2002
AVLN Conference: Sharing Christ through Technology
Fall
2002, Journal of Adventist
Education, written by Janine
Lim
The
2002 Adventist Virtual Learning Network Conference focused
on and developed three major collaborative relationships.
AVLN collaborated with ComputingAndMissions.net
conference. Approximately seventy participants
attended at Southern Adventist University, in Collegedale
, Tennessee . Participants learned about “Sharing Christ
through Technology” through seamless integration of
tutorials, keynotes, and break-out sessions between
the AVLN Conference and the Computing and Missions Conference.
AVLN
partnered with the General Conference Education Department
to bring Dr. Don C. Roy, Ph.D. from the Australian
Union Conference to focus on developing modules and
materials for teaching faith integration. Roy facilitated
three well-attended pre-conference sessions focusing
on faith integration. Participants provided feedback
to draft modules, and generated discussion questions
for use in the modules. Soon AVLN will have available
eight modules with video clips and resources to be used
in online classes, face-to-face classes, and workshops.
These materials will be translated into several languages
and made available to the world church as learning objects
that can be used in multiple ways.
On
Sunday morning, before the official start of the conference,
members of the AVLN steering committee met with
the North American Division Technology Committee .
Discussion focused on understanding each group's goals
and dreams for Adventist education, as well as the needs
of K-12 teachers and the opportunities AVLN has to offer.
Out of the discussion came two recommendations:
- Together
we recommended a study of the possibility of a joint
M.A. in Instructional Technology offered by multiple
Adventist schools of education.
- The
NAD tech committee recommended to AVLN that when planning
conferences, pre-session training for K-12 teachers,
AVLN should target the K-12 teachers in the union
where the conference is held.
AVLN
conferences have had an increasingly international flavor,
and diversity was definitely evident this year. Participants
came from countries including Australia , Canada , Indonesia
, Libya , Mexico , Philippines , and the United States
. In addition, the mix of educators, pastors, and computer
experts made for interesting conversations between sessions
and at meal time. It became evident that each of us,
whether educator or not, is committed to sharing
Christ through technology, the theme of the
joint conference.
This
year we had the most Adventist institutions of higher
education represented ever. Participants came from Adventist
International Institute of Advanced Studies, Andrews
University , Canadian University College , Columbia
Union College , Klabat University , Indonesia , La Sierra
University, Loma Linda University , Oakwood College
, Pacific Union College , Southern Adventist University,
Southwestern Adventist University , Union College ,
Universidad de Montemorelo, and Walla Walla College
.
Keynotes
during the conference were shared and inspiring! Wednesday
night, Gail Rice, Loma Linda University , facilitate
introductory activities for participants to get acquainted
and focused on joyful service. Thursday and Friday mornings,
Dr. Gordon Beitz, President of Southern Adventist University,
gave the devotional talk. Thursday morning, Randy Siebold,
Andrews University , presented his Infinity model for
online experiences. He challenged everyone to keep mission
central in online experiences. Thursday night, Tony
Christopher, Mongoose Technologies
shared 12 principles of civilization to build web communities,
a topic of interest for educators, technologists, and
missiologists alike. On Friday morning, Jonathan Brauer,
GC Office of Archives and Statistics, shared principles
for establishing a ministry of technology, his work
on the AdventistDirectory.org, and featured other initiatives
from the Archives and Statistics department.
Technically,
we had a first this year. Two of the sessions were presented
via videoconference. Friday morning the K-12 participants
heard from two secondary level distance education programs.
Gary Russell, teacher for the Mid-America Adventist
Virtual School (MAAVS), shared how the school began
its low-profile experiment with asynchronous courses
for secondary students last July. It has assisted twenty-one
students. Participants learned how students get connected
to courses from HSI and Class.com, and how MAAVS teachers
were trained. Following his presentation, Shelley Bacon,
from Colville , Washington , shared a presentation on
her teaching for AE21 .
AE21 is an exciting and innovative education program
endorsed by the North American Division's Office of
Education and hosted by the Florida Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists. AE21 reaches students across the United
States using a variety of communication technologies
including videoconferencing. Shelley explained her use
of various technologies, including email, web-based
instruction, videoconferencing, instant messaging, and
the web cam. She also taught a mini-lesson to the participants,
who began to understand how students participant in
this type of distance education. Even the technologists
in the session were impressed with the varied use of
technologies in Adventist education.
On
Friday afternoon, participants at the conference met
with another 15 participants in Lincoln , Nebraska .
Representatives from Class.com, MidAmerica Adventist
Online School , Mid-America Union Conference, Nebraska
Wesleyan University , and Union College connected to
the AVLN conference from a distance. Carole Kilcher,
Nebraska Wesleyan University , facilitated the session
from Lincoln , NB. The presenters, Gwen Nugent, and
Jill Hochstein from Nebraska Educational Telecommunications,
talked about blended learning, e-learning, Webcasting,
and Internet2 .
The session demonstrated instructional examples of learner-centered,
interactive instruction and training using both the
Web and CD-ROM. These technologies provide the opportunity
to create customized learning environments, adapting
the instruction to the needs of the learner and enabling
communication with the instructor, other students, and
external experts. Participants also learned about learning
objects, modular development, and embedded assessment.
At
the close of the day on Friday, K-12 and higher education
participants met separately to brainstorm recommendations
and action steps for the following year. The higher
education group developed recommendations specifically
for the General Conference Commission on Higher Education
and the Adventist Distance Education Consortium. The
K-12 group focused on recommendations for staff development
for K-12 teachers. The recommendations from both groups
can be viewed online .
Finally,
the conference closed with Sabbath services. On Friday
night, Daryl Gungadoo, from Adventist World Radio shared
an update of what AWR is doing around the world. John
Banks, Communications Department, General Conference,
preached on Sabbath morning. Vespers Friday night featured
Ronald Vyhmeister, Business Department, AIIAS. Participants
left refreshed and challenged to continue their work
in Sharing Christ through Technology.
_____________________________________
Janine Lim is an Instructional Technology Consultant
at the Berrien County Intermediate School District in
Berrien Springs, Michigan. She works with Adventist
schools, as well as with other private and public schools.
Notes
and References
-
http://www.mongoosetech.com/
http://www.ae21.org/
http://www.internet2.edu
http://www.avln.org/conference/
