It seems in the last few weeks, the topic of mobile devices and college students has come to my attention frequently. There has been quite a bit of discussion online and on college campuses about the distraction factor of student cell phone usage (i.e. texting, instead of listening to the instructor).

The first wave came from an email I received from the department chair at The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. His email was proposing a design wide faculty meeting based on the feedback he received from instructors about “technology distractions”. Observations were made that students are missing key points, due to laptop and cell phone usage during class.

The second wave came from an article on Wired about the very same issue. In this case, the private college took part in a research study that introduces iPhones and iPod touches into the curriculum. The study was a two-fold experiment. The students could choose a device to utilize in their studies, and the instructors must integrate the devices into their curriculum’s. The goal here being to reach the students with the tools that they already are accustomed to. The college had fantastic results. The experiment was a success.

The third wave, and connector for me, is my experience teaching design to 16-17 year old pre-college students. Also known as the future undergraduate design students of the world.

I noticed at the beginning of my class in September, the abundant texting going on with my students. The first thought in my mind was, ‘wait, this could be a distraction problem’. As I began to think about this situation, I decided not to bring up the topic of their phone usage during class, and took the opportunity to observe their behavior. There are some interesting results from my observations.

I found out of all the students (ten total) that one or two may have had a distraction issue when texting. The other students could very easily multi-task and take part in discussion. I also polled the class about their experiences in their high school about their texting. The consensus was in each high school, there was some sort of reprimand for (getting caught) texting during class. These reprimands ranged from withholding of the device, or contacting parents, or detention. They also gave me some great insight on how to text message friends while keeping the phone concealed.

Also, most students could text without even looking at the phone.

So, what does this say? Are students distracted by texting? Or is it time for a fundamental shift in pedagogies. The students in my class answered questions with fast response times, and we’re able to take direction with ease. The model featured in the Wired article above, is just one of many examples of colleges and professors asking critical questions about their teaching model.

What is the answer to mobile tech in the classroom? Maybe a good start, is to ask the students about what they know.

Widely used at colleges and universities, Blackboard is the most common, privately licensed, Learning Management System. Students can use Blackboard to see grades, participate in discussions, share files and notes etc…

Recently I was invited to teach a class over at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. I was promptly emailed credentials on how to log-in to my Blackboard account, and begin building my course. A few problems with that though, and one big one being that I am not familiar with the interface! The other issue being the cumbersome, and somewhat antiquated, posting abilities.

Solution? Facebook.

After finding out that my students already had Facebook accounts, it seemed only logical to build a Facebook fan page. Think about it…

I need to post videos, links to blogs, links to syllabus and course materials, upload photos and media, and message the entire class. Facebook can do all these things. And, the bonus being my students and I already know how to use Facebook. It’s like second nature. Also, Facebook puts a nice presentation on posted items such as videos and links, making them more enticing to the end user.

Yes, there is a Facebook / Blackboard connector app, but my two attempts to use it, resulted in errors and warning messages that the URL I typed has Blocked this app to access it. This is probably due to lack of support by the college network admins, security, and just plain lack of knowing. Pretty far from a solution. I am also aware that some instructors enjoy the use of copyrighted media behind school login credentials. Great. Leave the copyrighted content in Blackboard or authenticate some other way. There is tons of terabytes of servers out there. Or there is also only displaying public domain content via YouTube or other services…

Using Facebook to empower you and your students is pretty much a genius idea. Not only can your students benefit directly, others can watch the progress of your class and through downloads, photos and other media. MIT paved the way with it’s Open Courseware concept. Having your class content open to the public is like “taking the cover off the magical box, and revealing the secrets that lie within”.

…Or is it more like wrangling? Point is, it’s anyones game when your in the wild west.

Funny Story.

The AIGA is America’s most popular design association and has thousands of members nation wide. We have worked frequently with the AIGA on various events, and regularly attend their events throughout the year . They own all the other domain names .com, .net etc..

One day while searching for usable domains, we came across a domain that was surprisingly not purchased, AIGA.US.

So we bought it for $9.99.

Knowing that AIGA is a fairly well known business, we figured that someone would buy it up sooner rather than later. We also figured that we knew enough AIGA Boston people that someone could get the domain back to AIGA corporate. Well, before we had the chance to get a hold of corporate, we had someone contact us to buy it for $500! Out of the blue! Now this is interesting…

A domain that we bought for $9.99 was now worth $500, instantly. To avoid an old fashioned domain bidding war, we gave AIGA a chance to make an offer of at least that, and if they could match it, then we would sell it to them. I mean, we were planning on transferring it to them anyway at some point.

They did in fact match it, and will soon own the new domain. The economy is down, cash is tight, and 500 bucks is 500 bucks. Who knows what the mysterious bidder wanted to do with the AIGA.US domain. Maybe they wanted to re-sell it. Maybe they wanted to give AIGA some competition. Those details are unknown. We’re just glad the domain is now in the right hands.

Just another example of the speed and state of infancy the web is currently in. We always say that the web is still like the wild west, and in this case, domains are like nuggets from the California gold rush.

A sentiment that we have shared for some time now, was a trending topic on Twitter for a while. Millions of tweets labeld ‘IE6 Must Die’ had flooded the Twitter network, in hopes that many site owners will concur, and Windows users will upgrade their browsers finally. First, a little Internet Explorer facts:

1. Internet Explorer 6 was released and bundled with Windows XP in August of 2001, eight years ago. At this point, it made up almost 80% of browser usage.
2. Internet Explorer 7, the next generation to replace IE6, was released in October 2006, three years ago, and made up 30-40% of web browser market share.
3. Internet Explorer 8, was released May 2009.

W3Schools, the leading source of web standards, has detailed statistics about browser usage over the last five years or so. According to W3Schools, who by the way will not be supporting IE6 on their next website launch.

A fact about a modern browsers: Currently, modern browsers like Firefox 3.0 and other open source browsers are seeing almost 50% of browser market share.

Now, on to the top five reasons why you need to upgrade your browser to a more modern browser:

1. Designers and web developers must spend lots of extra hours programming for your antiquated browser, thus costing their clients more cash and over expended resources.
2. Major websites like YouTube and Digg have announced the end of IE6 support. So many other small and large sites will immediately follow suit.
3. Technology, media, and content management have change dramatically in the last 9 years. As more features become available, the more older browsers become less compatible, because of their antiquated architecture.
4. Important security holes have been patched in more recent browsers. Keep your data and browsing experience safe.
5. Rich media drives the user experience on the web; Java, Flash and other web media services will be faster, and more compatible with a more modern browser.

Upgrade your browser now! Here are the links to upgrade:

Chrome (PC):
http://www.google.com/chrome/

Internet Explorer 8 (PC):
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx

Safari (Mac/PC):
http://www.apple.com/safari/

FireFox (Mac/PC):
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/firefox.html

Recently, we took part in Pecha Kucha Boston. Pecha Kucha is a creative lecture format/event that gives a handful of speakers 20 slides and just over 6 minutes to give their pitch. When it was our turn to take the floor, we unveiled not only a bit about or “number one hit single” project Anyone Can Swiss, but the concept of how designers can use “Our Design” to become the new Rock Stars.

Our Design – Working Theory

Our design simply means, all of us: designers, architects, painters, electricians, programmers, taxi drivers etc… Design is no longer limited to single fields of study. It can’t be. If designers are to continue to be meaningful and valuable to the world, they must multi-discipline themselves. It is already difficult enough to convince your clients why design cost money and takes as much time as it does.That’s why, with the Our Design method of working, return on investment is 100% a priority.

The key is to understand and communicate to your client, that design is more than just the planning, graphics, and final tangible object. It is the shaping and influence that you as a designer have over the entire project. From planning and production, to post quantitative and qualitative analysis. You know, the numbers that show your client what you did, actual worked! Otherwise, your just ‘pissing in the wind’ as the colloquialism states.

By first logically analyzing all the connections that come in contact with a project, a designer can find new or ‘un-orthodox’ resources for greatness that may have been overlooked in the past, due to a narrow field of vision and study.

By implementing the ‘Our Design’ method of working, and by learning and applying as much knowledge and skill, to all of the projects you work on, the more value you can bring to the table. The days of the ‘lone-gunman’ designer are over. One mind could make a project work, but many minds, working collectively, can make more than a splash. They can make every project a “Number One Hit Single”.

The Beatles were more than musicians. They were a machine. Turning out Hit Single after Hit Single. It was not the vision of one person, but a collective vision (even in the years after the White Album).

Designers are the new Rock Stars

Do I hire a designer that just does front end? Or do I hire a designer that does front end, back end, and understands social media?

Our design is not just a design process, it is a fundamental shift in the way things have been done in the 20th century. The web and hardware technology have not only opened up new avenues for designers, but have dramatically increased the rate and efficiency that people learn and absorb information. It has also, very quickly, changed the way and rate in which humans communicate.

The days of copy cameras, paste-ups, and type foundries (of physical type as objects), are extinct. We all know, however, that technology does not make you a better or worse designer. It can however make you a more efficient, well rounded designer, and thus, possibly, more valuable to a client.

Designers now have the tools to do a great job, fast. One could say that the availability of the tools to the world (Adobe Products, Typefaces, Etc…), has caused a transparency effect in the world of designer. Now, anyone can access the tools for free (legally or not. That’s an ethics question that is unstoppable). Of course, you have to know how to apply design thinking to the tools to make them work. But the point here is, there is less Magical Mystery to the end user.

Part of the magical secrets of the designer have been revealed, and so, some may say designers must work harder. Well, maybe, it depends on the designer. But one factor is true: Designers must work Smarter, Faster, and More Efficient to deliver a killer product every single time. The way to do this, is to be aware of trends, technology, and the way the world operates. We learn a lot just by watching someone on YouTube or Google something that we want to know. Its safe to say that someone out there has already covered the topic in question. Its free, so go get it!

Our culture is now running on a fast, and ‘in your face’ foundation. Text messaging has replaced phone calls and blogs have killed print news. Designers must constantly be making new connections that can keep their clients running 200% above the rest. “Hit Single” projects can be your fifteen minuets of fame, over and over again, each time bringing in not only notoriety, but new contracts and revenue.