Writing to Learn the Reformation: Or, Who Was Ulrich Zwingli And Why Should I Care?

Abstract This article describes the use of “Writing to Learn” assignments in a course on the T heology of the P rotestant and C atholic R eformations. These short, informal assignments promote active learning by focusing on writing as a process for critical thinking and as a way to learn the content of the course. They help students creatively engage with the texts, thoughtfully reflect on them, and critically assess their significance. This article describes the theory behind these assignments, provides examples of different types of assignments as well as excerpts from student papers, and concludes with an evaluation of their effectiveness. The students in the course found the assignments helpful in learning the content of the course and their attitude toward writing in this course significantly improved.