College of Education

Brenda Combs, online full-time faculty of the College of Education presented at the 2016 Computer Using Educators National Educational Conference in Palm Springs, Calif. Combs’ presentation, “Taking the ‘Dis’ out of Distance Learning,” focused on providing teachers tools for teaching within the online classroom.

The second annual Senior Dinner Wednesday drew a crowd of 450 students, faculty and guests, formally dressed in dazzling gowns and sharp suits, to celebrate the hard work and contributions of the 2016 graduating class. The event recognized those outstanding students and staff who have shown commitment and excellence inside and outside of the classroom.

GCU College of Education graduate Anthony Perez, a RODEL scholar and second-grade teacher at Sunset Elementary School in Glendale, is one of 100 winners of the 2016 Winter Engineering Elementary Teacher Scholarship award. In addition to providing funds for him to attend a two-day professional development workshop at the Museum of Science in Boston, he will be able to implement the engineering curriculum with the storybooks, kits and materials that will be provided.

By Jeannette Cruz GCU News Bureau Most of us have seen how technology has altered the humble chalkboard that our teachers once used. From white boards to smart boards to online lesson plans and digital textbooks, embracing technology has become a journey for 21st-century educators and a major part of students’ lives. At the Google EdTech Summit held Monday at Grand Canyon University, more than 400 education teachers, specialists and students from across the state focused on one major point: how to engage students through technology integration. GCU President Brian Mueller opened the conference, which GCU co-presented with the Arizona K12 Center, followed by a keynote address from Jim Sill, a Google education teacher who, after a decade in the video and television industry, set out on a career in education. He used his industry experience to create an award-winning production program at a California high school. “I knew as soon as I became a teacher that this was it,” Sill said. “I spent a lot of time chasing other dreams, and now I’m teaching teachers how to make movies and I love it.” Sill walked the audience through the bells and whistles of today’s technologies, such as Google apps, and encouraged listeners […]

GCU has surpassed the 100,000 mark in alumni, and the accomplishments of that special group continue to resonate around the world. Here’s the story of what some of them have done and why people who hire them consistently put their resumes in the “yes” pile.

The College of Education’s Educators Rising club aired “The Raising of America,” a PBS documentary about the importance of early childhood education, and presented a panel discussion on the topic Thursday on the Quad. “It speaks a lot to what we do here at GCU because what we are doing is trying to educate and prepare our future leaders into becoming advocates in their field,” said Katie Sprute, one of the event’s organizers.

A College of Education professor borrows God’s glasses to take her students beyond the surface of knowledge in the classroom. Lisa Bernier is all about connecting faith through everyday life and encouraging students to go on mission trips.

The 2016 Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony Saturday afternoon, the high point of the homecoming weekend, featured crisp speeches and many plaudits for the University — both what it was like when the inductees were here and how it still makes them feel today. But two, in particular, have an especially interesting perspective on what they see on campus because they still have important roles at GCU.

What would you have to change about yourself in the workplace if your employer was God? You might need to pray more often for the ability to do what’s right, to be more forgiving and do walk humbly, and you might do a “heart check” to ensure we are loving and serving others. That was the message at Friday’s Integration of Faith, Learning and Work “Lunch and Learn” faculty program, entitled, “Work That Honors God.”

On the heels of a staff Christmas party earlier in the week that included the best barbecue in Phoenix and a rousing good time at the men’s basketball game, GCU President Brian Mueller put a bow on the University’s 2015 accomplishments during the all-employee meeting Thursday in GCU Arena. Moving testimony from current and future students, a prayer for the family of two employees who recently passed away and a slew of statistics about growth in buildings, academics and student quality were all part of the package.