Hi Ken
I don't think we are disagreeing, nor do I disagree with Don in that
original post or his recent one. But to respond to a couple of your
points...
>But I’d ask how many of the Dutch students can do the rest of what these
others can do to solve client problems.
It wonder if, rather than assume they can't, it's perhaps more that they
have chosen not to.
>one must ask how many of these students will survive in the design business
long enough to make a difference.
That seems a big ask of anyone. With the number of graphic designers
graduating each year, are we seriously expecting each of them to make a
difference? The majority of them will go into agencies where the work will
be non-challenging and repetitive. That's probably why they then go off an
do MAs like the one Rick talks about... I'm not sure if this is a cynical
view or just the harsh realities of life.
>one must ask whether they learn the skills they need to work on the kinds
of complex problems that designers face today.
Personally I suspect the answer is a contradictory yes and no. In my (albeit
relatively limited experience) many graphic design employers accept that
their role, when taking on a junior, is to provide the next part of their
education. They understand they are not going to get a fully formed Tony
Dunne or whoever. Also, when I was in a position to run regular professional
advisory groups with creative directors, etc (to ensure our curriculum was
reflecting any industry changes), industry participants would continue to
espouse the 'art school' method - they just wanted the good ideas, the
ability to 'think different', there was never any mention of science,
systems, etc. Having said that, I've now done my own PhD and it is my
intention to return to HE and, through my teaching, add my own contribution
to this area in the hope that students will respond to wider references in
relation to research methods and traditions; though as Teena's earlier post
suggested, this is likely to be in a smaller, more personal way. I guess to
change design education in this way will take a generation or two, and for
me, there is still a balance to be achieved with, as Don says, not losing
the 'artistic' side of design in a drive to become engineers.
Cheers,
Alison
* * *
Dr. Alison Barnes
School of Graphic Design, LCC
University of the Arts, London
www.alisonbarnesonlineportfolio.tumblr.com
http://informationenvironments.academia.edu/AlisonBarnes/About
http://geo-graphic.blogspot.com/
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