I have over fifteen years experience teaching in higher education. I teach courses about ethnic and community archives, oral histories, documentary filmmaking, digital social media technologies, and Asian American studies.
COURSES TAUGHT
- “Bullied by Trump's Tweets? University Students on Edge,” UCLA, Jointly taught course on the risks faced by many students during Trump administration. It is one of a limited number of pedagogically innovative freshmen Fiat Lux seminars on topical issues, vetted by both the UCLA Division of Social Sciences and the UCLA Undergraduate Initiatives Program. Spring Qtr. 2017
- “Documenting Multiethnic Communities,” UCLA Asian American Studies and Film Departments, seminar course with film and media arts labs teaching film theories, methodologies, and digital media production, 2002-2005, and 2007.
- “Beginning Video Ethnography and Documentary Workshop,” UCLA Asian American Studies Department, seminar course with film and media arts labs teaching theories and methodologies of documentary filmmaking, visual ethnography, and oral histories, 2003 – 2008.
- “Advance Video Ethnography and Documentary Workshop,” UCLA Asian American Studies Department, seminar course with film and media arts labs that offers advance work in the theories and methodologies of documentary filmmaking, visual ethnography, and oral histories, 2003 – 2008.
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The students films produced in my class are on Vimeo.com | Watch: EthnoCommunications Trailer
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course descriptions
Asian American Archives: The Logics, Politics, and Practices of Documenting Asian American Communities
This course uses lectures, readings, assignments, in-class discussions, and guest presentations to introduce students to Asian American archives as memory-keeping institutions: sites both real and imagined where Asian American communities document, collect, preserve, and represent their histories and experiences, creating collective identities, ethnic/racial solidarities, and cultural belonging. It considers Asian American archival institutions, community archives, and documentation projects. It encompasses the historical perspectives of the archives, critically examining the logics, politics, and practices of archiving Asian American arts, cultures, histories, and experiences. It investigates how politics and archival practices can intervene and affect the ways in which the archives of people of color and minority groups in the United States are captured, recorded, collected, preserved, and accessed. It also introduces the notions of archives as a process and research method, in addition it being a place or thing. Questions the course engages:
This course uses lectures, readings, assignments, in-class discussions, and guest presentations to introduce students to Asian American archives as memory-keeping institutions: sites both real and imagined where Asian American communities document, collect, preserve, and represent their histories and experiences, creating collective identities, ethnic/racial solidarities, and cultural belonging. It considers Asian American archival institutions, community archives, and documentation projects. It encompasses the historical perspectives of the archives, critically examining the logics, politics, and practices of archiving Asian American arts, cultures, histories, and experiences. It investigates how politics and archival practices can intervene and affect the ways in which the archives of people of color and minority groups in the United States are captured, recorded, collected, preserved, and accessed. It also introduces the notions of archives as a process and research method, in addition it being a place or thing. Questions the course engages:
- Which Asian American communities have established archives?
- What objects/materials do Asian American archives contain?
- How are Asian American histories, cultures, and experiences evidenced and
- informed through the archives and the objects/materials they contain?
- What kind of knowledge(s) about Asian Americans can be gathered and
- understood through the archives about them?
- Who creates the archives? How do they create it and for what purposes?
Asian American Social Histories and Oral History Methods
This course examines Asian American activism and social history of the past 45 years, with emphasis on the Asian American Movement and the establishment of Asian American studies, research centers, and programs in the United States from 1960–1980. Course readings include: secondary literature and primary source materials from the UCLA Department of Special Collections, http://www.library.ucla.edu/special-collections, and Center for Oral History Research, http://www.library.ucla.edu/special-collections/at-this-location/centeroral-history-research. It introduces students to oral history methodologies and techniques. Students will conduct, transcribe, analyze, and edit oral history interviews. The course also introduces students to primary source research in universities Special Collections, oral history archives, and digital archives. They will learn the methodologies of primary sources research, and apply them in class assignments and exams.
This course examines Asian American activism and social history of the past 45 years, with emphasis on the Asian American Movement and the establishment of Asian American studies, research centers, and programs in the United States from 1960–1980. Course readings include: secondary literature and primary source materials from the UCLA Department of Special Collections, http://www.library.ucla.edu/special-collections, and Center for Oral History Research, http://www.library.ucla.edu/special-collections/at-this-location/centeroral-history-research. It introduces students to oral history methodologies and techniques. Students will conduct, transcribe, analyze, and edit oral history interviews. The course also introduces students to primary source research in universities Special Collections, oral history archives, and digital archives. They will learn the methodologies of primary sources research, and apply them in class assignments and exams.
Introduction to Creating Community Media
The continual development of digital media technologies have made it possible for previously neglected and submerged communities of colors and minority groups to visually document issues about their migration, settlement, political commitments, cultural imaginaries, and artistic expressions. This course will introduce students to EthnoCommunications documentary strategies, community media-making, visual ethnography, and visual life history methodologies that allow diverse people to reclaim, represent, and promote their cultures, histories, and experiences. Through lectures, screenings, readings, hands-on digital media workshops, and visual media production, students will develop a critical understanding of social media documentation, which is an interdisciplinary field and multifaceted practicemthat interrogates and investigates the intersectional politics of race, class, identities, and ethnicities.
The continual development of digital media technologies have made it possible for previously neglected and submerged communities of colors and minority groups to visually document issues about their migration, settlement, political commitments, cultural imaginaries, and artistic expressions. This course will introduce students to EthnoCommunications documentary strategies, community media-making, visual ethnography, and visual life history methodologies that allow diverse people to reclaim, represent, and promote their cultures, histories, and experiences. Through lectures, screenings, readings, hands-on digital media workshops, and visual media production, students will develop a critical understanding of social media documentation, which is an interdisciplinary field and multifaceted practicemthat interrogates and investigates the intersectional politics of race, class, identities, and ethnicities.
Video Ethnography and Documentary Workshop
The continual development of digital media technologies have made it possible for previously neglected and submerged communities of colors and minority groups to visual document themselves: their migration stories, social concerns, political commitments, cultural practices, and artistic expressions. This course introduces students to EthnoCommunications documentation strategies, community media-making, visual ethnography, and video oral life history methodologies that gives diverse and difference peoples the knowledge and skills to visual reclaim, represent, and promote their histories, cultures, and experiences. Through lectures, screenings, readings, hands-on digital media workshops, and visual media production, students develop critical and creative expertise about social justice media-making and visual ethnography as they investigate and interrogate the intersectionalities of Asian American identities through documentary filmmaking.
Students learn visual ethnography and documentary film methods and techniques, and produce an 8-minute video documentary project. The course teaches students the skills and tools of digital video media-making, including: operating a video camera, using video and sound equipment, video editing, and sound design. It introduces students to cinematography, visual storytelling, and narrative structure.
The continual development of digital media technologies have made it possible for previously neglected and submerged communities of colors and minority groups to visual document themselves: their migration stories, social concerns, political commitments, cultural practices, and artistic expressions. This course introduces students to EthnoCommunications documentation strategies, community media-making, visual ethnography, and video oral life history methodologies that gives diverse and difference peoples the knowledge and skills to visual reclaim, represent, and promote their histories, cultures, and experiences. Through lectures, screenings, readings, hands-on digital media workshops, and visual media production, students develop critical and creative expertise about social justice media-making and visual ethnography as they investigate and interrogate the intersectionalities of Asian American identities through documentary filmmaking.
Students learn visual ethnography and documentary film methods and techniques, and produce an 8-minute video documentary project. The course teaches students the skills and tools of digital video media-making, including: operating a video camera, using video and sound equipment, video editing, and sound design. It introduces students to cinematography, visual storytelling, and narrative structure.
Advanced Video Ethnography and Documentary Filmmaking
The continual development of digital media technologies have made it possible for previously neglected and submerged communities of colors and minority groups to visual document themselves: their migration stories, social concerns, political commitments, cultural practices, and artistic expressions. EthnoCommunications II is an advanced course that builds on the methodologies, skills, and techniques taught in AAS C143B, EthnoCommunications I: Video Ethography and Documentary Workshop. It teaches advanced EthnoCommunications documentation strategies, community media-making, visual ethnography, and video oral life history methodologies that allow diverse and difference people access to the knowledge and skills through which they can reclaim, represent, and promote their histories, cultures, and experiences.
Through lectures, screenings, readings, hands-on digital media workshops and visual media production, students develop advanced and refined critical and creative expertise about social justice media-making and visual ethnography as they investigate and interrogate the intersectionality of race, class, ethnicities, and identities in Asian Americans and Asian American communities.
Students will learn advanced ethnography and documentary film methods and techniques as they an 8-minute video documentary project or do advanced work on their EthnoCommunications I documentary film project. The course teaches students the advanced skills and tools of digital video media-making, including: operating a video camera, using video and sound equipment, video editing, and sound design. It deepens the student's understanding of cinematography, visual storytelling, and narrative structure.
The continual development of digital media technologies have made it possible for previously neglected and submerged communities of colors and minority groups to visual document themselves: their migration stories, social concerns, political commitments, cultural practices, and artistic expressions. EthnoCommunications II is an advanced course that builds on the methodologies, skills, and techniques taught in AAS C143B, EthnoCommunications I: Video Ethography and Documentary Workshop. It teaches advanced EthnoCommunications documentation strategies, community media-making, visual ethnography, and video oral life history methodologies that allow diverse and difference people access to the knowledge and skills through which they can reclaim, represent, and promote their histories, cultures, and experiences.
Through lectures, screenings, readings, hands-on digital media workshops and visual media production, students develop advanced and refined critical and creative expertise about social justice media-making and visual ethnography as they investigate and interrogate the intersectionality of race, class, ethnicities, and identities in Asian Americans and Asian American communities.
Students will learn advanced ethnography and documentary film methods and techniques as they an 8-minute video documentary project or do advanced work on their EthnoCommunications I documentary film project. The course teaches students the advanced skills and tools of digital video media-making, including: operating a video camera, using video and sound equipment, video editing, and sound design. It deepens the student's understanding of cinematography, visual storytelling, and narrative structure.