Design EDU Dialogues is a series of roundtable discussions that highlight local knowledge and expertise while exploring the opportunities and challenges of teaching design in Upstate New York. This is an opportunity for area educators to get to know each other and our area schools. We encourage educators at all levels (K-12, Undergraduate, and Graduate) to participate. The day has been designed to emphasize dialogue, sharing and creative problem solving and will focus on topics raised by our educator community.

SCHEDULE:

10:00am Check-in (Cofee/Tea)

10:30am Introductions

10:45am Graphic Design Curricula in the 21st Century
Nancy Bernardo, Rochester Institute of Technology

Having just stepped into the role as Program Chair for Graphic Design, I am curious what the education of a Graphic Designer should be in the 21st century and how other institutions handle curricula. What should we be offering our students? A more general menu of class topics (ie: Design Studio I or Graphic Design I) that include many projects presented on different platforms (print, web. Interactive). Or should core curriculums be more pointed and specific, offering students classes with titles of Information Design, Branding and Identity.

11:30am Social Media Strategies for Self-Promotion: Defining Student Best Practices
Andrea Hempstead, Cazenovia College

As designers, we all have invariably experienced at least one time in our careers where self-promotion was required. While social media has made it easier for designers to promote themselves to the masses; the best choice of social media to reach the best audience can be daunting. How do we make the best use of these tools and get the best return on our investment of time and in the right frame of reference to market ourselves? It is also important to consider the best ratio of engagement and sharing – after all – social media isn’t social if you are not engaging and responding as well as sharing. As with anything social, it is also important to be aware of things to avoid. Once we have defined best practices for ourselves, how do we then translate a list of best practices to our students? What forms of social media are best for different types of artists/designers? Lastly, how do we manage keeping it fresh without it becoming unmanageable?

12:15pm Lunch

1:15pm Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Service Design
Elena Grossman, SUNY Cortland

As college and university design programs, we can show our value on campus by collaborating with other departments. So-called service design also provides an opportunity for our students to do “real work.” Yet questions arise. What constitutes a partnership? How do we make the experience truly interdisciplinary and not just free design services? How do we do right by both the client and the students doing the work? What projects do we accept, and how do we educate these clients of the moment? What about when they come back for more? I will moderate this session as an explorer, not an expert! Please bring all experiences, imperfect though they may be, so we can get into the nitty gritty.

2:00pm Open Session
Moderated by the AIGA Upstate New York Design EDU committee

This session is the opportunity to follow up on conversations earlier in the day as well as to touch on other pressing issues we are facing or want the opportunity to discuss. At the start of this session participants will be asked what topics or subjects they would like to bring to the floor. Depending on the array of subjects, we'll either designate a period of time for each topic or use breakout groups and report back to the larger group.

2:45pm Wrap-up

CFP is now Closed.

Design Educator Dialogues Call for Proposals

Educators at all levels (University, Community College, K-12, etc.) are invited to submit proposals for roundtable discussions on topics relevant to the design education community in Upstate New York. Educators whose proposals are accepted will be asked to frame the conversation and pose questions for the group to consider(~10min) and then moderate a 30 min discussion. Proposals should be no longer than 300 words and should include an overview of the subject, why it is important to Upstate New York and questions the moderator would like the group to consider.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Grading and Grade Inflation
• Syllabi and Assignment Sharing
• Student Groups
• Getting Students involved in Exhibitions, Competitions and Conferences outside of the institution they are enrolled in.
• Helping students foster business skills.
• Collaboration between institutions
• Meeting local needs / retaining talent / considering upstate industries
• Globalization and Internationalization of Curriculum
• Design Foundations
• Relationship between art and design programs
• Accreditation
• Teaching collaboration and other “life skills”

Although proposals are not limited to these topics, we encourage you to consider them. Submit 300 word proposal with a 100 word bio by Sunday, August 28. Topics and moderators will be announced by Monday, September 5. Proposals are reviewed by educators on the AIGA Upstate New York Design EDU Team.