I’m an interdisciplinary educator, director, and creative technologist with an obsession for designing outside-the-box learning experiences that spark powerful “Aha!” moments. I draw from storytelling, design, psychology, and emerging technologies to create frameworks that are not just theoretical but practical and proven in practice. My mission is to help learners reclaim agency in their lives by blending art, cognitive science, animation, game development, and storytelling into tools they can actually use. I’m deeply interested in systems—how ideas, people, and technologies interconnect—and how these systems can be re-shaped to make learning more equitable and transformative. I’m especially passionate about supporting neurodiverse learners, using a strengths-based approach to boost self-efficacy, because real growth begins when people believe in their ability to learn, adapt, and thrive.

In my learner-centered classrooms, I aim to foster Flow—a state where students are deeply immersed in their work, balancing challenge with capability. I design courses that blend:

• Team-based learning

• Project-based assignments

• Universal design principles

• AI-integrated workflows

• Leverage cognitive digital tools to accelerate learning

These experiences help students cultivate grit, creativity, and critical thinking, preparing them not just for the classroom but for a future where adaptability, storytelling, and lifelong learning are essential.

Ultimately, I believe that transformative experiential learning—especially when grounded story leveraing AI, cognitive science, and psycholog can unlock every learner’s potential, regardless of background. And when students reach that AHA moment… that’s where the real magic happens.

Teaching Philosophy

🔍 How Students Learn Best
I approach teaching with an obsession for designing outside-the-box learning experiences that spark powerful “AHA” moments. Learning thrives when it is purposeful, project-driven, and tied to real meaning. Students don’t just memorize—they transform when they engage in systems of practice that connect concepts, skills, and identity.

These “AHA” sparks often emerge in moments of Flow, where challenge meets joy and complexity feels engaging rather than overwhelming. By blending cognitive science, storytelling, and lived experience, I help students build not only skill sets but practical frameworks for creative problem-solving, resilience, and lifelong adaptability.

🎯 My Role as a Facilatator
I see myself not as a traditional instructor but as a guide, mentor, and mirror. My obsession is helping students reframe who they are and who they can become.

As a refugee, first-gen college student, and neurodivergent learner, I know the transformative power of belief. One teacher—Ms. Sun—saw my potential when no one else did. That moment of recognition changed my trajectory. Now, I strive to be that force for others: a facilator who builds systems of encouragement and challenge, where students learn that failure is not a dead end but a practical step toward growth.

🤝 Fostering Engagement, Equity & Lifelong Learning
I design assignments rooted in real-world problems and practical application.  I make the “why” explicit so learners can connect their efforts to larger systems and personal goals.

Equity is not an add-on; it is part of the system. I create inclusive learning environments that honor neurodiversity, varied strengths, and different life paths. I employ team-based learning and structured peer mentorship so students experience growth not in isolation, but as part of a community.

My classrooms also integrate industry-relevant digital tools—Chat GPT, Discord, SyncSketch, Obsidian, Padlet—not only for collaboration and iteration but to help students see and think in systems. Just as I expect my students to keep stretching, I do too—through ongoing professional growth at GDC, ACUE certification, and contributions to the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit.

🧠 Adapting to Diverse Learners and Modalities
I build flexibility into every course. Through flipped classrooms, students consume content outside of class, leaving our shared time for coaching, discussion, and practical problem-solving.

I adapt for diverse learners using my Five C Framework: Clarity, Consume, Connect, Create and Collaborate, —a scaffold that helps students absorb, apply, and share knowledge across different modalities. My obsession with frameworks ensures that students aren’t just taught—they are given practical systems they can use long after the class ends and evolve their identity so they can become life long learners.

🌱 Final Thought
I teach to nurture resilient, curious, and capable creators who are prepared not just to enter the creative industries, but to lead them. Real education is not content delivery; it is transformation. And transformation comes from an obsession with designing outside-the-box systems that are practical in practice—systems that empower students to thrive in an uncertain, rapidly changing world.

Van is currently an Adjunct Professor at Duke University, Northeastern University, the Academy of Art University, and California Community Colleges, where he teaches courses in animation, game development, and XR emerging technologies. His past faculty appointments span institutions including Santa Clara University, Louisiana State University, University of Silicon Valley, California College of the Arts, the University of San Francisco, Dakota State University, San Francisco State University, UCLA Extension, Lesley Art and Design, Digital Media Institute, Missouri Western State University, and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Phan has also been invited as a guest lecturer at leading institutions such as DigiPen Institute of Technology, UC Berkeley, CalArts, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Ringling College of Art and Design, USC, and CCA, where he has shared his expertise in animation, cinematic storytelling, and real-time technologies.

Beyond academia, Phan has served as a curriculum developer and digital trainer for Sony Imageworks and DreamWorks Animation, upskilling studio artists in advanced production workflows. He was also a mentor and instructor for the Unreal Animation Fellowship, an industry-level intensive focused on character performance and cinematic polish. His consulting work includes projects with the Hollywood Art Directors Guild (Local 800) and Penrose Studio, where he contributed to innovative applications of animation and immersive media and explore the use of AI and interactive tools to accelerate the education experience.

Course & Curriculum Development

Van Phan designs and redevelops animation and game-related courses with a focus on student-centered learning, real-world relevance, and transformative “Aha” moments. He has developed curriculum for Sony Imageworks and DreamWorks Animation, and contributed to the Art Directors Guild (Local 800) and the Unreal Animation Fellowship.

His courses emphasize flipped classrooms, active learning, and project-based collaboration, giving students ownership of their learning while simulating professional workflows. Core design strategies include technology-driven instruction, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, and the use of frameworks and tools such as Discord for community, Padlet for collaboration, Obsidian for reflective journaling, and the CODE framework for systems thinking and iteration.

Through these approaches, students develop not only technical skills but also creative confidence, resilience, systems thinking, and collaborative habits that prepare them for academic, professional, and lifelong success.

These modules are structured using my5 C's of learning framework, which blends Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles with cognitive science to support deeper engagement and skill mastery.

The 5 C’s Framework

CLEAR Objective– Define what you are learning and why it matters.

CONSUME relevant content – Engage with curated, relevant instructional materials.

CONNECT your learning– Relate new knowledge to prior experiences and broader concepts.

CREATE practice from what you learn – Apply skills through meaningful exercises and projects.

COACH  | COLLABORATE  – Strengthen learning through feedback, peer exchange, and guided mento

Examples of student projects from classes I’ve taught over the past decade, spanning high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. These works reflect both individual growth and the power of scaffolded, hands-on learning in animation, game development, and digital storytelling.

🧱 Introductory 3D & Modeling – High School Dual Enrollment

3D Modeling & Animation (Maya) – synchronous online

LMC Dual Enrollment: Story-driven animation fundamentals

MtSAC Dual Enrollment: Visual storytelling & timing

Intro Maya (AAU Pre-College, 2-week intensive)

🛠 Introductory 3D & Modeling – College Level

Intro to 3D Production A (ANM105, undergrad async): Pipeline from modeling to render

3D Production – Characters, Procedural Modeling & FX (undergrad): Full 3D pipeline from FX to final render

Intro 3D Character Animation & Rigging (School of Engineering, onsite): Multidisciplinary fundamentals

Asset Creation with Maya & Unreal (Graduate, onsite): Real-time, production-ready asset workflows

🧠 Character Animation

Character 1 (ANM686, hybrid): Pose-to-pose & layered workflow

Character 2 (ANM687, hybrid): Lip sync & facial animation

Intermediate Animation (async online): Pose-to-pose, layered workflow, lip sync

🧠 Advanced Animation

Animal & Creature Animation (ANM627, hybrid): Locomotion & behavior

3D Realistic Animation (ANM625, async): Biomechanics & subtle acting

Facial & Lip Sync (ANM624, hybrid): Dialogue-driven performance

🎮 Game Development & Unreal Engine

Fundamentals of Unreal & Cinematics: Layout, cameras, storytelling

Unreal Animation Fellowship: Industry-level character performance & polish

Unreal Cinematic Class (online): Intro to cinematic pipelines

Asset Creation with Maya & Unreal (graduate, onsite): Real-time production

Game Pre-Production & Agile Planning: Unreal workflows

🎞 Previsualization & Storytelling

Previs (Maya, online): Camera, timing, narrative planning

Directed Studies Thesis Development: 1:1 mentoring on pipelines & editing

2D Short Film Production (undergrad): Timing, expression, story structure

✨ Motion Graphics

Intro to Motion Graphics (onsite): Title sequences, kinetic type, compositing

Storytelling with Images – A Celebration of Life: Visual storytelling through still imagery

I ground my teaching in evidence-based data and continuous feedback, using both as catalysts to refine my practice and amplify student learning. My background in analysis at Ernst & Young equips me to approach education with a decision-making mindset: measuring what matters, identifying patterns, and applying insights that have the greatest impact on student growth.

I don’t view student evaluations as a final verdict, but as part of an ongoing dialogue. Each comment and score is a line in a larger conversation—an invitation to listen more deeply, reflect more honestly, and adapt more effectively. Between the written words are moments of insight: a student who felt truly seen, or a signal that greater clarity or structure was needed.

This feedback shapes responsive change. When students request more structure, I provide clearer scaffolding and visual guides. When they crave autonomy, I open space for experimentation. If participation feels uneven, I redesign activities to surface more voices. Like adjusting the rigging of a ship mid-journey, these changes don’t mean the course is off track—they mean I am attuned to the wind, steering toward more purposeful, learner-centered destinations.

Ultimately, my goal is not only to refine how I teach but to deepen how students learn. Through evidence, reflection, and adaptability, I aim to empower students to feel curious, confident, and in command of their creative agency.

As a lifelong learner and dedicated educator, I actively seek opportunities to grow my skills and stay current with both industry and pedagogy. I also contribute back to the communities I belong to—through presentations, workshops, and collaborative events.

👥 Contributor & Speaker

Stanford Neurodiversity Summit (2024)

GROW Summit – Empowering Neurodivergent Learners (2024)

GROW Summit – Older Learners, AI & Frameworks (2025)

Pedagogy Conference (2024)

Unreal Animation Fellowship – Instructor

📜 Certifications

ACUE – Certificate in the Effective Teaching Practice Framework

SPOT Certified – Skills Pedagogy for Online Teaching

4CD Institute – Online Teaching Certificate

Unity Professional Development – Teach Unity (2025)

🎤 Conferences & Engagements

Great Teacher Conference (2024)

Online Teaching Conference (2024)

Game Developer Conference (GDC) (2024)

My teaching is deeply informed by 20+ years of professional experience in animation, games, visual effects, and virtual reality. Having worked across studio pipelines—from feature films and AAA games to VR storytelling and emerging technologies—I bring real-world workflows, production challenges, and industry insights directly into the classroom.

This breadth and depth allow me to:

✅ Ground lessons in practical pipelines and problem-solving

✅ Share insider perspectives that connect theory → application

✅ Prepare students for industry-relevant challenges

🏆 Awards & Recognition

Samples of industry honors and featured projects

Highlights of work showcased across film, games, and XR

Professional contributions shared on social media and research initiatives

🎥 Director & Cinematics

Directed animated shorts and cinematic sequences

Previsualization (Previz) for film and interactive media

Film projects featured in festivals and professional showcases

(Poster gallery available — “Select a film poster to learn more”)

🎮 Games & XR

Game Engines: Unreal & Unity pipelines

Unreal Animation Fellowship – Instructor & mentor

Beat Bully – Vertical slice in Unreal

Upstander VR – Featured in international research project on bullying prevention

VR development blog and emerging tech explorations

🎨 Animator Roles

Feature Animator – Major studio film productions

Cinematic Animator – Storytelling for AAA games

Games Animator – Real-time performance & gameplay

Previz Artist – Blocking, staging, and storytelling through camera

👉 This Padlet version can be displayed as columns or cards:

🎥 Director/Cinematics

🎮 Games & XR

🎨 Animator Roles

🏆 Awards/Recognition

Would you like me to design a one-page visual industry timeline (films → games → XR → teaching) so viewers see the arc of your career at a glance?

Reflection, Research & Future Goals

I believe teaching is about designing transformational experiences, not just transferring knowledge. The most impactful learning comes from deep listening, creating psychological safety, balancing technical skill with creative expression, and trusting the messy process of growth.

My mission is to help learners reclaim agency by blending art, cognitive science, animation, game development, storytelling, and AI into tools they can use. I am especially passionate about neurodiversity and strengths-based learning, designing equitable systems that empower every student.

In my classrooms, I foster Flow through team-based, project-driven, and AI-augmented approaches. Looking ahead, I aim to expand AI agents, VR applications, and entrepreneurial pathways, while building cohesive learning arcs across courses.

Every course is a prototype for the next—refined by iteration and inspired by students’ AHA moments. ✨