November 10, 2005

Brother Gregory B. Wightman, member of the Brigham Young University-Idaho Department of Religious Education, will speak at the University Forum on Thursday, November 17 at 2 p.m. in the Taylor Chapel. His topic will be “Joseph Smith as an Adult Learner.”

Brother Wightman is completing his dissertation on the education and learning process of Joseph Smith. Although Joseph Smith seems to have lacked rigorous, formal education, he was an excellent example of independent, life-long learning. Having analyzed Joseph Smith’s diaries and letters, Brother Wightman will describe, using the principles of adult education, the learning process of Joseph Smith.

Brother Wightman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Idaho State University in 1994 and a Master of Education degree from the University of Phoenix in 1999. He has taught courses in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament in the Religious Education Department at BYU-Idaho since 1999. Brother Wightman was born and raised in Rexburg, Idaho. He and his wife, Jaci, are the parents of seven children.

The Forum will be broadcast live on KBYI 100.5 FM. A question-and-answer session with Brother Wightman will be held from 3:00-3:50 p.m. in the Taylor Chapel.