Dr. Joel Heck
Instructional Design in REL 3361, The Writings of C. S. Lewis
Determine Instructional Goals
1. Students read and interact with the writings of C. S. Lewis so that they can understand
the breadth of his scholarship and understand and apply his theology, his approach to
literature, the role of myth, and his understanding of natural law.
2. Students understand Oxford and Cambridge Universities and the context within which
Lewis worked. This includes the geography, the organizational structure of the
Universities, the Inklings, Addison’s Walk, the nature of instruction (especially tutorials),
and other locations.
3. Students enjoy the reading of the various genres within which Lewis wrote, especially
Lewis’s fiction and theological works, learn critical thinking from Lewis’s philosophy,
and apply insights to their lives.
4. Students develop research and writing skills in an area related to Lewis’s life and
writings.
Analyze the Instructional Goals
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes
1. Knowledge—students will be able to reconstruct the various stages of Lewis’s life,
including its physical context and persons and authors that influenced him, and his
writings and theology. Students will apply theological insights to their lives, become
familiar with the issue of canonicity, i.e. challenges to the authenticity of some of
Lewis’s writings, and with Lewis’s thoughts on education
2. Attitude—students will appreciate Lewis’s memory skills, his wide reading, and his
gift for writing; appreciation of the power of story, the role of myth, and the value of
combining both the imaginative and rational in our various activities
3. Skills—students will develop the ability to write critically and creatively about C. S.
Lewis, to discuss Lewisian concepts, especially theologically, to do research on Lewis,
and to develop a PowerPoint presentation
Learner Analysis
This is a sophomore level course. Students who take this course are at least sophomores,
preferably having already taken REL 1301 and REL 1311. Students sign up for the
course with a strong motivation, because they either need an English course in the
English major or Religion credits in the core or elective hours. Students today are more
visually oriented, more collaborative in learning, and more motivated by being involved
in the learning process as well as setting the “contract” terms for the course. They tend
not to do reading assignments, and this is a reading-intensive course. Therefore, the
instructor will explain the crucial importance of reading and will test on the readings.
An assessment instrument will determine the level of familiarity of students with C. S.
Lewis. Great familiarity will necessitate teaching the course at a higher level, assuming
