William McClain

Background

About William McClain

Trans-disciplinary teacher and scholar specializing in the intersection between the social sciences and humanities. As a researcher, I specialize in the study of textual interpretation, with particular emphasis on contemporary interpretive activities. Feel free to ask for a copy of my book "Textual Hermeneutics: A New Paradigm." As a teacher, I've taught courses ranging from public speaking to film history and social science methodology. I'm a strong believer in the principal that the best learning is doing and that real education should be designed to cultivate the entire person rather than a narrow set of knowledge of skills. My pedagogical strategies are heavily influenced by game design, which has long been both an area of intellectual fascination and a hobby of mine. After getting my PhD from the University of Southern California in 2014, I served as a lecturer at USC teaching public speaking and argumentation. In 2015 I moved to Woodbury University, where I had the opportunity to teach a wide variety of courses covering topics in media theory, history, and design. During that time I also served as Chair of the Anthropology department, helped re-design the Communication Studies curriculum, and participated in intensive several programs in diverse fields. In 2017 I moved to my current position at Loyola Marymount University where I currently server as a Teaching Fellow. My primary focus is on ensuring first year students have the communication skills and institutional knowledge necessary for long term academic success.