The Latest New Media Pedagogy: The Medium or The Message?

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Discipline: 

Software, UX & Game Design

Keywords: 

  • globalisation, digital tools

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This paper attempts to look at digital media and design education at a university level exploring the question of teaching software and medium specific technical skills over broader theoretical and conceptual ideas of contemporary technologies. In the past, the focus of digital media programs has been conceptual experimentation and innovation, it seems pedagogy is now being driven purely by technical concern. The university system demands the technical aspect of "digital media" to be taught, but the field demands the creative and conceptual.

Additionally, on a global level – how do varied economic conditions influence digital media education? Rather than choose to teach software vs. theory, it is important to remain open and constantly question how new technology interacts with the larger social, cultural, and artistic world.

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