|
Summary
of Student Comments on How to Improve Foundations
1
Foundations by discipline rather than a general
program for Industrial, Interior and Graphic Design. (13)
2
No graduate student teachers.
3
Better quality of teachers. (2)
4
More emphasis on process (rather than end product)
5
Computer instruction. (2)
6
Fewer projects with more emphasis on objectives.
7
Program for Sophomore level should be taught at Freshman
level.
8
Better organization.
9
More interaction between teachers and students.
10
Fixed work space.
11
Two-hour classes did not allow enough time in the studio.
Conclusions
•) The single
most important factor for an effective educational program
is the faculty, and this includes all the conditions related
to, or determined by them.
•) Program of study is the
second most important factor to achieving educational effectiveness.
•) Quality of students accepted
into the program is established by the quality of teachers
making the selection.
•) Quality of program is
determined more by what is taught than by who is taught.
•) A cohesive faculty that
interacts is vastly more effective than a divided faculty.
•) Allocation of office
space seems to have a great deal to do with encouraging a
cohesive faculty that interacts. Within my own experience,
faculty studios were always clustered or as in one instance
at Kansas City, faculty shared one large studio.
•) Another factor in space
allocation relates to students. If students have fixed workspace,
it strengthens the interaction within the entire class, promotes
working on projects outside of class, and leads to additional
interaction with faculty.
•) With the greater number
of sections there will be a corresponding diminishment of
program quality and the educational experience for students
differs from section to section. There are distinct advantages
to keeping sections limited to two, even though there might
be more students in each section than normally allowed.
I
have always judged Ken Hiebert's program in graphic design
at the University for the Arts to consistently be one of the
best in the country, and over a long period of time (1965
-).
In
collecting information for this paper, I was surprised to
learn that the program has to accept every student who applies
following a one-year general Foundations. Graphic design has
four sections in the Sophomore year, three in the Junior year
and two in the Senior year. Teachers and graduates are widely
represented as some of the finest, and most successful, designers
of the last forty plus years.
The
facts seem to contradict much of what has been observed, stated
and recommended in the paper. However, there are significant
circumstances connected to the program at the University for
the Arts that actually reinforce the findings.
The
faculty share a common educational philosophy and pedagogical
background that had its origins with Armin Hofmann at Basel,
Switzerland. The faculty are cohesive and work as a team.
They have a well-defined program of study. They have an exceptionally
well-qualified faculty. There is fixed workspace for upper
division students.
I
think this is a clear indication of where priorities should
be in graphic design programs, and it demonstrates the possibility
for a quality program even though there are negative factors
such as over enrollment and too many sections, multi-use space.
|
