LETTER OF INTEREST
Letter of Interest - Visual Description
[Video Begins]
Video Description: A gray radial gradient background. In the center, Matthew Andersen, a mid-30’s white male with light brown hair and stubble beard. He’s wearing a dark colored plaid button-up shirt with a brown long sleeved sweater.
Throughout the video, shot changes in the distance; close, medium, and upper-body.
A text appears at the top and left corner “MATTHEW ANDERSEN, M.A.” and a smaller type below the name “Adjunct Instructor at Columbia College, Adjunct Professor at DePaul University, MASLED Program Liaison at Gallaudet University”
Matthew: Hello, I’m Matthew Andersen [sign name - A bent-V handshape clawing downward on cheek"]
I am signing in this video is to express my interest for the tenure-track position in your American Sign Language Department as advertised on Columbia College Chicago’s employment listing. I am currently one of the adjunct instructors in the same department that this position is being listed. I believe that my teaching, mentoring, and tutoring experience, along with my other employment experiences make me a strong candidate to teach both lower and upper level sign language courses at this institution. I also believe that I will make substantial contributions to the academic environment at Columbia.
I’m a recent graduate from Gallaudet University’s prestigious master’s of arts in sign language education program, and I am currently exploring my options on various research project opportunities. My interest strongly lies in remote sign language education which I believe there is plenty of research topics that are waiting to be explored.
Video Description: A text appears at the top and left corner “DR. CURT RADFORD” and a smaller type below the name “Exploring the Efficacy of Online American Sign Language Instruction, 2013”
Matthew: As of this moment, there is only one piece of research on the effectiveness of the online course in American Sign Language that has been published by Dr. Curt Radford in 2013…
Video Description: A text appears at the top and left corner “KIM PUDANS-SMITH” and a smaller type below the name “The Effectiveness of ASL Online and Face to Face Courses, Work in Progress”
Matthew: …and I do know of another that continues to be a work in process. I do see great potential for me to conduct research at this college with both the ASL Department and the Columbia College Chicago Online. I currently do have this curiosity about whether if sign language students’ pre-course perspectives and attitudes toward sign language and Deaf culture have an impact on their ability to acquire and develop sign language skills both online and in the traditional classroom. If I am to be hired, this research topic will be one of several research topics I hope to investigate.
As my curriculum vitae illustrates, I have a broad range of teaching experience ranging from extensive tutoring, individual mentoring, and teaching undergraduate courses in all levels of American Sign Language. In my four-years career at Columbia College Chicago, I have taught a total of nine different courses and overseen more than five students’ independent projects. In addition to my experience in the classroom, I have taught several online ASL courses. Currently, I’m teaching ASL and Deaf culture related courses here at Columbia and DePaul University. I have worked enthusiastically and effectively with students on a variety of levels, and I believe in keeping all my courses student-centered; therefore, I focus on creating a dialogue with the students to aid them in expanding their signing/interpreting skills.
Besides teaching, I also enjoy working behind the scenes. I currently serve on the ASL Department’s curriculum development committee as well as various other ad hoc committees. After completing my master’s program, I was offered a part-time position at Gallaudet as the Program Liaison where I communicate with professors, directors, and current graduate students, along with recruiting the next cohort. I spend my free time continuing my professional development by attending pieces of training, conferences, and taking online courses. Recently, I have been diligently working on expanding my knowledge of current social justice issues and becoming more culturally responsive in my teachings and in my personal life.
I find teaching very rewarding, and it is my goal to secure a position where I can put my love for teaching into both sign language research and high-quality undergraduate education. My research interests in sign language education would nicely complement those of your faculty and programs. Moreover, because my own academic experience was broad, including majors in visual communication and in public relation and advertising as well as in sign language education, I know that I would thrive in an academic environment where I could present sign language and make it readily accessible to others through various of visual tools.
Enclosed, you will find my curriculum vitae, teaching philosophy, a copy of my graduate transcript and a list of three references. You can find my work samples on this website: www.matthew-andersen.com/columbia.
Video Description: The website URL appears at the bottom and center of the video.
Matthew: I look forward to discussing my potential contributions to Columbia College Chicago with you and your search committee.
Thank you!
[Video Ends]
Letter of Interest - English
November 10th, 2019
Columbia College Chicago
600 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Dear Search Committee,
I am writing to express my interest for the tenure-track position in your American Sign Language Department as advertised on Columbia College Chicago’s employment listing. I am currently one of the adjunct instructors in the same department that this position is being listed. I believe that my teaching, mentoring, and tutoring experience, along with my other employment experiences make me a strong candidate to teach both lower and upper level sign language courses at this institution. I also believe that I will make substantial contributions to the academic environment at Columbia.
I’m a recent graduate from Gallaudet University’s prestigious master’s of arts in sign language education program, and I am currently exploring my options on various research project opportunities. My interest strongly lies in remote sign language education which I believe there is plenty of research topics that are waiting to be explored. As of this moment, there is only one piece of research on the effectiveness of the online course in American Sign Language that has been published by Dr. Curt Radford in 2013, and I do know of another that continues to be a work in process. I do see great potential for me to conduct research at this college with both the ASL Department and the Columbia College Chicago Online. I currently do have this curiosity about whether if sign language students’ pre-course perspectives and attitudes toward sign language and Deaf culture have an impact on their ability to acquire and develop sign language skills both online and in the traditional classroom. If I am to be hired, this research topic will be one of several research topics I hope to investigate.
As my curriculum vitae illustrates, I have a broad range of teaching experience ranging from extensive tutoring, individual mentoring, and teaching undergraduate courses in all levels of American Sign Language. In my four-years career at Columbia College Chicago, I have taught a total of nine different courses and overseen more than five students’ independent projects. In addition to my experience in the classroom, I have taught several online ASL courses. Currently, I’m teaching ASL and Deaf culture related courses here at Columbia and DePaul University. I have worked enthusiastically and effectively with students on a variety of levels, and I believe in keeping all my courses student-centered; therefore, I focus on creating a dialogue with the students to aid them in expanding their signing/interpreting skills.
Besides teaching, I also enjoy working behind the scenes. I currently serve on the ASL Department’s curriculum development committee as well as various other ad hoc committees. After completing my master’s program, I was offered a part-time position at Gallaudet as the Program Liaison where I communicate with professors, directors, and current graduate students, along with recruiting the next cohort. I spend my free time continuing my professional development by attending pieces of training, conferences, and taking online courses. Recently, I have been diligently working on expanding my knowledge of current social justice issues and becoming more culturally responsive in my teachings and in my personal life.
I find teaching very rewarding, and it is my goal to secure a position where I can put my love for teaching into both sign language research and high-quality undergraduate education. My research interests in sign language education would nicely complement those of your faculty and programs. Moreover, because my own academic experience was broad, including majors in visual communication and in public relation and advertising as well as in sign language education, I know that I would thrive in an academic environment where I could present sign language and make it readily accessible to others through various of visual tools.
Enclosed, you will find my curriculum vitae, teaching philosophy, a copy of my graduate transcript and a list of three references. You can find my work samples on this website: www.matthew-andersen.com/columbia. I look forward to discussing my potential contributions to Columbia College Chicago with you and your search committee.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Matthew P. Andersen, M.A.
Letter of Interest - Spanish
10 de noviembre de 2019
Columbia College Chicago
600 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Estimado Comité de Investigación,
Les escribo para expresar mi interés por el puesto de profesor aspirante a titular en su Departamento de Lenguaje de Señas Americano como se anuncia en el listado de ofertas de empleo de Columbia College Chicago. Actualmente soy uno de los instructores adjuntos en el mismo departamento en el que se incluye este puesto. Considero que mi experiencia como docente, asesor y tutor, junto con mis otras experiencias laborales, me convierten en un fuerte candidato para impartir cursos de lenguaje de señas, tanto a nivel inferior como a nivel superior en esta institución. También creo que haré contribuciones sustanciales al entorno académico en Columbia.
Soy un recién graduado del prestigioso programa de maestría en artes de lenguaje de señas de la Universidad de Gallaudet, y actualmente estoy explorando mis opciones en varias oportunidades de proyectos de investigación. Mi interés radica en la educación remota en lenguaje de señas, que considero que está llena de temas de investigación que esperan ser explorados. Hasta este momento, solo hay un trabajo de investigación sobre la efectividad del curso en línea en Lenguaje de Señas Americano que el Dr. Curt Radford publicó en 2013, y sé de otro un trabajo en proceso. Me veo con gran potencial para conducir investigaciones en esta universidad tanto con el Departamento de ASL como con el Columbia College Chicago Online. Actualmente tengo curiosidad sobre si las perspectivas previas al curso de los estudiantes de lenguaje de señas, las posturas hacia el lenguaje de señas y la cultura sorda tienen un impacto sobre su capacidad para adquirir y desarrollar habilidades de lenguaje de señas tanto en línea como en el aula tradicional. Si obtengo el empleo, este tema de investigación será uno de varios temas que espero investigar.
Como lo ilustra mi currículum vitae, tengo una vasta experiencia como docente que abarca desde tutorías extensas, asesorías individuales y cursos de pregrado en todos los niveles del Lenguaje de Señas Americano. En mis cuatro años de carrera en Columbia College Chicago, he impartido un total de nueve cursos diferentes y supervisado más de cinco proyectos independientes de estudiantes. Además de mi experiencia en el aula, he impartido varios cursos de ASL en línea. Actualmente, enseño cursos relacionados con la Cultura sorda y ASL aquí en Columbia y en DePaul University. He trabajado con entusiasmo y de manera eficaz con estudiantes de diversos niveles, y creo en mantener todos mis cursos centrados en el estudiante; por lo tanto, me concentro en crear un diálogo con los estudiantes para ayudarlos a ampliar sus habilidades de comunicación con señas y de interpretación.
Además de enseñar, también disfruto trabajando detrás de escena. En la actualidad trabajo en el comité de desarrollo curricular del Departamento de ASL, así como en otros diversos comités ad hoc. Después de completar mi programa de maestría, me ofrecieron un puesto de medio tiempo en Gallaudet como enlace del programa donde me comunico con profesores, directores y estudiantes de posgrado actuales, junto con el reclutamiento de la próxima cohorte. Paso mi tiempo libre continuando mi desarrollo profesional, asistiendo a cursos de capacitación, conferencias y tomando cursos en línea. Desde hace poco tiempo, he trabajado de manera diligente para ampliar mi conocimiento sobre los problemas actuales de justicia social y ser más receptivo culturalmente en mis enseñanzas y en mi vida personal.
Encuentro que la docencia es muy gratificante, y mi objetivo es asegurar un puesto en el que pueda poner mi amor por la docencia, tanto en la investigación del lenguaje de señas como en la educación universitaria de alta calidad. Mis intereses de investigación en la educación del lenguaje de señas complementarían muy bien a los de su facultad y programas. Además, debido a que mi propia experiencia académica fue amplia, incluyendo especializaciones en comunicación visual y en relaciones públicas y publicidad, así como en educación en lenguaje de señas, sé que prosperaría en un entorno académico donde podría presentar el lenguaje de señas y hacerlo fácilmente accesible a otros a través de varias herramientas visuales.
Adjunto encontrará mi currículum vitae, filosofía de enseñanza, una copia de mi transcripción de posgrado y una lista de tres referencias. Puede encontrar muestras de mi trabajo en este sitio web: www.matthew-andersen.com/columbia . Espero poder analizar mis posibles contribuciones al Columbia College Chicago con usted y su comité de investigación.
Gracias por su tiempo y consideración.
Le saluda muy cordialmente,
Matthew P. Andersen, M.A.
