DXH702 Contemporary Issues in IVD

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

Contemporary designers need to be aware of how design shapes and changes the way that we understand communication, technologies, social interaction, and culture. Moreover, interaction and visual designers need a deep understanding of established and new design methods and conceptual approaches. This unit addresses the intellectual frameworks, theories, and philosophical and cultural issues surrounding contemporary design practice. It addresses the methodologies and methods designers use for critical, creative, and analytical thinking and for driving design innovation. In this unit, you will reflect upon interconnections between technology, design, and society and engage with advanced frameworks for design research and innovation.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Interpret and critique theoretical issues associated with technology and design and be able to articulate them in written and oral forms.
2. Critically analyse contemporary issues relating to our engagement with, and the impacts of, advances in design and technology upon society (including intercultural contexts) and present arguments associated with these analyses.
3. Analyse and evaluate the relationship between theory and design practice.
4. Demonstrate initiative, judgement and critical capabilities in the development of a self-directed line of inquiry.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit is run as a combination of lectures and studios, involving discussion both individually and in groups. You are also expected to pursue your own line of inquiry outside formal sessions.

Unit delivery
Contact hours are divided between lectures and studios with the expectation of approximately 10 hrs of independent work per week. Lectures may be presented online or in person.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways: formative feedback from teaching staff and peers in studios; comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets; criteria sheet grading; feedback from teaching staff and peers in studios.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit should be considered in respect to the major B. Design (IVD) honours project, being undertaken in DXH701 and DXH801. The second assignment will become part of the honours exegesis/thesis submitted at the end of the year in DXH801.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation (Oral)

You will deliver an oral presentation that articulates a given position and argument in relation to a topic shared with your peers. You will be required to hand in your presentation slides and supporting written document.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Research Paper

You will produce a written analysis on a chosen topic within the field of contemporary digital media. It should demonstrate your understanding of the changing debates on design and technology as well as interpretive and analytical skills within a coherently developed argument. This assignment will form a chapter in your final hons exegesis/thesis submitted in DXH801.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Hamilton, Jillian (2011) The voices of the exegesis. In Justice, L & Friedman, K (Eds.) Pre-Conference Proceedings of Practice, Knowledge, Vision: Doctoral Education in Design Conference. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, pp. 340-343.

Faud-Luke, A. (2009). Design activism : Beautiful strangeness for a sustainable world,  London: Earthscan

Grau, O. (2007). Media art histories. Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press

Gray, C., Malins, J. (2004). Visualising Research: A guide to the research process in art and design. England: Burlington

Hamilton J., Jaaniste, L. (2010). A connective model for the practice-led research exegesis: An analysis of content and structure. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice 3(1):31-44

Hamilton J., Jaaniste, L. (2014). Effective and evocative: Spectrum of creative practice research. in Barrett and Bolt (Eds.) Material Inventions. London: IB Tauris

Hawk, B., Rieder, D.M. and Oviedo, O. (Eds.) (2008) Small tech : The culture of digital tools. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press

Hearn, G., Foth, M. (2004). Action research in the design of new media and ICT systems, Current Issues in Communications and Media Research. New York: Nova Science

Laurel, B. (2003). Design research: methods and perspectives. Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press

Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media. Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press

Nowak, K.L., Biocca, F. (2003). The effect of agency and anthropomorphism on users' sense of telepresence, copresence, and social presence in virtual environments' in Presence, Vol. 12, No. 5, 481-494

Schon, D. A. (1991). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. England: Ashgate

Smith, K. (Ed) (2005) Handbook of visual communication: Theory, methods, and media. Mahwah, N.J.: L. Erlbaum

Strate, L., Jacobson, R. L., & Gibson, S.B. (2003). Communication and cyberspace : Social interaction in an electronic environment (2nd ed.). Creskill, N.J.: Hampton Press

Risk Assessment Statement

In this unit you will undertake lectures and/or classes in lecture theatres or studios. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Assessment involves working with and submitting digital files. As such it is recommended that you develop a regular process for backing up your work, as to ensure work is not lost in the event of a computer/hardware failure.

All students and staff are required to complete the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction for access to campus buildings and facilities. This must be completed online.