cycles and epicycles requirements and inquiry at mass. college of art
Post on 22-Dec-2015
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Cycles and Epicycles
Requirements and Inquiry at Mass. College of Art
Major Cycles
• Staff intern Fall 06
• Curriculum Migration Fall 06 - now
• Student Typography Project Spring 07
EpiCycles I: Student
• Information Design Project
• Student problem identification
• Student perspective based approaches
Prof. Joe Quackenbush
• Invested Faculty• Graphic Designer• Typography II Sophomore• Information Architecture• Visual Communication Asgmnt• 2 month work Faculty and students • define problems, re-design• Discuss client issue,
business implications
• Invited Advising Director, Faculty and VPs
– To final presentations
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1Students: Excited about Problem
Based Learning
Enjoyed contributing to solving real problem
Allows for measurable success, feedback
Intelligent Problem Definition!It is not only the
form!
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2
• Each student presentation served as epicycle
• Re-defined problem in specific combinations
• Open discussion with VP, Director,
Faculty and Staff
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Ideas for Tally3 Use Color to Clarify
4 Use Tufte to Simplify
5 Graph & Grid to Identify
6 Outline Thought Process & Problem Solving
EpiCycles II:
• Departmental requirements
• Hogging the board
• Depth of preparation
Constraints
• Depth of department
• Breadth of exposure
• Time, space, scheduling restrictions– 132 to 120 credits, more preparedness– What to require, what to sacrifice– Example state budget too thin v. important cause
Timing & Free Elective
• Students and Faculty united complaint:– First year single elective
• Doesn’t allow for exploratory major find• If students choose wrong major 1 yr behind
• No flexibility to switch – Often stick in wrong major v. choice of wasting whole
year
Uphill Battle
• Recipe for perfection
• Disaster, not success– must pass 15 credits every term – 1 incomplete or failure = 18cr next term
• When you can’t manage 15, how to do 18?• What standards are held for no room for error?
5.5 years
• Currently its taking students 5.5 years to graduate
• Accessibility mission v. preparedness or workforce
• Double major Change of major can take 7.5 years
Next Steps
• Curriculum Migration Committee problem of requirement,electives & majors
• Action Research is now open, on the table and agenda for student, faculty and staff
• MCA Recognition of HOW we ask questions, Migration Team now using Action Research.