For the last two weeks I’ve been on study leave, taking time out to write up a course on generational change I’m teaching in August through to November. These were the only two weeks I could find without any work commitments. Unfortunately they included two public holidays. It’s taken a while to build up momentum.
People reading the PostKiwi blog must wonder where I’m finding the time to post two book reviews a day. The truth is, what I’m doing at the moment is going back over notes I’ve taken over the last two years and writing them up.
I must admit (to my anti-Powerpoint friends) that I’ve written all my reading notes up in PowerPoint presentations, including photographs, imagery and hyperlinks. What I’m doing now is turning the notes into prose (via blog), corresponding with the authors, and finally putting it all into a course manual (paper and CD). I’ve also been able to access some of the video clips referred to by authors such as Tom Beaudoin.
My theory is that many people don’t learn well by hearing ideas from disembodied people. Using photographs of authors is one way to help us realise that we’re in conversation with real people. Using email introduces the idea of interactive conversation. Live conversation is even better. I will never forget the opportunity to meet with theologian Lloyd Geering during a class on responses to secularization in New Zealand.
Hopefully what I’ll end up with here is a useful resource for colleagues teaching this material elsewhere. More importantly, I’m working on process for my colleagues to use as they engage people from a number of generations in theologically reflective conversation.