Sam Pietsch
Professional Portfolio
Sam Pietsch
I'm a PhD candidate in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication at The University of Texas at Dallas Bass School of Arts, Humanitites, and Technology and am on track to graduate in May of 2025. I received my M.S. in Learning Technologies from the University of North Texas in 2019 and my B.S. from UT Dallas in 2017. My dissertation looks at classroom management tools, educational games, and lesson planning technologies to examine the role these things play in the perpetuation of white supremacy and power difference in education. I argue that ed-tech and media are core tools in redefining race and whiteness for the continuation of white supremacist systems. While attending UTD I have served as a teaching assistant, research assistant, and teaching associate as well as a graduate student organizer for the Public Interactives Research Lab (PIRL). I have taught or assisted with classes including Project Management, Visual Communications, Introduction to Technoculture (a course that connects the histories of technology and culture) and Writing for ATEC (a professional writing course). As part of PIRL, I developed a public interactives degree map and wrote curriculum for undergraduate and graduate public interactives courses. To date, I have published two articles and completed one conference presentation, all available below.
Education - Curriculum Development - Critical Studies
Portfolio
During my final semester at UNT, two classmates and I constructed an online professional development course for Celina ISD teachers to help with technology integration
A published research paper on the history of the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, the studio behind The Oregon Trail, and their role in the rewriting of race relations in the 20th century.
This is an online, one trimester English Literature course, created through Canvas as an assignment during my master's program.
Another article accepted for publication in Fall 2024 by Digital Culture and Education. Here, I offer a critique of the theory Growth Mindset and the classroom management application ClassDojo.
A syllabus for a course on public interactives that I co-designed.
The instructor guide for an online public speaking course I designed as part of an internship with 24/7 Teach.
Built in Twine and programmed with Javascript, this web-based learning app breaks SAT Math questions into categories and teaches them in sequence. Students must get three consecutive questions correct in order to advance.
Resume
Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology
PhD in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication, 2025
During my time at UT Dallas' Bass School I developed research skills, specifically in the realms of archival research and discourse analysis. I also served as a teaching associate, running my own undergraduate writing courses, and as a research assistant, performing literature reviews.
The University of North Texas
MS in Learning Technologies, 2019
After gaining experience in education and online learning during my undergraduate years, I decided to pursue an advanced degree in ed-tech. The program at UNT allowed me to get my footing in the field and hone my skills as both an educator and designer.
24/7 Teach
Instructional Design Intern, 2018
My team and I constructed a wide variety of courses and lesson plans for an online charter and for individual license for parents. Topics included English literature, personal finance and public speaking. We followed a project-based learning model for better learning outcomes and created easy-to-follow job aids for untrained parents, expanding accessibility.
Karen Dillard College Prep
English Teacher, 2018-2020
I instruct students on the reading and writing sections of the SAT. Standardized testing is, to both students and educators, boring and tedious. In my time here I have found ways to engage demotivated, uninterested and unchallanged students. Gamifying some of the curriculum and taking time to build rapport with the students has paid dividends for both their education and enjoyment!
Parish Episcopal School
Upper School Debate Coach, 2017-2020
I began working at Parish Episcopal school during my junior year at UTD. Originally, my job was to create an after school public speaking course for middle schoolers. After two years I was promoted to coach the high school debate team. Not wanting to leave the students, some of whom I've had for five years, I continued to coach and build the team through graduate school.
UT Dallas
BS in Business Administration, 2017
I received the Academic Excellence scholarship and attended UT Dallas for four years, and it was a time of immense personal growth. The culture at UT Dallas struck the perfect balance of allowing me to be myself while also challanging me to improve. During my final year, I took part in a new student leadership initiative which allowed me to mentor several incoming students.
Young and Successful Media
Educational Technology Intern, 2016-2019
As a college senior already looking to jump fields from business to education, I found an opportunity at YSN. They were creating an online, career-readiness course for business students and needed a college-aged person to create short videos. Since then I have helped interview entrepreneurs and investors for additional content and have helped shape the course in a variety of other ways.
Berkner STEM Academy
AVID Tutor, 2016-2020
I began working with students in the AVID program in Fall of 2016. AVID serves first generation, economically disadvantaged students and prepares them for college. I took the initiative and developed an SAT/ACT prep course, served as a mentor, and tutored students in every core subject.
Reading and Radio Resource
Exxon Community Summer Jobs Program Intern, 2014
ExxonMobile runs a program where they provide nonprofits with interns and I was fortunate enough to participate in the summer following my freshman year of college. I worked at Reading and Radio Resource, a nonprofit aimed at the blind and reading impaired, creating podcasts and audiobooks and editing grant proposals.
PDF Version