dissertation theory

   Dear reader, please excuse my excessive tangent this week on this particular topic. I presume a resumption of the larger thread soon. If you enjoy this different flavor of the same topic matter, stay tuned … otherwise, you may want to peek back in a week. I have a thought tomorrow might find a little more of this.
   I do want to thank Elizabeth Whelan for her timely kindness.
   Here’s the latest incarnation; with theory, the beginnings of a problem statement, etc.

theory:
   The majority of training / schooling for commercial artists (Illustrators / Graphic Designers – those most closely aligned with the industry of marketing itself) leaves them feeling unprepared to create a living for themselves (market themselves) in their chosen field.
problem statement: – where was the breakdown?
- in the formal, academic training / preparation?
- with the individuals personal lack in skill set, passion, commitment?
- with the larger culture (if the secondary education is consistent in its lack of meaningful support, might one then not conjecture that the larger culture simply does not have the established conversation to acknowledge the importance of such)?
Be aware:
There may be a moving component of how education has shifted over the years:
• For profit vs. not for profit; and the “franchised school” phenomena
• The establishing of the online dynamic
variables (for metrics):
Connectivity to the Business paradigm
Timelines (a particular timelines)
Mastery [Gladwell/Outliers]
Professionalism

data collection: [headings] Variable / Consideration - - - How (to collect data) - - - Who (to collect data from)

---Connectivity to the Business paradigm: Differing learning institutions and their offerings (business / no business classes, exposure to working studios, firms, agencies, etc. Professionals from the field as guest speakers, whether or not the school has a career placement department, etc.)

Create a survey of these components and e-mail key individuals at all the secondary institutions of higher learning. There is a database of (all?) the art schools already developed that needs to be reviewed.
I may have to re-research for specific individuals to e-mail to directly.

Career services departments, department heads, deans.


(the following variables necessitate communicating directly with the Illustrators / Graphic Designers themselves) This may prove most difficult. Might I get co-operation from enough institutions? Can I network online somehow through social media? I would need a pool of respondents large and random enough to establish the work credibly. Once that pool is established the rest is a matter of one survey.


--- Connectivity to the Business paradigm: Differing learning institutions and their offerings (business / no business classes, exposure to working studios, firms, agencies, etc. Professionals from the field as guest speakers, whether or not the school has a career placement department, etc.) .

Repeat survey questions, now asking the artists, current or former students, the same questions asked of their institutions. Add a Likert scale as to how they found each of these as value.


the pool of Illustrators / Graphic Designers

--- Timelines – working within their chosen field one year later, five years later, ten years later, twenty years later.

Same survey: ask the timeliness question in detail; but map in key increments. 

the pool of Illustrators / Graphic Designers

--- Mastery [Gladwell/Outliers] – Has the student logged enough hours of practice executing (before and during) their scholastic experience to warrant/merit being integrated into a profession?
 
Same survey: ask the mastery question in detail (4K/8K/10K hours, and how many years practice); … map in key increments.


the pool of Illustrators / Graphic Designers

--- Professionalism – Before or during their scholastic experience have sufficient soft skills and Practical Knowledge been conveyed? (Taking an organizations temperature, so one knows who to say what to, when. Gauging the degree to which, if any, one presents oneself as different. Being able to self identify and address one’s own issues. Being able to self assess one’s own progress.).

Same survey. Add a Likert scale as to how they found each of these as value:
- ask the soft skills question by topic (Yes/No).
- ask the practical knowledge question by topic (Yes/No).
e.g.; In any manner do you feel your training / schooling prepared you for professional communication for your career. Yes / No …

the pool of Illustrators / Graphic Designers