Many folks who find themselves engaged in the task of congregational education tend to be able to jump right in and keep the programs running. And they do an acceptable, if not admirable, job of keeping things going smoothly. Programs run efficiently, people are happy, and no one complains. But dig a little and it becomes apparent that, for many, there is not much theological reflection or educational thinking below the surface of what may appear to be a successful program. The danger here is that efficiency is not necessarily an indicator of educational effectiveness.
Operating from a pragmatist orientation, those educators can talk about curricular products, teaching methods, and even intangibles like teacher satisfaction, learner enthusiasm, and membership support of the programs. But they likely will get confused if you start asking questions about educational philosophy, educational approaches, process, structure, format, and procedure—those things that are necessary for an effective educational enterprise.
During a recent conversation with a congregational educator he reached a point of frustration when, attempting to come to grips with terminologies, became more confused the more he thought about the matter. I complimented him on the insight. I asked, “How many other congregational educators out there do you think are even AWARE of these concept categories and their meaning? Most are not even at the stage you are currently: aware enough to realize that they don’t have an accurate grasp of the concepts at the heart of their work.”
Which begs the question: “Do you know what you’re doing?” Lacking clarity about basic educational concepts, how can one be effective in the educational enterprise?
I stress to my students the importance of using terms correctly in order to facilitate accurate communication, right decisions, and to avoid fuzzy thinking. Below is a chart to get started on working toward clarity about these educational categories. They exist at various levels, but all are interrelated and universal in their relevance to creating an effective educational enterprise. Do you know the difference between a method and a technique? What is the difference between a process and a procedure? When you encounter a problem are you able to discern whether it has to do with format or structure?
The below chart builds from the bottom up, from the more essential and universal to the more particular and minute.
It is important to attain clarity about these categories of concepts. Otherwise, we may be attempting to do one thing while actually doing another. Or, we may not be able to correctly discern what a problem is and how to go about solving it. For example: confusing process with procedure ensures ineffectiveness. We cannot solve a philosophical problem by changing methods. You can choose the right method but fail to apply the right technique.
