Goals of Photographic Instruction
Gerard Bowles
1/20/00This is a rough outline of concepts put forth by this instructor for student discussion.
Imaging for visual communication is an important topic. In the recent past, imaging was left to the few professionals. But today, imaging is rapidly becoming used by everyone, in every environment and profession. To satisfy it's needs, industry is introducing new imaging technology into the education system by sponsoring equipment for elementary education. As a result, the elementary and some higher schools are better equipped than many colleges and universities, and these students are becoming more visually astute. The problem for the current college student, in THEIR TIME, the age of visual communication, is NOW.
It is the responsibility of the instructor to keep abreast of a field, and educate students in the way they can use the knowledge and skills they have learned.
Goals
The proposed goals of a course should be defined by national education standards, and where applicable industry needs and standards. These goals should be put forth by the instructor. Students should consider these goals, and make suggestions according to their interests and planned applications. The student, instructor, department head, and institution should function as a team to achieve course goals.
In photography--currently a hot subject, with rapidly-increasing communication demands in personal and professional applications--how should the following goals be prioritized?:
- Traditional image communication principles
- Contemporary and new trends in communication principles
- Traditional applications (personal art, gallery exhibition)
- Traditional materials (chemical reproduction)
- Traditional users (professionals and committed hobbyists)
- Contemporary users (the above, and now untrained communicators)
- Contemporary application trends (currently, renewed interests in personal images, including family, and rapidly-increasing professional use)
- New technology (digitizing traditional materials, digital photography, digitizing video images, modifications for new reproduction processes used in home and office, and electronic communications including email and Web)
Flexibility:
Instructors, and the courses, must be flexible. As students learn, they will see how they can apply what they have learned, and should be free to alter the course to their needs. Not all can be satisfied completely--such satisfaction comes from entertainment, not education, and entertainment does not have a lasting impression or benefit.
Materials, equipment and facilities:
These are always limited to the integrity of the topic of the course, student interests, budget, and the more difficult ingredient, space. Improvements and updates take time. The key is commitment.
Time
Time is always a factor in art, because art is compressed time. What must communicate in a few seconds, can take hours or days. When students have a heavy load of lecture courses, their time is limited by study, research and writing, from often scattered information sources. Art majors have greater flexibility in that they can juggle project processes in the after-class time they spend in the studios. For example, while paint is drying, epoxy is curing, or clay baking, they can be working on a photographic project.
This juggling of time must be taken into account by the instructor, and considered in the instruction. An art course taken as an elective, cannot have the same demands as one taught as a profession. However, an important, satisfying and beneficial introduction can be achieved.
Email: grbowles@aol.com. Comments, helpful or ranting, will be appreciated ;-)
Index of papers by Gerard Bowles:
http://members.aol.com/grbowles/AcadRes.html