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Thoughts on Distance/OnLine Courses in Adventist Education....
By Deloris Trujillo. Superintendent of Schools, Hawaii Conference of SDA
September 16, 2000There is an urgency or crisis that many of us feel about Adventist Education. It has given an impetus to projects in developing courses using online instruction with the latest technological and educational information that must be combined with the Heavenly knowledge and wisdom from the Master Teacher of the Universe.
Indeed, because it is always appropriate to "keep the focus," this might be a good time to reiterate our passion and ardor for both technology and Adventist education. In that vein, let me humbly attempt to put such important concepts into words. If you detect I am passionate about all of this, you are so right. I care very much about this project. Feel free to react.
Many of us believe that we are in a crisis in world's history. We could very well be in the closing chapters of the Great Controversy. If not, we need to be. Like never before, we need to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We need to go Home -- and we need to take our children and youth with us. We need them away from the pain and dangers of this world and to be safe and fulfilled. They need to be with their Master Teacher. We will only be able to rejoice when they are.
We were told that our youth and children could provide the army, if rightly trained, who could give the message of the crucified, risen, and soon-coming Savior. If they did, how soon He would come and end this sinful world (paraphrased). Although the strength and success of Adventist education can be traced to the wisdom and instruction given from God as to the purposes and goals for education, we are not Home yet and have work to do!
Here's the work we need to do:
- Rightly train our youth and children to be of service in their local and global communities.
- Let them to be actively involved in the mission of the church to evangelize and finish The Work now (they might even have the ideas to get the job done).
Learn to love Jesus so much that they want to be with Him forever.
But we have a crisis or urgent challenge ahead of us:
- Some estimates are that less than half of the children of the church are in our schools.
- The cost of education may be making it prohibitive for families to access Adventist education.
- Far too many students are in isolated places or are in communities that do not have enough young people to appropriately support a school.
Teachers and students need to be encouraged, strengthened and empowered to fulfill the gospel by being active participants in the mission of the church.
This means that Adventist education needs to proceed to accomplish the following:
- Begin immediately to provide online courses for students in isolated areas who want Adventist Education. The most urgent area seems to be courses in the 9th grade year.
- Develop courses that provide the best of what we know about academic quality and delivery. More importantly, the curriculum must be gospel/faith-oriented that will lead students to love Jesus Christ, become His disciples and make a commitment to the mission of the church.
- Seriously look for ways to lower the cost of Adventist Education through the use of online instruction.
Administrate the development of these courses by utilizing the professional educators, the talented and creative technology experts, people to manage and operate this new educational system, and to elicit the support of those who can provide the capital and financial resources to do all of the above. (The NAD/ASI Technology Committee now have a proposed plan that incorporates these concepts and more.)
Therefore, we believe strongly in the possibilities that technology can provide to meet some of the tremendous and thrilling opportunities ahead of us. This will lead to dedicating ourselves to the promise that if we "seek first the kingdom of God" that "all of the other things will be added." We must move off of not only "talking the talk" but to see the urgency of "walking the walk." We must become "doers" and "get the job done." We can rely on His strength to see us through. We ask you to join us in the journey that will take us to the New Earth. May God bless us as we talk, walk and work together to accomplish His goals for His children.