Beyond the classroom: An investigative study for the improvement of praxis in theological education in sub-Saharan Africa

The purpose of this Applied Doctoral Project research is to investigate a curriculum design that would potentially be more effective in producing praxis in graduates of theological schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. Previous research has shown that there is a gap between what is learned in the classroom and what is practiced outside. Various causes have been researched including teachers' training, oral culture versus literary cultures, and learning styles. This research examined the curriculum to investigate what changes could be made to increase its effectiveness in leading to better praxis. In an effort to discover how schools could develop such a curriculum to overcome the problem and bridge the gap, 32 successful church leaders across 11 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa were interviewed. The interview instrument utilized five open-ended questions to explore how leaders rated the effectiveness of current theological programs and the improvements they would recommend for change. Two other topics were explored: (a) what qualities leaders desired to see in graduates and (b) how they believed Africans learn best. Data collected from the interviews showed that Africans learn best by participation and group interaction instead of individually. Once the data was analyzed, a strong participatory curriculum was designed according to the way the interviewees believed that Africans learn best. The curriculum was also designed to consider the goals leaders have for graduates and how they could be fulfilled.