by Steven Kraus

RATIONALE:

Learner outcomes refer to the end result(s) of a program or set of activities; what do program providers want the participant to know, think, feel, or do differently as a result of being in the program? For the field of program evaluation, knowing the desired outcomes of a program allows for a more thorough, thoughtful, and comprehensive evaluation of program effectiveness, which helps providers be accountable to funders and key stakeholders. However, articulating learner outcomes is important for the field of Continuing Rabbinic Education for a number of reasons beyond the growing and recognized need to evaluate, assess, and demonstrate program effectiveness. Agreed-upon outcomes help a program provider design and refine the program. They also help the provider assure alignment between the outcomes they identify and the program components (the means to reach those outcomes). Once program providers identify where they want participants to end up they can design programs that create a pathway facilitating participants’ ability to meet those articulated outcomes.

The Alliance for Continuing Rabbinic Education (ACRE) is comprised of 20 Participating Organizations. Part of ACRE’s vision is to develop guidelines for what constitutes high quality continuing rabbinic education, based on research and evaluation. A first step in the creation of these guidelines is an agreement about the range of appropriate learner outcomes for Continuing Rabbinic Education Programs across the spectrum of its offerings. Since the goals and outcomes of CRE programs are so diverse, we recommend an approach which seeks to determine a set of Overarching Outcomes of CRE programs. Determining these Overarching Outcomes is important because:

1. They provide a useful framework for individual program providers to articulate program-specific outcomes.
2. They will help set up agreed benchmarks for the field.
3. They will provide a framework for organizations to work together on joint programs.
4. They will also allow for a more consistent series of program offerings for rabbis to choose from.
5. They will allow for thoughtful individual program assessment.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

On March 10, 2010, JESNA staff, including the Director and Associate Director of its Berman Center for Research and Evaluation, convened a one-day in person meeting in New York with representatives of three ACRE organizations that have already shown some expertise and have experience in developing learner outcomes to:

• Discuss what value, if any, is there for the field of CRE in developing Overarching Outcomes
• Review the five benefits of developing Overarching Outcomes and consider others
• Develop an Overarching Outcomes Framework

The results of that deliberation were discussed at the ACRE Annual Board meeting on April 22, 2010. There was a follow-up webinar in May in which five, ACRE program providers began drafting the individual learner outcomes for each of the Overarching Outcomes. An online Google Document then was posted to allow committee members to add or edit outcomes in this iterative process. All work on this draft of CRE Overarching Outcomes was concluded by June 23, 2010. The following lists are not intended to be exhaustive, but to be an important first set of examples which are subject to revision and addition.

OVERARCHING OUTCOMES FOR CONTINUING RABBINIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The committee recommended that the Overarching Outcomes be divided into two main categories:

1. Overarching Outcomes for participating Rabbis
2. Overarching Outcomes for CRE Program Providers

Overarching Outcomes for Participating Rabbis

As a result of participating in CRE, rabbis will cultivate skills, behaviors, knowledge and/or attitudes from among the following areas:

(Note: we acknowledge that (a) there are many influencing/contextual factors that may influence outcomes (e.g., quality of programming, time in rabbinate, access to programming, intensity and/or breadth of program, time post program) and (b) some of these outcomes intersect and/or may overlap in some ways.)

Leadership (e.g., thought leaders, adaptive leaders, proactively shaping future of Jewish world)

Rabbis will gain confidence as leaders in their communities, beyond their synagogues;
Rabbis will collaborate with other rabbis/leaders in the community on issues of concern;
Rabbis will identify key areas/passions where they will focus their energies.

Torah Lishma Learning (e.g., Deepening Knowledge)

Rabbis will set aside regular time for Torah lishma;
Rabbis will continue to “renew” their “library” of sources through their own study lishma;
Rabbis will advocate for their own need to study lishma in their jobs.

Visioning (e.g., Possessing and Creating vision, Integrating Vision into Work)

Rabbis will articulate a clear vision;
Rabbis will revisit their vision over time;
Rabbis’ teaching will be aligned with their vision;
Rabbis’ work with lay leaders will be aligned with their vision;
Rabbis will identify reachable benchmarks to show progress toward reaching their articulated vision.

Counseling

Rabbis will exhibit openness to counseling people from all different backgrounds;
Rabbis will acquire necessary skills to counsel people.

Organizational Development/Management

Rabbis will identify the managerial role(s) they play within their organizations;
Rabbis will increase their skills in negotiating conflict, volunteer management, and governance.

Effective Teaching

Rabbis will learn to understand what factors define "effective teaching;"
Rabbis will learn and then model the use of different learning techniques and strategies for different groups of learners.

Ethical Modeling/Behavior Or Thinking through Ethics Guidelines

Rabbis, through their personal and professional behavior, will strive to be Jewish ethical role models;
Rabbis will exhibit self-awareness about their own behavior;
Rabbis will understand the necessary boundaries between them and those with whom they work;
Rabbis will promote Jewish ethical behavior by their writing, preaching and teaching.

Text Skills/Study

Rabbis will gain confidence in rabbinical classical text study skills;
Rabbis will identify themselves as individuals “who study text”—studying text will be incorporated into who they are as rabbis;
Rabbis will develop relationships to text in meaningful ways; (texts broadly conceived)
Rabbis will keep abreast of new approaches/developments to text study.

Self-Care (Awareness, Behavioral, Advocacy)

Rabbis will strive to maintain good physical and psychological health, ensuring both dimensions are part of their rabbinate;
Rabbis will learn to set appropriate limits and boundaries on their work;
Rabbis will learn to manage realistic expectations of job; (especially first 5 years).
Rabbis will learn to maintain healthy relationships with congregants while nurturing their own personal relationships; Rabbis will exhibit a continual commitment to self-care.

Combat Isolation

Rabbis will strive to nurture and support their collegial relationships with rabbinic colleagues;
Rabbis will turn to and seek support from colleagues (peers and mentors), as needed; (Aseh lecha rav, Aseh lecha chaver)
Rabbis will appreciate they are not alone in the rabbinic world;
Rabbis will build supportive relationships with lay leaders.

Renewing Personal Spiritual Growth

Rabbis will articulate their personal Jewish spiritual growth needs;
Rabbis will access the appropriate means to meet their personal Jewish spiritual growth needs;
Rabbis will continue to develop their own theologies.

Developing Techniques for Inspiring Jewish Spiritual Practice

Rabbis will be comfortable and capable in helping others access G-d;
Rabbis will acquire more skills and learn more options about leading prayer services;
Rabbis will become more effective in discussing the meaning of prayer.

Overarching Outcomes for CRE Program Providers

Organizations that are engaged in the field of CRE will promote:

Advocacy/Support for CRE

Organizations will adopt CRE advocacy as a core function;
Organizations will work together to develop a series of market-specific (e.g., funders, lay leaders) advocacy materials to highlight the ongoing need for CRE and will actively disseminate them;
Organizations will demonstrate that he advocacy strategies will lead to greater and more positive understandings of rabbis and the roles they play by funders and lay leaders.

Collaboration/Integration

Organizations will partner and share resources, when appropriate, with other CRE providers in order to improve the quality of programming and to decrease duplication of efforts;
Organizations will promote and/or support existing programs offered by other CRE providers which have demonstrated expertise in certain areas;
Organizations will consider ways to “open” their programs to all interested and qualified participants;
Organizations will endeavor to foster a cooperative interchange regarding the recruitment and training of faculty for continuing rabbinic education experiences; Organizations will use data to create programs which meet the needs of rabbis at different stages of their careers in the rabbinate.

Trust/Respect

While honestly acknowledging their religious and philosophical differences, organizations will work together in a way that respects their shared aspirations for learning and for the Jewish people;
Organizations will model sharing of best program practices and other valuable field-wide information with other CRE organizations.

Creativity in Programming

Organizations will work together to develop guidelines for what constitutes high quality CRE, based on research and evaluation;
Organizations will use data to create programs which meet the different needs of rabbis who are functioning in many different settings;
Organizations will model the integration of formal and informal education techniques in the design and implementation of their programs.

Financial Stability/Security

Congregations, organizations and philanthropists will be encouraged to devote resources to ensuring that rabbis immerse themselves in ongoing learning throughout their rabbinic careers;
Organizations, when appropriate, will collaborate in grant applications and in other joint efforts to raise funds for CRE programs;
Organizations, when appropriate, will work together to access funding to ensure the financial stability of CRE providers.

Create Norm:

Organizations will work to ensure that continuing rabbinic education will become the norm for rabbinic, organizational and congregational life;

The impact of continuing rabbinical education programs will become evident throughout local communities.

Next Steps in this Project

It is recommended that ACRE’s Research Committee be given the responsibility of developing a follow-up plan for this draft version of CRE Overarching Outcomes. Among the questions it should answer are:

1. What are the best ways of getting additional input about this document?
2. After receiving sufficient input, what are the next stops in this process?
3. What research questions come to the fore from this document?