Abstracts

Cultural Competence for Designers

Colette Gaiter Professor University of Delaware As the US cultural and demographic landscape changes, students of design will need advanced cultural competence skills in visual communication. The Cross Model of Cultural Competence, developed for health practitioners in 1988, describes a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies that enable a professional to function effectively across … Continue reading “Cultural Competence for Designers”

Questioning the Canon: Discussing Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom

Sherry Freyermuth Assistant Professor Lamar University Although Meggs’ History of Graphic Design is a well-regarded and extensive textbook on the topic of graphic design history, it has been criticized for its lack of diversity in the designers and artists featured in the textbook. This short form presentation will outline the results of a History of … Continue reading “Questioning the Canon: Discussing Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom”

Pitch & Roll: Exploring Low-Risk Entrepreneurship for Student Designers

Jennifer Kowalski Professor of Instruction Graphic Arts & Interactive Design Temple University Tyler School of Art Today’s college students are under increasing pressure to have a side hustle—a part-time job that is often related to entrepreneurship. Over the course of the next decade, half of millennials intend to start a new business or be self-employed. … Continue reading “Pitch & Roll: Exploring Low-Risk Entrepreneurship for Student Designers”

Form, Focus and Impact: Pedagogy of a 21st-Century Design Portfolio

Peter Lusch Professor of Practice Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA Befitting careers of the industrial era—in which graphic design was focused on the creation of static artifacts and one-direction communication streams—the traditional format used to demonstrate professional credentials of designers and students has been a physical or electronic portfolio, generally showcasing five to twenty discrete artifacts … Continue reading “Form, Focus and Impact: Pedagogy of a 21st-Century Design Portfolio”

Art, Interaction and Narrative in Virtual Reality

Slavica Ceperkovic Professor Seneca College This artist presentation will present a case study on how different user models of interaction shape narrative experiences in virtual reality landscape environments. The three models that will be explored are guided experiences, embodied task interaction, and companion based virtual reality interactions.

Exploring Narrative Inquiry as a Design Research Method

Anne Berry Assistant Professor Cleveland State University Whether working as industry professionals or engaged in academic research, designers are trained to embrace complex, unframed problems and prioritize the needs of end-users. Processes derived from design practice, such as design thinking and human-centered design (HCD), can subsequently be useful in providing frameworks and strategies to address … Continue reading “Exploring Narrative Inquiry as a Design Research Method”

State of Flux

Natacha Poggio Assistant Professor University of Houston Downtown The climate change debate is divided into two major sides. One argues that the current global warming is caused by human factors while the other side insists it is occurring because of natural forces. Scientists around the world have conducted research that shows human activities contribute the … Continue reading “State of Flux”

Design Activism & Impact: How Can Principles of Social Impact Assessment Improve Outcomes of Socially Conscious Design Efforts in Graphic Design Curriculum?

Cat Normoyle    Assistant Professor    East Carolina University Visual communication is a powerful tool to affect change, and projects that advocate for change through activist messaging offer opportunities for designers to have impact in their communities. By building awareness around a particular issue, designers are able to engage with community, providing a voice for those that … Continue reading “Design Activism & Impact: How Can Principles of Social Impact Assessment Improve Outcomes of Socially Conscious Design Efforts in Graphic Design Curriculum?”