Modern Versus Traditional Teaching Methodologies: An Experimental Design

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to determine if a self-directed, modern

technology-based teaching method was as effective at teaching content as the traditional

lecture and workbook teaching method. With the demographics of Living Word Baptist

Church Elizabethtown being mostly Generation X and Millennials, it appeared prudent to

tailor any teacher training program to meet the needs of the church demographics. While

programs and books are available for teacher training, most focus on traditional teaching

methods. Generation X and Millennials generally have a strong propensity toward the

use of electronic technologies; therefore, the best solution to reach the targeted population

effectively appeared to be a technology-rich educational environment. Accordingly, this

project focused on discovering the most effective training methods, which meant

determining if self-directed learning using technology is as effective as traditional

teaching methods.

Chapter 1 explains the ministry context of Living Word Baptist Church

Elizabethtown, along with the rationale, purpose, goals, research methodologies,

definitions, and delimitations of the project.

Chapter 2 establishes that the warrant to teach is found throughout the

Scriptures, with the foundation to teach being laid in the Old Testament and expanded in

the New Testament. Jesus builds on this foundation by teaching and by directing his

disciples to go forward and teach. Additionally, in both the Old and New Testaments a

variety of teaching methods are abundantly demonstrated.

Chapter 3 is a brief history of education, specifically the growth and use of

new technologies in education, including hardware, software, and methods. The argument

is made that as civilization advances, education advances as well. Also, the church, which

was once a leader in education, no longer enjoys that position. The point is made that if

the church is to stay healthy and relevant, it should emulate the public and private school

systems by adopting and utilizing the latest technologies in hardware, software, and

teaching methodologies.

Chapter 4 outlines the elements of the research project, which is an explanation

of the goals, the methods to meet the goals, and the statistical methods of analysis. The

final analysis of the data examines the differences in the two teaching methods. Chapter

5 is an evaluation of the project’s purpose and goals. In short, it is a conflation of the

project results and includes recommendations for future projects.