Albany Senior High School/Coursebook/3DES

What is this course about?
This course is about developing and proposing your own individual area to investigate and then sustaining an in-depth study in design. It is about creating meaningful and thought-provoking art within a design context, rather than just advertising something. It is about exploring all the different ways of generating and developing successful design work. Contemporary design often crosses over into photography, illustration, animation, digital art, sculpture and installation and you will be expected to consider these options.

What will I learn?
You will learn how to work more conceptually and creatively. You will explore why and how design communicates complex ideas. You will continue to develop your practical and technical skills, with hand drawing, photographic and computer software (Inkscape and GIMP). Most importantly, you will learn about media literacy, critiquing the role that design plays in contemporary culture. It is really important that you learn to generate and regenerate your ideas through analysis and critical thinking, and be able to articulate your intention both visually and orally.

What sorts of things will I do?
You will work independently on your proposed investigation, but also collaboratively with other class members and the teacher. You will provide assistance to and seek assistance from other class members. You will participate in group critiques to build a strong collaborative learning culture within the class group. At this level you must take a very organised and mature approach to your work. The main body of work for this course is an externally assessed 3 board folio due early in term 4.

Scholarship opportunities
Scholarship involves two components: the workbook and the portfolio,(i.e.AS 90517 - 14 credits) and together they inform each other. The workbook and portfolio should articulate visual and conceptual arguments to form a body of exploratory and investigative work which clearly show evidence of the generation, development, analysis, clarification, synthesis and re-generation of the chosen theme. The work should show evidence of on-going decision making, evaluation and in-depth exploration and research of ideas. The workbook consists of eight A3 sized pages only. The research and thinking evident on these pages is marked under three specific assessment criteria, - analysis, communication and synthesis.

Do I need to have taken Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts?
It is expected that students will have undertaken visual arts in Year 11 and 12. These two years are the foundation years where students grasp the necessary technical, creative thinking and conceptual skills that are much needed otherwise students will find this course challenging.

What teritary courses could I go to?
Unitec, Whitecliff, AUT, University of Auckland, University of Canterbury and Massey University to name a few all offer courses involving the Arts. Whether graphic design, animation, photography and media art, arts therapy, fashion design or product and furniture design, Year 13 art will be a building block towards your future career.

Go to this website for further information.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5435437_design-art-colleges-new-zealand.html