The Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm
Ignatian Pedagogy - A Practical Approach is one of two key documents which emerged from a lengthy and worldwide reflection on Jesuit education in the 1970/80s. The Characteristics of Jesuit Education, published in 1986, sets out to describe a Jesuit school and its distinctive identity and mission. Ignatian Pedagogy followed in 1993 and sets out to articulate the Jesuit tradition of classroom teaching and learning.
Ignatian pedagogy (from the International Center for Jesuit Education [Rome, 1993]), is a model that seeks to develop men and women of competence, conscience and compassion. Similar to the process of guiding others in the Spiritual Exercises, faculty accompany students in their intellectual, spiritual and emotional development. They do this by following the Ignatian pedagogical paradigm. Through consideration of the context of students' lives, faculty create an environment where students recollect their past experience and assimilate information from newly provided experiences. Faculty help students learn the skills and techniques of reflection, which shapes their consciousness, and they then challenge students to action in service to others. The evaluation process includes academic mastery as well as ongoing assessments of students' well-rounded growth as persons for others.
The five educational principles:
- Context - understanding student life and culture
- Experience - providing intellectual and affective learning opportunities
- Reflection - of meaning for self and others
- Action - the external expression of learned content
- Evaluation - of student growth
Watch Iron Ignatian: Advancing the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm
Made possible with a grant from the Lilly Fellows Program in the Humanities and Arts to Xavier University through the Center for Mission and Identity.
- Five Elements to Enhance Student Learning through Ignatian Pedagogy
Dr. Linda Schoenstedt - Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach
Dr. Sharon Korth - Ignatian Pedagogy
Georgetown's Teaching Commons - Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm
Wikipedia - Teaching to the Jesuit Mission: Examples by academic discipline
IPP in action - Ignatian Pedagogy, Compatible with and Contributing to Jesuit Higher Education
Dr. Joe DeFeo, (Dissertation, 2009) - Jesuit Education and Ignatian Pedagogy
Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., September 2005 - Ignatian Pedagogy Today
A 1993 Address by Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. - Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach
Society of Jesus documents
- Practicing Ignatian Pedagogy: A Digital Collection of Resources
Related Resources
- Ignatian Pedagogy
- Online Learning Tips - for learning and physical disabilities
- Jesuit Education
- Foundational Documents on Jesuit and Catholic Education
- Ratio Studiorum
- 15 Characteristics of Jesuit Education
Dr. Debra Mooney - What's So Great About a Jesuit Education?: Care for the Person
James Martin, S.J. - A Best Practice Checklist for Jesuit Education and Online Learning
Dr. Jill Segerman
Featured Resources
Jesuit Education and Ignatian Pedagogy
A double sided brochure the Gifts of Our Ignatian heritage (mission, reflection, discernment, solidarity and kinship, service rooted in justice and love and justice, cura personalis and magis).
Order Jesuit Education and Ignatian Pedagogy
Do You Walk Ignatian?
A companion to "Do You Speak Ignatian?," this book includes narratives from faculty and staff regarding their work in relation to key Jesuit values.
Teaching to the Mission
In this updated pedagogical resource, faculty describe how they incorporate the Jesuit mission and identity into their specific courses, from chemistry to marketing to theology.
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