“The Role of Creativity in Computer Graphics Education” by Wands

This forum will give attendees a chance to present their own views on creativity and curriculum, as well as hear those of educators from a diverse group of colleges. Computer graphics education has grown tremendously in the last five years, particularly on the department level. Many issues have arisen related to the place of computer graphics education within a specific department’s curriculum. They include the type of courses offered, challenges arising from the impact of this added educational component, and the desire to maintain traditional art education elements, such as theory and critique.

Creativity has historically been addressed in theory and critique classes. It is also now being taught along with software in computer graphics classes. Outcomes from this forum will allow educators to gain insight into their approach to nurturing creativity as it relates to computer graphics education. Other topics to be discussed include interdisciplinary approaches to curriculum, creating content for courses, and the relationship of computer graphics to traditional art education. The role of creativity in computer science classes, particularly programming, will also be discussed.