Another Student's Teaching Philosophy

This teaching philosophy is by another UNT student of mine, Blake Bruns. He utilized technology more than any other student in the class. It certainly didn't hurt that he already has a degree in New Media. You can see his video HERE.

"I have always been interested in media and technology and the advancements that are made in these fields each year. By definition, media are any methods that are used to store and deliver information or data. I use my artwork as a medium that communicates my ideas to build unique experiences for the viewer using the computer as my assistant. Since 2001, I have been exploring different media in the realm of digital art including photo manipulation, art games, computer generated music, digital illustration, interactive animation, 3-d modeling and animation, tradigital art, and story-based web art.

As a teacher, I believe in a student-centered classroom that allows each child to reach their full artistic potential through self-expression and individual exploration to find out what makes them who they are. I highly encourage students to experiment with technology and bring what they are interested in into the classroom. I believe that Ginny Stiles defined teaching best when she wrote, “it's my job to find the passion, to open eyes and weave a web of intrigue and surprise.” With new generations growing up watching CG movies and playing video games, I feel that it is important for students to not only know their significance, history, and how they were made, but how they themselves can create these mystifying anomalies on their own. 

 

Often times art in the classroom is thought of as a drawing or a painting class, or a sculpture or ceramics course, but I want to change this way of thinking. I believe that there needs to be more curricular diversity using untraditional media. With a basic understanding of technology students will be able to take their skills learned in traditional art classes and use them in new ways, such as taking their own drawings to create a complete stop-motion animation from the ground up.

I also will use technology as a means of instruction. The Internet provides people from around the world with unlimited resources. Utilizing those online resources, such as audio podcasts, instructional vidcasts, and interactive websites, students can use the Internet as a tool for learning and a canvas to create and push the boundaries of the definitions of art. My classroom will be unique, innovative, and cutting-edge as students will explore a realm of art they never knew existed and learn how to create smart-art that combines the old with the new."


Thanks to my students for letting me share their work!