Digital Media now allows us to explore and reinterpret our world in so many ways, as well as share all our knowledge and experiences in real time

Okay let's just say it. The digital media world is so vast and complex that it's capable of sometimes intimidating even the most tech savvy among us. From cloud based to Snapchat to terabytes to hackathons, even its lingo can give us the jitters.

Luckily for us we have our own digital guru, TAFE NSW Digital Media teacher, David Bartolo, to explain the ins and outs, eccentricities and commandments to us.

It would be selfish to keep David's expertise to ourselves, so we've invited him to share his knowledge with you. But first we'll get to know a bit about him – what attracted him to digital media, his personal and professional journey along the way and how he came to be a TAFE NSW teacher. Over to you, David...

How and why did you first get into digital media?

I was always interested in media such as animation, sound, filmmaking and also in computers. Having completed an Engineering degree and focusing on my technical skills, I wanted to explore my creative side further. I studied Communications, and recently completed a Masters in Interaction Design and Electronic Arts. I found the best way to get into digital media was to create it - practice and refine.

Why are you passionate about digital media? What is your specific interest?

Digital Media in the current technological era is magical – I remember when to edit sound or film required sticky tape and a sharp blade. Digital Media now allows us to explore and reinterpret our world in so many ways, as well as share all our knowledge and experiences in real time.

My particular interest is in creating meaning through interaction – interaction design and also creating a bridge between the technical and the creative. I think we are so lucky now that tools are available to teach coding and interacting with hardware, and that the cost is reasonably low.

Tell us a bit about your career background and why you became a teacher

I worked as an Electrical Engineer for a number of years, but always had a passion for explaining – I see my main role as trying to explain the world from my perspective as well as try to understand it from others' perspectives – one of the joys of teaching is learning, every time I facilitate a class.

In your career, what are you most proud of?

I always found it hard to stand in front of a group of people and talk, so to feel comfortable doing that is one of my proudest achievements. I received a Premier's Scholarship in 2011 which enabled me to travel the world looking at mobile technologies, which was pretty special. Generally I am proud to be able to bridge the technical/creative space and help others to do the same.

What do you see in the future of digital media?

Digital Media is becoming invisible – it is becoming like electricity, sitting in the background of everything we do. As technology increases exponentially so will the ease with which we can interact with everyday devices. The Internet of Things (IoT) will see us move from this first small step of engaging with the virtual world into a world where the physical and virtual are merged. This will bring a host of problems to be considered such as security, but the world of the near future will be infinitely more connected than now.

What content should we expect from you?

Digital Media pervades every aspect of our lives now. I will be covering a whole range of areas, from new technologies and approaches, through approaches to education, Internet of Things, interesting snippets, games – a broad brush of content.

Are you considering a career in Digital Media? Check out one of our many Digital Media courses such our Diploma of Digital Media Technologies.