During this semester of the course I feel that I have already gained a large amount of knowledge about the design industry and what it would be like to work for a professional design agency. I believe that this will be invaluable to me after the course when I am looking to go into employment within the design sector.
In previous forms of education I have often felt that I was, at times, going through the motions and completing work not for my personal benefit but just to meet certain objectives of an assignment. However this not been the case on this course as I feel that each task is being done for a specific reason and they will all help with my progress on the course and in the future.
As this course is of a higher level, in terms of the amount of detail and work required to be completed, I felt that this step up would be major challenge and it has been. Although I passed my first assignment I did make a number of mistakes and this is something I hope to have rectified with the A3 and A4 assignments. The largest step up I have felt is the level of research and detail that is required for the assignments. The amount of research required for the assignments is something that has really taken me by surprised and it is something that can often take up most of the time for the assignment.
As well as undertaking research, for the assignment, I am starting to appreciated that the more research I do about the information in the lectures, that Steve gives us, the better prepared I will be for the assignment work. Also this research can be used as evidence for the assignment if I record it in my sketchbook. The sketchbook has, over the course of the first semester, become essential and this is something that I would have never imagined at the start of the course. Everything from the notes from the lectures to inspirational work is in the sketchbooks and at times I would feel lost without.
Another use of the sketchbook has been collecting feedback on work and documenting it. This is something that has proved to extremely useful as the more opinions and viewpoint I can gain about my work ultimately the better it will be. Blogger has also been an essential tool not just for gaining feedback but it allows me to check on my own progression throughout the course and it is something I will be able to look back on in the future.
Short term
My short terms goals for the next semester are that I want to pass all the assignments and hopefully gain a merit in one of them. I also want to improve my web authoring skills and my design skills in general.
Mid-term
By the end of the course I want to have passed all the assignments and feel confident in the fact that I have given the course my full commitment. I want make the most of the opportunities that are given to me such as; going to design studies, working for real clients as this help me to become more employable as I will have that vital ‘experience’ of working for a client.
Long-term
With regards to my long term goals I want to gain employment for a web design agency creating website but also with some graphic design elements. This is because I feel that ultimately I would gain a large amount of skills in a much shorter time and I would also gain more experience in employment compared to further education.
Evaluation of the first semester
| Friday 21 December 2007
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12 comments:
Hi James
I know your right about the sketch book to recoard things in, i think its amazing how much i have recoarded in mine. I am just starting to use it more know for pritty much everything its a valuble asset to the course.
Thanks, Martyn
I have to agree, every task we do is for a specific reason and will defiantly help us on the course and in the future.
I also agree that we should further research the lectures up and that’s something I’m going to make sure I put some time aside for and do, because as you said we will be more prepared for the assignments.
Good advice Greg. It seems Martyn and his sketchbook will never be parted. I have also formed a close relationship with my wiro-bound buddy. I useful way of evidencing your findings.
I can certainly relate to the 'going through the motions' on previous courses. Most of the work I've done seems to be done just to tick of boxes on a syllabus list and weren't made intersting for us at all.
I think combining units together in one assignment like Steve does keeps the work interesting while abiding by the syllabus!
I have also been shocked by the amount of research we have had to do for the course so far but I have enjoyed doing it all because I have learnt new information and improved on things I already know.
I think the sketchbook is really useful for the course and my note taking as improve over the past few months and this is a skill that could be useful when employed. The sketch book as also been useful for feedback, but I think I could have record more feedback.
I think your decision about gaining employment directly after the course if a wise one. I too agree that the learning curve in work is significantly higher simply due to the time scales imposed in the real world.
However, it will not be for everyone. I guess a decision can only be made nearer the time and after careful consideration of our abilities in relation to the competition.
I agree to that the sketch book as been really useful, at first I didnt think that I would like recording loads of information down. But its a lot easyer as you know where abouts all you notes are.
It's a really valid point you make about following the lectures up by doing additional research and study. Hopefully this is something that I can improve on in the future, as I haven't spent masses of time doing this over the past few months.
Approximately two and a half hours until comments are closed for Semester 1.
Steve has also mentioned that the lectures are just a small part of a topic, which should lead you onto researching and finding your own useful information regarding that particular subject to further your knowledge and understanding of it.
I think this is a usefull thing to undergo, I'm not sure how many people do it as yet, but I think as the course progresses more and more people will feel the need to.
The sketchbook side so far is an area where I've really struggled in, I find it hard to document my design advancements even with screenshots.. I just seem to get in the zone with design and forget about all that. I think it's something I will definitely have to improve as time goes on.
i can relate to the feeling of just completeing your work for a deadline. thats all it was in my last course, it didnt feel benificial. this course however make us feel more productive becuse form once, we are ding something that we want to do.
Semester 1 Journal Comments Closed.
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