Whether sitting in a traditional classroom or studying from a distance, students need interaction, collaboration, and spiritual formation. We must help future leaders not only develop intellectually but also personally, communally and spiritually. In order to meet this need in distance theological education, ITS is developing structures and resources to encourage spiritual formation and community interaction in our courses.

ITS offers three valuable resources that will be incorporated into all new courses, revisions and eventually all current courses. Whether you are a proctor for an ITS course or an individual studying on your own, consider the following as enhancements to your ITS course:

1. Learning Community Addendum - Revised 11/05
   
   Christ called us to serve in community, but too often our learning occurs in isolation. The Learning Community Addendum is an optional addition to each ITS course and easily transforms course projects from individual assignments into group projects. Methods such as peer review, peer input, and peer group work, though threatening at times, help to maximize interaction in the distance-learning environment.
   
   Download LC Addendum here: Editable Word doc | Adobe Acrobat PDF



2. Spiritual Formation Project - Revised 10/05
   
   Because the Christian life requires more than academic exercise, this capstone project guides the student in applying the principles of the course to his/her life of faith through a reflective essay and a mentor interview. Through this essay and peer-to-mentor interaction, the student confronts crucial questions and applications often missed by exams and research projects.
   
   Download SFP here: Editable Word doc | Adobe Acrobat PDF
   
   
3. NEW! - ITS Online Interactivity Forum (enter here)
   
   Our new Interactivity Forum facilitates Internet discussion between students across North America and around the world creating an opportunity for peer-to-peer stimulation. The goal of this Forum is to facilitate interaction with a diverse community of learners and application of course content to life and ministry. Each course forum is an asynchronous threaded discussion built around two topics. Participating students respond to each question and to the replies of others.
   
   Click here to enter the ITS Online Interactivity Forum. Registered students can complete the assignment. Anyone can enter to read the threaded discussions. If you have registered prior to 6/20/07, your account should be available, with the same credentials, in our new forum. If you have not yet registered, please do so by visiting the forum.