Theological Education Development Services

TEDS is an academic centre of GWC providing professional training, resources, consultation and thought leadership.

TEDS was established to strengthen teachers of theology, equipping them to teach with greater skill, confidence, and impact. Its vision is to transform theological education by helping educators in Africa and beyond grow in faith, mission, and leadership while empowering them to teach more effectively. This is a pioneering approach that is unique on the continent.

Under the leadership of GWC faculty members Drs Richard and Caroline Seed, TEDS runs Teaching and Learning for Higher Theological Education (TALHITE), a professional development course certified by GWC. TALHITE supports theological educators already engaged in teaching to develop practical teaching skills, refine their approach, and engage their students more deeply. The programme is delivered in-person and online, reaching several African countries as well as Chile, Papua New Guinea, and Brazil, with its influence continuing to grow.

Course Aim

The aim of this course is to enable theological educators to contribute to the development of teaching and learning in higher theological education. It will introducing them to current thinking in learning and teaching in Higher Education enabling them to deliver theological education that is theologically and biblically consistent, meets the contextual needs of the student learning and incorporative of the appropriate principles of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Course Goals

The course covers the following:

• The theological principles of theological education.
• The nature of student learning in higher theological education.
• The nature of teaching in higher theological education.
• The practicalities of planning delivery , and administration for higher theological education.
• Classroom practice.

Learning Outcomes for Certificate

At the conclusion of this course participants will be able will be able to:

1. Apply a biblical philosophy of teaching to their teaching practice in the higher theological education context.
2. Apply current educational principles of learning and teaching to the construction and conduct of teaching and learning in order to develop students learning capacity.
3. Articulate a personal scholarship of teaching as reflective practitioner in theological education.
4. Lead communities of learning and teaching in an institution of theological education. Certificate structure The course is delivered through a three phase process in both online and face to face modes. Each phases represents 40 hours of student study.

PHASE 1. Introduction To Teaching And Learning For Higher Theological Education

Aim: To build the confidence of the participants to reflect theologically and educationally on their teaching practice. Mode of delivery: 15 session workshop.

PHASE 2. Active Experimentation

Aim: To build competence through active reflection on practical experimentation Mode of delivery: Practical experimentation and reflection in teaching context

PHASE 3. Deepening Teaching And Learning For Higher Theological Education

Aim: To build participants in their capacity to foster the learning capacity of their students and lead change in teaching and learning in their contexts. Mode of delivery: 15 session workshop.

Cost Individual cost: US$ 50 or R 800 Institution cost : For online or face to face is governed by an agreed MOU.

In 2026, TEDS launched the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Theological Education (PGDipHTE), an online synchronous programme designed to equip theological educators with an accredited professional qualification. The qualification responds to the need for leaders in Christian and Theological education to have the knowledge and competencies to contribute to the current thinking and practice of theological higher education from a consistently biblical, educational, and contextual perspective.

The PGDip HTE has been designed to equip and strengthen theological educators in their understanding and practice of teaching and learning in a theological context. This professional qualification takes place through online intensives and is completed on a part-time basis.

Find out more email applications@gwc.ac.za.