#WhyIChoseEducation: ‘I Like That ‘Aha Moment’ When You See the Light Come On and Something Clicks. ,’ Says Carl Blue ’06EDD

Carl Blue’s first exposure to digital graphics came while he was working for The Charlotte Observer. It was the mid-1980s, still the early days of computers, so when he noticed two people sitting down behind the machines, he walked over and asked what was going on.

“The guy took me around, and said, ‘This is the future — these people are laying out the newspaper digitally,’” said Blue, who now works as an associate professor of graphic communications at Clemson University. “I saw the screens and said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to be doing that.’”

Up until then, Blue has been building advertisements for the newspaper through a mechanical graphics process known as paste-up, which involved using X-Acto blades to physically cut out the individual elements, such as as text or graphics, and then pasting them together with glue or wax before photographing the finished product, which would then be added to the the page. 

Soon after seeing digital layout in action, Blue left his part-time job at The Charlotte Observer to work full time at The Charlotte Post, where he taught himself how to replicate his mechanical skills on the miniscule screen of a brand new Apple computer. 

“I figured it out because all of the vocabulary was the same as for doing mechanical art — cut and paste,” Blue said. 

For the next few years, Blue remained in the field of graphic communications, but after working in the studio at WSOC-TV in Charlotte and doing imaging for a ceramic tile company, he decided he wanted to make a greater impact on others and joined the Peace Corp. 

Serving as a vocational education teacher in Honduras was Blue’s first experience as an  educator. While he continued to work a number of industry-related jobs upon his return, he eventually applied to and was accepted into the NC State College of Education’s Doctor of Education in Technology Education program, where, in addition to working on a number of grant-funded projects, he thrived as a teacher assistant. 

“I enjoyed seeing the shy or unsure student come in and get them to become more confident, to not be afraid of the technology,” Blue said. 

Now, as an associate professor at Clemson University, he prepares his students to succeed in the constantly changing graphic communications industry by drawing on the lessons he’s learned throughout his varied career.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why I Chose Education:

I was a teaching assistant at NC State, and that’s where I got the bug. I just liked helping students learn. I toyed with going back to industry, but I was still drawn to teaching. I know it sounds cliche, but I like that “aha moment” when you see the light come on and something clicks. 

How Education Shaped Me:

There have been some great influences, and I still communicate with them. The people who taught me helped develop my skills, and they have also encouraged me because I saw them doing what I wanted to do, too. 

What I Enjoyed Most About the NC State College of Education:

I enjoyed just being able to sit around with my colleagues and discuss things and to get feedback. I think the higher education environment can be a little bit more open to more advanced conversations around what’s the best thing to do. I also like being able to strategize around research questions. 

What Others Should Know About the College of Education:

Earning your doctorate in technology education gives you a more rounded way of how to teach. You learn classroom management and how to put together a curriculum. Coming out of education, you should have some good foundations compared to some of those who get a more research-oriented degree. They may know the process, but not how to teach it. Learning pedagogy and how to apply pedagogy is what education does, and that becomes an area of strength where you can shine. 

The Last Thing That Inspired Me:

Artificial intelligence. I like new things; I’m like a moth to a flame, and I gravitate toward its graphics capabilities. Our students need to learn about it because they work in that area, and so, I’m starting to introduce it to students as far as how to use it as a tool.