ABSTRACTSTEPHEN PAUL RAYBON An evaluation of best practices in online continuing theological education (Under the direction of JOHN A. GRETES) The principle purpose of this mixed methods case study was to evaluate the extent to which a wholly online continuing theological education program operated by an Association of Theological Schools accredited seminary modeled best practices of online education, as exemplified by the findings of the Quality On the Line study and the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Best Online Instructional Practices (BOIP) study. In support of that goal, the research examined the extent to which key themes in the pursuit of theological education; sense of community, transformational learning and transfer of learning, were reported by respondents, and looked for an association between best practices and those themes in four specific courses. Evidence of best practices as indicated by the QOL benchmarks and the BOIP rubric was found in all sources evaluated for that purpose. Likewise, evidence for the key themes was found in all sources evaluated for that purpose. Within the four core courses, evidence of best practices and key themes in theological continuing education was found for each course where that data was available. Because all evaluated courses demonstrated evidence of best practices and the presence of the key themes, there is an implied but not an empirical association.
