Director of Acting and Associate Professor of Theatre J.J. Ruscella, M.F.A., is the first professor to create online courses for an innovative, comprehensive digital curriculum produced by Education Axis, a startup with the goal to provide new educational resources to students around the world.
“Education Axis has something very special here, in both the brilliance of its individuals and the openness of its culture,” Ruscella said. “They’re forward-thinking as far as innovations in technology that we haven’t even accomplished yet, and the impending impact of those upon education is being addressed in the minds of these amazing individuals. It’s just fun to be a part of, and an honor to be chosen as the first course instructor.”
Ruscella’s course, Introduction to Theater, introduces students to a variety of concepts surrounding theatrical history and practice, including story forms, theatrical roles, and a critical survey of theatre history. The course will be broken into 40 sections averaging 10 minutes of rich video lecture per lesson, allowing students to take the course at their own pace, with opportunities for deeper study throughout each lesson.
Education Axis’ mission is to equip students worldwide with quality, accessible education. Ruscella’s course will be one of more than 100 courses in the complete high-school-level curriculum. Educators from a wide range of backgrounds will provide expertise on subjects from science to the arts, in order to create a unique blend of courses. “The goal of Education Axis is to help make a better world by providing affordable, quality tools of learning for all people,” said Aaron Linne, one of the founders of Education Axis. “We are overjoyed that the talents of Ruscella and the art of theater will be made accessible to the furthest reaches of the globe.”
