A13JoanneWhite

A13JoanneWhite

To-Do

Please Answer the following Questions: provide a brief rationale for your answer — not just yes/no answers

1. which classes did you take outside of your chosen discipline?
   1. how did you select these classes?
      1. based on interest
      2. based on requirements for your degree program
   2. did would you evaluate the “outside classes”?
      1. a waste of time
      2. okay
      3. an enrichment of your education
      4. if you had a choice: would you take more outside classes?
2. to be a well educated graduate in your respective discipline — what do you consider the most important objectives?
   1. did CU offer classes for you to meet these objectives?
   2. have you pursued these objectives outside of classes (in other settings at CU; outside of CU)?
3. what do you consider the most important impact of new media and human-centered computing on YOUR education?

which classes did you take outside of your chosen discipline?

My program is interdisciplinary by definition, so there have been a great variety. Over the time of my university education, from my bachelor's degree, I took classes as diverse as The Holocaust and Classic Hollywood Cinema, as well as my core communication/media studies classes. Ironically, the past couple of years have seen me take classes that were different to those I would have chosen, but were in my defined discipline. For example, Literary Journalism was really about authors writing autobiographies and was not in any way a contribution to my explorations of research, but I needed to complete it to graduate.

how did you select these classes? (e.g. based on interest or based on requirements for your degree program)

Most of these classes I have taken based on interest, but also leading towards my greater goal of performing good research in the field of my choice. HCI is multidisciplinary, and to purely take classes in one school would not be a good preparation. I researched the instructors, the syllabus, and the content. Additionally, I needed to ensure the tiime the classes were run would fit in my schedule.

how would you rate the “outside classes”? (e.g. a waste of time or an enrichment of your education)

The outside classes were more than an enrichment of my education - they helped create a body of knowledge that challenged me as well as directed me towards my dissertation topic.

if you had a choice: would you take more outside classes?

As before, the ATLAS program is by definition made up of outside classes. However, I would not take classes purely for 'fun' - instead I take them for defined reasons, such as expanding my knowledge in an unfamiliar area, or learning the 'language and jargon' of another discipline.

to be a well educated graduate in your respective discipline — what do you consider the most important objectives?

To be aware of how much you actually don't know - to be well educated, you need to realize your thirst for more information, conversation, discussion and challenges. Only when we know we don't know everything can we really be tolerant, understanding and honestly supportive of other people.

did CU offer classes for you to meet these objectives?

The cross disciplinary program does - and ATLAS did from the outset by inviting me to take the Doctoral Seminar class even though I was a Masters student at the time.

have you pursued these objectives outside of classes (in other settings at CU; outside of CU)?

Yes - I enjoy having diverse conversations with lots of different people. I would like to write papers on how the homeless use social media for example. To do that well, I need some background in sociology (that I don't have yet) - but it's my initiative that will decide to take those classes. CU won't give me that direction.

hat do you consider the most important impact of new media and human-centered computing on YOUR education?

My research is in HCC, and media is my history as well as my future. (I don't call it new media.) If they did not exist, I would not have completed my undergraduate degree as I did most of it via distance. Furthermore, I would not have developed the strong sense of self assuredness in my work that I have through working in a classroom. I know the work was all done by myself, and was self directed. There is a large amount of self esteem and self respect that comes with appreciating that. Without it I would still be blending into the background, thinking I was simply average.