Unit information: Engagement with Context Yr1 L1 (Trinity and Baptist College) in 2013/14

Unit name	Engagement with Context Yr1 L1 (Trinity and Baptist College)
Unit code	THRS11034
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Reverend. Gent
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Religion and Theology
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

Context-based students will spend much of their time based in a local church context from which they will come to Trinity for academic engagement. This unit provides for evaluation of performance in context and provides the opportunity to integrate experiential learning within a given context with theoretical learning through college lectures. Personal theological reflection is encouraged and collaborative reflection in the cohort group with a mentor.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The unit aims to structure & focus learning in a church based context so as to enable an integration of academic study with practical experience of ministry, nurturing the skills of reflective practice and collaborative learning.

On completion of the unit the student will:

1. be able to reflect theologically, integrating theory and practice, and have begun to develop skills of collaborative theological reflection;
2. have begun to learn to observe, participate in and evaluate styles of leadership and ministry;
3. have begun to develop skills in working collaboratively within a local church, experiencing the conflicting demands of people care and task achievement;
4. have considered the placement in the light of local, regional and cultural context and social factors and have had some experience with other community groups within the context;
5. have identified potential involvement some aspect of pioneer ministry where the context allows.

Teaching Information

This unit comprises regular activities in the context church and wider community throughout the year of study. Student context and collaborative learning facilitated by a supervisor in the context (usually the incumbent of the church(es)), together with a College tutor.

The total contact hours are approximately 45, equating, on average, to 3 hours per fortnight over 30 weeks.

Assessment Information

Formative assessment will be carried out by the context supervisor and context tutor who will observe and report on the student's participation and performance in the learning opportunities throughout the duration of the unit.

Summative assessment will be through a portfolio of evidence of 6,000 words based upon a required list of contents.

Note: The purpose of this assessment is to provide evidence for the work-based learning that has taken place throughout the whole academic year. As such, the evidence inevitably contains descriptive material regarding the work-placed experiences upon which the analytical and reflective essays that follow are based. For this reason, the overall word count for the portfolio is higher than that for other 20-credit units at level C/4 (4,000).

Reading and References

1. Croft, S., Ministry in Three Dimensions: Ordination and Leadership in the Local Church (London: DLT, 1999)
2. Gibbs, E. & Coffey, I., Church Next: Quantum Changes in How we do Ministry (Leicester: IVP, 2001)
3. Graham, E., Walton, H. & Ward, F., Theological Reflection: Methods, (London: SCM, 2005)
4. Leech, K., Doing Theology in Altab Ali Park (London: DLT, 2006)
5. Morisy, A. Journeying Out: A New Approach to Christian Mission (London: Continuum, 2004)
6. Woodward, J. and Pattison, S., The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology, (Oxford: Blackwell 2000)