HOSP ITALIT Y
What is a MOOC?
Sacred Heart Introduces Free Online Learning
Platform in Support of Unleash the Gospel
O
nline education is growing at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. In the last year, the Certificate in Catholic
Theology was revamped and is now available only online. Additionally, students can soon take some
of their Master of Arts in Theology (MA) and Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) courses online.
This past spring, Sacred Heart offered
its first MOOC (Massive Open Online
Course). In recent years, many institutions
of higher education offered MOOCs for
learning opportunities using the conve-
nience of online delivery systems to wide
audiences. Sacred Heart instituted this
technology to support the vision of Arch-
bishop Allen Vigneron’s Pastoral Letter,
Unleash the Gospel. The free online learn-
ing assists in forming missionary disciples
in the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond.
Using its new online platform, Equip
(www.equip.shms.edu), Sacred Heart of-
fered its first free course during Lent en-
titled “The Beauty of Belief.” The course
2
was an overwhelming success with 2,957
active participants. In addition to Michi-
gan students, participants from 45 other
states and 38 total countries enrolled.
The course was developed by Dr. John
Gresham, Director of Distance Education
and Online Learning, Dr. Matthew Ger-
lach, Dean of the Institute for Lay Minis-
try, and Mr. Ryan Cahill, Director of Ad-
missions and Enrollment Management /
Educational Technology Specialist.
Each week students watched a dynamic
video lecture from one of Sacred Heart’s
renowned faculty. Dr. John Gresham
served as host, with a short welcoming vid-
eo each week to facilitate conversation and
Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Summer 2019
discussions with the large vibrant commu-
nity of connected Catholic learners.
Dr. Mary Healy started the course with
“Beauty of the Bible.” Dr. Robert Fastiggi
followed with “Beauty of the Church.”
Dr. Ralph Martin presented Gospel truth
in “Beauty of the Truth.” The next pre-
sentations focused on living the Chris-
tian life with Dr. Janet Smith’s “Beauty
of Virtue” and Dr. Patricia Cooney-Hath-
away’s presentation on “Beauty of Spiri-
tuality.” Just in time for Easter, Fr. Pieter
vanRooyen concluded the series with
“Beauty of Hope.”
Along with the video lectures, students
could take a weekly online quiz to review