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Enforcing Reading
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 at 9:50 AM by Jason Barker
Today's Frazz comic makes an important point about reading: youth are more likely to engage in the process when it is self-initiated and self-selected. This is not, of course, to disparage the importance of assigning reading: as an Orthodox writer and teacher, and the spouse of a children's literature professor, it would be foolish and hypocritical of me to disparage the role of authority in the learning process. At the same time, it is important to recognize that youth engage in learning with greater enthusiasm, and ultimately with greater efficacy, when they choose to learn.
That is a crucial reason for the emphasis I place on the design of my Bible studies. For one thing, youth are accustomed to their learning materials being packaged in increasingly more sophisticated packaging. While it would be wonderful if youth were attracted to materials only by the content to be found therein, and while it is extremely important to never let the design overwhelm (or even worse, replace) the content, we must recognize that youth are far less likely to engage with educational materials that lack an attractive design.
Another - and far more important point - is that youth are far more likely to engage in Bible study when they believe that the content will be relevant to their lives. The designs I create for my Bible studies are deliberately intended to emphasize the relevance of the biblical text to modern life. Therefore, the study on Luke uses a travel theme to emphasize the point of journeying through life with Christ, and the study on Acts uses a newspaper theme to make clear that the truths in that biblical book are not relegated to past events, but continue to impact us today. I strive to ensure that the design does not become the focus of the studies, but the designs are nonetheless quite intentional in their function.
The point of all this is to try to create Bible studies that youth want to study, and not solely materials that authority figures force them to study. This is particularly important for youth who are growing up in families and/or communities where there is little or no emphasis on Bible study. In order to demostrate to youth that Bible study is both desirable and effective, we must find ways to facilitate youth Bible study without negatively impacting the content - and therefore the impact - of the studies.
Posted in Miscellaneous