About Your Instructor

Contact Information

Instructor Name: Stephanie Clark

Pic of Instructor Clark

 

Email: sclark@santarosa.edu

Office Location: ConferZoom

Office Hours: I have arranged to be available on Mondays; you and I can arrange virtual chats via appointment on Mondays or during the evenings.

Book an appointment with me through Calendly! Links to an external site.

 

Contact Preferences

  • Use Canvas Conversations via the Inbox navigation icon, as this is a very organized and well-documented form of communication with students and removes the possibility of an email being buried in my work emails.
  • Students may also add comments to their assignments, which I will read and reply to directly.
  • All virtual contact (via email or Canvas inbox) will be replied to within 48 hours. 

 

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy reflects a deep interest and belief in education serving as a tool of universal empowerment.

 

What does this look like in the classroom? 

  • Global: Students learn from/about master artisans worldwide, reflecting multiple perspectives and bringing attention to new cultures and economies.

  • Tools & Technology: Students use the same tools and techniques as industry professionals. Period, no exceptions.

  • Language: Students develop a rich vocabulary that elevates their understanding of technology and design, creating a more meaningful relationship with their work. 

  • Evolving content: Students learn through multiple platforms, software, and mediums and are encouraged to navigate and pivot when media and design needs change. This builds resilience and confidence in preparation for a lifetime of work in the field.

  • Preparation: Students experience success as they enter the workforce because they have the capacity, confidence, and resilience developed in the classroom’s safe space to approach complex problems (technical and conceptual) and navigate complex issues with bold and visible results. 

In the classroom, we not only focus on the needs and the trends of today, but we (teacher/student/community) cultivate a culture of curiosity and a desire for life-long learning. We look to the future. We get comfortable in our discomfort: there will be time spent on tools and concepts that we have no chance of mastering in a single course. This is OK! We must acknowledge the need to continuously learn, continually reflect, and evolve to become bold creative thinkers/makers/doers.

Keeping in mind that the future is unknown, classroom activities focus on preparing students to leave with the capacity to embrace, critique, and respond to media and design changes.