Page 6 - YC360 Spring 2021 Edition

Community Impact:
SCHOOL OF
ARTS & HUMANITIES
Bryan Robertson
Painting & Drawing
Many teachers accept online classes as a necessity. Others embrace them as the future. Instructor Bryan Robertson sees possibility in both.
“In the studio, an art class can be free- flowing,” he says. “You’re in tune with the class more.” In-person instruction allows him to read the room. “You follow the enthusiasm. Maybe you’re working with charcoal, and the class is enjoying it. You don’t want to [change] right away.”
An MFA graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, Robertson sees more intensity in online classes. “There’s more structure, assignments are less spontaneous, and the students spend more time interacting with the material apart from you. There’s less pressure without immediate student/instructor interaction. I end up giving students less quantity but higher quality feedback as they explore at their own pace.”
Effective instruction can exist in either format, he says. But best to combine
their strengths. “I see a future in the
hybrid model. Maybe in-class learning, structured in an online way, with in-person meeting times. So you can work where you’re comfortable.”
Learn more at: https://www.yc.edu/v6/ schools/arts/visual-arts.html
SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS & COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Jennifer Riley
Cybersecurity
Ask Computer Networking Professor Jennifer Riley what makes a good cybersecurity expert, and you get a very precise answer. “Being detail-oriented,” she says. “Cybersecurity takes a lot of investigation, knowing what to look for
in collected network data. You have to be able to focus well on each specific task.” Computer Networking offers AAS certificates in Cybersecurity and Network Administration. “With Cybersecurity, you learn about securing a network, working in a Special Operations Center, and digital forensics – looking at data after
a [breach] has occurred.” In a field that must innovate as rapidly as hackers do, lessons include “ethical hacking,” where students briefly role-play hackers to understand how they think. “We get lots of young people – and working people looking to expand their skills, because many companies don’t have the funds to add their own security department.” The program has entered the three- year application process for the NSA/ Department of Homeland Security’s coveted CAE-CDE designation, and is creating a Cyberwarfare Range where students can practice, on the Prescott Campus, opening in Fall 2021.
Learn more at: https://www.yc.edu/v6/ schools/bucs/cnt.html
SCHOOL OF
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Amber Davies-Sloan
Interpersonal Communication
“When I start a class, I tell my students: for some of you this will be difficult, for some it will be easy.” Amber Davies-Sloan says. “Many come in with a chip on their shoulder. ‘Why am I here?’” What she teaches is the distinct difference between communicating and communicating well.
“Communication permeates everything we do. A lot of people just think it’s a passive, learned activity.” In a social media-dominated society, where the volume of words far exceeds their
value, she fosters engagement that’s thoughtful, genuine and interactive. “It’s an individualized journey. I encourage students to be introspective and honest about their lives. Some say, ‘Whoa, I never thought about that before.’” They address obstacles like physical challenges and social anxiety, effective self-expression, and acknowledgement of others. “We joke that it’s inexpensive group therapy because we’re all learning from each other. I learn a lot from them.” And even those students with a chip learn about meaningful interaction. “It’s fun to watch them have those ‘ah-ha’ moments,” she says.
Learn more at: https://www.yc.edu/v6/ schools/sosc/communication.html
6 YC360 A Yavapai College Publication
COVER STORY