Today I showed up earlier than I typically would have. I wasn’t too concerned about the students final projects although I should have been for some of them. The reason I was early and anxious was because I was presenting the next portion of the project for the class. Although I have presented in class before, the first time was really just to guide the discussion and provide feedback to students regarding their work. This session I was responsible for giving the students council regarding their vehicle brochure. They had a preliminary briefing as the project launched so they knew somewhat what to expect. The only requirements for the final portion of their project and the class is to create a 10 page brochure that is in line with their two-ad campaign series. Originally I found the 10 page minimum to be odd considering typical signatures are in multiples of four. The intent of Prof. B in setting that specification was to challenge the students to create something out of the ordinary. With these guidelines I set off to prepare my session.
Each student had been asked to visit car dealers and bring in samples of printed brochures to class. Knowing this I knew I wanted to bolster my presentation with unique examples of brochure techniques. In studying and teaching graphic design I’ve begin to develop a preference of how classes proceed. Discussion and student interaction is important however I think that their is value added with lectures as well. Good lectures can be disguised, be engaging, don’t need to drag on, but most importantly impart knowledge to the listeners. A lecture provides the instructor an opportunity to share with the students the expertise that they have on any given subject. In this case my role was to inspire and direct the students about the brochures they would be creating. The brochure as an item isn’t anything new. Everyone has experienced brochures so it can seem like obvious information to be sharing with a class. In preparation for class I reviewed “Tools for Teaching”, specifically chapter 29 “Helping Students Learn” which discussed strategies for engaging students. Students absorb and retain information in a variety of ways and as the instructor I am responsible for engaging their interest and giving them pertinent information to carry out the task they are responsible for. I also reviewed chapter 9 again about leading a discussion as the second part of the session was to show and tell different samples the students had collected from local dealerships. Additionally I read through several design blogs about tips and tricks for creating memorable blogs.
To my disadvantage I have a mind that is always racing. While stuff can race in quickly—it all too often races right out just as fast or faster. In attempts to avoid those paralyzing moments when my mind goes blank I decided to gather my thoughts and create an outline for speaking. I created a PDF and loaded it unto my phone to easily flip through.
After a brief lecture peppered with tips and suggestions I brought out the brochure samples. I have been collecting memorable pieces that I run across in the mail but the two most popular pieces were my “ABC3D” book by Marion Bataille (shown below) and the Sappi educational booklet #4 on folding. The students seemed to be thoroughly inspired and intrigued by the pieces. Only time will tell what they will might have gleaned from the day.
http://vimeo.com/2329893