Class components

The following classes are given to help students accomplish the objectives of Summer Practicum 2005. All classes are required for a practicum diploma.

Christian Leadership Formation
This course helps the students grow strong in faith and in character, understand the importance of being a holistic witness for Christ, and develop the skills to resolve conflicts in a Biblical manner. The following classes are required:

• Christian Discipleship
• Spiritual Formation
• Relationships
  • With Self
  • With Others (includes Conflict Resolution)
  • With God
  • With Creation

Community Development
To give students the tools to organize and facilitate the development of a group or community, the following classes are required:

• Theology of Development
• Principles of Development
• Processes of Development
• Women in Development
• Development and the Environment
• Development in Cross-cultural Situations
• Obstacles to Development
• Strategies of Development

Appropriate Technology
To expose students to the concept of appropriate technology and to equip them with skills and/or resources in technologies for their specific needs, the following classes are offered:

• Agriculture Equipment (CSD rice thresher, barrell fresno, manual corn sheller, gravity grain cleaner, level with carpenter's level)
• Manual Wood Working Tools (CSD wood turning lathe, CSD bench tool grinder, CSD folding tool grinder, CSD press drill, light duty jigsaw, deep throat jigsaw)
• Household Technologies (sawdust heating stove, sawdust cook stove, barrel heating stove, solar cookers, solar cookit, charcoal oven)
• Spinning and Weaving Equipment (CSD cotton/wool spinner, CSD wool spinner with flyer, CSD bobbin winder/spinner, yarn baller, string maker, roller cotton gin, brush cotton gin, hand cards for carding wool, wool combs for combing wool, table loom, inkle loom, card/tablet weaving)
• Construction (CinvaRam block machine, plastic sheet concrete mixer, beehive building construction, plastic tube land level, A-frame level, floating block level)
• Pumps and Pumping (hydraulic ram, inertia pump, rope and washer pump, rope pump, shallow well PVC pump, deep well cylinder PVC pump, slow sentrifugal pump, pumping with a garden hose)
• Handicrafts (knitting board, chain knitting spool, pump drill for holes in seeds, needle weaving, hot pad frames, toymaking, jigsaw puzzle maps of countries)
• Miscellaneous Technologies (orange juice pasteurizer, chain link fence maker, fuel briquette press, bicycle pulley drive system, spring maker, rope making)

International Health
Training focuses on primary health care principles that greatly impact community health in the Third World. All classes listed below are required:

• Mother & Children Survival
• Nutrition / Malnutrition
• Water & Sanitation
• Population Issues
• Traditional Medicine
• Where There is no Doctor
• Major Tropical Diseases
• First Aid / CPR
• Community Health Promotion
• Health Communication Methods
• Community Organizing for Health
• The Church: Addressing HIV and AIDS
• Training of Trainers I (Medical Ambassadors International)

Introduction to Microenterprise
Introduction to micro enterprise teaches specific skills crucial to program success. The following are required components:

• Micro Enterprise
• Cooperatives
• Administration & Management
• Bookkeeping Basics

Communications and Computers in Ministry
These classes empower students with computer skills that may greatly increase their ministry and ability to communicate with others.

• Introduction to Computers (for beginners)
• Desktop Publishing
• PowerPoint presentations
• The World Wide Web
  • email as a communication tool
  • development information search techniques
  • introduction to webpage design
  • accessing agency and grant information online
• Photography
  • photography skills for publications
  • digital photography
• Optional Class: using Excel for record-keeping and accounting

Organizing for Action
Training focuses on crucial skills to help lead communities into action, monitor effectiveness of action, and evaluate the process.

• Analysis of Community Structure
• Community Needs and Resource Assessment
• Program Planning
• Proposal Writing
• Project Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Development Agencies and Agents

Principles and Methods of Teaching Adults
These classes help students learn how to initiate and carry out training events and courses-possibly a SIFAT Training Seminar, Workshop or Practicum.

• Assessments of Needs
• Recruitment of Students
• Selection of Courses and Teachers
• Methods of Teaching Adults
• Teaching Aids

Adult Literacy
Project Light is a program that teaches a second language, (eg. English as a second language), while developing computer skills.

Sustainable Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
Emphasis is on organic techniques to enrich the soil and improve food yeild and quantity in an ecologically sound and sustainable way. Included are composting, natural fertilizers, pest control, erosion control, and drip irrigation. Animal husbandry is integrated into the over-all food production plan for protein, fertilizer and microenterprise for income. Included are raising rabbits and guinea pigs, fish culture, beekeeping, preparation for locations without a vet, and more.