Exploration Metaphor
In IT500 I wrote an exploration metaphor in an attempt to illustrate my feelings / approach when designing. The following is a revised version of my metaphor:
When designing, I feel like an explorer. I may have a vague notion of where I am going, but I do not always know how I will get there. When approaching a project I may feel like I am standing before a dense forest. I find myself intimited by the realization that I need to pass through the forest even though I do not see a clear path. I may not always know where I am going or how I would get there. I simply have to take a deep breath, pull out my machete, and start hacking away at the brush of trial and error. As I make my way deeper into the wilderness, there are times when a incorrect trail will emerge. I journey down the path as things seem to become clear, but then I encounter an obstacle that requires me to backtrack and find an alternate route.
In past design experiences, when feeling lost and intimidated, my motivation to continue are driven by a desire for discovery and a need to accomplish a task. Once the journey starts, revelations and new understandings guide and direct my course. When I find myself deep in the forest of confusion, frustration can overtake me and make me want to give up. However, my desire to succeed kept me focused and allowed me to complete the course. At the end of a project, I stand on the other side of the forest, reflect on the journey, and wonder if I took the correct route. However, I realize that those experiences guide and help plot the course for my next adventure.
Use in Projects
Instructional Design
When designing my project for IT500, I started to design with MRK model as it was all I knew of instructional design. I began the approach by developing goals, objectives, and learning strategies. However, Dr. Knowlton encouraged me to explore and take other approaches based on the course readings. Since my background was not in education, some of the concept we read were very intimidating and confusing. However, I read of the various theories and concepts, such as Adult Learning Theory, Situated Cognition, and Problem Based Learning, and started to see how they could apply to my project. I began to see that there was not necessarily one perfect formula for design. A designer can use learning theory concepts, theories, and methods as tools to create insturction for a variety of settings. (IT500 project)
Graphic Design
In IT486, I was assigned a project to create a graphic using Adobe Photoshop. I began the project without a clear goal, other than to create something. I did a brainstorming activity where I wrote down a few different ideas. One idea I envisioned was to cut a picture Dr. Thomeczech's family from a picture she had posted on BlackBoard, and place it on a different background, though I did not have a clear picture in mind. The design process from this point was playing, exploration, and discovery. I did not have a clear idea of where I was going and felt that the design process was a journey. As I experimented with the images and the program's tools, I played until I was happy and produced the end product.
