Xinyi Chen, November 10, 2006
This Wednesday afternoon at 2:10, I met with
Thomas E. German in his office and interviewed him with some questions about
his teaching life in DMD (Digital Media Design) major of Muskingum University.
Thomas E. German am associate professor in DMD major, he was a student that has
been graduated from Muskingum University and after graduating he worked for CNN
and Ohio State University, also he is my advisor. We had good time in this
interview and enjoyed it.
German has been working in Muskingum for 9
years since 2007, before he works in Muskingum, he worked in television
production for about 10 years, but German thought it isn’t interesting
actually. Then he worked for Ohio State University in their television station,
they gave him an opportunity to take master’s classes and graduate from school
for free, so he gets master degree from Ohio State University and goes on his
PHD. German told me that if you graduate school for PHD, there is not a lot of
options for most people, you basically be trained to be a professor and
researchers or some sorts.
“So, as I finished up, there was a job that
sounds like perfect to me, that was Muskingum, so I applied for it and get
hired.”
After that I asked him what is the favorite
class when he teach DMD, German answered that it is visual communication
(DMD-300). You need to do and learn a lot in visual communication. He told me
that many students would have some misunderstandings about this class and have
many questions, what’s the signs, symbols and environments might mean, and
maybe they don’t understand that they can interpret differently by variety
people. He really like how students come to understand things and it is
interested. German told me that visual communication is not easy to learn and
you have to learn a lot for it, it is a challenging class.
“A lot of people I think have signed up for
that class because it sounds very interesting sounds very cool, maybe fun and I
think it is fun, but it also need to learn at the same time.”
About the favorite part of his job, he said:
“Watching student and young people start to gain a better understandings and
appreciation of things that we teach.” As a professor, a teacher, it is a great
honor and achievement to light up students’ interest and become involve with
DMD major.
Then we talked about the tendency of DMD and
convergent medias’ developing and the importance in this internet era. German
claimed that they are emerging major programs today, “Emerging means it is
constantly and possibly changes.” Then he shared his experience about his
teaching content changing. In 2007, no one has iphone because smart phone
wasn’t created, now, you need to do a lot of design by using multiple equipment
and technology, and they will change very fast, so you have to learn new staff
new technology on and on. So today’s DMD classes is not same as past. “It is
good,” German said, “It is good things to keep learning.” He smiled and said
that if you teach the same class over and over in several years, you will get
bored.
The last question is about the hobby or the
favorite thing he like to do outside of class. German said he loves music and
pursue music. He plays trombone and he join in a local community band. Also he
can play a little bit guitar and drums, and he said it is fun to play them for
his cat and himself.
After the interview, we talked about more
about the DMD class, the differences between digital art design and art design,
I got a lot of information about the DMD major and know more about my future
work line. I really appreciate to have this chance to talk with Prof. Thomas E.
German.
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