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Book Review: The Adult Learner – Knowles

August 9, 2012 By Daniel Im

Knowles’, Holton’s, and Swanson’s The Adult Learner serves as a comprehensive overview of the field of adult education.

Andragogy, in contrast to pedagogy, is a field that focuses on adult learning and everything that ensues. It is “any intentional and professionally guided activity that aims at a change in adult persons” (Location 1174). It does not merely translate pedagogical principles to an adult context, but it is an attempt to focus on the adult learner and “provide an alternative to the methodology-centered instructional design perspective” (Location 124).

This book proposes and argues for six principles of andragogy: the learner’s need to know, the self-concept of the learner, the prior experience of the learner, the readiness to learn, the orientation to learning, and the motivation to learn (Location 155). These core principles are set in the context of individual and situational differences, which are subject matter differences, individual learner differences, and situational differences. This is then set in the context of the broader goals and purposes for learning, which are institutional growth, individual growth, and societal growth (Location 164).

Jesus, Confucius, and Buddha

August 8, 2012 By Daniel Im

Here is the difference between Jesus, Confucius, and Buddha according to a Chinese individual that A.B. Simpson knew of (from A.B. Simpson’s The Fourfold Gospel).

“I was down in a deep pit, half sunk in the mire and was crying for some one to help me out. As I looked up I saw a venerable, grey-haired man looking down at me. His countenance bore the marks of his pure and holy spirit. ‘My son,’ he said, ‘this is a dreadful place.’ ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I fell into it. Can’t you help me out?’ ‘My son,’ he said, ‘I am Confucius. If you had read my books and followed what they taught, you never would have been here.’ ‘Yes, father,’ I said, ‘but can’t you help me out?’ As I looked up he was gone.

Soon I saw another form approaching, and another man bent over me, this time with closed eyes and folded arms. He seemed to be looking into some far-off, distant place. ‘My son,’ he said, ‘just close your eyes and fold your arms and forget all about yourself. Get into a state of perfect rest. Don’t think about anything that could disturb. Get so still that nothing can move you. Then, my child, you will be in such delicious rest as I am. ‘Yes, father,’ I answered, ‘I’ll do that when I am above ground. Can’t you help me out?’ But Buddha, too, was gone.

I was just beginning to sink into despair when I saw another figure above me, different from the others. He was very simple, and looked just like the rest of us, but there were the marks of suffering in His face. I cried out to Him: ‘Oh, Father, can you help me?’ ‘My child,’ He said, ‘what is the matter?’ Before I could answer Him, He was down in the mire by my side; He folded His arms about me and lifted me up, and then He fed and rested me. When I was well, He did not say, ‘Now, don’t do that again,’ but He said, ‘We will walk on together now;’ and we have been walking together until this day.”

The Future of Technology and Education?

July 26, 2012 By Daniel Im

Watch this fascinating vision of what the future of our classrooms could look like as technology becomes more accessible and affordable? Imagine if this is how learning took place in our churches?

The sermons would be more interactive and captiviating.

Our discipleship classes would be focused more on holistic and transformative learning, with an emphasis on a variety of learning styles.

A Missional Christian Approach: Perspectives on Death – Part 6/6

July 23, 2012 By Daniel Im

This is my last post of this series and summarizes a missional Christian response to death and tragedy.

As I was searching for articles on tragic death, I discovered that there was not a short supply. However, what overwhelmed me was the fact that tragic deaths take place every moment of the day and all over the world, but not every tragic death gets recorded in a news medium. This is a personally painful topic for my family and I, but it is also as painful for millions of others who are dealing through a tragic death.

Christians are notorious for offering “packaged” and over simplistic phrases of comfort to others grieving through a loss – many reflect on the trite phrases that Job’s friends offered to him, in the Book of Job, as he grieved the loss of his family. Since death is something that shakes our entire reality, what ought the Christian response to death be? After all, regardless of one’s faith journey, we are all seeking to find meaning, comfort, and healing in light of these senseless tragic deaths.

So what ought the church’s missional response be to tragic deaths? For it’s congregants and the wider community?

Classroom Game Design

July 19, 2012 By Daniel Im

Watch this high school teacher, Paul Andersen, explain how he is using technology and gaming to improve learning and engagement in his AP Biology classroom!

Atheist: Perspectives on Death – Part 5/6

July 1, 2012 By Daniel Im

This fifth post of my series summarizes the atheist’s view on death and tragedy.

For an atheist, death is final, so when Rebecca Hensler’s infant son died, remarks such as, “He is in a better place,” “God has a plan,” or “Now he’s an angel,” did not make sense for her. “Grief Without God is a Challenge for Atheists” is an article that describes how atheists are finding comfort with one another as they look for a way “to process grief and sorrow without the trappings – or support – of religious ritual and belief.”

An Old Insight on Theological Education that is Gaining Traction

June 1, 2012 By Daniel Im

I’ve been thinking and wrestling with the usefulness of theological education for a while now, and came across this older insight from one of the greatest theological thinkers out there – the late Lesslie Newbigin.

“It seems clear that ministerial training as currently conceived is still far too much training for the pastoral care of the existing congregation, and far too little oriented toward the missionary calling to claim the whole of public life for Christ and his kingdom.” – The Gospel in a Pluralist Society

He wrote this in 1989 and so many still haven’t realized this and made the necessary changes!

Book Review: The Missional Leader

May 28, 2012 By Daniel Im

The following is an analytical book review of The Missional Leader.

Roxburgh is one of the foremost leading thinkers in everything missional, yet he is a pastor at heart with over thirty years of experience in church leadership, consulting, and seminary education. He is also leads The Missional Network, which is an organization that is committed to resourcing missional leaders. On the other hand, Romanuk is an experienced psychologist with years of organizational consulting experience. He brings expertise in assessing and developing the potential of people in leadership roles.

The thesis of this book is that every church needs to move from a consumeristic model to a missional model, since the very nature of the church is to be God’s missionary people. Roxburgh and Romanuk explain how leaders need to make this transition first personally before being able to lead his/her church through this transition.

A New Form of Community?

April 26, 2012 By Daniel Im

In the 1960s, Edward T. Hall developed a theory based on the relationship between space, culture, community, and belonging. His research is becoming increasingly important for us as we discern how to better engage in community.

After all, the biblical mandate for us is to be in community, but what does that actually look like? The wineskins can change, can’t they?

Public Space (50+ people present) – Our weekend gathering or a sporting event is what the public space looks like. You belong, you are part of a community, you somewhat get to know those around you, but there is not much of an opportunity to really get to know others.
Social Space (20-50 people present) – This is a party-like environment where we are safe to decide who we would like to grow a deeper relationship with. It’s big enough that a newcomer won’t feel like they’re the centre of attention, yet it’s small enough that no one will fall through the cracks. It’s big enough that everyone will find someone to connect with, but it’s small enough that meaningful conversation can take place, without it being uncomfortable. You belong, you are part of a community, and it’s a safe place to take that next step.
Personal Space (8-12 people present) – This is the typical small group environment, where you intentionally are connecting with others to go deeper, share life together, pray with one another, and allow yourself to be known. Private information is shared, but this isn’t the place where you are completely vulnerable and baring your whole soul.
Intimate Space ( 1-3 people present) – This is an environment that you let only a few people into. It could be a spouse, a best friend, or an accountability group. This is an environment where nothing is held back and there is a lot of intentionality in sharpening one another, being accountable to one another, and being intentional in community.

In churches, we have been very intentional with the public and personal space, and sometimes with the intimate space, but not really with the social space.

Eerie: Perspectives on Death – Part 4/6

March 11, 2012 By Daniel Im

This fourth post of my series highlights a story that went viral because of it’s unorthodox ways and eeriness.

The fourth perspective on death that I am going to be exploring is the remorseful response that can be sometimes eerie when grieving a tragic death.

After Chadil’s girlfriend of ten years died in a car accident, he decided to marry his dead girlfriend, out of guilt, in a funeral/wedding ceremony in Thailand. In Pravattiyagul’s article, he comments that “the “wedding” was his attempt to right a wrong, however belated the gesture might have been.” Consequently, Chadil’s self-admission that he married her out of guilt reveals that he is journeying through the various stages of grief.

This story was not only viral in Thailand, but over 100,000 Facebook users shared it at the time Pravattiyagul wrote his article. When a story like this goes viral, individuals on the various social networking sites feel like they have the privilege to say things that they would never say to an individual grieving the death of a loved one. For example, one individual said,“Well at least he didn’t try to marry a guy,” while another said “OH NOWWW he wants to marry her…really???? That’s just gross and freaky. Wish she could just live again long enough to sit up and slap him for not marrying her after 10 years of going together.”

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