Walter Gong
{{short description|American academic}}
{{Notability|Academics|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Walter Gong
| children = 3, including Gerrit W. Gong
|birth_date=July 1, 1922|birth_place=Merced, California, U.S.|death_date=May 16, 2000 (aged 77)|death_place=Palo Alto, California, U.S.|education=Stanford University (BA, MA, PhD)|workplaces=Sequoia High School
San Jose State University
Ricks College
Brigham Young University|module={{infobox officeholder
|embed = yes
|branch = {{flag|United States Navy}}
|battles = World War II
}}|spouse=Jean Char}}
Walter Gong (July 1, 1922 – May 16, 2000) was an American academic and educational theorist who worked as a professor of natural sciences at San Jose State University (SJSU) and Brigham Young University (BYU).
Early life and education
Gong was born and raised in Merced, California. His ancestors came to the United States from China, near the end of the 19th century. His family was involved in the laundry and grocery business. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. While serving in the Navy, he chose to use the first name of Walter.Gerrit W. Gong talk published in the July 2021 Liahona
Gong attended Stanford University, where he earned bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees. There, he met Jean Char, who introduced him to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and whom he later married.
Career
Gong began his teaching career at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California. He was a professor at SJSU from 1959 to 1993. Gong co-authored a book on mechanics with William Shockley.[https://books.google.com/books?id=cRb_qzEwWWAC&pg=PA213 Joel N. Shurkin. Broken Genius: The Rise and Fall of William Shockley, The Creator of the Electronic Age. (New York: Macmillan, 2006) p. 113.] In the late-1970s, Gong was a professor at BYU. He also taught at Ricks College and did teaching work with IBM and NASA. As a professor of biology at SJSU he developed an innovative learning approach while teaching an eight-credit natural science course: Learning and teaching: A Paradigm for Content Mastery.[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/24699365.1981.11669772 Wayne R. Herlin,"Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Western College Reading Association" currently known as Journal of College Reading and Learning, Vol. 14(1) ( 1981) pp. 117-123. ] Based on his success at SJSU he was invited to teach faculty member of BYU his approach to teaching and learning. W.R. Herlin and C. K. Mayfield, "Successful study skills", (Brigham Young University Press, Provo, Utah 1980)
Personal life
Gong and his wife, Jean, had three children. In the LDS Church, Gong served as a patriarch. Their son, Gerrit W. Gong, is a church general authority and current member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On May 16, 2000, Gong died at age 77 from complications of diabetes.{{cite web|url=http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/community_pulse/2000_May_24.OBITS240.html|title=Deaths|website=www.paloaltoonline.com|accessdate=1 April 2018}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://ttebyu.pbworks.com/Gong page on Gong's educational theories]
- [http://www.innovativelearning.com/educational_psychology/agent/index.htm another article mentioning Gong's educational philosophy]
- [http://books.simonandschuster.com/8th-Habit-Personal-Workbook/Stephen-R-Covey/9780743293198/excerpt_with_id/12326 Stephen R. Covey. The 8th Habit Personal Workbook. Chapter 3]
- [http://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/byu-archives/resources/upb_ua5578 BYU Archives ]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gong, Walter}}
Category:People from Merced, California
Category:Stanford University alumni
Category:Converts to Mormonism
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II
Category:American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Category:20th-century American educators
Category:San Jose State University faculty
Category:Brigham Young University faculty
Category:Patriarchs (LDS Church)