The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu (UH West O‘ahu) has launched a new Creative Media course, Creative Media 108 (CM 108): Creative Process in the Physical Sciences. This course, a collaboration between the Creative Media and the Mathematics, Natural, and Health Sciences (MNHS) departments, started in the fall semester of 2023. Brad Ashburn, an associate professor of Chemistry at UH West O‘ahu, teaches the course.
The course enables students to investigate physical science problems, formulate and test hypotheses, interpret results, and refine designs. It highlights the scientific creative process and encourages students to approach science from an artistic perspective. A student, Ashley Macho, shared that the course integrates art and science learning. She highlighted the course’s design aspect, which allows for unique work from each group.
The course employs Swift, a programming language used by software developers for Apple applications. Students use SwiftIO Playground circuit boards, purchased from MadMachine in August 2023. Ashburn explained that the SwiftIO Playground product from MadMachine is the only one to use Swift, aligning with the university’s App Development courses.