How the Course Works

Course Materials Organization
The Interactive Bible study course is composed of materials on a CD-ROM, the courseware website and student forum.  The CD-ROM is the gateway to the course, and includes multimedia files and electronic copies of the Becoming What God Intended workbook and audio tapes.  You are connected on-line when you are using the materials.  Of course you can also order physical copies of the books and audio tapes to be used independently from the computer.

Account Setup
When you purchase the course, you will be transferred to a course registration page.  This allows you to establish your account on the course website.  An email containing your user ID and password is sent to your email address.

Running the Course
You start a work session by loading the CD-ROM into your computer.  You will be presented with the course welcome screen.  Assuming you have already followed the setup procedure available from the welcome screen, you simply click on the Course Log-In button to access the website.  On your first visit, your user ID and password must be entered.  On subsequent visits, you will be logged in automatically.

The courseware website provides all of the information and control for the course materials, and is easy to navigate.  As you work through the course material, the website will draw upon media resources located on your CD-ROM, thus allowing you to get the full performance of the course media without requiring a high-speed internet account.

Working the Course
The process for working the course is straightforward.  Use the Class Modules button in the navigation bar to access the course modules.  Once you arrive at the Class Modules page, you will be presented with a Current Module button to access the module you are now working on.

Each module is presented on a separate web page, set up as a linear progression of tasks, each with appropriate instructions, along with icons indicating the type of task.  The icons are also buttons in most cases.  Media files are accessed by clicking on the appropriate icon button provided in each module step.

Key Course Elements
Each module ends with a short quiz.  This quiz is important for your interaction with your mentor, to ensure your understanding of the material.  You will also be asked to write a short spiritual autobiography, to help you and your mentor to understand where you are in your spiritual journey.  Finally, in Part II you will be taught how to start a small group, to teach what you have learned.  This will dramatically increase the impact of the material in your life.
 

Why the Course Works

BWGI’s online Bible study course for spiritual growth combines 20 years of biblical research, thousands of hours spent discipling people, and many years leading seminars and classes in spiritual growth.  The course utilizes the latest in technology to ensure a dynamic, life-changing experience.  Based on 20 years of testimonies of transformed lives, we know that this content is not only good, but exceptional.

Educational specialists agree that hearing, seeing, discussing and teaching all play a role in retention.  This Christian distance education course incorporates all of those modalities, ensuring a higher retention rate than most other courses.  Studies have shown the following for retention rates using various communication styles:

• 5% retention of what you hear (lectures)

• 40% retention of what you see and hear (lecture plus visuals)

• 70% retention of what you see, hear, and discuss

• 95% retention of what you teach

We have used this information to carefully construct a course that will maximize its impact on your life by increasing retention to 95% - if you follow through with all aspects of the course:

• Lectures include slides and video clips (40% retention)

• Quizzes force you to write what you have learned (adds to retention)

• Student Forum and Mentoring offers opportunity to discuss what you are learning (70% retention)

• Part-way through Part II Applications, you will have an opportunity to start a small group, to teach what you have learned.  This will not only increase your retention, but you will experience the joy of seeing other lives changed, as well as your own! (95% retention)

We have made a great effort to offer you a state-of-the-art course of exceptional material.  The Spiritual Life Development course is the result of that effort.