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Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Vice President of Production and Development, Vikram Channa serves as Associate Dean of the Anaheim University Akira Kurosawa School of Film. Vikram, who in addition to having a Masters in Film and Television Production and a Masters in History, earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and brings strategic thinking to the film set and innovation to the classroom. At Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, he is responsible for the production of all original Discovery content out of Asia-Pacific. Based in Singapore, he works closely with Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific’s (DNAP) senior management and country heads to provide editorial direction. Vikram and his team produce approximately 100 hours of programming every year across DNAP’s portfolio of eight channel brands. Vikram first joined Discovery in 1995. He has taken on various roles within the company from on-air promotions to programming and production. Together with his team, he executive produced over 500 documentaries, several of which garnered accolades at events such as the Asia Television Awards, New York Festival, Omni Intermedia, and the Academy Awards. Vikram began his working career in India as an independent producer of short films. Recently we contacted him regarding the upcoming launch of the MFA program this September and asked him his thoughts about the program and the current direction of the filmmaking industry. The MFA program is scheduled to commence this coming fall. Do you have any advice for our incoming students who are just commencing their MFA? It’s an exciting time! The media, like many other industries, is changing around us. As you step into this program it’s critical to ask the right questions with regard to ongoing changes and ask what they mean for you from a professional perspective. Can you tell us about one of your favorite projects you have worked on? I am currently working on creating the definitive series on Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s a real window into a deep understanding of Chinese culture. What makes a great documentary? Balance between providing great insight and perspective in a way that is both visually and emotionally compelling. Can you tell us some of your thoughts regarding Akira Kurosawa? Akira Kurosawa was the ultimate globalist before ‘globalisation’ became the norm.  He defied convention and made a mark as a universalist visual storyteller. Which is why a number of his movies have inspired Hollywood remake versions even during his career. How is the art of film expanding in a global context? It’s an interesting time. If you observe what is happening, cinematic values and storytelling have taken over Television. It’s like a golden era driven by UHD Smart TV sets where viewers watch this amazing high quality content whenever they want to, unlike in the past when this technology was unavailable. Yet at the same time it’s Hollywood film that is moving into the mold of classic TV series/multi episode mode with X-men, Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek, Star War Reboots.  At the same time, both globalization and the Internet together have created unique possibilities for niches from other cultures to find audiences and coexist with the mainstream media more than ever before. What do you hope Anaheim University’s MFA graduates will gain from the program? I think I would go back to the thought expressed in Question 1: It’s an exciting time. Success now depends so much on the clarity with which one can see opportunity in these times of tremendous change. You can define the pathway to success, but you also need to be plugged into the changes in the industry.

On March 5, 2017, AU doctoral student Linh Phung successfully defended her Dissertation on Learners’ Engagement in Task Performance.  Two weeks later, she became Dr. Linh Phung, the first graduate of Anaheim University’s Ed.D. in TESOL program.  After her Defense, we interviewed Dr. Phung about her experience with Anaheim University. – Why did you choose Anaheim University’s Ed.D. in TESOL program? Completing a doctorate has been my goal since I finished my Master’s degree. I first learned about Anaheim University’s Ed.D. in TESOL when I saw an advertisement on the TESOL International’s website. Since I work full-time, studying online fit my schedule perfectly. I was also impressed by who was on the faculty and wished to learn from them, so I applied, got accepted, and started the program. – Can you tell us about your career to date? I’ve been teaching EFL and ESL for almost 15 years. I’ve taught in various universities in Vietnam and the U.S. I’m currently the director of the English Language Program at Chatham University. I oversee different aspects of the program, including curriculum, assessment and placement of new students, student advisement, student progress and achievement, ELP admission, and program evaluation. It’s a challenging job, but I expand my experiences by handling different challenges every day. – How do you expect your Ed.D. to further your career? I knew that I wanted to go all the way in the education journey to attain the highest degree. I pursued an Ed.D. mostly because I always enjoy learning. The Ed.D. will, hopefully, provide me with opportunities to teach graduate courses, conduct research, and publish in the future. – Can you share a favorite memory from Anaheim University? I enjoyed talking with classmates after each lesson. We talked about so many things, and I felt I had a voice. It gave me confidence. – Did you have a favorite class at Anaheim University? I enjoyed so many classes that it is difficult to say what my favorite class was. I enjoyed Dr. Ellis’ courses because of the clarity of his instruction. His Instructed SLA course provided me with a clear taxonomy of different options in teaching grammar and promoting learners’ linguistic development. I also liked his Individual Differences (ID) course because I was fascinated with the dynamic concept of motivation although sometimes I felt I was being in a maze of hazy ID concepts. Dr. Tomlinson’s Materials Development course has been highly influential since I have been applying his principles of materials development in many of the courses that I teach. It was the first time that I thought about “cognitively and affectively” engaging materials. In addition, it motivated my dissertation research into learners’ engagement in task performance. Dr. Lambert’s Researching Tasks course introduced me to task-based language teaching (TBLT). No matter how influential the approach has been, I did not think much of TBLT before this course, probably because it was not discussed as frequently in the U.S. as in other contexts. The case study I completed in his course was expanded into my dissertation research. I loved Dr. Bailey’s Language Teacher Education and Qualitative Research courses because she was simply amazing instructor, who held high expectations of the students while being motivating at the same time. Dr. Murray and Christenson’s ELT Management course equipped me with frameworks and tools to be a better leader. Dr. Reinders’ lessons were always so thoroughly prepared and fun! Other courses were also interesting and informative to my work and research, and I truly enjoyed them all. – How did you enjoy the online experience? I enjoyed the online experience at Anaheim University because it allowed students to work independently as well as collaboratively. It also incorporated weekly live lectures, which were important in pushing us to complete all the necessary work before the lecture. The fact that the students and professor were on camera together once a week created a better sense of community. – Who would you recommend to the Anaheim University Ed.D. program? I would recommend the program to anyone who is currently working as a language teacher and wants to expand their knowledge and have access to leadership, research, and publication opportunities. – What were the challenges in your program? The challenges have somewhat faded from my memory probably because I greatly enjoyed the program. I think taking course work non-stop for three years was difficult as I was always busy with reading, completing tasks, and doing assignments. The weekend when the major papers were due was when I had to work dozens of hours straight. I know I’m a procrastinator. – Please tell us about your experience the Oral Defense.  Were you nervous beforehand? I submitted my dissertation in December, but because I and my Defense Committee members are located in several different continents, the defense could only be scheduled in March. I took a break from my dissertation for several months before starting to prepare for the defense. I read my dissertation again several times, reread some of the major articles I cited, and took notes of what I took away from the research. I was anxious the day before the defense, a few hours before the defense, and also during the defense. I was also excited, so I just said whatever came to my mind in response to the examiner’s questions. I might have talked too much, but with passion, so it might have been a good thing. The bottom line was that I passed, so I was exhilarated. – What was your dissertation topic and why did you select it? My topic was learners’ engagement in task performance. I selected it because I’m interested in developing tasks and materials that are cognitively and affectively engaging to learners. When learners are highly engaged, perhaps, they will learn more from their lessons. – Which residential sessions did you attend and what did you like best about them? I attended two residential sessions in California. It was great to see the professors, classmates, and Anaheim’s

In 2007, Haoyang (Don) Wang completed his Online Global MBA with Anaheim University.  Recently we contacted him and asked him about his experience with the program. – Can you tell us briefly about your career? I work in a public Japanese company based in Tokyo and I also have been working in a Shanghai subsidiary for 10 years as a general manager. Our company is a manufacturer in the surface finishing industry.  Our technology is widely used in the PWB, electronics, semiconductor, and automobile industries. – Why did you choose Anaheim University? Anaheim University has good lecturers and the program structure is great.  All the faculty are of course very knowledgeable, but what’s more, they are supportive of the students and often go out of their way to help when needed. There are lots of world-class professors. One of Anaheim University’s slogans that I like very much is “Students first. Always.” And what’s more, there is a bonus that comes with studying at Anaheim University which is the community of other students. It is a very learner-centered environment at Anaheim University. – Why did you choose to earn an MBA? First, I wanted an MBA because I wanted to advance my career and be prepared for the new challenges with a more professional MBA perspective. While enrolled in an MBA program, I knew I would have the opportunity to learn general business and management expertise that can be applied to nearly any industry. Second, I now know more people to enhance my personal network. Third, one of the best reasons to get an MBA is because I am truly interested in studying business administration. – What did you like best about the program? The professors often analyzed the case studies in the class directly. This made it very useful for us to understand and apply the theories.  This method can help us solve these same real-work problems which we will meet in the future. – What is your favorite memory from the program? Not only were the lecturers some of the best around, but the support that the university provides was also very good. If I had a question regarding my studies, I usually got a reply to an e-mail within 24 hours.  And the answers were very thorough. – How was the experience studying online? The format for the online classes allowed students to interact with professors and students from all over the world, and I found myself being more engaged and discussing the issues more deeply than I ever had the chance to do in a face-to-face class. It was challenging, it was fun, and you would meet students from all over the world. It was fantastic to chat with classmates from Japan, Korea, California, Minnesota, Canada, and Pennsylvania at the same time. – Did you feel you were part of a learning community? Of course I was.  It is a very learner-centered environment at Anaheim University and I was working with some truly inspiring people from all walks of life. The MBA program was not easy. Most people needed to put in many hours to get through the required work. Many spend most of their free time with a book or at a computer. I myself had to do this, but it was certainly worth it. – What was the most unusual location you joined an online class or discussion forum from? Once when I was waiting to board a plane at the airport, my classmates decided to discuss a topic online suddenly that I had to respond to immediately. This was the most unusual location I where I joined an online discussion. – What would you say to someone who is hesitant about studying online? Like you, I was wary of putting my trust in studying online, but Anaheim University is a quality educational institution and the experience has far exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for an environment supported by the best textbook writers in the industry plus students from all corners of the globe, then you will be happy at Anaheim. If you choose Anaheim University, I believe you’ll be glad you did. If you are seriously looking for an online university at which to study your MBA, I can highly recommend Anaheim University.

Anaheim University is pleased to welcome new business faculty, Dr. Carlos Tasso Eira De Aquino! Carlos Tasso Eira De Aquino is an accomplished senior executive and educator combining over 25 years of experience in leadership and scholarship in Business, Education, IT, and Engineering with a PhD and two Post-Docs. In his executive career, he has been strategically building, managing and guiding diverse teams to solve complex, systemic problems. As an educator, he has taught, developed and supervised, and published relevant research and scholarship. In that area, he is adept at developing and implementing academic programs, accreditation processes, operational, regulatory and quality procedures and policies, and corporate training programs that foster measurable performance improvements. Dr. Aquino has accumulated achievements and recognition as Executive-Director, Senior Director, Project Manager, Provost, Dean of Business, Dean of Accreditation, among other capacities in organizations in the USA and abroad, with followers that encompassed a clear diversity of cultures. Before moving to the United States in 2008, Dr. Aquino was responsible for directing a country-wide program, sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology, focused on improving energy usage. Dr. Aquino prepared the Brazilian version of many business books, published by Pearson Education, Cengage Learning and McGraw-Hill, authored a book on Adult Higher Education (How to Learn: Andragogy and Learning Skills) for Pearson Education in Brazil in 2008, and is currently working on two books (Palgrave McMillan and Emerald Publishing), covering different aspects of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Along his career, he has presented more than 45 articles in peer-reviewed conferences and published more than 40 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings. Since 2014, he had 15 papers presented in venues such as Western Academy of Management, ACBSP, and GUIDE (Global Universities in Distance Education) Conferences and had 6 papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

Creating a Multivocal Self: Autoethnography as Method by Julie Choi    Showcasing a new methodology in language learning and identity research, this carefully conceptualized, innovative book explicates the use of autoethnography as a way of re-imagining one’s sense of linguistic and cultural identity. A key work for researchers and students in Applied Linguistics and Language Education, it addresses fundamental aspects of research methodology and explores substantive issues relating to individual dimensions of multilingualism. Choi shows convincingly how the learning of a language is inseparable from one’s constant searching for a voice, a place, and a self in this world, demonstrating the importance of interrogating what lies behind everyday life events and interactions―the political and ethical implications of the utterances, thoughts, actions, and stories of the self and others. Themes of authenticity, illegitimacy, power relations, perceptions of self/other, cultural discourses and practices, and related issues in multilingual identity development surface in the multi-modal narratives. Chapters on methodology, woven through the book, focus on the process of knowledge production, approaches to writing narratives, the messiness of research writing practices, and the inseparability of writing and research.

Anaheim University is excited to be accepting applications for the first cohort of students for our Masters of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking.  Our first class will be offered on September 18, 2017. Akira Kurosawa was the youngest of seven children, born in Tokyo on 23 March 1910. He has said that the first important influence in his life was a teacher called Tachikawa, who was progressive in his emphasis on art education for the young. This was how the young Kurosawa was introduced to art and film. A talented painter, he enrolled in an art school that emphasized Western styles. Around this time he also joined an artists’ group with a great enthusiasm for nineteenth-century Russian literature, with Dostoevsky a particular favourite. Another influence was Heigo, one of his brothers, who loved film and worked as a benshi, a film narrator/commentator for foreign silent films. His suicide deeply affected the director’s sensibilities. In 1930 he responded to a newspaper advertisement for assistant directors at a film studio and began assisting Kajiro Yamamoto, who liked the fact he knew ‘a lot about things other than movies’. Within five years he was writing scripts and directing whole sequences for Yamamoto films. In 1943 he made his debut as a director with Judo Saga (Sanshiro Sugata), with a magnificent martial-arts sequence in which two masters fight to the death in a wind-swept field, their flying limbs all but obscured by the tall swaying grasses. Consider the acclaim given to the similar fight sequences in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and it’s obvious why in 1943 people began to talk about a young film-maker with a brilliant future. His early films were produced during the Second World War, so had to comply to themes prescribed by official state propaganda policy. It was Drunken Angel which was Kurosawa’s first personally expressive work, made in 1948 and featuring Toshiro Mifune who became Kurosawa’s favourite leading man. The director has noted “In this picture I finally discovered myself”. For those who discover Kurosawa, they will find a master technician and stylist, with a deep humanism and compassion for his characters and an awe of the enormity of nature. He awakened the West to Japanese cinema with Rashomon, which won the top prize in the Venice Film Festival of 1951, and also a special Oscar for best foreign film. A golden period followed, with the West enthralled by his work. Seven Samurai was remade in the US under its alternative title The Magnificent Seven and the lone samurai hero Yojimbo was the inspiration for Clint Eastwood’s man with no name persona, most obviously in A Fistful of Dollars. The intercultural influence was reciprocal. Kurosawa’s fondness for Hollywood westerns in the John Ford tradition is seen in the epic sweep of Hidden Fortress, an award-winning film that inspired George Lucas to lift the plot for Star Wars. His love of literature also surfaced in two superb interpretations of Shakespeare (Macbeth in Throne of Blood and King Lear in Ran) and versions of Gorky’s The Lower Depths and The Idiot by Dostoevsky. Following Red Beard (Akahige) in 1965 he entered a frustrating period of aborted projects and forced inactivity and when in 1970 his first film in five years (Dodeska-den) failed at the box office, he attempted suicide. Directing a Soviet-Japanese production, Dersu Uzala helped him to recover and took four years to make. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1975 and a gold medal at the Moscow Film Festival. Kurosawa won multiple awards for many of his films, notably Kagemusha (1980), a deeply humanistic historical epic, and for the blockbusting Ran (1985). A true auteur, he supervised the editing of nearly all his films and wrote or collaborated on the scripts of most. His memoirs were published in 1982, titled Something like an Autobiography. In 1989 he won an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement. At the age of 72 he said “I like unformed characters. This may be because, no matter how old I get, I am still unformed myself.” Kurosawa died in 1998. Source: British Film Institute (BFI) For information, please contact Student Services at support@anaheim.edu.