Episcopal Press and News
Proposed Educational Systems Discussed at JED Meeting
Diocesan Press Service. April 2, 1973 [73086]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Implementing plans for a project to develop four educational systems of curriculum resources and leadership support helps was the major concern recently of the Executive Committee representing the six denominational education boards in Joint Educational Development (JED).
The project will involve educational personnel of the Disciples of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church, U.S., the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the United Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., in describing what the four systems might look like. Its aim is to provide a variety of approaches for church education from which local churches may select resources that best suit their needs. Helps in planning for local church education will be included in the project.
At the March 7-8 meeting, held at the Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, Tenn., representatives faced the difficulty of several denominations in making an early decision to participate in the project, in the light of the restructuring of boards and agencies in several JED denominations. Agency staffing uncertainties during restructures added to the problem of assigning personnel to development teams in time for a scheduled June orientation event for all project members. The JED Executive Committee agreed to poll each denominational education agency for names of staff and non-staff persons who could be made available for the educational systems project.
Discussion of possible participation by some non-JED denominations in all or part of the project resulted in plans for communicating with other denominations through the Division of Education and Ministry of the NCC to interpret the implications of the four-systems development project and invite participation.
The timetable for the four-systems project indicates a developmental phase of about one year beginning in June, 1973, during which teams will describe fully the components of the four systems. The production phase, if feasible following the developmental stage, will then get underway. The Committee agreed to begin gathering data on persons who might be available to direct the developmental phase of the project.
The meeting included a time for dialogue with educational program and publishing staff of the United Methodist Church concerning the aims of Joint Educational Development and the educational systems project in particular.
The Committee received a written report from the Black Church Education Implementation Team of JED. The report indicated significant progress on publication plans for a manual for black education leaders and for a leaders' packet entitled "New Roads to Faith: Black Perspectives in Church Education."
Audio-visual specialists from two of the JED denominations discussed with the Committee some possible ways in which JED might utilize the medium of television for church education. The Committee took action to further explore this approach.
