«Veritatis Gaudium»: The Pope’s call for instructional renewal
Karolin Kuhn, Hans Zollner
In the Foreword of the Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium, Pope Francis challenges the ecclesiastical universities to radically rethink teaching and learning methodology. This article spells out major reasons for such an epochal shift such as the diversity of students and future ministries, the way knowledge and skills are acquired, the need for competencies applicable to constantly changing and complex real-life situations, and the importance of developing the entire person. It requires didactical responses such as a radically student-centered way of instruction and a clear focus on desired competencies. Such a methodology allows for individualization and differentiation of learning processes and creates a collaborative task-based learning environment, creating new roles for students and teachers.
Keywords
Veritatis Gaudium, competence-oriented teaching, task-based learning, student-centred instruction.