THCP306 - Theology, Immersion and Service-Learning

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit is an experience of doing theology in the context of immersion overseas, which includes some volunteer work among the poor and marginal(ised) . The unit will consider the relationship between theology, immersion and service learning based on the perspective of theology as "faith seeking empowering understanding" or as "a hermeneutic of hope." It will explore from a theoretical and practical perspective the missionary imperative of Christianity through immersion among the poor and the marginal(ised) as well as critical analysis and reflection by the students on their immersion experience with the help of the study of selected key texts on the faith that does justice and lives out the Gospel in contemporary times.

This experience-based theological study will reveal how "action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world" is "a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation" (Justice in the World, no. 6).

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - demonstrate knowledge of the contextual and theological basis of immersion and service-learning, particularly in the immersion location (GA5; GA8) 

LO2 - critically and creatively reflect on their immersion experience (GA4; GA9) 

LO3 - apply the See-Judge-Act method of doing theology to a social issue in the immersion location (GA4; GA5; GA8; GA9) 

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include: 

• Preparing for immersion and service learning in a cross-cultural context 
• Key social issues and theological thought in the immersion location  
• Social sin and structural sin 
• Charity vis-à-vis justice 
• Concept of “everyday justice” 
• Education and the faith that does justice 
• Catholic Social Learning: Catholic Social Teaching and Service Learning  
• Theological perspectives on immersion, service-learning and community engagement  
• Spirituality of immersion and service  
• Liberationist theologies and the relationship between faith, hope and praxis 
• See-Judge-Act and the role of praxis in theology 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning. As an experience-based theological study the total includes the immersion experience as well as formally structured learning activities such as pre-departure (preparatory) Adobe Connect Classroom online sessions, lectures, and online learning, particularly through the Forum and learning materials in the LEO (Learning Environment Online) page for the unit. The remaining hours involve reading, journal writing, research, preparation of tasks for assessment and consultations on assessments. 

The unit is offered in multi-mode format overseas. Students learn through formally structured and sequenced learning content and activities, in both online and intensive mode, that support the achievement of the learning outcomes. These learning resources and activities enable the students to critically and reflectively engage essential cross-cultural and theological knowledge and perspectives. These learning resources and activities are also meant to more effectively accompany the students in the various stages of the unit from the pre-departure sessions, actual study-trip and work on assessments in order to help ensure a meaningful and fruitful learning experience individually and collectively. Learning and teaching in this unit, therefore, is designed to be critically-reflective, participatory and collaborative. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to pass this unit, students are required to attempt all assessment tasks and achieve an overall grade of Pass (50% or higher).  

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome. 

Task 1 asks the students to do a 10-points-multiple-choice online quiz on two key texts for the unit to demonstrate essential knowledge on immersion and service learning, I general, and theology in the immersion location, in particular, to enable the students to display achievement of learning outcome 1. Work on task 1 will prepare the students for the actual study-trip and the other two assessment tasks. 

Task 2 asks students to do a creative presentation on their critical reflections on their immersion experience in order to enable them to display achievement of learning outcome 2. 

Task 3 asks students to apply the See-Judge-Act theological method to a key social issue in the immersion location to enable them to display achievement of learning outcome 3. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Aaker, Jerry. A Spirituality of Service: Reflections on a Life-Long Journey of Faith and Work among the World’s Poor (Middleton, WI: Pfeifer-Hamilton Publishers, 2012). 

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council. Social Justice in Everyday Life (Sydney: ACSJC, 1990). 

Brigham, Erin. See, Judge, Act: Catholic Social Teaching and Service Learning (Winona, MN: Anselm Academic, 2013. 

Bergman, Roger. Catholic Social Learning: Educating the Faith That Does Justice (New York: Fordham University Press, 2011) 

Cimperman, Maria. Social Analysis for the 21st Century (New York: Orbis, 2015). 

Cress, Christine et. al. Learning Through Serving: A Student Guidebook for Service Learning and Civic Engagement Across Academic Disciplines and Cultural Communities (Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, 2013). 

Egan, Luke et. al. Hope as a Basis for Understanding the Benefits and Possibilities of Community Engagement (Sydney: ACU National, 2008). 

Gutierrez, Gustavo and Gerhard Ludwig Mueller. On the Side of the Poor: The Theology of Liberation (New York: Orbis, 2015). 

Massaro, Thomas S.J. Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2016). 

Toton, Suzanne. Justice Education: From Service to Solidarity (Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University Press, 2006).