TEACHING MODULES
The TERA website is a teaching tool. To help educators use the site, a subset of our members created five modules with different themes to stimulate further discussion among students and artists. Educators can use these modules as units or activities to slot into courses. One of our aims is to facilitate the inclusion of a unit on ecology in pre-existing courses about modern/contemporary religion and theology.
TERA ARTIFACTS AS PROMPTS FOR RESEARCH-CREATION
Prepared by Gabriel Dharmoo
Using TERA artifacts as prompts, this module is designed to assist artists in the process of research-creation and conceptualization of artistic output. While this pedagogical material easily translates for people working in the arts and culture sector, it could also be used by students or professionals in other fields to develop skills in generating research and ideas through the artistic or creative process.
THEOLOGY, ART, AND THE ANTHROPOCENE
AN ECO-THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF “UNBEARABLE”
Prepared by Elonda Clay
In this teaching module, students will critically consider fundamental theological/philosophical concepts related to the future in light of digital storage infrastructure. The module is designed for first-year graduate students and is easily adapted for advanced undergraduate students. It includes prompts for educators working with students in Pastoral Studies or in a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) or Divinity (MDiv) program.
TECHNOLOGY, ECOLOGY, RELIGION, AND ART
ACTIVITY FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN RELIGION AND ECOLOGY
Prepared by Amanda Nichols
This module aims to help undergraduate students build a greater understanding of the ways that religious worldviews intersect with and inform other fields of inquiry, including ecology, technology, and the arts. Students will learn about different “artifacts” and be asked to think critically about how these artifacts relate to each other and can be understood in conversation. Students will encounter other important course related theoretical concepts, including but not limited to artifacts that address sustainability, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, ability, access, and relationships with non-human animals, all presented in an accessible manner for an undergraduate audience.
BEYOND CATASTROPHE
DATA BUNKERS, DATA PROTECTION, AND DISASTER SURVIVAL
Prepared by Elonda Clay
In this teaching module, students will critically consider fundamental theological/ethical concepts related to the future in light of digital technology, including digital storage infrastructure. The module is designed for first-year graduate students and is easily adapted for advanced undergraduate students. It includes prompts for educators working with students in Pastoral Studies or in a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) or Divinity (MDiv) program.
DIGITAL RITUALS AND HASHTAG ACTIVISM
REFLECTIONS ON #BLACKLIVESMATTER
Prepared by Elonda Clay
In this teaching module, students will be encouraged to critically examine the dynamic intersection of church history, digital rituals, and social activism, ultimately fostering a deeper understanding of the changing landscape of rituals in the digital age. The module is designed for first-year graduate students and is easily adapted for advanced undergraduates. It includes prompts for educators working with students in Pastoral Studies or in a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) or Divinity (MDiv) program.
Want to cite this website? For text from the body of the website, like this page, the preferred citation is: “Name of page,” TERA collective, 2023. Accessed (date). URL. For artifact write ups, the preferred citation is: “Name of artifact,” curated by [name of TERA curator], TERA collective, 2023. Accessed (date). URL.
