Dr. Brian Burton
Associate Professor of Digital Entertainment Technology
Dr. Brian Burton has always had a heart for ministry and it was his desire to preach that initially brought him to ACU in 1990. At the time, his plan was just to finish his undergraduate degree and the fastest route for him to do that was to major in education. At first, Burton saw teaching as a side job while he focused on ministry. However, after beginning his student teaching, he had a change in attitude – teaching became his new ministry. Burton says, “I come home happy every day knowing I made a difference.”
Burton graduated Cum Laude, double majoring in Secondary Education and Business Administration as well as minoring in Computer Science, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education as well as a certification in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems. After graduation, he went on to receive a masters of Science in Secondary Administration as well as a doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis.
This educational and professional background set the backdrop for his current project. About 15 years ago, Burton had the idea of creating a virtual school environment intended for students that are homeschooled or for those who live in remote locations or have health issues that prevent them from attending a brick and mortar school. Burton is now ready to start the first phase of testing which involves researching the effects of different types of avatars and the impact that they could have on learning. If he can find a correlation between the environment and quality of learning, avatars could be used to improve students’ experiences through this virtual school.
Burton currently teaches three courses at ACU: Digital Entertainment Technology II, Real Time CGI, and Digital Entertainment Development. Through teaching these subjects, he hopes to help inspire students to further the field and its possibilities. Off-campus, Burton is very involved in the community. Burton and his wife, Rosemary created an online school, Burton’s Garden of Schools, for children of missionaries. They are currently working on creating a virtual church environment where those without physical access can participate in a church community.
We seek to inspire, equip and connect our students in many ways, especially in finding a way to have their vocation and calling bless others. Dr. Brian Burton has found his vocational ministry in teaching DET students at ACU and inspires his students to use their gifts to make a difference in the world. When asked why he thinks ACU is a great place for DET students to study, Burton stated, “ACU is one of the few places that are teaching these subjects, and one of even fewer that are doing it in a Christ-centered environment.” Want to learn more about the DET program and the School for Information Technology and Computing? Click here.