To understand how human beings acquire and evaluate knowledge, and how to determine what is true involves consideration of the relationships between data, interpretations, assumptions, and worldviews. All of these contribute to the scholarly search for truth, and none can be safely ignored.
There is a great need for teachers to educate students for evaluation of ideas, problem solving, cultural sensitivity, and interpersonal skills. This educative process will introduce challenging issues and perspectives, some of which may clash with certain students’ personal beliefs. If teachers use appropriate teaching methodologies, these challenges will help their students to understand why there are different perspectives and equip them with the tools to use in evaluating them.
A review of the book, Teaching About Scientific Origins. Provides science teachers with a strategy for teaching evolutionary science without creating too much resistance from students and parents. Published in Origins, n. 63.
A review of the book, The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence in Biological Systems. High school biology text uncommitted to materialistic Darwinism. Published in Origins, n. 63.
A review of the book, Explore Evolution. This is written as a supplemental Classroom textbook exploring the controversies surrounding neo-Darwinism. Published in Origins, n. 63.
How should we, as Adventist educators, relate to such dissonance between Christian belief and secular knowledge?
A review of the book, Darwin's Nemesis: Phillip Johnson and the Intelligent Design Movement. Published in Origins n. 61.
A review of the book Monkey Business: The True Story of the Scopes Trial. Published in Origins n. 59.
A collection of short commentaries on scientific papers published in 2005, covering topics such as mutations, Upheaval Dome, Homo floresiensis, origin of life, dinosaur blood vessels, petrification of wood, carbon 14 in coal, and radiohalos.
A review of the book, Darwinism, Design and Public Education. Published in Origins, n. 57.
The Intelligent Design movement is crucially important for all Adventist educators, especially for those in science, in the integration of faith and learning in their classrooms.
Beginning with the authority and historicity of Scripture, this paper outlines the importance of the biblical texts that create guidelines and boundaries for interpretation of nature in general and in the classroom. Application of this approach as a means of bolstering faith in the Christian classroom is presented, followed by evidences from the rock record that seem to me to be consistent with the biblical account of a worldwide flood.
Zoology and genetics are required courses for biology majors. Both subjects are usually structured around the theme of the theory of evolution. A careful examination of the scientific basis of these disciplines shows that the evolutionary framework doesn't fit with a lot of their fundamental aspects, however. Some of these topics even constitute strong evidence in favor of intelligent design.
Ecology, or environmental science, is multidisciplinary. As such, it allows ecology to be integrated with other disciplines. It also allows us to tie it to faith.
It must be emphasized that Chemistry, like any other area of scientific knowledge, is neither good nor bad, but like everything else that was marred by the entrance of sin, man's ability to manipulate his environment has led to misuse. Instead of giving in to technicism, where technology sets the agenda for life on planet Earth, the ethics of the Bible should be the basis on which we make decisions on the value of life and on the conduct of life.
We need to develop ways to foster consciousness about the environment and a willingness to participate as good stewards of creation.
This paper focuses on how values integration can be done in a mathematics classroom. Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions: 1) What are the moral, social, and spiritual values that can be integrated in mathematics teaching from an Adventist perspective? 2) How can mathematics be made interesting and relevant?
A review of the book, Of Pandas and People: The Central Question of BIological Origins. Published in Origins v. 19, n. 1.
Adventist colleges have long promoted a wholistic education. For this reason they have been committed to combining liberal arts and ethics. Including environmental education in this curriculum can make a significant contribution to shaping the sensitivities of young Christians.
A review of the book, The Origin of Species Revisited: The Theories of Evolution and of Abrupt Appearance. This is an attempt to meet the legal requirement that religion not be introduced into the science class by using the term "abrupt appearance" rather than a term implying a specific process such as creation or evolution. Published in Origins v. 17, n. 2.
