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Visual Communication Quarterly 140 Volume 14 Summer 2007

I have been teaching onlineclasses through the use of theBlackboard Educational SoftwareProgram for about 7 years. Mycourse, “Mass Media Ethics,” is acore curriculum elective designedfor undergraduate majors in all ofour mass communications concen-trations. Incidentally, the book Iuse is Media Ethics Issues andCases authored by my friends,Philip Patterson and Lee Wilkins,and I highly recommend it for thiscourse.

Apparently, however, I have beenteaching the class online in amuch different fashion than myfellow faculty. My students“meet” at a specific day and timeevery week within a virtual class-room to discuss the issues andtheir assignments just as with aface-to-face class. In other words,Blackboard is not used simply asa book or discussion board wherestudents come and go as theyplease without direct interactionwith an instructor. In my mind,that procedure is not teaching.Although we are bound by text-based comments, my studentsand I enjoy lively and thoughtfuldiscussions that are highly engag-ing and often, entertaining. I alsofind that our discussions rivalthose from a face-to-face classprobably because online studentshave the luxury of usually beingon a computer in the comfort oftheir own homes and have time tothink of salient topics and interac-tions than students sitting onuncomfortable desks avoidingyour eyes so as not to be calledupon to join in on the discussion.

I also teach a large-lecture coursecalled “Visual Communications.”What started as a modest classof about 30 students has nowgrown into two sections offeredeach semester that serve a totalof about 700 students a year.

My new department chair, TonyFellow, knew that I enjoyed teach-ing online. He also knew that theUniversity was running out of anauditorium large enough to housesuch large lecture classes. So heoffered me an intriguing proposi-tion: Why not teach a section ofmy visual communication onlineand with a cap of 220 students. Iinitially balked at the idea. Myethics class tops out at 30 stu-dents online. Nevertheless, Idecided to accept simply becauseit seemed like such a wacky idea.

And then this wacky idea took aneven harder turn into “The Twi-light Zone.” The Faculty Develop-ment Center (FDC) on campusput up a notice on its websiteasking for volunteers whowanted to teach via Second Life(SL), the avatar-based socialcommunity available through theinternet. Probably to add to thecommunity’s credibility andenhance the real-world experi-ence, the folks at SL have wel-comed numerous universitieswhere classes are taught fromHarvard, Ball State, Stanford,Delft University of Technology,and many others. After I told anFDC staffer I was interested, anisland on SL was purchased, Istaked out a bit of it for myclass, and dressed it up a bit. I

plan to teach my visual commu-nication course there in the fall.

I expect it will not be easy to con-vert my experience in brick andmortar classrooms and then withthe Blackboard Educationally-Based Software Program to ameaningful teaching experiencewithin a social community that ismore known for its well—socializing and gambling opportuni-ties. Nevertheless, the possibilityof adding a more complete visualexperience to an online teachingenvironment is something that weshould all try.

If you have (or plan to get) an SLaccount, send me your SL nameand I will give you details on howto join in the fun.

In This Issue

One of my favorite activities whenI attend an AEJMC Conference isto get the hell out of the hotel andenjoy the day by exploring thehost city. Since last summer’sconvention was in San Francisco,there was much urban hiking tobe had. But it didn’t take long towalk over to the Museum of Mod-ern Art and discover a photorealistartist, Zak Smith, worth yourattention. In “Girls in the NakedGirls Business,” Smith combines aphotographer’s eye, a painter’suse of color, and an animator’ssense of wonder to bring life tothe portrait genre.

Another joy I’ve discovered withthis editor position is introducing

Commentary Paul Martin Lester, Editor

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Pages 140–143 141 Visual Communication Quarterly

(Top) My Second Life avatar,“drles Loon,” hovers high abovethe virtual visual communicationsclassroom. Ringed by a wideassortment of coniferous trees,the area designed for the courseincludes two projector screens(one for showing video clips andthe other for slides) as well ascomfortable rugs and three tiersof simple “plastic” chairs floatingin space (because you can) forstudents to sit. (Right) After eachclass, students and guests arewelcomed to come to the “VISCOM Shack” through thewoods from the course site toenjoy a snack, a refreshing bev-erage, and engage in conversa-tions concerned with the mean-ing of visual communications andonline teaching.

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Visual Communication Quarterly 142 Volume 14 Summer 2007

artists that might not be familiarto the reader. Paul Bibbo, a pho-tographer and painter I’ve longadmired, is a New York artistwho’s range of topics and mediacan be both whimsical and dis-turbing. The series included in thisissue, “How I Learned to Drive,”reminds me of Duane Michaels.However, Bibbo collects photo-graphs over many years and thenconstructs meaningful associa-tions between them with his cap-tions. In that way, there is truly asemiotic dance between wordsand images that gives insight toviewers and him as well.

Please visit the “Portfolio Show-case” section of the journal’s

website to see color versions ofthe printed works along withother pieces from the artist.

Three traditional research papersare included in this issue. Ialways felt that Julianne was amaster in these commentaries atproviding a linking conceptbetween the various and eclec-tic works within the pages youwere lucky enough to be holdingwhen she was editor. But forme, maybe I’m not that deep. Iwill say this: These three stud-ies offer something for every-one. Angela Mak’s surprisinglyilluminating study concernedwith cross-cultural sensitivitiesto advertisements for skin

whitening products, Fred Vul-tee’s historical treatment of themeaning of editorial cartoonspublished before the UnitedStates entered World War II, andMark Kelly ’s geek-heavy (and Imean that as high praise since Iam a proud geek!) experimentthat compares watching televi-sion news in small, medium, andlarge screen sizes are studiesthat shows off the splendiddiversity of our visual communi-cations field.

Combine all the above with athoughtful “By Design” commentaryand a review of Cecelia Baldwin’snew scholarly textbook from JeanTrumbo; a thorough and insightful

Prized Possessions. (c) Paul Bibbo.

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review of Gerald Jones’ book con-cerned with the beginnings of thecomic book in America by sure-to-be-a-viscom star, Aaron Ragan-Fore;and another intriguing list of “must-reads” compiled and annotated byDennis Dunleavy, and I’d say yougot your money’s worth yet again!

And in keeping with that theme:Please, please do try to sell ourpublication to your library person-nel. We need all the paid sub-scriptions we can muster. If youneed more information or help inthat regard, do not hesitate tocontact me.

Paul Martin Lester is aprofessor of communications atCalifornia State University,Fullerton.

E-mail: lester@fullerton.edu

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