Meet Dr. Ed Bobinchock
Chair
Humanities Division
Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy
Examine the world from the perspective of pre-exilic prophets with Dr. Bobinchock as part of Adventures in Lifelong Learning, a membership program for individuals 50 and better.
Mondays: Oct. 18-Nov. 15
The Prophets: The Conscience of Israel
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Register now.
Dr. Bobinchock holds a doctorate in Biblical studies with a specialization in the Old Testament from Amridge University. He joined the La Roche University faculty in 2007.
In recognition of his excellence in teaching, La Roche awarded Dr. Bobinchock the Brother Gregory Nugent Award for Excellence in Teaching.
What is your approach to teaching? What can students expect in your classroom?
My approach to teaching has always been that any academic study must have relevance to persons as they live in the world with others. If what we are studying has no meaning to our daily lives, then it is only an abstract, notional exercise. My basic question for anything I teach is: “What meaning does this have for us today?”
In my classroom, students can expect a respectful atmosphere in which all students are treated with dignity, fairness and equality. One also can expect that the material presented during class will be organized and presented in an objective manner with no hidden agenda on my part. The material will raise questions which, at times, may challenge previous opinions and positions. Dialogue between the students and myself is always encouraged. We can and do learn from each other.
What do you like most about teaching at La Roche?
There are many things I like about teaching at La Roche. One is the vision of the University—
that we are a community of learners who are concerned about issues of peace, justice and equality in order to create a better world based on those values.
Another aspect is that faculty and students are granted the freedom to explore, discuss and realize in a concrete way those fundamental values which are part and parcel of our common humanity. This, for me, is important because, even though we are a Christian university in the Catholic tradition, those basic values go beyond any one religious tradition to the heart of what makes us human.
What is the most rewarding aspect of lifelong learning?
The majority of my teaching career has been engaged in teaching adolescents in either high school or college, but I have always been involved in one way or another with adult education or lifelong learning situations. What I experienced in these situations was a real excitement on the part of the adults about learning in a relaxed and stress-free atmosphere.
Adults, or lifelong learners, bring a wealth of lifelong experience which has raised for them many questions about life issues. They are now ready to explore and reflect on how to integrate new ideas into the richness of their life experience. Adult learners are not looking for answers to test questions, but to life questions. These lifelong learning experiences are, for me and for the adults with whom I engaged, most rewarding.
What advice do you have for participants who never were in a college classroom setting or who haven’t been in years?
Relax and enjoy the experience of the course. No one is going to test you to see what you’ve learned.
Bring an open mind. You may well be exposed to ideas, concepts and theories which can be new and challenging for you. Do not worry. This is all part of the ongoing experience of lifelong learning.
Try to integrate what you see and hear during the classes into your own life experience. All of our lives raise questions for which we are seeking a “hint of an explanation.”
Learn more about Adventures in Lifelong Learning, and sign up for a fall pilot course today.