Darren Leader Studio

Man alive, Wednesday 24th August always felt like ages away. But here it is: submission for PGC Unit 2.

I’ve enjoyed working on my report, the challenge of research and the academic reading and finally the writing. It’s been an interesting process, encouraging me to maybe write a book someday. About design, obviously. Or buying records. Until then, I’m too busy with the Studio and teaching at NUA.

So what have I learnt? I was initially resistant to the learning theories, especially as it was so deep in academic language. The PGC did reside outside of my comfort zone, but perhaps that is the point, allowing the distance to reflect on our specialism and how we engage and teach others. Both Units of the course have been a benefit and I am an improved educator as a result.

That said, I hope I pass Unit 2, I don’t think I could have the headspace to make a second attempt. I imagine the freedom of a full-time student: life would be easier to focus all of my attention on a course of study. Perhaps I could do an MA, if I won the lottery.

There we are. The sun is shining. It’s time to deliver my report.

Thanks to Tina Barnes-Powell for guidance and encouragement. Andi Sapey for being such a girly swot. And Tom Hedley for ace coding of this journal and the workshop for Unit 2.

Photo: The way forward, SG staircase

It’s been a long summer.

What with the referendum and the political world generally, it’s been a confusing and worrying time. I think I will always remember my PGC Unit 2 research report by these dispiriting events. However, the research and writing of this report has been a refuge, reminding me how much I enjoy teaching and my role with Graphic Communication at Norwich University of the Arts.

So here it is. Digitally archived.

The hard copy is printed and bound and ready for submission tomorrow. Onwards.

Photo: Let’s take the ferry to the North, Amsterdam 16.08.16

The online workshop is now ready.

Entitled, ‘How do graphic design students utilise the internet?’, it tasks the participant to complete five sections which include:

1. Feeling lucky – measuring a student’s use of google searches

2. Habit – identifying their first choice online sources

3. Social – recording the student’s engagement with social media as a research tool

4. Knowledge – clarifying their established awareness of professional designers, studios or agencies

5. Beyond – lastly, what form does their research take after online searches

Once completed, the student submits their work and I receive their answers via email. Nice.

It’s too late now to organise candidates for this workshop (as explained in previous posts) but I think it could still have value. Not only could it reveal where students are looking for inspiration, but provide a experiential learning experience where students can examine their methods of online research and then reflect on new approaches.

Many thanks to Tom Hedley for coding the workshop.

More details in the Report. Coming soon.

Please click here to view or take part in the workshop.

You must have seen The Beatles’ movie, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.

My favourite scene is when Paul’s Uncle is irritated by Ringo reading. “What’s the use of books?”, he asks. “You should be out parading!”. What a trouble-maker. Ringo can be book smart too.

My book list for Unit 2 continues to grow and features:

‘The Shallows’, Nicolas Carr

‘The University of Google’, Tara Brabazon

‘The Digital Scholar’, Martin Weller (no relation to his Lordship)

‘The End of Absence’, Michael Harris

Each of the titles investigate the effects of the internet on our abilities to learn, which feeds nicely into my own research report. But I am distracted by, ‘Out of Time’ by Miranda Sawyer, which is all about dealing with a mid-life crisis. No chapters on post-graduation education, as yet.

I must get started on the first draft, that Andi Sapey is leaving me for dust. The swot. Only kidding.

OK, I’ve got a few problems with Unit 2 of the PGC. Why is it being run over the Summer?

We’ve come to the end of a busy academic year; made it through assessments, delivering the degree show, graduation and then two shows in London. On top of running a design studio, I have to admit to feeling pretty exhausted. But the main problem is that there are no students to ask to participate in a workshop: they’ve gone home for the summer. The ideal candidates are students in year one and two of the graphic design and graphic communication courses. The results would add meaning to my research report.

I had a remedy. Let’s recruit students from sixth form or college who feed applicants to higher education. But I’ve come up against the problem of gaining permissions, and I haven’t the patience to go through the hoops of approval.

I had another remedy. Let’s build the workshop online, individual students could take the workshop from home and sign their content form online. But the problem is that I’m running out of time.

Tina, my PGC course leader has said that the workshop could work as a proposal. I think that may have to be the way forward now.

On a positive note, the online workshop, built by my web developer Tom Hedley is looking great. Onwards.

Photo: Swedish design studio (and band) SNASK attempt to cheer us up at Typo Circle, 30.06.16 (post referendum blues)

I’ve been looking out for books that could benefit Unit 2, for some time. But I spotted a particular book ages ago which was the best place to start for researching my report.

‘The End of Absence’ by Michael Harris challenges our over-reliance on the internet and reminds us that by putting our digital devices to one side, we can allow our imagination to spark. And he’s right too. Plus, it links perfectly with the learning theory of reflection.

When I originally pitched my idea for Unit 2, I was recommended ‘The University of Google’ by Tara Barbazon. Tara’s book has broadened my research into the hazards of relying too much on Google searches and highlights the importance of full university engagement and the valuable dialogue between tutor and peer group. However, issues arise when some students begin to skip uni and remain at home to conduct their studies. Their lap top becomes the substitute educator. I intend to further reflect on these implications.

In the mean time, here is my research presentation which outlines a few of the books that I’m reading and the issues raised.

Photo: Turn the page, BA Graphic Communication Year 3 Assessment

After a successful degree show in Norwich, Graphics are staging their own show in London. And here we are in 71a Gallery, the basement of the offices of the magazine ‘Little White Lies’. The Private View was packed with industry, who were delighted with the work on display. It was great to catch up with Sean Perkins of North, who had just launched the re-brand of ‘Co-op’ using their classic logo type from the sixties. I suggested it would be an interesting lecture to detail how they pitched and delivered such an exciting but potentially controversial re-brand campaign. I love it.

And as you can see the basement gallery soon became very hot indeed.

Next: D&AD New Blood, 5–7 July at the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane.

Part of Unit 2 is to submit a 750 word proposal, detailing our intentions for the action research report. Here’s mine.

I’ve had to re-write and re-think my original proposal from Unit 1, which was far too broad. And this proposal expands upon my presentation to my PGC peers which you can view in a previous post. The proposal introduces why I want to research how undergraduates utilise the internet for research; details an online workshop to chart how students use the internet as a research tool and finally, an evaluation template to help assess online content.

Please take a look, it’s worth a read. Next: more reading and a first draft…

Photo: Google images removing the stress of research.

How do students utilise the internet for their research?

Occasionally, when reviewing student work my colleagues have despaired of the ‘Behance generation’. Behance is a portfolio website and it provides a great platform of student and professional work, however the site can be misused as a research resource, where students can shop for styles and adopt without genuine understanding or awareness of whether it is appropriate for their own work. Noel Douglas, Senior Graphics Lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire gave a heavy sigh when I asked him how his students researched their projects online: his resigned reply, “…Google images”.

This is my research proposal, to create a workshop to gauge how year one and year two undergraduates utilise the internet. Are they satisfied with page one results? Do they go further and identify ‘trusted critical voices’ or curated content?

Our first action has been to present to our PGC colleagues a proposal outline. Next: the 750 word proposal statement and planning the workshop and in July, a presentation of our ongoing research.

Photo: Graphic Communication Year Three students prepare the wall vinyls of their degree show. I think their ‘Honest’ statement displays evidence of students who strive to explore further.

With assessments complete, we are now starting to hang this year’s degree show for Graphic Communication.

Here are a few shots taken by Will Reyes, a Graph Comms graduate and D&AD Pencil winner. The stills were taken as part of a film about the making of this year’s show and the state of mind of this year’s graduates – reflective, excited and the moving realisation that their journey at university is almost complete.

It’s been a pleasure working with this year’s Year 3 and together with my valuable colleague Nigel Aono-Billson, mentoring their skills and design outlook. Next up: graduation and then the London Shows…

Please take a look at Will’s film, ‘Caught in the Moment’ over at the Studio Blog.

Good news. I passed Unit One and am now a Associate Fellow.

And Unit Two has already begun, which could be a problem as we are now in the closing stages of the academic year. It is the season of assessments and finally, the degree show (not forgetting the two London shows that graphics are staging this year). Where will we get the time to work through Unit Two?

The next Unit is titled, ‘Evaluation and Enhancement’ and requires an Action Research Report and it’s a beefy 5,000 word document. But for starters, a reflective statement has to be completed outlining our research proposal. I had an idea in the closing stages of Unit One to research how undergraduates utilise the internet for research. The only snag, is year one and two students have already departed for the summer and they would have been ideal candidates for a workshop. A problem to ponder.

Our hand-in deadline is 24th August. Onwards into summer.

Photo: Year Three, Graphic Communication assessment. Work this good is always a delight.