Multimedia Instructor Branches Out After Returning to His Roots

Two years ago David Baker was living in Los Angeles, which he loves, but working at a job that no longer inspired him. “I had a creative passion that I had to fulfill,” Baker said. “I even considered going back to school to study media law.”

Instead, far more exciting outlets for his creative energies presented themselves. Now he’s living in his native Colorado, working to bring desktop multimedia technology to residents of the mountains and deserts of the rural Southwest.

Baker teaches multimedia courses at Fort Lewis College in Durango. Among his many challenges are the cultural differences between his Ute and Navajo students and their Anglo counterparts--differences that have inspired him to adopt a more flexible teaching style.

To illustrate, Baker described the perception one Navajo student had of the “delete” key, associating it with death. Realizing that the student didn’t have the same difficulty with the editing commands, Baker suggested he simply “cut” unwanted material instead.

“Dave understands people, particularly the Navajo people,” said Darren Tsosie, a Navajo biology major who took Baker’s course to get the most out of his new computer. “He’s got a feel for the kinds of questions that’ll come up.”

Baker also participates in three other projects, the most time-consuming of which is the college’s distance education program.

As multimedia producer, Baker tapes college classes with digital video equipment, adds supplementary content and distributes the result over the Internet to libraries, schools and Native American reservations.

“Navajo kids living out on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona can now take college classes at home,” Baker said. “Even if it’s not ideal, distance education is much better than nothing at all, and it can be done for a fraction of the cost.”

Another demanding project is the Board of Cooperative Educational Services Technology Literacy Program. Under board sponsorship, Baker brings computers to remote towns and conducts workshops for teachers and librarians.

One of Baker’s rewards is the enthusiasm his seminars have generated, particularly among the participants at his first event for librarians held in March.

“The libraries we serve have to raise their own money,” said Jane Ulrich, director of the Southwest Regional Library Service System. “We provide the training and the equipment they need to make effective presentations--which is where Dave comes in. They were gathered around him long after the session was over, still exploring possibilities and having a ball.”

Less demanding, but no less satisfying to him, is Baker’s volunteer effort--a computer camp for kids to be held this July at Otero Junior College in Baker’s home town of La Junta. In addition to organizing the venue and outlining the curriculum, Baker has recruited experts from UCLA and Mattel Inc. to come and share their experiences and expertise.

Although proud of what he’s accomplished over the last two years, Baker is beginning to contemplate a return to Los Angeles. When he does, he’ll be coming back a changed man.

“At UCLA, where I was shoulder-to-shoulder with serious, supercomputing researchers, I always knew I was one of the least technical people in the office,” he said. “After being here, where I’ve had to configure, set up and trouble-shoot everything on my own, I’ll be returning as one of the most technical.”

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Kate Dunn is a Los Angeles freelance writer. She can be reached at katedunn@earthlink.net.