Online Higher Education

by SonoftheTrinity 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  EndofMysteries

  The WT fears courses such as some colleges require an "ethics" course. The ethics course teaches critical thinking and stages of thinking. It teaches a person to reason and really think for themselves.

  A combination of western humanities and world religion taught me in detail how Catholics held full control of christian doctrine until Luther started the protestant revolution. All people who were trying to kick out the human traditions and non biblical doctrines that had been added by Catholics. But then many other splits happened because once the bible was open for interpretation and man didn't need to get 'the truth' from another man, Jesus was the key, then many other branches came from that since many interpret things differently. The bible students did the same thing, they were no different then any other protestant type religion, but then Rutherford took over and added back in many Catholic traits. Put himself as the pope, and organized to all report to him as Catholics all report to the Vatican.

  Rutherford turned JW religion from a protestant type and the freedoms it had into a controlled centralized one like Catholic church.
• 

  Bungi Bill

  I can only say this again - the online engineering course that I am doing does permit ready interaction between students and instructor, or between students and each other. It is a simple matter of speaking into a microphone, and listening through a set of headphones!

  As to online colleges being somehow inferior to others, in this part of the world such prestigious insitutions as Deakin, Monash, Griffith and Curtin Universities offer online courses.

  Bill.
• 

  stuckinarut2

  The other reason wt /GB is anti "higher education" of any sort is also due to them saying that it will encourage independent thinking, and an inflated view of oneself!

  yes, they want to keep the flocks stupid, and with no self esteem!

  I was told specifically by our elders that if any appointed man, his wife or children were doing a university course (even by correspondence), that they would be removed from appointments, and severely disciplined! For "going against the direction of the Organisation "

  I didnt tell them my wife is doing a course! Choose the battles wisely.....
• 

  Band on the Run

  I believe the heated criticism involves for profit schools. Some, such as Phoenix, have below 5 percent of students graduating. I suppose all colleges offer online courses. If it is only online, I would never take it. Online courses make sense when you take one or two. It is better than nothing when you live in rural areas and can't leave home. There were international students galore when I was a student. I had to live in an adjacent state. The international students were impressive. They had to move to a central dorm at Christmas. Faculty members entertained them. I wanted to be closer to home.
• 

  DATA-DOG

  Let's review: It's a freaking CULT!!!!

  DD
• 

  villagegirl

  To clarify: I am not against delivery of education using technology.

  I have been using a computer since 1982 and I now own both an

  iMac desktop and a 21013 Macbook Pro. I use SKYPE, I also create digital

  paintings and I took online courses from Simon Fraser University in

  Canada. I also think delivery of video education online is going to

  help millions in remote areas. Having said that; people can spend

  a lot of money on courses from Pheonix University, and NONE of the

  expensive units they earn will be of any value and will not transfer to

  any legitimate State College, or University system in the USA or Canada.

  If these kids are in California, that State has the most affordable and excellant

  State Colleges and Community College system and the Univeristy of California

  has financial help and a sliding scale for talented students with high grades

  but whose parents cannot afford the tuition. I think education will utilize

  the Internet for sure, but it will be an element of the total experience.
• 

  kaik

  I have taken classes on campus and online for both undergrad and postgrad educations. I have not found much difference between them in quality, and both types of the educations were challenging. I did distance education at the state university and was satisfied with the quality of the courses. I have never experienced discrimination on job application regarding online and in class education. Having degree was all what mattered.
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  DATA-DOG

  Has anyone actually asked a BOE why JWs can't go to "college" for more than 3 years, online?!?! If the GB were actually concerned about people, they may answer, " 3-4 years of bad association is too dangerous." As it is, they just make a blanket statement that labels any supplementary education that lasts more than two or three years as "satanic." They simply made an arbitrary rule to control the finances, and time, and information intake in the lives of the sheeple.

  I could ask about an online degree, as I am already labeled as a doubter. I don't expect a satisfying answer.

  DD
• 

  villagegirl

  Kiak - Having a degree does matter , you are right. But I believe

  this thread was originally about children? Children "raised in the truth" (sic)

  They have been socially isolated remember ? No sports. No team sports ?

  No school clubs, no camp outs with boys clubs or scouts, no summer camps.

  No hanging out with their friends at school, because they are not allowed friends

  at school. Weekends spent attending meetings and going door to door ?

  No birthday parties, no Christmas, no community activities. They need to

  become socialized. This is a common thread you hear on this site. That

  the WT made us misfits and socially disconnected. Learning how to function

  in the real world among regular people is a vital part of education.

  Without this, they will go back into the WT because its the

  only friends they know.
• 

  kaik

  Villagegirl, I have not read all the posts here, but my understanding from the a few at the start, that they were talking about college education, which is adult oriented, nothing mentioned about children. Generally people are adults when they take classes at the university.