Background/Context Teacher preparation programs are built on knowledge, practices, habits of mind, and professional standards that teacher educators (TEs) intend teachers to possess. Some foundations are explicitly manifest in standards, mission statements, and policies, whereas others are embedded in coursework, field experiences, and social contexts that influence teacher candidates’ (TCs’) developing teacher identities.Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This study conceptualizes the process of working with TCs whose identity development trajectories pose troubling problems. We explore the question, How can TEs make informed, responsible, and compassionate decisions about intern identity development? To do so, we offer narrative accounts of three secondary teacher candidates moving along identity trajectories with varying degrees and types of difficulty. Our inquiry traced the construction of first-, second-, and third-person narratives of TCs who experienced “problems” in a large teacher preparation program.Research Design This study employed a narrative design. We define narrative as the temporal sequencing of events, told from an interpreted point of view. We use (a) narratives that persons tell about themselves, (b) narratives told to the identified person, and (c) narratives told about the identified person by a third party to a third party to plot TCs’ identity trajectories. The narratives we present focus on TCs as told by, to, or about university staff, mentor teachers, and TCs themselves. We constructed composite narratives about each of three TCs’ identity development using notes from face-to-face meetings, e-mail correspondence, course assignments, memos, TC evaluations, TC journals, and university course observation notes.Findings/Results Two of the three narrative accounts represent TCs who ultimately were not successful in completing the program. Kirk's narratives reveal a TC who was unwilling or unable to integrate second- and third-person narratives into his own identity trajectory. Sally's narratives portray a TC who constructed varied, sometimes conflicting, first-person narratives in opposition to the second- and third-person narratives constructed by others about her. Suzannah's narratives detail how ideological differences with a mentor teacher caused conflicts that were ultimately resolved by a change in mentor and the alignment of narratives from different sources.Conclusions/Recommendations This narrative approach can help TEs understand TCs’ identity development as they move through the complex terrain of teacher preparation, anticipate issues that may arise, and better support TCs on this journey. We argue that teacher preparation programs, as knowledge communities in which identity is shaped, should do explicit work that frames becoming a teacher as the negotiation among multiple, sometimes conflicting, narratives. We recommend designing opportunities for TCs to examine, reflect on, and integrate narratives from multiple sources.
Program Description Over the past several decades, the numbers of North American physicians and surgeons engaged in international humanitarian missions has increased dramatically. Such trips often provide an opportunity for needy individuals and communities to receive care that would otherwise be unavailable to them. They also provide the opportunity for participants to “give back” through providing direct patient care and teaching in an environment of extreme need. Personal motivations, level of ability of the individual practitioner, sophistication of the mission organization, as well as level of connectedness to “in country” providers varies dramatically among mission groups. This variability has contributed to some unfortunate patient outcomes. Accusations that “surgical safaris” represent a “form of Neo‐colonialism” have cast doubt on the motivations of participants and brought significant scrutiny to the true benefits arising from these efforts. This interactive miniseminar will explore “deadly sins” which are common to medical humanitarian efforts as well as issues which are unique to surgical humanitarian missions. Panelists will discuss available data and areas in which there is a lack of data concerning humanitarian efforts. Finally, “best practices” for humanitarian missions will be discussed. Issues to be discussed include appropriate standard of care, duration, follow‐up, conduct of research, resident trainee participation in surgical procedures, role of the media, and integration with local care systems. Educational Objectives 1) Identify common problems encountered during medical and surgical humanitarian mission trips. 2) Understand ethical concerns arising during international humanitarian efforts. 3) Apply best practices for conduct of humanitarian mission trips in which they are involved.
The Didache is a short text, which was likely intended to be committed to memory, offering training in ‘The Way’ of the Lord, the practices of the churches, and in the community’s hope for the future. Dating from the first century, and quite plausible from before 70 AD, it offers us a unique vantage point into the concerns, attitudes, and praxis of the communities who would have heard our gospels from the lips of the evangelists. The purpose of this paper is to bring it to light in the hope that this can be further studied in relations to the gospels and mission.
Attitudes toward mission agencies in general, and toward the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG) in particular, were assessed using two 10-item scales completed by 833 recently ordained Anglican clergy from the UK. Clergy were generally positive toward mission agencies and willing for their churches to engage with them, but more reluctant to form personal links. Most clergy felt agencies should give priority to the relief of poverty and to development needs, rather than to spreading specifically Christian beliefs. Results for the USPG indicated more uncertain responses than for mission agencies generally, which probably indicated a lower visibility for this agency among some clergy, especially evangelicals.
The theological map of the world has been transformed through demographic changes in the Church brought about by the recession from Christian faith in the West and the huge accession to it in other parts of the world. The implications for theological education and Christian scholarship are considered in relation to geopolitical, religio-demographic, academic and theological factors. All point to an urgent need for the development of Christian scholarship in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and for increasing African, Asian and Latin American leadership in theological education.
The Oxford Centre for Mission Studies has sought to provide holistic theological and missiological graduate education, particularly for Two-Thirds World church and academic leaders since 1983. This article addresses the question, ‘Has it succeeded?’ Originally presented at the 25th Anniversary of OCMS in 2008, this article looks back at the history behind its formation as well as assesses its accomplishments in the first 25 years. But there is value in such an exercise only if it serves the future; what issues need to be addressed if OCMS is going to continues its impact in the next 25 years? This article looks back in order to forge ahead into the future with confidence and resolve.
This paper considers the research contribution of OCMS as reflected in the theses presented for higher degrees by its students. This does not therefore include the very significant research productivity of OCMS staff. The OCMS processes and procedures for admitting, supervising and examining research students are first reviewed. The statistical evidence relating to successful completions is then presented and analysed. The scope of the research undertaken is examined in relation to the stated aims of OCMS, and this leads to the conclusion that in general these aims have been impressively met, both academically and in serving the needs of the worldwide Church.
‘Stories of unlikeliness’ are woven through this paper that explores a question of significant relevance to the Oxford Center for Mission Studies and its educational and missiological endeavor: How can Christians from powerful and powerless places of the world engage as unlikely but true partners in God’s reconciling mission in spite of all the differences and distances between them? The writer begins with a brief explanation of the belongings out of which she faces the question. She then invites readers to walk with the disciple Nathanael through skepticism to proclamation of Jesus, the unlikely Servant King from insignificant Nazareth, and to consider how that confession bears on matters of power, money, belonging, global fellowship and mission. Finally, she presents some pointers for OCMS to open the door to unlikely contributions and to engage with the International Fellowship for Mission Theologians (INFEMIT).