span>Journal of Adult Theological Education <\/span><\/i>18, no. 2 (2021): 135-147. doi:10.1177\/07398913211009524.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Meyer, Jan H. F., and Ray Land. <\/span>Overcoming Barriers to Student\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Understanding: Threshold Concepts and Troublesome <\/span><\/i>Knowledge.<\/span><\/i> London: Routledge, 2006.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I enjoyed the overarching theme of the book Threshold Concepts, which revolves around transformative, integrative, and irreversible concepts that, once grasped, lead to a new way of thinking within a particular discipline. Meyer and Land argue that certain concepts are gateways to deeper understanding and disciplinary expertise. The very idea that there are transformative and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":191,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3009],"class_list":["post-35154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp03-meyerandland","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/191"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35154"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35155,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35154\/revisions\/35155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}