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.