MATUL INTEGRATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT DESCRIPTION

In TUL675, students conduct qualitative/participatory community research projects they have designed in TUL670. This culminates in the writing and oral presentation of a report that involves local residents in transformation.

In the Integrative Final Project, student-investigators conduct field research oriented towards the needs of a specific community organization. This organization can be public, private, or non-profit. In some cases, it will be an urban poor church; in other cases, an issue-oriented community organization with a large professional staff. Although the range of possible partner organizations is broad, it is imperative that it be “high quality.” The capacity, reputation, and level of public involvement of the organization will all directly affect whether project planning will be ‘participatory,’ as well as how well research results will be applied within specific populations or communities. Students will negotiate with the organization a particular issue and research question that supports its mission. As action research, the resulting project should result in a specific extension in the church or community context. Students are required to present their research to the partner organization and/or community, as well as the university.

This final project report, as the culminating course and program product, is intended to profoundly shape student learning. It asks students to define a research agenda, familiarize themselves with similar studies, collect and analyze fresh data, develop conclusions and recommendations, and represent findings to a public audience it all in a clear and operational format. The report not only contributes to the students’ education, but also becomes a significant resource for the public good.

As this degree is a theology degree, a degree in social entrepreneurship, and in movement leadership and the multiplication of churches, the research may move in each one of these directions. Students are encouraged to choose a research focus in the direction of their gifts and callings with a view to publishing a paper that gives them credibility in their field.

The Integrative Final Project is developed TUL670 and TUL675. The final project includes a written paper and two presentations of the project.

The project requires student to:

  • Articulate the philosophical, theological, and practical distinctives of missional participatory action research.

  • Describe a ministry problem as well as context of community organization or church.

  • Critically discuss literature related to the research topic and question.

  • Develop a theological framework for the research resulting in a framework for missional action.

  • Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of research approaches.

  • Complete an analysis and description of research findings.

  • Critically reflect on conclusions and seeks active decision-making involvement by the community organization or church and/or community leadership in both the process and implementation of recommendations.

The written paper includes the following headings:

  • Table of Contents

  • Abstract

  • Introduction

  • Literature Review

  • Theological Analysis

  • Project Plan and Methodology

  • Results of project or research

  • Discussion of results

  • Conclusions and recommendations to the organization and community

The community presentation is a recorded public presentation of the project(in the local language) and results are given to organizational and community leaders for them to decide what to implement.

The academic presentation is then made to faculty (the public, family, and students may be invited).

Information on required academic and professional activities