Ubiquitous and Havruta Theological Education

 

When we began the 2000s, reading articles that introduced the concept of the future era, such as Ubiquitous School, Ubiquitous Home, and Ubiquitous-style education, felt like dreaming. However, we have entered the Ubiquitous era that we once considered utopian.

 

The Latin word "Ubiquitous" means "existing everywhere," transcending time and space like water or air. It refers to a technological environment that enables anyone, anywhere, at any time, to access information. It describes an information and communication environment where people can connect anytime and anywhere, regardless of location or time.

 

The teaching method of the course "History of Modern Church," offered by Professor

Doug Choi at Peniel Theological Semianry, for master of dividnity program, was unique, challenging, progressive, and highly effective in learning. It encouraged profound scholarship and philosophical thinking. This educational approach, which maximizes the learning process, comprises three elements.

 

First, it was the Ubiquitous style. The instructor, Professor Choi, lectured in a studio equipped with exceptional facilities and equipment, recording and uploading the lectures to YouTube. The students gathered at a designated time and place to watch these lecture videos. Some of us even watched the videos repeatedly at our own pace, depending on our circumstances.

 

The lecture prepared the text thoroughly. The contents of about 50 minutes of the video lecture fit into a traditional classroom for two to three hours. These lectures provided much more in-depth content based on well-prepared texts than traditional lectures. They offered a wealth of information.

 

Since it followed the Ubiquitous style, the instructor could not cancel a class. There were no interruptions or delays in the class due to the instructor or students. Moreover, because we had already familiarized ourselves with the content through video before the classroom sessions, we engaged in flipped learning, reviewing and discussing the material in a classroom setting, enhancing its educational effectiveness. 

 

Flipped learning is a new and practical educational approach where students learn from materials provided by the instructor, such as videos, reading materials, and assignments, before the class and then engage in discussions or problem-solving activities during the class.

 

Secondly, we engaged in "Havruta" discussions after the video lectures. "Havruta" is a traditional Jewish method of debate. The term originates from the Hebrew word "Haver," meaning "friend." Regardless of age, class, or gender, pairs of students would question, share opinions, debate, and argue with each other. 

 

Through this method, we internalized the learning content, developed the ability to apply it creatively, and expanded our critical thinking skills. Our capacity for reasoning expanded as we debated. Our knowledge increased, and our ability to apply it creatively expanded. Through this process, the answers we reaffirmed or discovered for the first time would stay with us forever.

 

"Havruta" is the method Jews use when studying the Talmud, their religious scripture. It is known that in all education systems in Israel. Parents and teachers who teach students do not provide answers; they only guide students to find the answers themselves. 

 

They create an environment where students can ask questions and engage in discussions, leading them to discover answers independently. Through this process, students internalize the knowledge gained. This learning method nurtures creativity and problem-solving skills.

 

Another advantage of the Havruta education method is that it exposes students to different perspectives and viewpoints. In Havruta-style discussions, two people simultaneously experience both agreement and disagreement on a given topic. Through this process, new ideas can emerge. An Israeli saying goes, "When two people come together, three opinions arise."

 

Thirdly, there was the role of the facilitator. In each class, one of our classmates took on the role of facilitator, guiding the discussion. The facilitator watched the video lectures multiple times and summarized key points.

 

The facilitator expressed their opinions and drew out the participants' thoughts, integrated them, and guided the discussions to a conclusion. Discussions take place in various ways under the facilitator's guidance. For each topic, students took turns as discussion facilitators. They repeatedly watched the video for their assigned topic, summarized the key points, and used them during the discussion.

 

Our class of about 20 students would often divide into two teams and engage in discussions about the video lecture content. Representatives from each team presented various opinions discussed within their groups.

 

The writer facilitated the second lesson, "The Revival of Pietism." The writer did not artificially pose specific questions but naturally guided the flow of the discussion. We began by exchanging various stories, gradually delving into the topic of Pietism and discussing how it compared to our faith today. We concluded that we needed to return to God's Word and ended the discussion.

 

The content covered in each class was much greater than in traditional offline lectures. During the discussions, we fully digested what we had learned. Traditional classes often end with students simply listening to the professor's lecture in the classroom. However, the Ubiquitous-Havruta method was different; learning continued through the discussion process, allowing students to internalize the learning content.

 

Initially, students needed to be more experienced in the Havruta-style debate and facilitator roles. However, they gradually became actively involved in discussions and later enjoyed them. Students who learned through the Ubiquitous-Havruta method reached a level where they could teach the content to others, which is a significant advantage of this educational approach. A Jewish saying goes, "You cannot say you know until you can teach others."

 

Professor Doug Choi's Ubiquitous-Havruta educational method cultivated a wide range of knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, and application that traditional one-way lecturing could not provide. It was a learning process that delivered multiple benefits in one go.

 

This unique and advanced education method built the academic capabilities of all students. It expanded their thinking and critical thinking, allowing them to engage in more sophisticated discussions. It improved their ability to express their thoughts clearly over time.

 

Professor Choi is a highly knowledgeable and skilled expert in his field. He shared living knowledge that he had fully digested with us. He developed an effective theological education method, a new form of Ubiquitous-Havruta education, based on his background in educational psychology during his master's program.

 

The writer sincerely hopes that Professor Choi's theological lectures are dubbed into other languages so young people from different countries can study in their native language. We hope that the expansion of Ubiquitous-Havruta theological education, as envisioned by Professor Choi, will quickly lead to the global spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Myung-Sook Lee, senior year student at Peniel Theological Seminary, Busan, Korea

 

[Editor's Note] This article is an academic essay submitted as a writing assignment for the "History of Modern Church" taught by Professor Doug Choi Ph.D. in the fall semester of 2023. The thesis argues that the Ubiquitous-Havruta teaching method in the course could cultivate a wide range of knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, and application that traditional one-way lecturing could not provide. It is an exemplary academic essay, systematically presenting the author's arguments and evidence in the Master of Divinity program.

 

Article in Korean, translated by Bread University