For me, critical media studies have become a set of survival skills for the 21st century. In a world riddled with advertising, misinformation and propaganda, the ability to read and discern truth from fiction and intent from interpretation, has rarely seemed so important. Since the widespread uptake of computers, understanding media as literally dynamic software, and even as sites of social interaction, has become crucial. Using popular media such as videogames as the context takes the student’s interests seriously, and grants me access to their attention, imagination, and hopefully, their trust.
When designing and delivering courses, my aim is to increase my students’ awareness of their own environment, to add greater meaning to their past-times, and equip them to deal with whatever comes next. For students who go on to develop their own games (or make other types of art) they can do so from a much broader, more sophisticated perspective. For those that pursue other goals, they will at least be less susceptible to spurious media narratives they will no doubt encounter.
HUM 228 Videogames in Society
Over the span of just a few decades, video games have gone from being a niche hobby to one of the world’s most profitable, pervasive, and influential entertainment forms. In this course we will explore the history, major companies, market realities, controversies, and future of this dynamic industry.
ENG 301 Writing to be Read
Produce writing that targets specific audiences to tell compelling stories. This course concentrates on research-based non-fiction genres, including blog posts, research essays, investigative reporting, and creative non-fiction. Devise a topic, research, draft, and revise significant pieces of writing from different genres. Students will present their work in a variety of formats, including outside the classroom.
ENG 121 College Composition
Develop and apply rhetorical knowledge for creating effective text-based communication. Students develop critical inquiry and multi-stage writing processes in order to contribute productively, effectively, and ethically to the social and collaborative practices of academic and other discourses.
ACL 040 Academic Literacies
Explore and critically evaluate a variety of academic texts. Identify, discuss, and write about abstract ideas from a variety of complex academic texts. Expand and connect readings to other meaningful texts, to the world, and to lived experiences. Develop an understanding of the writing process in order to produce authentic academic writing.