Master in Learning and Innovation - Christian Education

In 2018 we will offer an international Master’s course in Christian Education which will fully focus on the backgrounds and practices of education inspired and informed by the Christian faith.

We perceive a need for knowledge about Christian education worldwide and about how it can be improved. The curriculum of the Master will be developed taking into account the cultural differences of the participants.

• Degree: Master of Learning and Innovation
• Stream: Christian Education (international context)
• Credits: 60 ECTS
• Duration: Each module consists four months of online distance learning and two weeks of lectures.
• Course type: Blended learning. Each module consists of 10 weeks of online learning followed by two weeks of lectures in the Netherlands.
• Language of instruction: English.

The aim of the Master is to deepen knowledge and skills for experienced teachers who could become teacher leaders, for principals and school leaders in Christian schools and for people wor­king in educational aid organisations. We also invite those who are preparing for a PhD in Christian Education.

Course and Modules

Three strands

The modules are structured within three strands:

• Strand 1 involves philosophical sources for Christian education which refer to historical leaders and educators.
• Strand 2 is about carrying out research. You will learn how to research within your own context.
• Strand 3 is a tutorship aimed at personal development. During your Master study, you have to integrate the knowledge into your own thinking and make it useful in practice.

Professional profile

The objective of this Master is becoming a Teacher leader. Teacher leaders are teachers with a vision of good quality education who develop and implement new practices. Teacher leaders work together with colleagues to introduce innovations and they can share their innovations with others. Teacher leaders innovate because they believe in doing good, justice and shalom.

Teacher leaders are teachers with a vision of good quality education Teacher leaders are professional leaders with a mindset to learning in their own teaching/educational practice. They have a well-founded view on good quality education, based on knowledge of (cultural) historical and philosophical sources, academic literature, specialist literature and practice-oriented research in their own practice. Teacher leaders develop and implement new practices Teacher leaders develop new practices (innovations) that contribute to good education. They first do this on a small scale in their own teaching/educational practice and then by involving others in their innovations. Teacher leaders work together with colleagues to innovate Teacher leaders work together with colleagues to implement innovations and research these by means of practice-oriented research. Teacher leaders actively contribute to their organization’s policy. To do this, teacher leaders use innovation expertise. Teacher leaders can share their innovations Teacher leaders demonstrate and share their innovations and the practical knowledge they have gathered, systemized and, through research, critically reflected on for the use of others.

Staff

Courses will be taught by an international team of professors from around the world, including Professor David Smith (United States), Professor Trevor Cooling (United Kingdom) and Professor Bram de Muynck (the Netherlands).

Four modules

The Master’s content is defined by four major themes which are discussed from historical, phi­losophical-theological, social, concrete-practical and a teacher’s personal perspective. These themes come up in theoretical modules in the content strands and are connected to a tutoring strand and a research strand.

Each module consists of 10 weeks of online distance learning, followed by two weeks of lec­tures. These non-distance classes will be taught in Gouda, the Netherlands. During your three to four week stay in the Netherlands, you will be part of a learning community of students and professors and you will have the opportunity to visit schools and gain teaching practice in Dutch schools.

You can study flexibly by choosing how many modules you follow per year. You can follow all four modules in one year, or one, two or three modules per year.

• Module 1: What is Christian education: a practical approach

• Module 2: Religious and moral education

• Module 3: Change, innovation and transformation

• Module 4:Social justice, diversity and tolerance

Completing the Master in one year

From September 2019 you can complete the Master in the Netherlands in one year. You will follow modules 1 and 3 in the Fall semester of 2018 and modules 2 and 4 in Spring 2019.

Between the modules, additional support will be provided. In addition, you can have an opportunity to gain practical experience between the weeks of lectures. You will also need a lot of time for independent study.

Providing good education for children and young adults alike has always been our ambition. Education permeated with a biblical identity. Education that really touches them and gives them something of lasting value. For children and students in the Netherlands, but also for those around the world.

Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education is a center of knowledge for Christian education. In 1944 we started a small Reformed teacher training college. Since then we have grown into a University of Professional education that specializes in the training of both primary and secondary teachers. In 2005 this institution merged with an educational support center.

Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education is an institution with three departments and has 325 staff members. Our ambition is to offer programmes that are up-to-date and in touch with teaching practice. All our programmes have been ranked between first and fifth on the national rating lists for teacher training programmes. Special educational needs are one of our areas of expertise.

We are closely involved with several primary schools and nurture a close relationship with practitioners in the field, and because of this involvement, we know what matters to teachers in their classrooms.

Christian identity

Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education is a Reformed institution. Our foundation is the eternal and infallible Word of God and the confessions of faith based on the Bible (the Heidelberg Catechism, the Netherlands Confession of Faith and the Canons of Dordt).

Our Christian identity is the foundation of our organization: all pedagogic and organizational aspects are based on our Christian belief. Devotion, reliability, wisdom, affiliation, and courage are core values from which we try to do our work.

Attitude

• Coram Deo: the notion that we live for God.
• Stewardship: the notion that we receive talents and commit these talents diligently where God sets us to work.
• Dependence: the notion that we live in a broken world and are entirely dependent on God’s mercy and strength, which we receive from Him.

Vision

At Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education , all work is inspired by our conviction that the Bible is the everlasting and Vital Source.

It gives us basic principles for teaching and education. We feel called to evaluate all trends in education according to biblical guidelines and we hope to voice a (Protestant) Christian and (biblical) Reformed view on education in society. In a society where man himself has become the norm, we take this responsibility very seriously.

We do educational research by evaluating theories (theoretical concepts) and then make them applicable to teachers in the field. We believe that knowledge can only be developed by working together with teachers and other practitioners and by cooperating with our partners (across national and cultural borders).

Mission

Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education is an educational institution with a mission.

We as Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education inspire, educate and support (student) teachers and schools providing education based on Reformed Christian principles.

Our ideal school

• provides Christian education.

• is the ideal workplace for the Christian teacher.

• is where pupils can learn in an inspiring environment

• is a school where children with special needs receive special care and attention.

• has excellent leadership and is managed well.

• views parents as (one of) the most important partner(s) in education and supports parents in raising their families.