Vision & Voice: Design Education as Agent for Change

In order for our students to be able to affect how the world sees, we, as educators, have to first teach them how to see the world. And, in order for our students to be able to go out and give voice to those who need it, we first have to help them find their own voice.

As art and design educators, there is no more powerful way in which to affect change in the world than through giving our students the power of vision and voice. In each course we teach, students study some aspect of how to create: to compose, paint, draw, set type, photograph and produce. We teach them how to solve problems, organize information, tell a story, and create clear and beautiful presentations. In the midst of learning these tools, students are usually clear about what to do with them, but often loose sight of why. Why paint, why design, why create? It is through this question of why create (what is the purpose?) that forces for change can begin to grow.

Unlike specific tools and methods, purpose is not something we can give our students. We can, however, challenge them with the question, and help them find ways to examine why they will create. At the core of this question is another question; what will they be putting into the world through their art and design? It is through this question that students can begin to consider the changes their work will bring about. In addition to a sense of purpose, an artist/designer who wishes to affect change in the world needs to develop the two most important tools of all: their vision and their voice.

On vision
Vision is not the ability to see the future, but rather the ability to clearly see the present, evaluate it in the contexts of social, political and cultural environments, and then imagine what the future could look like. Vision is about clarity; seeing beyond conventions, habits, surface reactions and disinformation—to reveal a true picture of a problem or condition. It is supremely important that we help each student develop his or her clear and unique vision. The first key to how we teach students to see clearly is through teaching them critical thinking. This manifests in several areas in the education of an artist/designer: through teaching about culture and politics, through teaching how to research, through teaching about processes in the develop-ment of meaningful work, and through helping students discover where they can fit in the sociopolitical world. There are also effective exercises in developing how students see, in courses such as photography, typography, drawing and creative writing. In these courses, students can be challenged to view objects, places, people and situations through a variety of different lenses. Upon completion of courses like these, students often see the world around them differently. It is important to emphasize, at this point, that the vision each student develops must be his or her own, and not overly influenced, or determined, by the vision of the teacher. We are serving the student’s individual growth only as far as we are able to help them develop their own unique vision.

On voice
All art and design requires the artist/designer to have a clear and unique voice with which to communicate—to employ his or her vision of what can be created. In the fine arts, the voice is that of the individual artist—in design it is a creative combination of the designer’s voice and that of the client. How does one develop a voice—how do we, as educators, foster the development of each student’s unique voice? The answer, of course, begins with the tools of communication—but does not end there. Students must also be exposed to the voices of historically and currently successful communicators, and examples of how they have affected change through art and design, in order to see what is possible. We can also create projects that require employing vision, developing a point of view, and building a meaningful message. Through the projects we assign, we can also encourage a deep understanding of how formal skills can be creatively interpreted. A large number of these lessons are manifest through the discussion of student work, beginning with the student’s articulation of vision, communication concepts, and uses of media. Integral to discussions of student work is the process of testing how effectively a message is communicated. This stage completes the process, by confirming that the artist’s vision is voiced, and the voice clearly understood.

On change
That change will occur is a given, a law of nature. We have, however, choices regarding our relationship with change. We can become proactive participants in world events, leaders in the development of our social, cultural and political environments—agents for change. This can be one result of clear vision and a strong voice, using the powerful tools of communication to inform, educate, protest or persuade. Positive change does not have to be sociopolitical however. Vision and voice serve both social and commercial needs, as design and illustration are particularly powerful tools in promoting commercial successes. We, as educators, can create projects for our students, which develop not only their problem-solving skills, but also teach them how to recognize, define and frame problems. This will empower them to perceive problems in a clearer light than others will, and enable them to address those problems more creatively.

Then there is change that we cannot control. In these cases, we can teach students to respond creatively to change—not by being reactive, but by being actively responsive. This requires a special awareness that is inherent in all successful artists and designers. We should do everything we can to help students exercise their sensitivity and awareness to forces of change in the world. Again, this serves both sociopolitical and commercial needs equally.

The purpose of this article is not to deliver any groundbreaking teaching methods, but rather to open some explorative dialogue to examine our teaching methods and purpose in art and design education. Whether we are teaching a technical or conceptual course, or some combination of both, we have the opportunity to challenge students to recognize the power of these tools and consider how they can be used to affect positive changes in some aspect of life. My intent here is to encourage both colleagues and students to view art as more than self-expression, and design and illustration as more than services rendered. I would like us to consider, in everything we create, what we are making and how it affects the world around us. These considerations will not only make students better citizens, but will also enable them to better serve clients seeking insightful outlooks and an innovative message.