94727 Makers Culture: Rapid, Creative Making

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Description

In this subject, students learn the power of making. Making allows bringing ideas into tangible experiences and learning from those experiences. Making also develops the visual and kinaesthetic thinking abilities essential in any creative practice. Students are working each week on a new iteration of an artifact to develop the abilities necessary for making. Artifacts are used here in a broad sense as it could be an object or performance (e.g., a meeting). Students learn different aspects of making, including how to imagine and visualise ideas, tell a story through an artifact and how to think through tactile interactions with diverse materials. It establishes an experimental and “fail-forward” attitude. At the end of the subject, students co-create a unique experience through their made artifacts. Participants can take these learnings into any project to succeed through making.

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

1.1 Describe, analyse, synthesise and model professional practices

2.1 Imagine, analyse, synthesise and model future systems or structures

1.2 Investigate complex problem situations

2.2 Purposely develop, implement and sustain innovation ecosystems

1.3 Create experiments to generate emergence

Teaching and learning strategies

This core subject is offered in a blended mode. Participants will make an artifact every week to explore and evaluate different aspects of making. They will work in a visual and tactile way to learn how to think visually and kinaesthetically. They also learn how to tell a story through an artifact (boundary object). The building of an artifact allows them to consider various thinking and communication modes, beyond verbal language. By doing so, they gain a wide range of underlying approaches necessary in transdisciplinary collaboration and communication. Images and 3D Mock-ups are universal languages understood by individuals from any disciplinary practice. This learning experience enables them to identify and overcome constrains and obstacles to make the artifact. At the end of the subject, participants co-create a shared experience through the individual created artifacts. Participants will be guide through this exploration and making practice by tutors.

Content (topics)

• Understanding making practices
• Applied creativity through tactile working
• Learning through experimentation and iteration
• Visual thinking

Minimum requirements

Participants must attempt each assessment task and achieve an overall pass mark in order to pass this subject.

Other resources

Required Readings

McKim, Robert. 1980, Experiences in Visual Thinking. (Selected chapters)