One of the DEC’s Affinity Sessions at “Revival,” the recent AIGA National conference in New Orleans, was “Thinking About Teaching? How to Trade Clients for Curriculum.” The Saturday morning program explored basic professional concerns about entering and advancing in academia. The near full house featured a mixture of professionals thinking about teaching or doing so part-time, and current instructors looking for advice from the veteran presenters. Amy Fidler, Lecturer at Bowling Green State University and DEC Steering Committee member, served as session moderator and introduced the proceedings. The three presenters charted a course from deciding to enter teaching to securing tenure at a public institution. In “Becoming a Design Educator,” Jenn Stucker, Assistant Professor at Bowling Green State University covered the philosophical and personal dimensions of choosing to teach. Annabelle Gould of the University of Washington followed with an outline of the application process. Karen Zimmerman, Professor at Arizona State University concluded with “Navigating the Academic Career,” understanding how achievement is measured in academia and the practical concerns of applying for and gaining tenure. Audience questions following the presentations included inquiries about the applicability of K–12 teaching experience to the university level (experience is experience!) and how teachers stay motivated and connect with diverse audiences. A PDF of the presentation slides is available here.
