Understanding Bible by Design: Create Courses with Purpose

Today’s seminary and religious-education instructors are expected to design and redesign their courses more nimbly than in the past. We have to adapt our courses to novel learning environments, for more diverse learners, toward more diverse vocations. At the same time, institutional rewards for time invested in course design are fewer than ever. Understanding Bible by Design introduces the reader to UbD: an approach to course design that is proven time-efficient and grounded in the instructor’s most closely-held convictions about her subject matter’s big ideas and essential questions. This book’s contributors (one in Old Testament, one in New Testament, and one in Jewish Studies) demonstrate the value of UbD for the Biblical Studies instructor, whether at seminary or university, face-to-face or online, from the intimate seminar to the massive MOOC. Lester’s synopsis of course design and suggested action is followed by a collaborative dialogue with Jane S. Webster and Christopher M. Jones. Webster and Jones provide practical commentary regarding the successful implementation of Lester’s proposed approaches.