87631 VC Design Studio: The Politics of Image and Text
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 12 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This studio subject introduces the core formal and theoretical foundations of visual communication design and practice. A series of studio-based briefs explore the fundamentals of image and text through the framework of social activism. In response to the briefs, students engage in a variety of creative experiences, developing skills and understandings central to the power of image and text to make meaning. These include research and communication skills, technical skills and the development of conceptual and critical approaches to visual communication.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Create designs that respond to their context in formally or conceptually innovative ways. |
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| 2. | Develop an iterative design process. |
| 3. | Understand the value of participation and professionalism in studio practice. |
| 4. | Develop a research practice that begins to position you within a wider field of design. |
| 5. | Develop and maintain high level craft skills for the production, presentation and documentation of work. |
| 6. | Develop a critical awareness of the political, social, environmental and ethical considerations of working as a visual communicator. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Establish and develop a sustainable, informed and ethical position towards social and cultural issues. (A.1)
- Work cooperatively and professionally as part of a team, initiate partnerships with others, take a leadership role when required, and constructively contribute to peer learning. (C.1)
- Communicate an informed well-researched viewpoint. (C.2)
- Advance ideas through an exploratory and iterative design process. (I.2)
- Independent development of high level technical and craft skills for the production, presentation and documentation of work. (I.3)
- An ability to critique your own work and the work of others with reference to standards drawn from contemporary design practice. (P.1)
- Source, evaluate and utilise appropriate academic and professional references. (R.1)
- Reflect and engage in self-critique and critical thinking. (R.5)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:
C = communication and groupwork
A = attitudes and values
P = practical and professional
R = research and critique
I = innovation and creativity.
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).
Teaching and learning strategies
Activities for this subject are structured according to the following:
Lectures act as points of contact for the whole cohort. Significantly, the lectures introduce, contextualise and clarify areas of focus that are important in design and visual communication. The lectures provide the key understanding needed by students to address the assessment criteria.
Practice-oriented learning in Studio Sessions presents an intensive, hands-on, creative environment for students to learn together. Each week, across two sessions, students discuss the weekly topic with their peers and with an expert studio leader. Studio sessions are also times for collaborating on practical activities and developing necessary technical skills. In this studio context, students have the opportunity to take ownership of the ideas encountered in this subject while contributing to discussions by asking questions, undertaking research and analysis, as well as self-reflection. Studio leaders and demonstrators will guide students and offer expert insight and direction where needed, but as students, you are primarily responsible for the mood and vibrancy of the studio session.
Content (topics)
- Introduction to visual communication for social change.
- Introduction to the visual elements of design.
- Introduction to image making and image direction.
- Introduction to typography.
- Introduction to layout design.
- Theoretical readings that contextualise and advance studio and practice-based outcomes.
- ?Introduction to peer-review and collaborative critique through verbal communication.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Visual Analysis Case Studies
| Intent: | This task introduces students to ways of researching and critically looking at examples of visual communication encountered through print, in situ and digital archives. | ||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): R.1 | ||||||||
| Type: | Case study | ||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||
| Weight: | 10% | ||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Studio Projects Portfolio
| Intent: | In this task, students learn to present the outcomes of studio projects through a portfolio format and begin to develop a reflective practice. The portfolio will document the outcomes of THREE projects exploring the processes of collage, photography and typography, and accompanying contextual research. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.1, I.2, I.3 and P.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Campaign for Change
| Intent: | Task 3 uses a professional design brief that asks students to create an ‘activist’ poster and zine in response to current social issues. To complete this task, students will need to demonstrate how they combine workshop skills with visual literacy, research and critical thinking. They will also be required to demonstrate fundamental web media skills to present their projects as a simple webpage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.1, C.2, I.2, I.3, P.1 and R.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Project | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.