Assitant Professor Robert MacDougall, the newest faculty member of the growing Communication department, headlined the January, 2008 Curry College faculty retreat with his presentation about New Media Technology and its impact on teaching.
The presentation began by outlining a medium theoretic view of human history. MacDougall explained how our communication media have changed over time, with these changes having major impact on how people construct and maintain their experience of reality.
Prof. MacDougall then discussed the "media generation". He said people should not view biological age as a way of describing generational differences, but look more closely at the media and technology each group grew up with.
His speech also honed in on cutting edge new media designs and theories.
Dr. Robert MacDougall began teaching at Curry College in 2007. He obtained his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of Albany in New York. His teaching history includes tenures at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania and Emerson College in Boston.
His research centers around the social, political and pyschological roles communication media have played through history, with a particular focus on the nature of knowledge and perception in emerging digital environments.
He is an active member of the Media Ecology Association.