Linda Sasser

1. Linda Sasser
Judson University
ICCTE May, 2012

2. Integration of faith and learning (IFL) is major
focus at most Christian higher learning
institutions
Often referred to as “thinking Christianly” or
“holding a Christian worldview (Lawrence,
Burton, & Nwosu, 2005)
Faith based schools often only employ faculty
with strong faith commitment
Research addresses whether and how IFL occurs
Faculty differ in degree and manner in which they
practice IFL (Lawrence et al., 2005; Bower (2010)

3. Bower (2010): How faith influences academic
learning in graphic design courses
Wide range of interpretations of IFL by faculty
Connections are mostly personal, relational,
immediate and spontaneous
IFL accomplished through daily conversations,
prayer, being transparent, using religious concepts

4. Hardin, Sweeney, and Whitworth (1999):
Faculty perceptions in teacher education
courses
IFL important, easy to do in teacher education
“How” is up to individual faculty
Suggestions:
Faculty model Christian faith/values
Syllabi reflect emphasis on IFL through objectives and
course activities
Faculty include reflection on IFL in class discussions

5. Sherr, Huff, and Curran (2006, 2007): Salient
integration of faith and learning
Need to learn from students whether IFL occurs
Focus group interviews with social work students
Two main indicators perceived:
Faculty relationships with God
Faculty competence with IFL curriculum coverage and
classroom setting
Negligible amount of empirical studies suggest
additional research needed to enable faculty to
enhance IFL efforts in classroom

6. Burton and Nwosu (2003): Student perceptions
of IFL in teacher education classes
One course over three terms
Five question survey completed in class (n=44)
Asked about definition of IFL, whether it occurred
in class and through what experiences
Asked whether IFL experiences would help with
professional practice and outside the class
Results: IFL defined as teaching and learning
processes, connections between faith and subject,
classroom atmosphere modeling Christian values

7. Lawrence, Burton, and Nwosu (2005): Focus on
student perceptions of locus of IFL
Students believed IFL was occurring
Perceived instructional strategies/procedures as
evidence of IFL, hence more of a teacher activity
Conclusion: Necessary component for IFL is
pedagogical approach in which attention is given to
help students develop ability to integrate faith in
content

8. Eight item survey (Survey Monkey)
Emails sent to all teacher education students in
Spring, 2012
23 students in Certification Only program
95 traditional undergraduate teacher education
students
Reminder sent three days later
Final reminder sent two days before survey
closed (available a total of 10 days)

9. Response rate for survey was 58/118 (49%)
50 of 93 traditional teacher education students (54%)
8 of 23 Certification Only students (35%)
Question #1: Approximately how many education
courses have you taken at Judson?
Figure 1a Certification Only Figure 1b Traditional Students
58% of students responding have taken 7 or more courses

10. Question #2:
Please explain your understanding/interpretation of
the concept of “integration of faith and learning”
(hereafter referred to as IFL).
Most comments addressed connection between
faith and content learning
Some comments focused on how faith plays a
role in learning content
Some emphasized role of faith in future teaching

11. Representative comments:
“Looking at the subject with a Christian
perspective”
“Showing the subject matter through the lenses of
a Biblical, Christian worldview”
“Looking at secular topics with a Christian view.
God is in everything and that includes things we
learn in school”
“Faith is incorporated into all aspects of learning.”

12. At least six students indicated that IFL involves
showing your faith through your actions and
lessons when you are teaching.
Three students identified IFL as devotionals or
prayer before class
Three explained IFL as the professor modeling
faith through his or her teaching methods,
conduct, and conversation
Of the 58 students who responded to the
survey, only two stated either that they were
not familiar with this concept or had “no idea.”

13. Question #3: Think about all the education
courses you have taken or are currently taking
at Judson and indicate to what extent, on
average, IFL occurs in them, selecting from the
following options:
1= Never
2= About once or twice during a semester
3= At least 5 times during a semester
4= In 50% or more of class meetings
5= In nearly every class meeting

14. The majority of both the Certification Only (87%) and the
traditional students (78%) indicated that, on average, IFL
occurs in at least half of a class’s meetings during a
semester.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
C.O.
Traditional

15. Question #4: What specific
characteristics/behaviors do education
professors exhibit (either in or out of class) that
contribute to IFL?
45% - devotions
48% - prayer
34% - professor is kind, caring, helpful
24% - professor models/is open about faith, or
demonstrates Christian commitment in lifestyle
12% - professor integrates faith/Scripture with
lesson/content

16. Professor Characteristics/Behaviors
that Contribute to IFL
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
C.O.
Traditional
Combined

17. Results were similar to those obtained by Burton
and Nwosu (2003) and Sherr, Huff, and Curran
(2007); their respondents saw IFL in faculty who:
Demonstrated commitment to faith
Showed care and concern for students’ personal as
well as academic growth
A notable difference is that students in the
present study did not mention specific teaching
methodology (role playing, inquiry training, etc.)

18. Question #5: What specific IFL experiences do
education professors provide in the classroom?
14% - could not recall/no idea (38% C.O., 10% trad)
48% - prayer
48% - devotionals
30% - connections between faith and subject
Sample comments regarding IFL:
“relating class content to faith”
“how subjects we are discussing may relate to our
spiritual beliefs”
“give samples of connections of learning to faith”

19. Question #6: In what ways, if any, do you view
IFL in your education courses as being helpful to
you beyond the classroom or in your future
career as a teacher?
Optional item: approximately 72% responded
Responses were varied, some general
71% - “helpful” in:
Showing Christ through how they teach, relate to
students
Their own personal/spiritual growth
Knowing how to embed spiritual truths in their
teaching

20. Question #7: Was IFL one of the reasons you
chose to attend a Christian university?
12.5% Certification Only students: Yes
56% traditional students: Yes
Difference may reflect reason C.O. students
come to Judson
C.O.
Yes
No
Traditional
Yes
No

21. Question #8: Please select the option that best
represents your view of the statement:
I believe I am learning, through my education
courses, to integrate my faith with my learning.
7% - 1=Strongly disagree
5% - 2=Disagree
19% - 3=Neither agree nor disagree
48% - 4=Agree
21% - 5=Strongly agree
For C.O., 50% Agreed or Strongly Agreed, and
for traditional it was 77%

22. Majority of students responding agree that:
IFL means studying disciplines through the lens of a
Christian worldview and making their faith visible
through the way they teach
IFL is taking place in at least half of their education
courses (according to their interpretation of it)
They experience IFL through devotions and prayer,
and through professors’ lifestyle choices/modeling of
Christian virtues, being kind/caring, and integrating
faith and Scripture with content
They are learning through these courses how to
achieve this integration
IFL will help them be better teachers and furthers
their spiritual growth

23. Representativeness and size of sample
Open-ended nature of questions
Future research could use focus group
interviews with students, and with faculty
Research could survey/interview students in
other courses, or in teacher education at other
institutions

24. lsasser@judsonu.edu

25. Bower, L. (2010). Faith-learning interaction in graphic design courses
in protestant evangelical colleges and universities. Christian
Higher Education, 9, 5-27. DOI: 10.1080/15363750902973477
Burton, L. D., & Nwosu, C. C. (2003). Student perceptions of the
integration of faith, learning, and practice in an education
methods course. Journal of Research on Christian Education,
12(2), 101–135. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.judsonu.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfvie
wer/pdfviewer?sid=38d16217-64a6-4ba7-ac80-
bd24428249e1%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=110
Burton, L. D., & Nwosu, C. C. (2002). Student perceptions of the
integration of faith, learning, and practice in a selected
education course. Paper presented at the Fifth Biennial
Symposium Coalition of Christian Teacher Educators “Educating
for Life,” Calvin College.

26. Hardin, J., Sweeney, J., & Whitworth, J. (1999). Integrating faith
and learning in teacher education. Paper presented at the
Extended Annual Meeting of the Association of
Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education.
Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED429044.pdf
Lawrence, T.A., Burton, L.D., & Nwosu, C.C. (Spring 2005).
Refocusing on the learning in “integration of faith and
learning.” Journal of Research on Christian Education, 14(1),
17-50.
Rasmussen, J.B., & Rasmussen, R.H. (July 30,2009). The challenge of
integrating faith-learning-living in teacher education. The
ICCTE Journal, 1(1). Retrieved from h
ttp://icctejournal.org/issues/v1i1/v1i1-rasmussen-
rasmussen/

27. Sherr, M.E., Huff, G.E., & Curran, M.A. (2007). Student perceptions
of salient indicators of integration of faith and learning (IFL):
The Christian vocation model. Journal of Research on
Christian Education, 16, 15–33.
Sherr, M.E., Huff, G.E., & Curran, M.A. (2006). BSW student
perceptions of salient integration of faith and learning
indicators. Social Work & Christianity, 33(1), 58-76.

30. 58%
23%
10%
9%
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