While the College is still developing plans and protocols for the Fall 2020 semester, I want to float these initial thoughts about Design Seminar and how it will work. I welcome your thoughts on any and all of this, not to mention things I’ve not addressed and that matter to you.
19 July addition —
Much, even most, of this semester may be remote, in terms of meetings. We cannot know as of now, Sunday 19 July.
Studio work will go on in college studio spaces that are yours, in H-309 and elsewhere. We will together decide how best to proceed.
- studio space —
All of the H-309 seminar room (not only the studio area in back), will function primarily as studio space. - group meetings —
I do not know how frequently we will meet as a group, in the same physical room. I do expect us to meet as a group, via remote channel like zoom or Google Meet, once and even twice a week. - The group meetings will have two main purposes:
(1) discussion of each student’s ongoing work, and
(2) discussion of readings (or viewings, etc.), some of which would pertain to an individual student’s work, and even be selected/assigned by those students. - How will the physical space work, for group meetings, whether in person or remote?
I hope that each student has access to a laptop, iPad or other device, so that we would conduct our meetings, even if in person, as if in a zoom/meet meeting. In this way, students who are not present for the group meeting, can still participate.
I anticipate that where we do meet, as a group, in the same room, we would move tables or any needed furniture as needed, to facilitate that meeting. - one-on-one meetings —
We — I, the instructor, and each student — will meet at least once a week, one-on-one, remote or in person. - seminar blog —
We will continue to post work on this blog; we might also use Google Drive, uploading files as PDFs, primarily) - Canvas —
If we use Canvas, it will be primarily (or only) as a calendar/scheduling tool (and perhaps for its attendance function). - panel reviews —
As in previous years, seminarians present their work to a panel of design (and other?) faculty, at least twice during the semester, typically in the evening. These reviews will likely happen via a remote/online channel. - guest/visiting designers —
Also as in previous years, guests/visiting designers will participate in seminar, this semester via zoom/Google Meet.
One who comes to mind, is Emma Fanning of Little Fox Design and @littlefoxdesignstudio.
Design Seminar achieves some different aims, for different students. Some are more oriented to professional practice in graphic or interactive design; others are on different paths.
It is my — and surely our — goal to make Seminar work for each student. Our focus will be on each student’s exploration of interests and directions, and bringing these investigations to strong formal conclusions, or series of conclusions, with learning happening at every stage of the process.
Regarding laptops, please advise if you do not have, or do not have dependable internet access. (Keep in mind that there are two computers/monitors in the seminar room (studio area), and it is not impossible that more might be secured.)
