Steven Frye - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Steven Frye
This phenomenological study explored the experience of having preexisting beliefs challenged in l... more This phenomenological study explored the experience of having preexisting beliefs challenged in learning. Themes of an environment of challenge, the powerful role of the teacher, and choice stood ut against the ground of the learners’ expectations of being challenged in the u ndergraduate religion class. Introduction The challenging of one’s existing ideas has long be en acknowledged as an integral component of the learning experience. Since Socrat es, it has been postulated that learning is about “knowing that you don’t know”. In the univer sity classroom, challenging and reflecting upon one’s existing ideas is an inherent component of the experience. When challenges address one’s personal beliefs, there is potential for the experience to be unsettling. The current research was driven by my personal experience of teaching un dergraduate students in religion courses at a denominationally affiliated college. Throughout tw elve years of teaching I have repeatedly witnessed students st...
Adult Learning, 2007
The following scenario may sound familiar to many who have entered a college classroom dealing wi... more The following scenario may sound familiar to many who have entered a college classroom dealing with religious issues. As the semester begins, new faces enter the classroom, each brimming with potential. The instructor begins the course with optimism and anticipation, looking forward to leading a new crop of explorers as they traverse the treacherous waters of religious inquiry. As the semester progresses, some students actively engage in newfound discoveries, eagerly investigating new ideas and alternative paradigms for understanding spiritual concepts. Others, however, are not so eager to continue; they seem to struggle with ideas that lie outside of their previous understanding. Still others have long forsaken the journey, seemingly content to disengage the questions and hold fast to their previous understandings. Throughout my 12 years of teaching undergraduate courses in religion, educational psychology, and research, I often witnessed this struggle. It leads me to question: "What has happened here?" Some students engage new ideas and openly evaluate their existing beliefs in light of new ideas, while other students walk away content to hold onto their previous conceptions. In conversations with faculty from various fields, I hear similar questions. This led me on a quest to understand the experiences of learners in undergraduate religion classrooms who have had their beliefs challenged (Frye, 2007). The study's purpose was to examine the impact of undergraduate university course environments where religious beliefs are presented, challenged, questioned, and sometimes debated. Eight adult students from various fields of study at a denominationally-affiliated university discussed their experiences in detailed interviews. The resulting interviews were analyzed using phenomenological methods (Thomas & Pollio, 2002). Referring to my own research on this phenomenon, I will (a) examine how religious instruction can occur in higher education settings, (b) provide ah overview of how powerful these encounters were for some of the participants in this study, and (c) close with some recommendations for helping adult learners navigate the treacherous waters of challenges to their beliefs. Models of Religious Education in the College Classroom As a result of their research on religious experiences of American University students, Cherry, DeBerg, and Porterfield (2001) identified three models for teaching religion in academic settings. First is the advocacy mode/where educators advocate for a particular religious tradition and actively encourage student spiritual formation from that tradition. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the distanced objectivity model. Here, judgments are discouraged and the goal is unbiased, objective study utilizing the tools of modern science and literary criticism. A more moderating ground is the empathetic analytical model. Here, professors show respect for religious traditions without advocating for one particular tradition. Professors utilizing this middle-ground model treat religion as an "important and worthwhile human enterprise," while bringing "the best critical scholarship to bear" (p. 288). The participants in my research study attended classes taught in accord with the empathetic analytical model. Questions are encouraged and current scholarship is employed as students critically engage religious texts in an environment of respectful inquiry. Elaine, a participant in her mid-50s, describes this type of encounter: Professors who I have come into contact with have been much more willing to entertain thoughts outside of what they believe than what I expected. I expected to go into the classes and be told, you know 'this is what truth is--we don't care what your Mommy and Daddy said.' Because that was basically what I had been told in some more fundamental settings.... And I've not had a professor do that. …
This dissertation is dedicated to my wife and best friend Becky Frye. Without her support, encour... more This dissertation is dedicated to my wife and best friend Becky Frye. Without her support, encouragement, and belief in me, completion of this project would not have been possible. It is further dedicated to the memory of my mother, Vivian Frye, who always supported her son, encouraged education, and modeled wisdom and self-sacrifice. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is a community effort involving individuals on a number of levels. The members of my doctoral committee have provided me with the background necessary to accomplish such a task through their cumulative wisdom, guidance, and insight. First I would like to thank my major professor and advisor Dr. Ralph Brockett for the countless hours he has invested in this work, and more importantly, in me as a student. His mentoring, encouragement, and guidance provided much needed support through this arduous process. Second, I would like to thank Dr. Mary Ziegler for her many insights into the process of research. Working with her as a research assistant provided me with priceless hands-on experience, and a view of research that went far beyond the normal student experience. The concept of this study was conceived in conversations in her research group and Advanced Adult Development seminar. Third I would like to thank Dr. Howard Pollio for his wisdom regarding the process of phenomenology and the study of lived experience. It has been an honor to learn from someone with such a level of passion. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Kathleen Greenburg for her encouragement, challenge, and for the many conversations we have shared about the learning process and what it means from the learner's perspective. My learning community has provided continuous support throughout this process. I would like to thank the members of my research group: Reggie Curran, Cathy Pierce, Patricia Duffley-Renow, Eva Young, and our leader Dr. Mary Ziegler. We have labored together to learn the research process, and their friendship, encouragement, and support have been priceless. Further, I would like to thank Patricia Duffley-Renow for her assistance in conducting my bracketing interview. v I would like to thank Dr. Sandra Thomas and the Phenomenological Research Group at the School of Nursing at the University of Tennessee. Each member of the group has provided valuable insight into the experiences of participants in this study. This process would not have been possible without their accumulated wisdom, and their commitment to the phenomenological process. Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my family for their vital role in this process. My spouse, Becky Frye, spent many hours transcribing the interview transcripts and copy editing the final document. Beyond these labors, I want to thank her for the personal sacrifices she has made supporting me through the Ph.D. program, and the endless support she has offered through simply believing in me. I also want to thank my sons, Jordan and Taylor, for giving up so much as Dad has worked to complete this project, and for always cheering me on. Their youthful enthusiasm has been a constant encouragement to me. Lastly I would like to thank the participants in this study. Phenomenology is the study of lived experience, and without them there would be no story, and therefore no dissertation. Thank you for allowing the readers a first-hand view into the adult learning process.
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2012
Distance learning is a vitally important arena of education that is growing in importance in our ... more Distance learning is a vitally important arena of education that is growing in importance in our rapidly changing world. Keegan (1986) aptly described distance education as "parallel to and a compliment of conventional education" (p. 270). But, in our incrementally changing world, it is becoming more and more difficult to identify what is truly "conventional" about education. As each day brings new technologies, educators are continuously confronted with questions about how to apply them or even if they are applicable at all. Distance education and religious education go hand in hand. Most of the world' s major world religions-Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism-have sought to reach out beyond the geographic boundaries of their formation, and with this comes the religion carrying its concepts and sacred texts "beyond the walls." Christianity and Islam both have been evangelistic in their efforts to proliferate the world with access to their respective holy scriptures. Within the Christian Bible one can see examples of what modern people might call distance education. The Epistles in the New Testament were originally letters written to fledgling congregations to educate the early followers of Christianity in the ways of the emerging faith. The "propagation of Islam" is a major tenet of the Muslim faith, and sharing the Qur'an is a major part of that process (Bunt, 2000). Rogers and Howell (2004) contend that some consider the Buddhist tradition, with its 330-million-plus adherents, as the "first religion to break free of one local area, spreading into other areas of the world" (p. 9). Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner (2007) identify the defining characteristic of distance education as a "separation of teacher and student in time 13 2
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2014
This chapter describes developmental needs of emerging young adults and how they are often met, o... more This chapter describes developmental needs of emerging young adults and how they are often met, or not met, in faith communities. The author offers recommendations for creating better connections with today's emerging young adults.
This phenomenological study explored the experience of having preexisting beliefs challenged in l... more This phenomenological study explored the experience of having preexisting beliefs challenged in learning. Themes of an environment of challenge, the powerful role of the teacher, and choice stood ut against the ground of the learners’ expectations of being challenged in the u ndergraduate religion class. Introduction The challenging of one’s existing ideas has long be en acknowledged as an integral component of the learning experience. Since Socrat es, it has been postulated that learning is about “knowing that you don’t know”. In the univer sity classroom, challenging and reflecting upon one’s existing ideas is an inherent component of the experience. When challenges address one’s personal beliefs, there is potential for the experience to be unsettling. The current research was driven by my personal experience of teaching un dergraduate students in religion courses at a denominationally affiliated college. Throughout tw elve years of teaching I have repeatedly witnessed students st...
Adult Learning, 2007
The following scenario may sound familiar to many who have entered a college classroom dealing wi... more The following scenario may sound familiar to many who have entered a college classroom dealing with religious issues. As the semester begins, new faces enter the classroom, each brimming with potential. The instructor begins the course with optimism and anticipation, looking forward to leading a new crop of explorers as they traverse the treacherous waters of religious inquiry. As the semester progresses, some students actively engage in newfound discoveries, eagerly investigating new ideas and alternative paradigms for understanding spiritual concepts. Others, however, are not so eager to continue; they seem to struggle with ideas that lie outside of their previous understanding. Still others have long forsaken the journey, seemingly content to disengage the questions and hold fast to their previous understandings. Throughout my 12 years of teaching undergraduate courses in religion, educational psychology, and research, I often witnessed this struggle. It leads me to question: "What has happened here?" Some students engage new ideas and openly evaluate their existing beliefs in light of new ideas, while other students walk away content to hold onto their previous conceptions. In conversations with faculty from various fields, I hear similar questions. This led me on a quest to understand the experiences of learners in undergraduate religion classrooms who have had their beliefs challenged (Frye, 2007). The study's purpose was to examine the impact of undergraduate university course environments where religious beliefs are presented, challenged, questioned, and sometimes debated. Eight adult students from various fields of study at a denominationally-affiliated university discussed their experiences in detailed interviews. The resulting interviews were analyzed using phenomenological methods (Thomas & Pollio, 2002). Referring to my own research on this phenomenon, I will (a) examine how religious instruction can occur in higher education settings, (b) provide ah overview of how powerful these encounters were for some of the participants in this study, and (c) close with some recommendations for helping adult learners navigate the treacherous waters of challenges to their beliefs. Models of Religious Education in the College Classroom As a result of their research on religious experiences of American University students, Cherry, DeBerg, and Porterfield (2001) identified three models for teaching religion in academic settings. First is the advocacy mode/where educators advocate for a particular religious tradition and actively encourage student spiritual formation from that tradition. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the distanced objectivity model. Here, judgments are discouraged and the goal is unbiased, objective study utilizing the tools of modern science and literary criticism. A more moderating ground is the empathetic analytical model. Here, professors show respect for religious traditions without advocating for one particular tradition. Professors utilizing this middle-ground model treat religion as an "important and worthwhile human enterprise," while bringing "the best critical scholarship to bear" (p. 288). The participants in my research study attended classes taught in accord with the empathetic analytical model. Questions are encouraged and current scholarship is employed as students critically engage religious texts in an environment of respectful inquiry. Elaine, a participant in her mid-50s, describes this type of encounter: Professors who I have come into contact with have been much more willing to entertain thoughts outside of what they believe than what I expected. I expected to go into the classes and be told, you know 'this is what truth is--we don't care what your Mommy and Daddy said.' Because that was basically what I had been told in some more fundamental settings.... And I've not had a professor do that. …
This dissertation is dedicated to my wife and best friend Becky Frye. Without her support, encour... more This dissertation is dedicated to my wife and best friend Becky Frye. Without her support, encouragement, and belief in me, completion of this project would not have been possible. It is further dedicated to the memory of my mother, Vivian Frye, who always supported her son, encouraged education, and modeled wisdom and self-sacrifice. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is a community effort involving individuals on a number of levels. The members of my doctoral committee have provided me with the background necessary to accomplish such a task through their cumulative wisdom, guidance, and insight. First I would like to thank my major professor and advisor Dr. Ralph Brockett for the countless hours he has invested in this work, and more importantly, in me as a student. His mentoring, encouragement, and guidance provided much needed support through this arduous process. Second, I would like to thank Dr. Mary Ziegler for her many insights into the process of research. Working with her as a research assistant provided me with priceless hands-on experience, and a view of research that went far beyond the normal student experience. The concept of this study was conceived in conversations in her research group and Advanced Adult Development seminar. Third I would like to thank Dr. Howard Pollio for his wisdom regarding the process of phenomenology and the study of lived experience. It has been an honor to learn from someone with such a level of passion. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Kathleen Greenburg for her encouragement, challenge, and for the many conversations we have shared about the learning process and what it means from the learner's perspective. My learning community has provided continuous support throughout this process. I would like to thank the members of my research group: Reggie Curran, Cathy Pierce, Patricia Duffley-Renow, Eva Young, and our leader Dr. Mary Ziegler. We have labored together to learn the research process, and their friendship, encouragement, and support have been priceless. Further, I would like to thank Patricia Duffley-Renow for her assistance in conducting my bracketing interview. v I would like to thank Dr. Sandra Thomas and the Phenomenological Research Group at the School of Nursing at the University of Tennessee. Each member of the group has provided valuable insight into the experiences of participants in this study. This process would not have been possible without their accumulated wisdom, and their commitment to the phenomenological process. Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my family for their vital role in this process. My spouse, Becky Frye, spent many hours transcribing the interview transcripts and copy editing the final document. Beyond these labors, I want to thank her for the personal sacrifices she has made supporting me through the Ph.D. program, and the endless support she has offered through simply believing in me. I also want to thank my sons, Jordan and Taylor, for giving up so much as Dad has worked to complete this project, and for always cheering me on. Their youthful enthusiasm has been a constant encouragement to me. Lastly I would like to thank the participants in this study. Phenomenology is the study of lived experience, and without them there would be no story, and therefore no dissertation. Thank you for allowing the readers a first-hand view into the adult learning process.
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2012
Distance learning is a vitally important arena of education that is growing in importance in our ... more Distance learning is a vitally important arena of education that is growing in importance in our rapidly changing world. Keegan (1986) aptly described distance education as "parallel to and a compliment of conventional education" (p. 270). But, in our incrementally changing world, it is becoming more and more difficult to identify what is truly "conventional" about education. As each day brings new technologies, educators are continuously confronted with questions about how to apply them or even if they are applicable at all. Distance education and religious education go hand in hand. Most of the world' s major world religions-Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism-have sought to reach out beyond the geographic boundaries of their formation, and with this comes the religion carrying its concepts and sacred texts "beyond the walls." Christianity and Islam both have been evangelistic in their efforts to proliferate the world with access to their respective holy scriptures. Within the Christian Bible one can see examples of what modern people might call distance education. The Epistles in the New Testament were originally letters written to fledgling congregations to educate the early followers of Christianity in the ways of the emerging faith. The "propagation of Islam" is a major tenet of the Muslim faith, and sharing the Qur'an is a major part of that process (Bunt, 2000). Rogers and Howell (2004) contend that some consider the Buddhist tradition, with its 330-million-plus adherents, as the "first religion to break free of one local area, spreading into other areas of the world" (p. 9). Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner (2007) identify the defining characteristic of distance education as a "separation of teacher and student in time 13 2
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2014
This chapter describes developmental needs of emerging young adults and how they are often met, o... more This chapter describes developmental needs of emerging young adults and how they are often met, or not met, in faith communities. The author offers recommendations for creating better connections with today's emerging young adults.