Understanding Children and Technology

Alin Vrancila is an educator by trade with a background in tech, having spent more than fifteen years in higher education working as a Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Online Learning for multiple universities in the United States. Alin is the CEO and founder of Grain for Pain, a non-profit organization fighting hunger in the northern part of Africa. Alin found his passion for renewable energy while working in South Sudan with experts in solar energy to bring electricity to very remote areas around the Upper Nile. That unique experience sparked a deep passion for renewable energy and its transformative power for families and the Earth. The transformation of that community in South Sudan with one solar panel was substantial and inspiring. It opened up a world of opportunities connected to renewable energy for Alin, including putting together this comprehensive guide for homeowners.

Alin is also the founder of PDX Solar, a community of solar experts who share the same passion for creative and renewable energy and are dedicated to making the world better for the next generation.

I am an Associate Professor of Educational Ministries, specifically for Children's and Youth Ministry in the Undergraduate School as well as instruct in the Graduate School for the MA in Counseling. I teach on campus and online and have recently received an honorary recognition for a course I created in Applied Human Development.

I am actively and passionately involved in teaching and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders in Children's, Youth and Family Ministry and currently am the program designer and director for the Children's Ministry Major at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. I have been in this position for over 7 years.

I owned my own counseling practice for 5 years in WI and counseled professionally for 13 years prior to going into the Academic world. I love helping people to strengthen and learn new ways of working within their families, with children or with youth.

I have 25+ years of counseling with children, adolescents and families. I have been a college professor for over 10+ years. I have been a Pastor's wife for 26+ years.

I earned my BA in Psychology from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. During my undergraduate training, I wrote my thesis paper on leadership and participation in student groups. By completing research as an undergrad, I was able to spend more time acquiring and honing my counseling skills in my MA in Counseling Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL.

I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. I practiced in WI as an LCPC for 9 years and have been licensed in IL for 14 years. I take Continuing Education Classes on a post-graduate level to uphold the requirements of licensure and because I believe that continuous learning is key to excellent life practice.

My teaching philosophy is built upon the belief that we are better together than alone. As we learn and strive to put theories and ideas into practice, I believe we will challenge one another to become better in our relationships with children and youth and be more effective in our communication and interaction with them. “As iron sharpens iron", I believe we will sharpen one another as we learn together.

I have taught and counseled in a number of short and long term positions in the United States, Canada, Haiti, Turkey, Israel, Republic of Serbia and France. I have had opportunities leading a conference, putting on a seminar, counseling with families or missionaries, teaching a college level class, or working in community outreach.

I am passionate about my Christian faith and my identity in Christ is at the heart of who I am. I desire to lead a life that glorifies God in all I say, do and teach and hopefully will inspire and equip others to lead a God-honoring life as well.

I am excited about the opportunity to teach and encourage those who parent or work with children and youth. I am passionate about understanding how a child's unique design influences how they think, learn, decide and interact physically, socially, cognitively, emotionally and spiritually. I have spent years learning and putting what I have learned into practice and I'm delighted to share all of that with you. I look forward to how you interact with the material and then share your ideas with me.