CP791 - 3D Modelling for Computer Games
CP792 - Computer Games Design
CP762 - Animation and Visual Effects
CP765 - 3D Graphics and Animation Programming
CP751 - Interactive Multimedia
I embrace teaching at university level as an opportunity to inspire and broaden the mind. As a teacher, my ultimate goal is for student learning to be a transformative experience that introduces young minds to self-knowledge, critical thinking and an awareness of their own thinking and creative processes. There are parallels in my view, as an artist, that a core purpose of art is to educate and enlighten. The artist first needs a keen mind to be able to see the world in a unique way, then the ability to present that vision as a work of art. The goals are the same, but the audience and method of delivery differ.
As a university lecturer I see myself as a facilitator of learning, with the main tasks of providing a stimulating environment and materials, and inspiring students to be motivated to learn. I often use examples from my own work and that of past students to demonstrate the potential of interactive media. This has proved very successful, prompting students to investigate techniques which take them beyond the basic material of the subject. In recent years I have harnessed this enthusiasm, giving students the opportunity to present techniques to the class as a tutorial. Some of these sessions have been recorded and made available online as video tutorials.
Another strategy I use to inspire students is to use real-world, rather than hypothetical, scenarios in assessment. In Computer Games Design I use a competition linked to an annual industry conference, and for Animation and Visual Effects I point students to the Harmony Short Film Festival. Although it is easy enough to create an equally believable scenario, I’ve noticed from experience there is a marked conceptual difference which increases motivation substantially, particularly if they can realistically enter their work for the competition.
Although I teach the skills required to create and design interactive 3D worlds and animation, my personal ‘holy grail’ is to get students to see beyond the superficial and look at deeper issues, using these as inspiration for creative work. In this sense the technology and the tools are unimportant, a simple line drawing or brief poem can convey subtle and illusive concepts with profound meaning to the human condition. The potential of interactive 3D technology goes far beyond the mere distraction of most modern computer games, although few people seem to see it at the moment.
Working with art and Virtual Reality prompts the question: What is real and what is illusion? And further: Is consciousness a product of the material world, or is the material world a product of consciousness? Ultimately my goal is to see students transformed by their educational experience, developing minds that are aware of these questions, and who have the ability to see reality with their own eyes, going beyond populist opinions.
Despite my passionate intensity, I’m told I have a laid-back, casual style in class which helps students feel relaxed and comfortable enough to get involved in discussions. I actively try to build rapport using short ice-breakers and games that help us to get to know each other on a different level. I try to mix up different types of presentation and activities to keep students engaged with the material and have impromptu question and answer sessions on different topics. Rarely do I answer a question with an immediate direct answer. Usually I throw a question back which gets them to think about it from a different angle. I particularly like posing questions that force students to re-think preconceived ideas. Once, in the spirit of broadening the mind, I decided to begin each lecture of a 3D Graphics programming class with a very brief quiz on the main topics in the news for the previous week, with prizes for correct answers. Over time this became one of the most enjoyable parts of the week, and the students started taking notice of what was happening in the world. I try to provide materials in different forms and present in different ways to cater for different learning styles. Being a creative technologist these are usually electronic in format and made available online. I believe technology and online learning will grow and develop to become a set of powerful educational tools in the future.
I have received excellent student and peer feedback about my teaching, but this didn’t all come naturally to me. Teaching is a skill, like any other, which can be learned, developed and improved. Over the years I have had to put in a lot of work to build up my teaching and presentation skills, ability to create rapport with class and individual students, and development of teaching materials. I feel that I am competent at teaching, to the level that I know what to do to create a stimulating learning environment and provide students with a very satisfying learning experience. Currently I am building on this level of expertise by developing my communication and language styles, and looking at the use of story telling as a way to convey information.
Finally, I do not see a rigid dividing line between research and teaching. In a university good teachers need to be at the cutting edge of recent scholarship, providing a link between coursework studies and the world of independent research. A lecturer is also a role-model for students who have the interest, motivation and ability to do a research degree.