I’m Stephan, an Assistant Teaching Professor in Media Creation and Multicultural Studies. I’m interested in the use of new immersive technologies in language and cultural learning. I’m an educator and Director of The Askwith Kenner Global Languages & Cultures Room at Carnegie Mellon University.

I enjoy making things. I think that it’s a great way to learn, I try to encourage experimentation and ask students to embrace failure as a crucial step on their way to success. I like to paint and draw, listen to podcasts, and read books, and when I’m outdoors I like to cycle along the trails. It’s always challenging to find the time to do these things, perhaps that is why it is so rewarding when I can.

These interests tend to inform my teaching, which I believe is more craft than science, although there’s plenty of research to support the efficacy of project-based, playful, experiential learning.  I try to provide students with creative ways to tell stories that reflect aspects of their lives and encourage them to bring as much of themselves into their learning as they are able to. 

I’m a firm believer in the power of community. I’ve realized over the years that doesn’t just mean those closest to you, or even share a common interest, but many different people, from all walks of life. I’ve been blessed by the extraordinary support and guidance of colleagues, friends, and the many professional networks I’ve found through the work I do. 

I have created these pages to support my scholarly work and develop my teaching practice. Please feel free to get in touch via my weekly newsletter dotsandspaces.substack.com/

Stephan Caspar (updated Summer 2023)