[iDC] "New Media" Programs + intro

[Mechthild Schmidt]

Dear Trebor,
Dear list,

I have been lurking for long - despite your invitation, Trebor. I was  
very caught up with Second Life + Real Life... but keep being  
impressed with the list.

Your discussion on new media education finally pulls me into active  
participation.
Here is my introduction, coupled with our approach to new media  
education:

I am  faculty at NYU, teaching in the BS in Digital Communications  
and Media (DCoM) at the McGhee Division, SCPS.
I am coordinator of some of the concentrations below.
My background is in Fine Arts (Painting-Video in Berlin (Art  
University UdK) and Combined Media (Hunter College, NYC)
After a tenure in the independent and broadcast communities I now  
teach full-time.

Our program has a 'Professional Studies' orientation in its inclusion  
of  media management and media economics requirements.
The emphasis though is on a strong academic foundation in a liberal  
arts core that leads to five concentrations students can choose from:

Digital Broadcasting and Telecommunications,
Computer Animation and Visual Effects,
Media Production: Film and Digital Video,

Newly added:
Game Production
Web Production

While an understanding of the relevant technologies is a must,
we emphasize basic crafts and historyin the foundation courses
(Drawing , Broadcast design, Typography, Language of Film, Digital  
Gaming: History, Genres and Theory etc)
  and
concept, design and message/ethics in the upper level courses
(Advanced Compositing and Visual Effects, Advanced Computer  
Animation, Cinematography, Web: Narrative and Dynamic Structures,  
Digital Gaming Networks,  Visionary Concepts and Developments in  
Motion Arts etc)

'Visionary Concepts' as well as 'Special Projects' can be filled with  
current content, so we can react with some immediacy to developments  
we consider interesting. Since you mention participatory cultures, my  
class in 'Visionary Concepts' took place in Second Life after a month- 
long art-historical introduction on media innovation and acceptance.  
After the positive feedback we will continue our involvement in  
Second Life to the extend that it advances the understanding and  
hands-on exposure to current cultural developments.

Our new website should be up in March. Interim information can be  
found under
www.scps.nyu.edu/dcom

This is becoming a long first post - so I will end it here.

Best,
Mechthild




Mechthild Schmidt

Digital Communications and Media
McGhee Division, New York University
726 Broadway, #669
New York, NY 10003

ms1831 at nyu.edu



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