How'd We Get Here?

In this episode, I speak to Semone Kassim-Joseph—Mental Health Counsellor—as we discuss Mental Health and how we might create a positive culture of wellness within our learning environments for our students.

In this episode, I speak to Heather Lowry, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Media & Creative Arts (FMCA) at Humber College as we discuss Humber Play Days and the philosophy of 'Play' in education. Heather and I discuss her beginnings as a designer and her role as the current Associate Dean, along with what Humber Play Days are all about, the benefits for students and teachers who participate, future iterations of how Humber Play Days might be integrated into core curriculum, and much more.

In this episode, I speak to Kevin Brandon, professor Graphic Designer and Adobe Educator about managing our time and tasks as a student during the pandemic. Kevin and I discuss how we prioritize our education, work, and life so that we might meet deadlines and have a better flow/balance while learning in an online environment. We also discuss maintaining a positive mindset for keeping creative and staying motivated, prioritizing tasks based on your life obligations, managing our time by setting realistic deadlines, establishing a workflow, and much more.

In this episode, I speak to Rob Blain, professor of multimedia and design about lifelong learning and how we might iterate ourselves to evolve as designers and people. We discuss how we wen through our academic career learning new things to ultimately create our own path towards design and teaching. Rob shares his thoughts on what propelled him towards his path in design and education, setting milestones to attain your career goals, comparing motivations for learning as an adult learner versus our earlier academic years, having a growth mindset and how we might promote lifelong learning in our learning environment, Rewarding students for process and developing their ideas into executable products, and much more.

In this episode, I speak to Bianca DiPietro, professor of graphic design about her experiences building design confidence and how we might contribute in building or stagnating confidence in the classroom as educators. Bianca describes the effects of choosing meaningful work and we discuss how it might build confidence. Bianca also talks about her experiences and how she coped as a student and designer throughout her career and academic journey, how she nurtures creative confidence in the classroom as an educator, and more.

In this episode, I speak to Asma Arslan, professor in UX Design and Mindfulness instructor about connecting with oneself through nurturing your internal environment. We discuss how students might utilize meditation practices to connect with themselves so that they might enhance creativity, cognition, and develop a deeper sense of empathy for users through design. Asma explains the building blocks of people centered design, how our emotions drive cognition and creativity, optimizing our internal environments through meditation, the process of letting go and being present, finding motivation through your life's purpose versus serving your ego, and much more.

In this episode, I speak to Leslie Harrod, a graphic designer and design instructor about building connections and community in the classroom. We talk about the importance of communication and fostering a safe space of inclusion, identifying and developing relationships with students in an online learning environment, and using web-based technology to promote collaboration in the classroom. Leslie leaves us with some thoughts for building connections in online and face-to-face learning environments and shares her own experiences on maintaining online relationships with her students during the current pandemic.

In this episode, I speak to Dr. Kristopher Alexander, professor of video games at the University of Ryerson about his educational experiences and seeing your future self through reflected representation. We discuss finding your Ikigai (your life's purpose) and making your passion become your life's work. We also speak about representation and inclusion in the classroom, borrowing video game mechanics and principles for engaging teaching and learning strategies, the impact of streaming students of colour and students from underserved communities, plus much more.

In this episode, I speak to Nicola Hamilton, who is an Independent Art Director, Graphic Designer, Educator, and current President of the Registered Graphic Designers @rgdhub RGD (Toronto) about her perspectives on managing multiple professional personas. Nicola and I reflect on season 1 of the podcast, pivoting between multiple personas as a student, educator, and designer and share our thoughts and experiences about fear vs confidence, establishing a design identity, fostering inclusivity and equity in the classroom, and much more. We also touch on what we've learned about our students through their stories and what we will take with us as we head into our first fully online semester during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we speak to Konor Abrahams, a Designer at The Office of Gilbert Li. Konor shares his experience as a recent graduate heading out into the world of design, landing an internship and making connections for future employment. We discuss facing the fear of the unknown, networking, and life after a design internship.