Wisdom is keeping the Lamps full
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
(Wis 6:12-16; 1The 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13)
In October 2011, The Tablet, the Catholic Weekly published from the UK, ran a story entitled, “From Catwalk to the Convent”. In the article, Vicky Mitchell gave a personal account of her experience in producing and directing a documentary on “Young Nuns” that was shown on BBC1 in the same week. First of all, after the lull in vocations in the UK since the 1960’s there seems to be some positive signs that more and more young women are considering the possibility of a religious vocation. As the writer spoke to several novice mistresses, priests, vocation promoters, and to 15 young women who were actively discerning a vocation to religious life, she wonders: “The […]
Innovative Capstone Assessment Models Beyond the Thesis in Master’s Psychology Programmes
Sahaya G. Selvam
Abstract
Master’s degree is a liminal stage at higher education between the bachelor’s and the doctoral degrees. The expected competency outcomes of a master’s degree presuppose a development on the foundations of the bachelor’s level while providing a basis for an original contribution at the PhD level with subject-specific abilities in integration of knowledge, its application, and communication of the same, coupled with a set of skills in self-learning.
A capstone experience that generally marks the conclusion to the coursework assesses these outcomes before a candidate is awarded a master’s degree. Does a thesis or dissertation consisting of empirical research alone assess the programme outcomes, as is the norm in many universities? Could there be an integration of capstone experiences and research with a variety of possibilities, taking into consideration the […]
CREATION OR EVOLUTION?
Understanding the Origins of the Universe, Life and Human Beings
1. What Is Evolution?
When we speak about evolution, we need to distinguish four related questions:
Origin of the universe: How did the universe come to be, and develop from its early state into what we observe today?
Development of planet Earth: How did Earth form and develop into a planet capable of supporting life?
Origin and Evolution of life: How did life emerge and diversify into the many forms we see today?
Evolution of human beings: How did human beings emerge through biological evolution?
The central idea is that the universe, Earth, life and human beings did not necessarily appear as finished products. Rather, they developed through processes that unfolded over time.
This brings us to the fundamental question: Is everything the result of chance, […]