Soumitri's Major Project Resources

http://www.materialconnexion.com/rmit/

ON Campus only !!!!

Click on the link and you should be their :p

If you have probs see the school librarian liaison: gwen.scott@rmit.edu.au

PROPOSAL:If you would like to discuss how to improve your proposals and reports you can come over and see me.

Pl NOTE: I have not collected your proposals to give you a crit on them ( feedback on content you can get from your supervisors). I have merely collected your proposals to make it easier for me to get compliance from you in week 13.

If you have not submitted your proposals do so.

Report Structure:
You are required to submit a report on the assessment day. For any other submission requirements contact your supervisor. What you will submit - to meet your premajor assessment requirements has to be mentioned clearly in your proposal. And you have to submit all this fully completed for your grade to be awarded.

You will have to submit to me finalised Proposals by week 13. These proposals will be sent off to the panellists - so that they can be prepared for your presentation.

NOTE: This is a necessary condition for you to present your work in week 16. ( That is - Failure to comply will mean you will not get to present.)

This is the schedule of the assessments. Please Note:
1. It is expected that you will be there for all the presentations. Please make sure to cancel all engagements for these two days.
2. All the preparatory work for the sessions will be my responsibility. I will need all of you to put up your work on the day before - 19th. This will serve as a small exhibition. I will need help (so volunteer) to sort out the room and and to prepare it for the sessions.
3. Final lists will be notified as and when your supervisors submit the list of panellists. The selection and contacting of the panel members ( to ensure they are present on time) is the responsibility of the student and their respective supervisors.

Hello peoples - i am just putting my vote in for the pm/mm room. Soumitri, i think that its an invaluable resource for fourth years - and perhaps you wont get a lot of enthusiasm for its establishment this semester but i promise you that i will be using it a LOT next semester and i think others will aswell. So there's my two cents.

I would like to come in on the holidays and give it a clean and a new paint job and maybe a chalk board or a pin board (some space to offer something of our projects to our peers and as a place of reflection) - there is blackboard paint that bunnings sell so we could even paint a wall of blackboard for people to use.

Do we have any funds to help get the room set up? Ill do what i can when i can between uni work and working but i would definately like to be a part of getting it up and running.

:) Maria

Oh, and Soumitri, what happened to the grading aspiration sheets you were going to give us to fill in? was that just something i missed out on because i arrived a little late or werent they handed out on friday? Sorry - just want to keep on top of these little things. Thanks.

Here is the list of points I made on Friday:
1. For info on PM/M elesewhere see the Architecture web site/ Gallery.
2. Graduate Research Conference (GRC): See calendar in lounge and do attend.
3. Make an intriguing title for your project.
4. Remember the points I made about the panel assessment: be there for everyone, speak up, and show respect for your colleagues work.
5. Party at end: Students will organise? Coem forward.
6. Give feedback to super about what you value in their supervision.
7. Make plan for sem 2 and show it at the panel assessment.
8. Plan and be clear about the end result of your project.

Elsewhere - in documents from other universities - the PM/M is mentioned as a significant work and requiring 40hrs a week to do effectively. Those are high standards and its up to you to put up an impressive performance.

If you need help ask. For the rest do this for yourself.

You have the room and can occupy it. However I would like feedback in a week from you if you really need this resource. Meanwhile here is what needs doing:
1. The room will be open access from 9 to 5 but at 5 the lock will come on. You need to speak to Brian to get access to this room put on your cards. It may eb a good idea to stop open access and make it security access at all times.
2. The computers in the room have to be connected up.
3. The room has to be emptied. The pubs can be taken away. Liam will advice us on this.
4. Housekeeping duties roster: You left on friday - and I picked up paper on the floor, two coffee cups, and straightened the chairs. This room has to be kept clean, and orderly - no rubbish. And there has to be a roster of responsibility - to look after the space.
5. Water: Can move to this room. But after the open access is taken off.
6. You can similarly have the microwave and the fridge (purple one).

All this has to be done by you - the student group - and so come forward.

These are the things that need to be done till June 20th. You have been asked for help - meanwhile Soumitri will do what needs doing.
1. The lounge is yours: See post for the roster of responsibilities.
2. Weekly catch up: I would like you to start a weekly catch up to get your sharing going. This can be the location for me to hang out with you and help with things such as report ....
3. Poster: We need to make a poster of the end of sem event. Names of presenters and titles. This will be posted to the whole community and will be put up in the corridors - 87 and 8.
4. Panellists: Panel memebers have to be finalised and then contacted with your porposals for them to read up.
5. Web Site: We need to make a web site for Premajor 2006. And put up all your projects - proposals, report format and pics.
6. Blog Administrator: I need help administering this blog. And for now - to enter the email addresses of all of you who haven't responded to theearlier invitation.
7. Handbook: I am mmaking the PM/MM handbook and would like help with that. This is to be finished well before the 20th of June. ( templates: grade aspirations, learning contract, supervisor relationship, calendar of the year, ...)

So contact me to offer assistance.

Friday was good. I liked how you all spoke about your work. Some of you were effective in your reflection, many of you spoke about the content of your project.

You could certainly look at sharpening your skills of reflection. And understanding how you work.

Many of you gave in your proposals, and report formats - some you didn't. Do you if you want feedback on improving these things.

I asked for you to help with the premajor process. I understand you dont want to take anything extra on. However this is still open - and do come up if you can do anything.

For now all info will be posted here. Watch this for details of panel assessment dates.

Week 10 Catch Up

Date: 12th May 2006, Friday
Venue: TBC, will be posted here tomorrow

9.00 - 9.30
Soumitri Briefing on Closure: I will speak about the key dates, the panel members and assessment, the stuff you have to present and the formats, what you need to do for the semester submission.

9.30 - 10.00
3 reflections by:
1. Antonio
2. Shawn
3. Paul

10.00 - - 10.30
Coffee Break and meet the group conversations

10.30 - 11.50
8 reflections by:
4. Charles
5. Mark
6. Katherine
7. Maria
8. Beau
9. Victor
10. Nasser
11. Angela

11.50 - 12.00
Wrap up and closing
I will in this time Collect from you: Grade aspirations (what grade you are aiming for), Proposals, end note references and report structure.

Apologies: Will, Claire, Lexis

The session is one of reflection and moving towards completion. So the three things you could try doing are:
Looking Back
Making Claims
Talking about Self Reliance

Your work is to be discussed with your supervisor - I am just administering the course and would like to help - so the session is for a sharing among peers and for a discussion of difficulties or realisations. The Blog may have done this, but this way (face-to-face) is good too.

This is not an evaluative session - if anything it is an enabling session. So come not to be judged but because you care and would like to help your peers with your suggestions. And would like them to sympathise with you and would like their constructive comments.

In this it is my responsibility to conduct the session free of criticism and evaluation. I can do this as I am experienced in doing this. So come if only to see this.

The 4 year Industrial Design Program is a progression in 3 stages: The Lower Pool, The Upper Pool and the Premajor/Major.

The Lower Pool: The first stage lasts for three semesters. In this period the student leaves behind the ways of the school- chiefly strategic learning, or learning by guessing what the teacher wants - and begins the process of developing her/his creativity and problem solving skills. And also the crucial skills of communication and realising their thinking in material form. Students in this phase talk of the idea of design they came into uni with - and how it had all changed. In this phase design studies takes you through the realms of: Cultural Amplification, then Networks-Rhizomes-communities and finally with Sustainability. In this phase Chijoff got to make his now famous car in semester two CAD - and he went on to win the 6K prize for best model from VACC. Students leave this stage competent - and eager to challenge themselves in the hurly burly of the upper pool studios.

The Upper Pool: The second stage lasts three semesters. Uni assumes the student is accomplished and ready to take the plunge into a host of design situations. In this stage the student faces options - many studios, many electives and then the opportunity to study abroad. This is unique to RMIT Industrial Design - and demonstrates that the uni has faith in the student and trusts her/him to construct their own meaning of design. A meaning that is unique- and that may include studios in Architecture, Interior, Landscape Arch or Fashion. Will Murphy pushed himself to do do an Interior design studio then a SIAL studio and then took himself off on an RMIT-Japan stint. This semester we have added 'invitational' studios in this stage: Catalyst is doing the Knog studio - and by all accounts students are getting a taste of 'product design' and being pushed for it; also Cobalt Niche is doing the Tram Elective - and that has its own excited students' cohort. Students in this phase talk of being wise with their choice of three studios; and Rob talked of how Mick's studio changed everything for him. And how he knows & is clear he does not want to do designs of things. This is a stage of self discovery above all - who am I and what am I excited about in the world of design. At the end of this stage students are ready to leave behind their search and exploration of the different kinds of pathways that exist for the practice of design. They are willing to embark on their own and unique construction of the meaning of design, and what they will continue as their unique contribution to the profession. This sounds hugely arrogant - but then that is the uniqueness of the RMIT program. Its about you in a fundamental way and everything else is second.

The PreMajor/ Major: The last stage is of two semesters. This is the stage of Mastery, this is the stage where the student leaves behind their groping for meanings and reliance on the tutor to tell them what to do. Where they leave behind their role playing as 'I am at Uni, and its not my responsibility' to move on to 'if I am given one chance to show off my capability here is what I will do'. This stage is crucially about Individual Self Reliance and the ability of each individual to get totally excited about a project they have dreamed up. In that sense this is also the stage at which the student has to address issues of core competencies and their ability to perform as independent designers. Where they are not REACTIVE but fundamentally CREATIVE. Where they do not wait to be told what to do but have a contribution to make - because they know how things ought to be, or are irritated by the way things are and wish to make a change. Seen from the outside the students in this stage look driven, excited and hungering for a chance for making radical innovations. They propose, they reflect, and they execute systematically. They have taken in this way a shot at seeing themselves function as leaders. They have realised their true potential and become ready to put their design education behind.

I am pushing you to look back - to see the different stages in your evolution, in your education in the program. I am asking for you to reflect, for you to cut free and be true to yourself. I am asking you to take charge. I am asking you to see the uni as that forrest, that wave, that city and that terrain; upon which you explore; upon which you test yourself, where you find yourself; and ultimately which makes you uniquely robust, clear and motivated. I am asking you to see the topology of the program in this way - three stages - and in that way I am asking you to see your growth thru the program as containing these three stages.

And in this will be a tremendous validation of your self worth. So be true, be honest and give it your all.

You have to bring this to share with everyone:
a. Proposal
b. Endnote reference list
c. Report Framework

Please remember that your topic and area is what you discuss with your supervisor/s. What we do in these sessions is share 'how' you ahve goen about doing what you have done. We also share these three things - that all students have in common.

It is totally esssential that you bring all these to the session. If you need help with any of this do contact me - but before the session. Do not make a poor showing - it is not fair to the group.

HELP?
1. What is the Proposal? This what you set out as your Project. Your topic, approach and plan of the PreMajor.
2. What is the EndNote Ref list? This is the listing of your research; books, articles, links etc.
3. What is the Report? At the end of the semester you will submit your PreMajor Report. How you plan to structure this is to be discussed.

This is what we will do on Friday during the sesssion.
a. Closure: SV talks about closure and expectations
i. Basic requirements to complete the Pre major
ii. Supervisor Orientated Variations

b. Reflection: Each student gets 5 minutes to talk about what they have done. (see post below for tips on 'how to')

c. Peer Feedback: All students engage in peer feedback ( go/ no-go)

d. Self Assessment: Sheet on Grade Aspiration

Here are three ways you can get your reflection happening ...
a. Looking back: I used to …./ but now ….
b. Making Claims: There are the 5 significant things I have done in this course.
c. I have demonstrated Self Reliance in this way: (a) I have taken Charge of my learning, and do not wait and expect to be instructed/ spoon fed. (b) I see the significance of this work I am doing because …