An Interdisciplinary Exploration

　　Every year a group of faculty members teaches the “Research and Writing” courses for the master’s and bachelor’s degrees students. Although the schedules for different degrees differ, the contents are similar. In addition, the course “The Worshipping Church” was team-taught in the fall of 2014. The “Senior Integrative Colloquium” could also be included although it is more of a discussion course. In all these instances, one faculty member serves as the coordinator, overseeing the design and logistic of the course. Usually another one or more faculty members would help mark the term papers and/or other forms of assessments.

　　The most obvious benefit of such a course is that the person giving the lecture on a particular topic is usually the best suited to teach that topic. For example, I was responsible for teaching the class on worship in the Old Testament while a New Testament colleague did the same for New Testament worship. In the same way, faculty members from each discipline was in charge of introducing students to the study of their respective disciplines in the “Research and Writing” course. If diverse views and breadth are major purposes of a course, team teaching is a good choice. However, if depth and consistency are more important (e.g., Hebrew or Greek exegesis), then teaching by a single teacher is better.

　　For both teachers and students, it is a chance to explore a topic they may not otherwise explore. For example, at least in recent years, Bible courses usually centre on a biblical book (e.g., 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Corinthians) rather than on a topic. The strength of this approach is that it teaches students to interpret Scriptural passages from the broader context of a book rather than as independent, discreet units. On the other hand, what the Bible as a whole has to say about a certain topic is usually neglected. Since team-taught courses are usually topical by nature, it is a chance for students to see how the whole Bible and, even, different theological disciplines contribute to the discussions of a single topic (e.g., worship, an ethical issue, etc.). For the teachers, too, it is a chance to do some research on a biblical theme they may otherwise not do.

　　There is of course the risk of students being unable to integrate the knowledge presented by so many different faculty members. However, this problem is also present in the bigger picture of our curriculum as a whole. Thus, integration is something students have to be doing constantly throughout their courses. Moreover, it could be overcome if the coordinating faculty member helps students see how all the pieces fit together. In some instances, courses are taught by only two faculty members. I think integration is a much lesser problem here as the teachers could integrate the knowledge for their students as they go along.

　　I think team teaching has its value in interdisciplinary courses like those cited above. If done well and in moderation, it could be a wonderful learning experience for students.