Track D: The NT & Contemporary Culture
Group project: three or four persons per group
last update: 15 January 2009

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify key areas in which the NT might offer a critique of contemporary U.S. culture, and vice-versa
  2. Integrate an understanding of the NT with analysis of contemporary cultural movements/phenomena (e.g., the arts, film, hymnody, popular music)
  3. Exemplify how the NT might inform the popular debate on a disputed topic or other contemporary concern

Assignments

  1. "Bible Bio" Essay
  2. "Images of Jesus" essay
  3. Learning Contract
  4. Blackboard Pretests
  5. “Mark on War” or “Apocalypse” CHP (in pairs; half of group does one, half does the other)
  6. “JC Movie Star” Film Critique or a mini-version of the “St. Paul at the Movies” film critique (in pairs, half of group does one, half does the other; see instructor for details on the modifications to the SPM critique)
  7. Vocation Essay
  8. GNT & Culture Research Project Portfolio

Research project:

  1. Stage 1 (Weeks 1–2): Brainstorming & Surveying
    1. Identify 3–5 contemporary concerns or disputed questions
    2. Identify 3–5 problematic NT texts
    3. Identify 3–5 artistic or literary works that impinge upon one or more of these concerns, questions, or problematic texts
    4. Determine the point(s) of convergence of your concerns, questions, or problematic texts, and select one to be the focus of your research
    5. Identify several (6–12) NT texts that provide potential resources to address this issue (2–3 texts/person in your group)
    6. Draft a progress report telling the Instructor who are the members of your group and outlining the data generated in steps 1–5 above
    7. Make an appointment for your group to meet with the Instructor to discuss your progress report and plan your strategy for Stage 2
  2. Stage 2 (Weeks 3–4): Preliminary Research
    1. Do preliminary research on your texts from Stage 1.e
    2. Write synopses of the data on each text and submit them to the group for discussion (with copies to the Instructor)
    3. Swap texts and repeat steps 2.a–b to ensure that your data concerning each text are accurate and complete
    4. Evaluate which of the texts you think is most helpful in addressing the disputed question you selected in 1.d, and have each group member select one of these texts for more detailed research
    5. Evaluate your group work thus far using the provided CAT. Are there any group members who are doing more/less work than the others? If so, re-distribute the load. If an individual group member is not being responsible, vote him/her out of the group and solicit a replacement.
    6. Draft a progress report for the Instructor summarizing what you have accomplished in Stage 2 and outlining your proposed strategy for Stage 3
    7. As a group, meet with the Instructor to discuss your progress report and tentative strategy for Stage 3
  3. Stage 3 (Weeks 5–6): Exegetical and Cultural Research
    1. Generate strategies for investigating the cultural phenomenon or concern with which you began your project
    2. Determine what further data are needed on the texts identified in 2.d
    3. As a group, go to Grasselli Library and work with one of the reference librarians (e.g., Melody McMahon) to find resources for this stage of your research
    4. Continue to research your chosen texts and cultural issues
    5. Begin the rough draft of your research essay
    6. Draft a progress report for the Instructor summarizing what you have accomplished in Stage 3 and outlining your proposed strategy for Stage 4
    7. As a group, meet with the Instructor to discuss your progress report and tentative strategy for Stage 4
  4. Stage 4 (Weeks 7–8): Refining the Research
    1. Evaluate your draft and brainstorm what other lines of argument need development or what further evidence needs to be explored
    2. Take the rough draft of your research essay to the JCU Writing Center for help with developing your argument and with editing the text (including checking that you have the correct CMS format for citations & bibliography)
    3. Make necessary and appropriate revisions to your research essay
    4. Complete the rough draft of your research essay and submit to Instructor
    5. Evaluate your group work thus far using the provided CAT. Are there any group members who are doing more/less work than the others? If so, re-distribute the load. If an individual group member is not being responsible, vote him/her out of the group and solicit a replacement.
    6. Draft a progress report for the Instructor summarizing what you have accomplished in Stage 4 and outlining your proposed strategy for Stage 5
    7. As a group, meet with the Instructor to discuss your progress report and tentative strategy for Stage 5, and to evaluate your group work thus far
  5. Stage 5 (Weeks 9–11): Refining the Argument
    1. Review Instructor’s comments on your draft and investigate whatever lines of argument need development or whatever further evidence needs to be generated
    2. Make necessary expansions/revisions and submit second draft of your research essay
    3. Draft a progress report for the Instructor summarizing what you have accomplished in Stage 5 and outlining your proposed strategy for Stage 6
    4. As a group, meet with the Instructor to discuss your progress report and tentative strategy for Stage 6
  6. Stage 6 (Weeks 12–13): Synthesis
    1. Plan a mock debate or other process by which the class can become involved in this disputed question and experience some of the key elements of the discussion in which your project group
    2. Make necessary and appropriate revisions to your research essay; complete the final draft and submit to Instructor
    3. Begin planning your class engagement activity—not just a “talking heads” presentation but a process by which the class can become involved in this social-justice question and experience some of the key elements of the discussion in which your project group has been engaged. Draft the “lesson plan” for your 20-minute time slot and submit it to the Instructor
    4. Also create a poster, PPT, or web site presenting the results of your research and highlighting key concepts you learned about NT interpretation by doing this project
    5. Evaluate your group work again using the provided CAT. Are there any group members who are doing more/less work than the others? If so, re-distribute the load. If an individual group member is not being responsible, cast him/her into the outer darkness and, if possible, solicit an eleventh-hour replacement.
    6. Draft a progress report for the Instructor summarizing what you have accomplished in Stage 6 and outlining your proposed strategy for Stage 7
    7. As a group, meet with the Instructor to discuss your progress report and tentative strategy for Stage 7
  7. Stage 7 (Weeks 14–15):  Class Engagement. Your group will have one class session to lead the class in discussion and analysis of this contemporary concern or disputed question
    1. Plan advance reading or other homework for the class to prepare for your group’s class activity session.
    2. Complete the plans for your class engagement activity, rehearse it with your group, and then carry it out with the class
    3. Present your poster, PPT, or web site presenting the results of your research and highlighting key concepts you learned about NT interpretation by doing this project
    4. Create a portfolio of all the components of this SJP and write a group portfolio assessment
    5. Complete the final evaluation of your group work using the provided CAT. Delegate proportional grades to each of the group members
    6. As a group, write a final review of the project summarizing what you have accomplished in Stage 7, evaluating the success of your class engagement plan, and reviewing what you have learned over the course of this project
    7. As a group, meet with the Instructor to discuss your final report and evaluate your group work