Meet Mitchell Faherty

What I Do

I manage a team of student employees 4’s (Multia Media Service Assistants) who work with instructors to produce recordings of live lectures in 9 of ASU’s lecturer spaces across 3 buildings. This work often entails supporting faculty with AV issues that may arise in the classroom, as well as on the Canvas LMS. Additionally, I help the LTH Team with Web development (like this very site) and photography of our various events.

Almost forgot the most important role! I’m a lead light-saber during the FSE graduation ceremony procession!

What I Did

Prior to ASU, I worked for General Dynamics as a contractor for 2 years in the publication department working alongside engineers to produce their government proposals. I also worked for the University of Advancing Technology (UAT) producing video and photo resources for the communications and marketing department for 2 years. I then worked for A.T. Still University for 5 years producing all of the Mesa campus’s video educational material for students within the IT department; in addition to all the internal photo and video content for the Marketing department. Each of these roles often extended into troubleshooting IT and AV systems as well.

What I Studied

I’ve obtained an MS-Tech in Graphic Information Technology here at ASU with an emphasis on 360 Video and Project management. As well as a BA in Digital Video Production from the University of Advancing Technology (UAT). While working for UAT I attended up to the final year of an MS in Technology Leadership until the program, unfortunately, shut down due to accreditation. So I know firsthand the importance of quality educational materials and how disruptive to a student’s life getting small details wrong can be.

What I Like

I’m an Eagle Scout to my core, so I enjoy the outdoors, photography, gardening, and hunting. I’m always working on some sort of DIY project across many engineering disciplines, including 3D printing. When I’m not doing one of those things you’ll find me playing a PC game or working on something creative like playing Dungeons and Dragons with a group of people, painting 3d printed models, or editing my images.

Favorite FSE Value

Build a foundation for all to be successful! It’s difficult to pick one of our values that stands out the most to me, but I fall on “building a foundation FOR ALL to succeed.” I was an (Individual Education Plan) IEP student in my elementary school years. The traditional structure of Western education did not work for me, and I was regularly considered a failed student because of those teaching styles. I felt targeted and isolated growing up due to the number of times I was taken out of class away from my peers because I was either not performing well enough or performing too well and accused of cheating. In 5th grade, I could do college-level math in my head and retain most of what I read and heard but my reading speed was 1/10th of other students. I was regularly reminded of this by teachers and peers, and I would fail time-based tests or reading assignments because I would lose attention as a result of how long it would take.

In my freshman year of high school, I was finally allowed to give input to my own education, could do things “at my own pace,” and do things on an “observed trial basis” through the IEP program. For me, the act of multitasking by being forced to take notes with a pen (which were graded) while simultaneously trying to listen to and retain the content was a hindrance. Traditional studies at the time claimed writing what you heard helped you remember and understand it, which was not the case for me. My perfectionism wanted the notes to be color-coated, flawless, and neat so if I made a mistake I had to start over. By the time the error was resolved, I’d look up and have missed the last few minutes of content.

In addition to no longer being graded on the notes themselves, I was allowed to use Audiobook versions of the material, and the time factors were removed from tests. I quickly went from a “failing” student to a straight-A student because I was tested on my actual knowledge of the subject and not the limitations of traditional public education. Since then, I’ve completed two graduate programs, am constantly pushing myself to learn about new topics, and intend to pursue a doctorate in education and teaching at the university level.

I try to remember this experience when I help advise faculty on content for their courses because hyper-focus on building content that fits one learning style, or “because that’s the way it’s always been done” only harms all the students that don’t fit that specific mold. I strive to explore innovative ways of expressing complex topics that serve more learning styles. Who says the same course can’t be taught with 3 different modalities to ensure the same equitable outcome for students?