Project activities in China
What is it about?
The paper presents the findings of the research into improving design students’ professional training by means of project activities alongside art and multimedia technologies. It discusses the role of artistic skills in the success of project activities, in particular, the skills of visual representation of the environment via multimedia technologies. It was confirmed that the development of media significantly changed the technological potential of design, as well as its artistic value and advantages of quickly spreading information. Therefore, professional training content became the primary focus of attention, since it appeared vital to involve new forms of creating artistic design projects with such modern methods as media fusion, motion graphics, etc. The development of digital technologies promoted changes in teaching methods, adjustments in curricula according to the demands of modern design and those of introducing creative approaches in project activity teaching. Prompt reaction to changes in the advanced design concepts and understanding of the psycho-educational features of design students training give the possibility to improve educational process so as to prepare designers competitive in the new media landscape. It should be noted that designing is a multifaceted creative process, based on the degree of scientific and technological development, personal aesthetic values, means of perceiving and processing information, the course of intellectual and practical activities, high emotional intelligence, etc. As in modern socio-cultural environment design is focused on different elements of the material and intellectual culture, a designer influences human culture intellectually and artistically, thus shaping consumer’s aesthetic taste. The experimental part of the study demonstrates the dynamics of forming professional project skills of future designers based on the authors’ special course «Multimedia Technologies». Students’ ability to synthesise knowledge and skills received during the course were experimentally examined. It was highlighted that information and communication technologies provide free access to professional data, allow one to acquire skills required to complete creative tasks, and open broad opportunities for experiments related to design, bright interfaces, visual images, etc.
Why is it important?
It was found out that students’ outcomes of completing the aforesaid special course enable future designers to develop their personal skills, encourage their ability to use information technologies logically and consistently in their professional activities. Design students can create their own digital content, where their design project will meet technical requirements. Thus, this created digital content will be more effective and useful for students’ further professional activities. Optimization of training that focuses on designing various objects using ICTs, computer graphics, animation, 3D, digital art, sound design, and interactive features serves the basis for future designers’ professional education.