Design Education

So after reading the 'Designer's can't think', I got to thinking about the education here at OCAD....

Some teacher's lecture, others won't. The ones that won't put it that they don't spoon feed students. They explain that a student's education is their responsibility. Agreed, however then does that mean I don't need a teacher then? Does that mean I only need the motivation to open a book and read about design and how it works and how to apply it, find an expert in the field who might answer a few of my questions and then tackle a few projects of my own until I produce some positive results? Designers, good ones and bad ones have done it for sure. And basically, we all have to answer to the client and how they want the job done, so our ever so expensive graphical education we pay for at OCAD might be as nessasary as we believe it is. After all, if a client loves the job we've done and says not to change it, despite the fact that we didn't quite kern a couple of sentences here or there correctly, the client gets their way.

My point I'm trying to make is this; it designers being replaced by non-designers doing design work, then who's to say were going to have design classes in the future? If design takes second place to other university programs, such as advertising for example, then what happens to the design teachers? Of course they go off to run their businesses, write books, try their hand at art or carry on in some other, closely related profession. But then the teaching of design takes a heavy blow, since everyone can get their hands on all the CS4 programs and photoshop the heads of family members on body builder's body to their heart's desire.

If schools like OCAD, who offer design classes to those wanting to be designers, then shouldn't they teach? I mean, shouldn't they give us the knowledge we have asked for? Sorry, paid for. If I give a GD teacher, $500 or whatever for a class, and he tells me go to the library, should I have gave him that money? I mean, wouldn't that money be better off paying for all the books I'm going to borrow from the library?

Ok, yes we need that piece of paper from a college or university to say we are a designer. Yes, we need experts to say that these new young professionals that are entering the field are worthy of the title of designer. But are those being sent out into the field really ready? Do the newbies have enough in their heads to do the job. Of course that depends on the person, however, how many young designers can say they learn from their teachers or on their own?

Experience, they say, is one of the best teachers. So to get experience, we need motivation. So we come back to that word. No matter no good we are coming out of school, were going to make mistakes. But then what prepares us better? Experience or school? Or more exactly, which teacher's get us ready to take on the big nasty world?

Just to state something, I've had my share of the nasty world, I've cooked professionally for 20 years. I know what the working world is like. And like anyone, I would like to be as prepared as I can be come the time I enter the professional design world. So how can that happen when teacher's hold back what they know? I mean if they didn't, wouldn't we be better off? Wouldn't we have gotten our money's worth? Maybe they would get less e-mails full of questions. Or maybe they could keep less officer hours. Or perhaps they could spend their time better on students hope really need some extra help. Maybe they wouldn't be so weight down with all the responsibilities they have, then again, they could open up new responsibilities and duties for them. But at least they're students would be better off, maybe?

All that side, I mean everything I have brought up could be debated and a teacher could tell the insides and outsides of design education here at OCAD, (as some have and have criticized the methods at OCAD heavily) but the one thing I am not pleased about some teachers is misinformation. I don't need to have a teacher run me around in circles one week and then to have them change their mind the second. Oh what's that? Clients do that? Art directors too? Sure, but they're paying me to have a headache. I get to charge my clients when they decide they hate what I've done, so when my work sucks, it may not be so bad. Seriously, I don't need teachers to allow their classes to become some sort of soap opera or a Agatha Christie mystery on TV. I've come to class, sorry, I've paid for class to be educated. Truthfully, not everyone has the gift to teach. I personally like being inspired, it makes me work harder. Every good leader inspires, getting a better result out of their team. So why not a teacher? And if they can't inspire, at least give the class something to think about. After all, education is all about filling young minds with something to think about.

More then often, students plug away at something, until they get it right. And really, all that becomes is a crap shoot. Yes, I know a client wants to see many different versions of what could become the finally product, but as we learn, we start to produce less of material that might work to pieces of design that does work and its up to the client to chose his favorite.

What I'm saying is, if OCAD is going to charge me so much money, that I'm in debt for the next 10 years or more, then give me something solid. Nothing misleading, whether unintentional or not. Teacher's should know if what they bring to student's is really going to help. Give me something to take away. Make the education here something more then just a piece of paper saying I'm a graphic designer. Cause in the real world, all that piece of paper is saying is I know how to use the design applications on my computer better then the average person and that it costs more to use me.

Rant done.