Education, failure and design.
Speaking of school and how we hate it, I've been taking summer school classes, four to be exact. Yes, there is no better way to shave off a semester of prerequisite classes than an intense five week course. So far, I have completed History of design and technology, which I fell in love with. I received an A in this class. Concurrently, I took Computer Graphic Imaging, which is basically learning Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. This class sucked because it was boring, I recived an A- for not knowing all InDesign and Photoshop shortcuts. This is complete BS, because other than that, I know the programs.
But CGI made me realize two very important things.
1. I could have easily substituted this course for a computer art class I took at grossmont. But since advisers don't listen to students ever, I had to take it again.
2. I don't like to print. We had projects that we had to print and mount, and I hated it. I just like to make the stuff and keep it on the computer. SO, I was very excited to start my next summer section.
I am currently taking Colloquium..a class that tells you about the major and stuff, so you don't learn anything about design, just DAI which is only temporary. This class is a waste of time. surprise, surprise.
Along with Colloquium, I am taking Digital Media 1, where I finally get to learn HTML and CSS. I was really hoping I would like this class, because then I could lean more in this direction. I really like it so far, because it's new to me. We get to make 4 websites over the course. The thing is, I just need to isolate myself so I can really spend my time on perfecting my websites.
So this is pretty big. I've never really enjoyed making logos, and now I don't have any interest printing projects, unless its for personal use. Obviously I'm not looking forward to the 150 page book we have to design and print, okay i'm a bit excited about it..but not the printing aspect. There goes all that paper and there goes all my money. Now, I have to learn way more in such a short amount of time. But I'm trying to take Digital media 3 in the fall, because digital media 2 isn't being offered. I'm also enrolled Virtual Worlds Design, and I have no idea what to expect from that really except that second life and some aspects of augmented reality are involved..I'm looking forward to these classes, because i'm actually going to be learning new things and not be hearing the same things over and over. The DAI program and the way it's organized has made graphic design seem so stale. Maybe no other student feels the same, but when the program really makes you loose interest in your passion, then you know the structure is failing.
Dont' get me wrong, I still love graphic design, and will always love it (just not in school), but I feel like taking more digital media classes is a better direction to go in. I mean, books make nice portfolio pieces, but I really just don't care as much about it. And it amazes me how some of the students seem to really hate the web, and refuse to believe print is not dying, well it is, sorry.
Active Discussion
Chris Jack • July 20th 2011 • Reply
This sounds like a lot of fun, except for all the BS that you have to put up with. The only time I felt like all the classes I was taking were worthwhile, fun, and important was during the last semester of my senior year (this past spring, not counting this summer session where I am taking a stupid history class). Anyway, it seems like you will are doing well, the classes will get better.
Jeff Micklos • July 20th 2011
Throughout my whole college education, I took 2 - 5 major classes in which I learned things that directly impacted my ability to do my future job. These classes were evenly split between the very, first semester basic "Intro to Programming" classes and the last semester "Do something cool" classes.
There could be a few reasons for this...
1) Maybe there just isn't enough stuff to fill out 4 years of schooling. After all, we just type on a computer and move pixels around on a screen. (Maybe Chris' major is more involved in this. After all, he glues small things onto green pieces of silicon or plastic.)
2) Maybe our fields are just too hard to keep up with, so schools end up teaching archaic principles that are not relevant any longer.
3) Maybe none of us fit into our major perfectly. Some things matter but a lot of it doesn't, that is why we get the most enjoyment out of classes in which *we* decide what we do.
4) Maybe were just not meant for college. If we aren't being challenged at all by the tasks given to us, maybe we are just too smart.
Chris Jack • July 20th 2011
haha I agree with all these things. I feel like your #2 point is close to the mark, which brings me back to my point of college is there to give you a broad idea, you take lots of classes and in that you find something you like, and when you do, use the plentiful resources the college has to work on something. The only class I was 100% satisfied here with was a class I took last semester which was a graduate level engineering elective, meaning I got to pick it and could have replaced it with something else. It was hard as hell but I read data sheets, coded in multiple languages, stayed up all night, and debugged until I had a something I was satisfied with.
However, now I am done with my program and I feel like I am wasting everyone's time taking a pointless class when I could be doing work for the Department of Defense...
Annie Szafranski • July 20th 2011
Yeah, I'm sure things will get better during the last semester..or more stressful anyway.
And I agree with those points, especially #2 as well. The teachers, really are terrible at keeping up and altering the course around today's environment, for there is no reason for them to be teaching the exact same course they designed a few years ago, but they do.
I only had one teacher so far who was good at doing this, and she is one of my favorites. Even though it was a research and writing class, we still ended up designing our own app for children. With this, we got to be more creative and have more freedom, compared to my graphic imaging class. Anyway, I could go on an on about this, but I do agree with the points you have made. I feel like teachers somewhat give up and stick to the same old lectures and assignments.
I wish there was a more intense, shorter version of college that had only 5 really important classes.
Jeff Micklos • July 21st 2011
Chris, what type of work do you want to be doing to DoD? I am still waiting for that post from you!
Chris Jack • July 21st 2011
I would really like to work with hardware, developing weapons training systems for the military. Cubic Corp. does a lot of this for them, I toured their campus and they have tanks and real RPGs outfitted with GPS, trackers, sensors, and lasers. Imagine playing laser tag with tanks and M16's. Well, I would like to program hardware in general, not specifically for the military, but Cubic is a great company.
And sorry the post might have to wait till after MLG! =P