Hello VADEA members, I am Dr. Emmi Nevalainen and I want to introduce myself as the 2016-2017 Resources, Research, and Publications Project Officer.
I have been a casual academic at UNSW Art & Design since 2010, teaching art history and theory. Some teaching highlights include designing and delivering two upper level art theory courses, tutoring into first year core art history subjects, and presenting a two hour lecture to over 300 students.
I would call myself a learning-addict, and as such have completed a double bachelor degree, an Honours degree, and a PhD in Arts/Art History and Theory. Most recently I have been granted a Graduate Diploma of Education in Secondary Visual Arts.
Sometime in 2012, while finishing my PhD and tutoring first year university students, I realised that I was more energised and inspired by cultivating creativity and critical thinking in young people in the classroom, than by academia. So, I am currently pursuing this passion through both secondary and tertiary teaching.
As your Resources, Research, and Publications Project Officer I will be delving into VADEA members’ resources and pulling out the most interesting and useful information for you to use in your classroom. I will also be collaborating with senior teachers to create new units of work that will be posted in the members’ area throughout the year. I hope you will also enjoy my short autoethnographic articles from the classroom—teaching practice as research—and spotlights on current contemporary issues in NSW Visual Arts Education.
Lastly, the Communications team are hard at work turning some of the fantastic 2016 conference material into teaching resources. The resources, research, and publications area will only be accessible by members, so please join us at VADEA and take advantage of these and other amazing benefits!
