Learning to program is difficult, and of particular challenge to an audience of artists, designers and educators. These learners may have a limited background in mathematics and programming logic and also vastly different motivations from a student majoring in computer science. Yet the pedagogy we use to teach them programming is the same as for everyone.  read more »

My thesis is an exploration in new digital writing and mark-making environments. Looking at physical surfaces such as bathroom walls and their virtual counterparts like Instant Messaging and Text Messaging, my work straddles two worlds: The virtual and the physical. By conducting a series of experiments studying written forms, multimedia environments, and collaborative writing surfaces, I will expand our definition of the writing space and uncover new methods of communicating.  read more »

In order for design to communicate, it must relate content through the senses. By interacting with design — being able to handle, hear, see and change it — we arrive at our own understanding of it. In this way design leads to a form of knowledge that is affective, immediate, and visceral.  read more »

Computer-mediated communication systems today focus too much on convenience, such as speed and efficiency, and filter out the important elements of human communication, such as physical space, gestures, emotions, and individual uniqueness. Using dynamic mapping as a methodology, my thesis investigates how we can inject richer nuances of human communication into online communication systems.  read more »