Image: Freya_Freyr
Island Sun, 2017

Teaching Philosophy | Jean M. Haefner

 

I believe students work best when applying skills with concrete results. Having collaborative projects, production schedules, and deadlines help to establish the working skills they will need in an industry, commercial, or educational setting. It is especially vital to develop team skills because game and media design are rarely done in isolation. Communication is a key component of this process with students as presenters, developers, and peer evaluators working together to accomplish a common objective.


I like to expose my students to the variety of work and writing being done in the area of study. I think students should be aware of the current theories and philosophies pertinent to media, art, and production. Thus, readings and discussions are developed with the goal of informing the student of important foundation information for their field and expanding their knowledge of subjects of interest.


Image: Freya Freyr
Freya Freyr, 2013

Curriculum for my classes are designed for success. With elements of the project due in stages that permit the student to learn about the process and then apply what they've learned to complete the project. Providing deadlines allows them to become more disciplined, build upon what they've learned, and improve as they advance. Incorporating elements of art, art history, and theory, I help students broaden their knowledge while reinforcing things they've learned in other classes. The students can then begin to discover where their interests and abilities lie. Beyond the basics, I see my role as facilitator, assisting the students when needed, providing additional methods of production, and offering theoretical insights as well as tailoring learning to an individual's needs.

 

Overall, my objective is to provide my students with a learning environment based on success. By helping them to develop skill sets of the processes, methodologies, and interpersonal skills used in a production environment, they move toward developing their own stylized skills in preparation for the future they envision.

 

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