Transforming Chaplaincy is directly involved in cultivating new cohorts of research-literate chaplains. Two online courses will be offered in Fiscal Year 2021.

The main goal of these courses is to build research literacy skills: reading and applying research articles to the important work chaplains do as front-line healthcare providers in religion and spirituality. The aims of these courses include enabling participants to articulate the rationale for chaplaincy as an evidence-based profession; identifying and accessing research literature related to spirituality, religion, and health; critically reading and evaluating current research related to chaplaincy practice; and identifying ways of applying research to current practice.
RL 101
Research Literacy 101:  An Introduction for Chaplains
5 weeks

Aims

  • to understand evidence-based spiritual care and its rationale

  • to provide an overview of spiritual care research,

  • to help see that all research is not equal and

  • to receive resources for research literacy

Knowledge: Participants will be introduced to the…
Evidence-based perspective for chaplaincy care
Print resources on chaplaincy research
Online resources on chaplaincy research
Major research methodologies – quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method
Hierarchy of research for evaluation
Components of a scientific manuscript
Tools to summarize a research article

Skills: Participants will…
Create case-study content
Access and search peer-reviewed literature
Interpret and evaluate research
Summarize and present on a research study and findings

Expectations
5 hours/week

Asynchronous
For much of the course, participants can complete their course work at a time convenient for them (asynchronous). This five (5) week long course wraps up with a 2-hour live session.

No prerequisite

Fall Session
Wed., September 9, 2020, concludes Wed., October 7, 2020
Winter Session
Wed., January 6, 2021, concludes Wed., February 3, 2021
Spring Session
Wed., March 3, 2021, concludes Wed., March 31, 2021
Fall 2021 Session
Wed., September 8, 2021, concludes Wed., October 6, 2021

Cost $300.

Early Bird Registration: $200 for participants enrolling 30 days prior to course commencement

To register for the Fall Session, Winter Session, Spring Session, and Fall 2021 Session

RL 102*
Research Literacy 102: A Deeper Exploration for Chaplains
10 weeks

Aims

  • to conduct meaningful literature searches and locate research articles in chaplaincy-related area(s) of interest

  • to understand and interpret written and tabulated results in research articles

  • to evaluate the strength of study design and understand limitations

  • to apply research findings to chaplaincy practice, chaplaincy program development, and communication with healthcare colleagues and leaders

Knowledge: Participants will gain knowledge about…
Notable studies in spiritual care research
How qualitative and quantitative studies are reported
Critical evaluation of major research designs and methodologies
Research ethics and Institutional Review Boards
Tools to critique a research article

Skills: Participants will…
Identify articles of interest and locate available full text
Identify to what extent an article is generalizable to their setting
Interpret p-values and statistical significance
Determine structure of and chaplain involvement in local IRB
Identify specific application of course articles within your setting

Expectations
5 hours/week (reading/videos/posting to discussion board)

Asynchronous
Participants can complete their weekly course work at a time convenient for them (asynchronous). Time zone and country of residence are not impediments to participation.

Prerequisites (one of these 3)

  • Transforming Chaplaincy, Research Literacy 101 course.

  • Chaplaincy Summer Research Institute (CSRI) hosted by Transforming Chaplaincy

  • Transforming Chaplaincy’s online course, “Religion, Spirituality and Health: An Introduction to Research.” Taught by VCU faculty 2017-2019.

Fall Session
Week of October 5, 2020, concluding week of December 14, 2020
Spring Session
Week of April 12, 2021, concluding week of June 21, 2021

 

Cost $600.
Early Bird Registration: $300 for participants enrolling 30 days prior to course commencement

To register for the Fall Session or Spring Session 

Both courses are asynchronous, with the exception of RL 101’s final session each cycle.  Courses are taught by Transforming Chaplaincy Research Fellows, aid in BCCI required research literacy preparation, and count toward research-related CE hours. For more information contact Andrew W. Andresco