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Jason Knowles is a fresh face inspiring students in the communication department at Pittsburg State University. Knowles recently joined the communication department faculty in August 2019.
“What I teach here is a little bit of everything as far as time-based media production so audio production and both life and recorded, broadcasting, so video broadcasting as well as film making, I come with a film making background, so I taught all the others successfully in other schools,” Knowles said
Knowles became interested in film making and broadcasting when he was in junior high.
“I was heavily involved in theater and I loved acting, realized that if I was acting in films instead of on the stage if I messed up they can just do another take and I was like that might be the way to go,” Knowles said.
Knowles started out as a student at Kansas State University.
“I realized television and radio on the traditional sense isn’t entertainment that based more on news sports and very broadcast based and so after my second year in college, I transferred to (K-State) and got into their film program and learned a little bit there and that’s kind of how it all started,” Knowles said.
As an educator, the things that motivate Knowles are the students; a key element in keeping him going.
“I always have a lot of fun seeing what kind of creative things they bring to the table… both in their projects and then just ideas,” Knowles said.
Knowles also said that it’s always important to him to listen to what students want to say.
“One of the things that I love to do in my classes is just say what do you want to do and then they tell me and I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s see how we can make that happen.’ You know here is the structure and let’s see how we can fit it in there,” Knowles said.
Knowles said that telling a good story and being able to entertain an audience motivates him.
“I enjoyed seeing an audience reaction and piece of work that either I have done or the students have done or that we have worked on it together so this field is highly collaborative,” Knowles said. “You can do it by yourself but 99 times out of a 100, you are working with a group. The students motivate me a lot… they keep me young.”
Knowles said that one of his greatest experiences is getting his master’s in education, he said
“It was a significant experience… then going on to get my terminal degree in my MFA in filmmaking in Arkansas those were some big stepping in my life,” Knowles said. “I have a really strong family, I had a lot of family support and they have helped mentor me along the way to so I have learned from every school I have taught at, you know how to become a better educator I hope. That’s one of my big goals in life is how to become a better educator.”
