American University
In August 2020, Jeff was appointed as an Adjunct Professorial Lecturer within the Masters of Arts Management program at American University in Washington, D.C.
He is currently teaching the Arts Education course, which is described below:
Arts education is a fundamental, civil, and human right. Navigating the complex ecosystem of policies and players to foster an environment for delivering on this promise requires a specific set of skills for arts and cultural managers. In this course, students will explore the underpinning philosophical frameworks utilized to understand and influence the policy, pedagogy, and practice of contemporary arts education. The course will interrogate the field’s scholarship, history, and research, leading students to decolonize, de-Westernize, and re-center a globalized perspective focusing on anti-racist and liberatory approaches to arts and cultural education.
Examining the theoretical and philosophical approaches to real-life situations, students will grapple with the question: What is my role as an arts manager to create an environment for arts education to thrive serving learners in my community?
Grounded in the practice of professional reflection and culminating with an exploration of educational futures, each class will provide multiple opportunities for students to discuss, interrogate, expand, or develop their own connection to the work. Over the semester, students will develop a concept paper proposing a new or reformed arts education program relevant to their own professional future.
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
Critically evaluate underpinning approaches to arts education;
Locate and explore global, national, and local policies which impact arts education;
Interrogate the histories, research, and pedagogies through an anti-racist and liberatory lens;
Navigate future roles in the complex ecosystem of the education and cultural sectors;
Envision the practical futures for arts and cultural education in their communities;
Prepare a concept paper for a future arts and cultural education program based on research and class assignments
