Teaching philosophy

Science, much like art, never fails to inspire creativity in design. I am Nan Hu, an Assistant Professor in the School of Media Art and Design (SoMad) at Minnesota State University Moorhead. I am also a design practitioner with a background in computer science. My design practices draw inspiration not only from the ideals established by the Bauhaus and Swiss Design School, but also from the latest design media driven by science and technology. This includes evidence-based design for user interfaces and user experience (UI/UX), as well as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), 360-degree immersive experiences, optimization of experiences, and 3D imaging. These represent the new design arena where today’s design educators and practitioners need to embrace hybrid skills to remain competitive in the face of future challenges.

Therefore, I believe that design education must extend beyond teaching typography, grids, and spacing. My design pedagogy aims to develop students’ visual creativity through foundations, while nurturing their ability to explore innovation through multiple disciplines and to think critically yet logically. This approach honors the heritage of graphic design while responding to the growing influence of science and technology, which are shaping today’s design and everyday life.

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Full teaching philosophy

Science, much like art, never fails to inspire design creativity. I am a graphic designer with a background in science. My design practices draw not only from the ideals established by Bauhaus and Swiss Design School, but also from the latest design media driven by science and technology. Evidence-based design (UI/UX), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), 360° immersive, experience optimization, and 3D imaging represent the new design arena where today’s design educators and practitioners need to embrace the hybrid skills to remain competitive in the face of future challenges. Therefore, I see design teaching beyond introducing typography, grids, and spacing. My design pedagogy aims to develop students’ visual creativity through foundations, while nurturing their ability to explore innovation through multiple disciplines and think critically yet logically. This approach honors the heritage of graphic design while responding to the growing influence of science and technology that, as we observe, are shaping today’s design and everyday life.

Creativity is not confined to the field of design alone. As such, I often recommend students explore the fields beyond the realm of graphic design, far and diverse, to discover creative solutions to design problems. Often, it is the case that a seemingly disparate discipline may afford an incredible inspiration in visual design, as evidenced by successful cases where graphic design leverages user research from UX or architecture design draws insights from biology studies. This cross-field exploration is a research method that encourages students to think outside the box and arrive at innovative solutions. In my motion design course, for example, students delved into non-fiction novels to understand how the story’s plotting structure contributes to designing a dynamic timeline structure featuring reverse, diffusion (slow motion), and flashback in motion graphics. And data analysis, frequently employed in Human-Computer Interface (HCI) to draw useful information and evidence, was implemented in my print design courses to assist students in designing purposefully, preventing them from prioritizing aesthetic appeal over functionality.

As a design educator, I care how students learn and assess their knowledge acquisition. I see myself as a semi-transparent design learning facilitator. My role is to guide, not to intervene. However, after several semesters of teaching, I have come to realize that design learning is not just about gaining experience through hand-on projects, but about analyzing, reflecting, and taking initiative. The American philosopher and educational reformer John Dewey reminds us that, “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” A reflection-based learning model, for example, reflecting on design students’ previous design experience and design cases, may produce better design learning and results. During studio critiques, I urge students to adopt a reflective approach and share their feedback by referencing design samples, cases, and personal design experiences. This approach not only fosters critical thinking, but also improves their research abilities, which are essential in today’s tech-driven world.

I understand that teaching design goes beyond a structured and linear approach. Each semester presents a new opportunity to learn and adapt, as each student comes from a unique background, especially those first-generation students who appreciate more academic support. To accommodate different learning modalities and individual needs, I discuss with students in small groups or individually, which helps me better understand their needs, build their confidence, and provide them with a personalized learning experience. Teaching, for me, is also a self-learning-charging process. I am constantly learning from students and their evaluations of my teaching style and techniques. As I continue my academic career, I will continue to explore pedagogical strategies and improve my teaching quality based on my research, peer feedback, student evaluations, and scholarly work. My passionate lies in helping students learn, grow, and expand their design expertise. My goal is to help students, regardless of their race, religion, age, gender, ethnicity, (dis)ability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin, become well-rounded designers, creative thinkers, and problem-solvers with the tools and skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly demanding contemporary design profession. This requires  cross-field studies, logical thinking, and innovative approaches, and I am committed to helping all my students achieve their full potential.