Week 2 Agenda

Tasks Due from Week 1

• Complete the Student Survey
• Introduce yourself on the Discussion: Introductions
• Join & Favorite this course
• Welcome & Introduction: Why Theory?
• Course Materials Review
• Course Tools Set up: Hypothesis, Research Journal
• Assignment: Reading Response 1
• Week 1 Agenda Checklist

This Week’s Topics

1. Checkin & Share
2. Review and Submit Your Learning Plan
3. LinkedIn Learning with your Public Library Card
4. Laying the Groundwork for Design Theory
5. Discussion in Groups
6. Assignment: Reading Response 2
7. Week 2 Agenda Checklist

At the end of this session, students should have an understanding of the following:

• How to develop their own Learning Plan and expectations for the semester
• How to use a Public Library Card to access free LinkedIn Learning videos.
• The origins and evolution of Communication Design Theory from 1880-1930.
• Guidelines and expectations for discussion and Reading Response 1 revisions.
• The guidelines and due date for Reading Response 2

Check-in & Share (15+ min)

Every week throughout the semester, add an image, video, or link to something you saw out in the world or on the web to your Research Journal and share it in class. Consider how it reflects YOUR STORY as a designer or global citizen, why you chose it, and if it fits within your design aesthetic or ideology. We will take a look at the start of each class and reflect on it, asking WHY? within the context of Communication Design Theory. It would be great if everyone could participate at least once.

It can be anything you find inspiring or intriguing. It can be beautiful or ugly, quiet or loud, disturbing or comforting, sad or happy. Such as…

• Reflections on articles you’ve read that are of interest to you
• Links to images, videos, music, photographs or other media that you’ve come across that you find interesting
• Posts, memes, and comments from social media that reflect your influences, history, culture, likes, and dislikes
• Links to exhibitions, advertisements, films, or other media that reflect your design aesthetic
• Ideas, freewriting, drafts of reading responses, random thoughts

Activities

Below find the information covered in this session. Complete all of the following activities, videos, and assignments.

1. Review and Submit Your Learning Plan (15 Min)

Let’s read through the Learning Plan form together. Take a moment to review the questions and write a draft of your Learning Plan.

Before the next class, write and submit your Learning Plan.

2. LinkedIn Learning with your Public Library Card (10 Minutes)

Some of the videos we will watch today and in the future are accessible via LinkedIn Learning. You can access LinkedIn Learning for free with a New York, Queens, or Brooklyn Public Library Card. Note: The Bronx and Staten Island are part of the New York Public Library system.

Use the links below for easy access to the site and the LinkedIn Learning App:

• New York Public Library Card – LinkedIn Learning Access
  • LinkedIn Learning App – Library ID: nypl
• Brooklyn Public Library – LinkedIn Learning Access
  • LinkedIn Learning App – Library ID: bklynlibrary
• Queens Public Library – LinkedIn Learning Access
  • LinkedIn Learning App – Library ID: queenspubliclibrary

If you don’t have a Library Card, don’t worry, anyone who lives in New York State can apply for a New York Public Library Card for free and access online content immediately.

• New member? Get your digital card here: www.nypl.org/library-card/new
• Expired card? Renew your card: www.nypl.org/help/library-card#renew

Having trouble? Reach out to me with questions.

3. Laying the Groundwork for Design Theory (60 Minutes)

Review the presentation below and then take a look at the graphic design history videos to help us lay the groundwork for studying design theory.

What is the Avant-Garde?

Key Points to Consider

After reading “Revisiting the Avant-Garde” and as you watch the Graphic Design History videos below, consider the concepts and questions we’ve explored in Reading Response 1.

Do you notice similarities between avant-garde movements of the past and the design field (or the world) of today?

Let’s define the following and discuss the ways today’s designers participate in, facilitate, or reject the following?

1. Authorship vs Anonymity vs Collective Authorship
2. Universal Systems of Communication vs Personal/Cultural/Dominant Communication
3. Social Responsibility vs Corporate Consumerism

What idea(s) or concerns do you think will drive the Avant-Garde of the near future? Who will lead the charge?

As you watch, jot down some notes to share within your Discussion Groups.

Graphic Design History Refresher

Many of you have taken the required Graphic Design History course, so please consider the following set of videos a review for the upcoming readings. If you haven’t yet taken History of Graphic Design, not to worry, the videos in this series should give you an overview.

Please login to LinkedIn Learning with your Public Library Card (see above) and Locate the Course: Learning Graphic Design History. Watch the video collections: Introduction, 1880-1912, and 1912-1930 and complete the ungraded quizzes to test your knowledge.

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If you have trouble accessing the LinkedIn Learning Course above, you can find it here on YouTube, but the quality isn’t very good, and you won’t be able to access the quizzes.

4. Discussion (30 Minutes)

Break into groups of 3 to share your Reading Response and any additional ideas that came up while reviewing the videos above. Identify a spokesperson and a recorder for your group.

Consider that as a discipline, communication design continually fluctuates between extremes of anonymity and authorship, the personal and the universal, social detachment and social engagement. Each new movement is a reaction to the status quo (the current state of social/political/cultural affairs).

Do you notice similarities between avant-garde movements of the past and the design field (or the world) of today?

In what ways do today’s designers participate in, facilitate, or reject the following?

1. Authorship vs Anonymity vs Collective Authorship
2. Universal Systems of Communication vs Personal/Cultural/Dominant Communication
3. Social Responsibility vs Corporate Consumerism

What idea(s) or concerns do you think will drive the Avant-Garde of the near future? Who will lead the charge?

After you’ve discussed these ideas with your group, send your spokesperson to another group to share your ideas.

Revise your Reading Response 1 with any new ideas that came up during your discussions.

5. Assignment: Reading Response 2 (1-2 Hours)

Follow these assignment guidelines: Reading Response 2 – – DUE Wednesday before the next class

As before, after annotating the text, create a rough draft of your response in your Research Journal or other writing application. Your response should be about 200 words and checked for spelling and grammar errors. Publish your finished response on the class site, using the guidelines provided.

Resources

• Using Hypothesis / Annotating PDFs Tutorial
• Research Journal
• Assignment: Reading Response 2
• Reading Response (Example) post

Week 2 Agenda Checklist

Below are all of the tasks, big and small, for this week. The due date is Wednesday, 11:59 pm. Timely completion of these tasks will contribute to your success in this course.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

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