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NORTHERN TODAY
8
SPRING 2016
NORTHERN
NEWS
Q&A
Assistant Professor of E-Learning
Greg Francom
Hometown:
Provo, Utah
Family:
Misty (my better half ),
Sabrina (my 11-year-old sunshine),
Clara (my 9-year-old sweetheart),
Jacob (the 6-year-old handsome
boy), and Katherine (our little
princess, 3)
Title and involvement at NSU:
Assistant Professor of E-Learning
– I teach classes about distance
learning and educational technology,
and prepare teachers to integrate
technology into learning activities.
Q.
How long have you worked
at NSU?
A.
I have worked at NSU since
2011.
Q.
What brought you to
Northern?
A.
I was living in Georgia and
was looking for work opportunities
that would be closer to my home
in Utah, but would also provide me
with great opportunities to make a
difference. I found that here.
Q.
What is the best part of
your job?
A.
The students. I like to
present new ideas, concepts and
technologies in ways that help
students learn and grow. I like the
first day of the semester and when
I start joking with them and they
don’t know if I am joking or not.
Q.
What is your favorite class
to teach and why?
A.
ELRN 385 - Educational
Technology and Distance Teaching.
I get to help prepare teachers to
be successful in their classrooms.
There is no work that is more
important for our future.
Q.
What is the best career
advice you have ever
received?
A.
Find something that you like to
do, but also find something that you
can do to make a difference.
Q.
What advice would you
like to share with students?
A.
Learning is hard. It’s supposed
to be that way. So it’s okay if you
don’t have the right answer. Don’t be
embarrassed or silent just because
you don’t know. Think about it, try
to figure it out on your own, but if
you can’t then don’t be too shy to say
you don’t know.
Q.
Are you involved with any
organizations outside of work
you want to mention?
A.
I currently serve as bishop of
our local congregation in the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
(Mormons), so that keeps me busy
on weekends. I work to prepare
church services on Sunday and
help out people who are struggling.
I am also involved with various
professional organizations within
K-12 education and the educational
technology field.
Q.
Do you have any hobbies
you want to mention?
A.
I play guitar and volleyball, not
at the same time.