A Different Kind of Seminary…

Dorcas Hawker - Joe -

I think the “community with the professors” idea may be somewhat a luck of the draw type thing regardless of whether it is seminary or some other type of university setting. It really depends upon the personality and inclination of the professor. As you said, some want to engage the students in a setting further than the classroom. Others feel they were hired to do a job, they do it well, but it is a job more than anything, and they leave it behind when they go home each night. Of course we see this in other areas of life as well. Some pastors draw a separation line between themselves and the congregation … to “keep it professional.” Some attorneys in my office will joke with the staff, or talk about what is going on with their families, others show up … push out the work product, and then go home. They do what they do well, but you know little about them otherwise.

Now as to your comment of community with the professors, I don’t think you meant chatting with them about their own lives so much as engaging them with the subjects you are studying and getting more outside classroom time with them to continue developing thoughts and ideas. However, I do think a professor’s personal style may affect his inclination for this. In other words … a professor who will stop to tell you all about his brand new car or awesome vacation he just took, is also more likely to be the one to stop over at the coffee shop and engage in further discussion on the classroom topic with those there.

I am not at the seminary of course, but to the extent I think your dilemmas are consistent in all of academia, that is my take on it. I did note your comment “don’t have as interesting or dynamic professors.” Part of the dilemma may stem from the fact that the professors know the students think this too. Is there a professor out there who would be a better mentor, but knows he/she isn’t one of the ones the students think is “cool” so perhaps they aren’t as engaged as they might be. I don’t know if NOBTS has certain key people in the field of academia that it would be a “big deal” to say one had studied from them, as opposed to others that are just considered normal professors in one’s mind. So I would just say to be careful that the desire is for additional learning and academic development, and not just to be able to say one had gotten more personal investment time from an academic “personality” so to speak. Now I don’t really think you were looking for that, but I can see that as something to be diligent against.

Give the less popular professors a chance to shine, and perhaps they aren’t as boring or non-dynamic as one might think. Perhaps they just have been so involved in academia for so long, their people skills need some encouragement.

Lu - I don’t know about seminaries (yet) but I do think that distance learning (online) is the future of higher education. Granted, traditional schools will never disappear. But they are quickly becoming, if they’re not already, too expensive and not conveniently located for the average student. Distance learning allows students to obtain a quality education for a lower cost, more flexible schedule, and from the convenience of their homes. None of this comes without a trade-off, however.

As a distance-learning online student I can tell you that this format is more difficult than that of traditional learning. You have to be self-sufficient, self-motivated and determined to learn, because the material isn’t just handed to you through lectures and there isn’t always a regularly scheduled class time you are forced to go to. Learning happens on your own schedule and by your own study of the provided materials. Professors are there if you have questions or problems, but you have to make the effort to post the questions on the BBs and continue to “pester” until you feel confident you’ve gotten what you need. So if you need outside force to MAKE your schedule, to force you to schedule your study (because of scheduled class times) or to prod you for questions, online learning probably isn’t for you. Nor is it for you if your learning style involves face time and lots of in-person interaction. There is a lot of interaction available, but it’s all online and you have to be motivated to get into the various BBs and post.

One thing I love-love-love about my school experience up to this point is my Academic Mentor. She and I talk every two weeks about my progress, my comfort level with my subjects, my future learning goals and academic plans and my current state of mind/state of life. She’s helped me set realistic goals (something I’m not so good at) and taught me to pad those goals with time for the unexpected to mess them up, as well as to constantly reassess them as life happens. When I’m struggling in a certain subject, she helps guide me to (or just flat out sends me) resources that can help. She’s not an all-around tutor; I can’t go to her for help on a particular subject. Rather she’s a mentor who keeps the big picture of my whole academic experience flowing.

It sounds to me like this is what your looking for, more than just interaction with a professor regarding a particular subject… Am I correct? Perhaps more like what a dean would be (at least in my mind)…?

If so, my only suggestion is to ask for it. Ask the school to either provide mentors specifically for this or point you toward qualified professors willing to do it. Ask one of your profs that you admire and have a good rapport with if he’d be willing to mentor you. If you need it or want it — and I highly recommend it! — and it’s not being provided, you’ve got to ask for it.

Kevin S - Joe, your “rambling thoughts” are very important ones. In fact, I would say that they are among the most important ones facing higher education today. Unfortunately, those who should be thinking through these issues and establishing a vision for tomorrow are also those who have a vested interest in keeping things the same.

Real change is on the horizon, but it is not going to come from our most “established” institutions.

Jeff Watkins - I guess I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to education. I love going into a physical building, on a real campus (i.e., not extension centers), and taking classes from real professors. If I do a Ph.D., I will move wherever I go and live on campus. I just enjoy the experience and learn more being there than on my own. I will never do the bulk of any of my education online.