Communication Design Students Research Articles

Sustainability agendas and communication design pedagogy in HE

PurposePrevious research has evidenced that communication design students wish to engage further with sustainable practices but struggle to understand how (Newton and Ellis, HER conference 2023). Whereas other design disciplines (fashion, product, furniture) can often focus on a “physical” output, communication design embraces multiple outcomes, distributed throughout a range of platforms, representing an area of industry and study which can prove difficult to define. This study aims to add further clarity as to how students consider sustainability aligned to their practice.Design/methodology/approachPrevious focus group research sought to uncover how communication design students implicitly consider “sustainability”, uncovering that their knowledge is limited. Suggestions from participants emphasised that it was the role of the institution, not the student, to fully integrate sustainability into practice and to define methods they can deploy. This paper notes a subsequent workshop conducted with 33 Level 5 undergraduate students asking them to reflect on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12/13 in relation to meaningful practice and institutional responsibility.FindingsWorkshops demonstrated the need to engage with sustainable thinking throughout every stage of development. It is clear that students demand more from academic staff at programme level, and from the institution at large, to provide further solutions to sustainability concerns which are relevant to their specific practice.Originality/valueDiscussion surrounding pedagogical practice across communication design lacks interrogation, yet the discipline represents a significant aspect of both design and contemporary society. It is paramount that methods for reinforcing implicit engagement with sustainable best practice within students, their development and their future beyond university are therefore developed.

Development of Flipped Classroom Learning Design Assisted by Digital Storytelling Media in the Photography Course for Visual Communication Design Students in The Bachelor's Program at STIE Asia Malang

This study aims to develop a flipped classroom instructional design assisted by digital storytelling media for the Photography course for undergraduate students of Visual Communication Design at STIE Asia Malang. The approach of project-based learning integrates the use of technology and active learning methods to enhance the effectiveness of learning. The Research and Development design used the instructional design proposed by Degeng & Degeng (2018). It divided into three phases of instructional design formation, namely 1) analysis of learning conditions, 2) development of learning strategies, 3) development of outcome measurement procedures. The results of the study show that this instructional design is effective in increasing student engagement and active participation. Students are more involved in the learning process, more motivated, and better able to apply the knowledge they have gained in real projects. Additionally, their learning outcomes significantly improved in both conceptual understanding and practical application. The efficiency of this design is also evident from the optimization of learning time, where students can utilize out-of-class time to study the materials, while in-class time is used for more interactive discussions and collaborative projects.

Visual communication design students’ self-perception of their visual literacy competency in determining, retrieving, interpreting, and evaluating visual materials

In today’s world, visual competence plays an increasingly important role. Proficiency in visual literacy is an essential competency in various fields, including marketing, design, education, and journalism. The competency to convey messages effectively, attract audiences, and promote engagement is crucial for success in these industries. At the university level, visual literacy is an essential competency for university students studying visual communication. A lack of sufficient visual literacy leads to several key challenges. Research indicates that most university students in China do not have sufficient visual literacy competencies. However, there has been a dearth of scholarly inquiry looking specifically into the visual literacy competency standards of students studying visual communication design in China despite its close association with visual literacy. The study aimed to evaluate the visual literacy competency of students majoring in visual communication design in Shanghai, China, through interviews. The interview questions utilised in this study were developed based on four visual literacy standards created by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). This study includes the competencies to determine visual materials needed, efficient image retrieval, interpret visual materials’ meanings, and evaluate image credibility when performing visual artworks. The study’s results indicate that students face difficulties in analysing and evaluating images due to their limited exploration of images related information, background, technology, and design elements. Consequently, they encounter challenges such as an inability to distinguish authenticity and judge reliability. These findings are valuable for the curriculum development of students majoring in visual communication design.

Making tacit knowledge explicit: the case for online peer feedback in the studio critique

AbstractDesign education traditionally centers around the critique as a pivotal assessment process, fostering the development of both explicit and tacit knowledge within the physical studio environment. Ideally, the critique encourages students to develop their creativity, sharpen their thought processes and refine their technique. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on technology-enhanced teaching in practice-based design studios by examining the effectiveness of online peer critique as a strategy to capture tacit knowledge and make it explicit in the design learning environment. Drawing on the experiences of 90 undergraduate visual communication design students, findings show the critique process was a collaborative experience which afforded the fluid exchange of both tacit and explicit knowledge. Technology played a key role in this knowledge exchange, giving students a confidence in their creative abilities as observers and participants. The online process facilitated anonymity, enabling open and honest communication, while digital records supported post-critique reflection. Despite challenges, this systematic approach to online peer critique proves beneficial in fully online courses and warrants exploration in physical design studios given that more programs transitioning to blended learning. This research contributes to the discourse on leveraging technology for tacit knowledge construction and learning in design education.

Visual Communication Design students at the 42nd Graphic Design Exhibition...

Visual Communication Design Department visited the 42nd Graphic Design Exhibition prepared by the Graphic Designers Professional Organization (GMK) within the scope of the Design Workshop.

Analysis of Learning Needs for Visual Communication Design Students for the Latest Graphics Teaching Materials

This research aims to analyze the learning needs of students in the Visual Communication Design Program in developing teaching materials for the latest graphics topics. The research methods employed include qualitative and quantitative descriptive analysis methods. The research steps involve identifying learning needs through data collection, data analysis, and the interpretation of graphic learning materials, through interviews, observations, questionnaires, and literature review. The findings of this research will provide comprehensive insights into students' perspectives and preferences regarding the Graphics course. The collected data will be used to support the development of teaching materials that are more aligned with students' needs and relevant to current industry trends. This research is expected to make a significant contribution to improving the quality of education in the Visual Communication Design Program and preparing students to face the challenges in the ever-evolving world of graphic design. The research shows that students need teaching materials on graphic topics that are easy to understand, contain the latest and industry-relevant content, and have clear and engaging visualizations. Based on these findings, the researcher suggests that the development of graphic teaching materials should prioritize students' learning needs as the primary target.

The Influence of Humanities on Art and Design Learning Performance: An Empirical Study

AbstractTheoretical studies and perspectives have argued that humanities positively influence art and design learning performance, yet little study has tested this argument empirically. Further than testing the impact of humanities on art and design learning performance, the present study explores how humanities influence art and design learning performance. The present study investigates the influence of humanistic knowledge (e.g., history and literature) and skills, capabilities (e.g., innovation and narrative) and spirits on art and design learning performance (e.g., professional course marks) empirically via a survey. The moderations of age and gender are also tested. The results showed that humanistic knowledge and skills and humanistic spirits increase the art and design learning performance of visual communication and industrial design students, respectively. Humanistic capabilities increase art and design learning performance for all subjects. Besides, we found the individual difference that the effects of humanistic capabilities and humanistic spirits are stronger in male visual communication students than in female visual communication students. The pedagogical strategy of humanistic education for improving art and design learning is discussed based on the results.

Exploring Needs in English Learning Materials for Visual Communication Design Students and Graduates: A Mixed-Methods Approach

The field of Visual Communication Design (VCD) in Indonesia requires students and graduates to enhance their English language skills to stay competitive globally. However, there is a significant gap in understanding the specific English language material needs of students and graduates in this field, so it needs to be more understanding of their particular linguistic needs. This mixed-methods study aims to explore the disparities in English language skills perceived by VCD students and graduates in Indonesia and identify their specific English language material needs. . Through questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions, data were collected from 30 students and 10 graduates. The findings reveal differences in language proficiency or skills perspectives between VCD students and graduates , emphasizing the importance of designing language courses that align with learners' specific needs and industry demands. This study's implications for English language education in various industries highlight the significance of effective communication in a globalized world. By addressing learners' specific language demands, educators can better support students' language learning goals and prepare graduates for success in their professional endeavors. Implementing industry-specific language instruction and curriculum can enhance learners' competitiveness and communication in the workplace, promoting stronger international collaborations within the creative industries. Although challenges may arise in implementing changes, a partnership between academic institutions and industry stakeholders can bridge the gap between academic language learning and real-world language demands. Addressing learners' needs in English language education can ultimately contribute to their professional growth and success in the global market.

Analysing Creative Design Process: A Set of Tools to Understand Activity in its Socio‐cultural and Historic Context

AbstractPrevious theoretical frameworks used to research and explain creative design processes tend to privilege individual expression and not address the context in which the process occurs. This is problematic due to the ways in which creative activities are embedded in and shaped by socio‐cultural and historic contexts. In this article we focus on the ways in which cultural historic activity theory (CHAT) and its analytical activity systems can be used to reveal creative processes in context. We draw on the tools and concepts of CHAT and data from a study of visual communication design (VCD) students and lecturers situated within a transnational higher education (TNHE) context at a university in China. An analytical framework was constructed to research practices used in creative design process learning. The dynamic nature of CHAT offers design process research methods a set of analytical tools to capture the powerful parts played by artifacts and interactions within specific sociocultural and historic learning contexts.

Visualising COVID‐19: Implications for Design Education

AbstractThis paper reports on the findings of a visual text analysis of selected infographics and data visualisations used in news websites during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Sydney, Australia. Infographics and data visualisations used in news website articles disseminated and communicated local and national information to the public about the COVID‐19 pandemic and related social implications. For the first time live data, animation and interaction were used in reporting health and societal information to a general news readership, contributing to the knowledge base and visual literacy of the public. The information presented was not only clear but also aesthetically appealing. This paper examines the styles of news digital infographics and data visualisation of three longitudinal studies using lessons learned from Grainger et al. (2016), Dick (2020) and Tufte (2001) and contextualises the context, narrative, aesthetics, communication, data, functionality and examines the collaboration between communication designers, journalists and the development team. The implications for communication design education are explored in the context of skills, tools and teamwork needed for future communication design students.

The perspectives program: creating “connections beyond the years”

ABSTRACT The Perspectives program is a unique collaborative undertaking where communication design students and people living in long-term care homes co-create ‘zines’ featuring the life stories of individuals living in care. A research project was undertaken to explore the effectiveness of the program as perceived by the people living in care, the staff who work with them, and design students. This was a qualitative study, using mixed qualitative methods. Two care homes in the Vancouver area participated, and 30 people living in care, 32 students, and 6 care home staff were involved. Data collection methods involved observation of Perspectives sessions, interviews with residents and staff, and student surveys. Four core themes resulted from the qualitative thematic analysis: The reciprocity of intergenerational exchange, the value of storytelling in building connections, the impact of connecting relationally, and the need for meaningful and empowering activities. Overall, the Perspectives program demonstrates the value of intergenerational engagement and connection, as well as the benefit of providing empowering activities for people living in care homes. The close relationships formed amongst the participants of different ages throughout the Perspective sessions highlights the importance of creating spaces where collaborative activities may occur, and where both young adult students and people living in care can be involved and connect together in the world around them.

Elementary Design: A form of Creative Thinking Implementation to Develop Student Creativity

In the field of visual communication design, creativity becomes fundamental for every visual communication designer to have. So in practice, visual communication designers need a process of thinking and acting in harmony with producing their creativity. One of the materials is through learning Elementary Design in college. This course is presented to trigger the students in the creative thinking process through processing and organizing visual elements. Thus this research was conducted to descriptively review Elementary Design as a form of implementation of creative thinking and efforts to develop the creativity of visual communication design students, especially for 1st-semester students of the Graphic Design & New Media Program, Bina Nusantara University. The method used in this research is an educational research & development model approach. These stages include (1) Identifying the potential issues and problems; (2) Collecting data; (3) Product design; (4) Design validation; (5) Design revision. The results revealed that the research & development method with the creative thinking process approach encourages students to find associations of forms from intangible to tangible.

Efektivitas Penggunaan Media Quizizz pada Mata Pelajaran Sejarah Kelas X SMK

Research on the Effectiveness of Using Quizizz Media in History Subjects of diachronic, synchronic, chronological, space and time concepts in history. Class X DKV (Virtual Communication Design) students at SMK Negeri 1 Karossa for the 2022/2023 academic year, with a total of 16 students. Aims to determine the effectiveness of using quizizz media in history subjects. The sample in this study were students of class X DKV (Virtual Communication Design), the method used in this study was an experimental method with a quantitative approach. The instruments in this study used tests, questionnaires, and documentation. Data collection techniques used are tests, questionnaires and documentation. data analysis technique by Descriptive Statistics analysis and Inferential Statistics analysis. The results of the descriptive statistical analysis showed that the average student learning outcomes before using the quizizz media was 47.25, the student's score was still below the KKM score and after using the quizizz media, the average student score was 89.81, an increase above the KKM score. For inferential statistical analysis using the t test formula, it is known that a significant value of 0.000 <0.05 is obtained so that H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted. Based on these results, it shows that the use of quizizz media is effective in history subjects for class X DKV (Virtual Communication Design) SMK Negeri 1 Karossa, Central Mamuju Regency.

Visual Communication Design Collaboration with Occupational Therapy to Create Health Literacy Projects for Community Needs

Low levels of health literacy directly correlate to increased mortality rates, decreased health outcomes and overall poorer quality of life. Many social determinants of health can place someone at a higher risk of low health literacy and the negative consequences of decreased skills in this area. Health literacy is a complex task that requires a multi-modal approach and interventions within a variety of spheres of influence in someone’s life. To address this issue in underinvested communities within their own city, teams of Visual Communication Design and Occupational Therapy students, with the support of their faculty and a librarian, worked together to identify a population of interest and pertinent health-related concerns. The result was an interdisciplinary team of students who utilised aspects of the Social Ecology Theory to create solutions and systems that utilised printed and digital modalities at the individual and community levels. This case study offers a model for interdisciplinary collaboration to address health literacy and improve the health outcomes of the population concerned.

ANIMASI 2D SEBAGAI MEDIA EDUKASI KESEHATAN GIGI ANAK DI PT. PILAR KREATIF TEKNOLOGI DI DENPASAR

2D animation is one of the oldest forms of animation in the world. Because when it was first created, 2D animation was drawn on a rotating round paper media. On the surface of the paper, there are several images that when viewed using a special tool will create the illusion of movement called animation. 2D animation also continues to grow. Until now, 2d animation continues to be used for entertainment, education, or education needs, to marketing and commercial advertising. Because there are many advantages of 2D animation that 3D animation does not have. The data analysis method used is descriptive qualitative analysis, namely an examination that describes explaining facts about 2D animation as a medium for children's dental health education. The basic rule of qualitative examination is to process and investigate the collected information into precise, efficient, and organized information. 2D Animation as Educational Media for Children's Dental Health with the title "Lala and the Cookie Monster" uses 2D animation in the form of motion graphics which aims to provide education to children about how to care for and maintain teeth in reducing sugary foods or drinks. This 2D animation project is an Internship or Practical Work project carried out at PT. Creative Pillar of Technology and very useful for students, especially for Visual Communication Design students. Because here we get real work on how projects are being carried out at partners starting from the process of receiving data or briefs, brainstorming processes, and visualizing processes to finishing processes.

Visualizing mental health: co-design for innovative mental health promotion prototypes through interdisciplinary collaboration between psychology professionals, communication design students and tertiary design educators

Approaches to improving people’s mental health fall across a spectrum from those targeting risk and protective factors in healthy individuals to those targeting individuals with mental illness. Common to all approaches is a focus on mental health literacy, improving people’s knowledge about mental health and how it is fostered. Communication designers are not typically involved early in the development of mental health literacy campaigns or products, reflecting a prioritization of the mental health content. This article reports on the benefits of an interdisciplinary collaboration between mental health clinicians, undergraduate communication design students and tertiary design educators, called Visualizing Mental Health, which takes a different approach. Mental health concepts are used to inspire designers to create unique prototypes including games, apps, toys, and books. The development of these prototypes emerges from design thinking and creative idea generation methods. A key to the development of these outcomes is a focus on deliberately open-ended briefing, through which the creative skills of participating communication designers are expressed prior to finalization of client parameters. This approach in a mental health intervention context over a six-year period has attracted attention from mental health sector funding and led to the development of pilotable interventions into mental health literacy.

The Effect of Design Thinking Method Toward the Motivation of Visual Communication Design Students in Becoming an Entrepreneur

The world of work is a place of intense competition for each college graduate. Students are faced with developing new solutions to these problems/challenges so they need to practice identifying entrepreneurial opportunities so that the problem of the difficulty of competing in the world of work can be resolved with the emergence of new jobs. In the VCD department in the Visual Study subject using design thinking method as a study material in learning material with the aim of students being able to create a visual communication design that answers existing problems, so that ultimately students have a frame of mind in solving problems in running a business or facing client problems. Based on the results of data processing, the results show that there is a positive influence between design thinking methods on entrepreneurial motivation. Therefore, the role of design thinking methods in influencing student motivation to become entrepreneurs deserves further study.
 
 Keywords: Design, Design Thinking, Visual Study, Entrepreneur, Motivation

The Effect of Design Thinking Method Toward the Motivation of Visual Communication Design Students in Becoming an Entrepreneur

The world of work is a place of intense competition for each college graduate. Students are faced with developing new solutions to these problems/challenges so they need to practice identifying entrepreneurial opportunities so that the problem of the difficulty of competing in the world of work can be resolved with the emergence of new jobs. In the VCD department in the Visual Study subject using design thinking method as a study material in learning material with the aim of students being able to create a visual communication design that answers existing problems, so that ultimately students have a frame of mind in solving problems in running a business or facing client problems. Based on the results of data processing, the results show that there is a positive influence between design thinking methods on entrepreneurial motivation. Therefore, the role of design thinking methods in influencing student motivation to become entrepreneurs deserves further study.
 
 Keywords: Design, Design Thinking, Visual Study, Entrepreneur, Motivation

Decolonising design practices and research in unceded Australia: reframing design-led research methods

Much of design teaching, learning and research in Australia is determined by Eurocentric traditions and the ongoing colonial project. In this context Indigenous Peoples continue to experience erasure, silencing and appropriation of practices and knowledges. The Visual Communication Design Program, situated in the School of Design at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), is committed to disrupting this trajectory. In this article we describe an immersive model that seeks to challenge the role of the design educator, creative practitioner and researcher on unceded Gadigal Lands in the city of Sydney, Australia. We reflect on the challenges of facilitating Visual Communication Design and Emergent Practices, for a third iteration as an online studio experience, during COVID-19 in the context of the climate crisis, bushfires and Black Lives Matter. This iteration is the result of four years of deep collaboration with local First Nation Elders, Indigenous scholars and practitioners. The research-focused studio for 180 final-year visual communication design students is led by Local Elders, cultural and research advisers with the support of studio leaders. The consideration of design-led research methods through a process that infuses Indigenous research principles builds on the longitudinal research into the role of the emplaced designer in Indigenous-led projects on Country. Our studio, titled ‘In Our Own Backyard’, provides students with strength-based design capabilities and understandings of the principles of the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples Rights (UNDRIP), Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights (ICIP) and the Australian Indigenous Design Charter. As a studio experience, the aim is to create conditions which spark possibilities for re-orientation towards relational and respectful negotiation of difference, and the capacity to action Indigenous self-determination in complex practitioner scenarios.

Identification of Aesthetic Values for Visualization Media of Flood Disaster Modeling

Many flood modelings use geovisualization techniques but are very complicated and can only be understood by researchers or practitioners. There is a need for modelings that are informative and can be understood by ordinary people for the purpose of disaster mitigation. This research analyzed a flood modeling geovisualization sample to find out the extent to which aesthetic values are used in that modeling. For breaking down the modeling, an analytical approach was used as well as physioplastic, ideoplastic, and judgment analyses. Then, the modeling was evaluated through a questionnaire that was distributed using Google Forms to 40 respondents with a background as visual communication design students. The questionnaire was presented using closed questions and a visual analogue scale. The aesthetic parameters used for measuring were: lighting, color, two-dimensional field, three-dimensional field, time/motion, and sound. The evaluation results showed that the flood modeling geovisualization sample did not use aesthetics effectively. Modeling representations need to be simplified into visualizations using a well-planned aesthetic concept to make them more informative. Hopefully, the result of this research will make flood modeling more impactful and easier to understand by ordinary people through the application of aesthetic values such as those addressed in the questionnaire.