Teaching Philosophy
 
My role as a teacher is to provide students with a critical, conceptual and technical skill-base as well as communicate the social and cultural contexts of art making. Moreover, I strive to motivate my classes by presenting challenging ideas and examples which also provides them with a framework for their art-making.
As an example I will discuss my general approach to a course entitled Introduction to Electronic Media and Culture.
If a segment requires technical training, I include my students in the exercise. I demonstrate a technique and then have the students repeat the technique to ensure that they can accomplish each step of the process. I often have them start over so that through repetition they will learn the technique. For example, I may demonstrate animation, then call upon students to repeat the procedure. This hands-on approach assists me in determining if the class understands the technical process, and allows students to learn through practice rather than mere observation.
While acquiring the necessary technical skills, students become aware of structural techniques and paradigms through readings, slide lectures, web-based presentations, and assignments. One strategy I employ when looking at artist’s work is to start first by observation and describe the elements of the work.
My philosophy emphasizes ideas over technique, however I feel it is critical to talk about how the artist uses technique to communicate ideas. I ask my students to think about all of the elements of their work and to use appropriate techniques to communicate their ideas. At the same time students are introduced to cultural criticism through research projects. Each student is required to research a current topic that is involved in electronic media (such as surveillance cameras in public places), give a presentation of that topic and lead a critical discussion with their peers. In discussions of slide lectures and readings, students start to analyze images, forms, ideas, and dominant ideologies. This critical analysis is later applied to their own work during critiques.
Class critiques offer students the opportunity to see what their work is actually communicating to others. This is an important time when students discuss different interpretations of assignments and exchange ideas. When appropriate, students are encouraged to use the feedback from the critique to help revise their work or to use in new projects.
My aim is to equip students with the tools necessary to best use their individual resources and create interesting, powerful works. It is also my desire to teach students to think and look critically and creatively, regardless of their ultimate career direction.