Bowling Green's Visual Communication Technology Program Creates Continuous Learners

Abstract

THE VISUAL COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (VCT) PROGRAM AT Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio launched 50 years ago with the goal of teaching students how to become creative visual communication problem solvers. Instead of focusing on one area of visual media, the program gives students an in-depth understanding of many different aspects, including print, photography, videography, and forms of interactive media.

In the five decades since the program's start, visual communication technologies have changed dramatically, but the unique classroom and industry experience that students gain in the VCT program has continued to lead graduates to successful careers in many industries.

“The basic premise of this degree is more relevant now than ever before,” said Donna K. Trautman, PhD, associate professor in the VCT program. “The degree has evolved due to the nature of technology, but the hallmark is media agility—being able to problem solve visual media issues, choose the best solutions, carry them out, and then evaluate the effectiveness.”

The VCT program is part of the School of Engineering within the College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering. Gene Poor, professor emeritus in the college, and the late Jerry Streichler, a former technology professor and the founding dean of the College of Technology, established the program in 1973 with the concept of teaching students how to be “gifted generalists” in visual media.

“We're in the College of Technology because of the continual advancement of the technology, the applied nature of the program, and our partnerships with industry,” said Trautman. “We complete the circle of a visual media project, from the idea and conception to problem solving and planning, all the way to the end with execution, and even some installations.”

Approximately 120 students are in the program. They will graduate with a bachelor's degree in technology, guided by five full-time faculty members with expertise in different areas of visual communication technology (Fig. 1).

Trautman came to the VCT program in its early years as an undergraduate student, drawn to it because of its applied nature. “When I entered the program, it was well before computers were used on a regular basis,” she said. “The real draw was being able to identify the problem, make decisions, and become media agile. Understanding the what and why of what you're doing, who the audience is, and then figuring out a solution is very empowering.”

Students start with introductory courses in print, photography, video, and interactive multimedia. Then they choose a career track in one or two visual media areas. About 20 to 30 students every semester choose to take a research-based course during which, depending on their interest, they develop an idea and then write a plan for a research study (Fig. 2). These deep dives span the gamut from animatronics and immersive exhibits, color management, digital print media, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), packaging, and display prototyping.

A specific class in exhibit and display technology is at the essence of media agility. “Everything from how people consume visuals through appropriate marketing techniques to draw people into some of the exhibits,” said Trautman. “We've completed technical projects to solve large-scale, digital display imaging to figure out the most efficient and effective ways to accomplish that to point-of-purchase displays.”

To connect the theory and practices they learn at school with applications in the real world, each student is required to gain experience through a series of co-ops that complement their chosen focus area. More than 1,500 companies have provided such opportunities to VCT students during the past decade.

In the end, students emerge as “creative problem solvers,” said Laney Fugett, a teaching professor in the VCT program, who is also a program alumna. “Our students have the depth and breadth according to what they want to study.” Students evolve as they go down their career paths, but their unique experience working with different people across various industries gives them technical problem-solving skills for all kinds of challenges (Fig. 3).

These skills open up a host of career opportunities, such as instructional designers, design officers, marketing directors, content producers, photographers, videographers, and social media directors. VCT alumna Whitney Taylor, for instance, has worked in user experience (UX) design at YouTube for nearly a decade and is now a senior staff UX manager at the company. “Just about every company needs visual communication and some type of visual media support across the board,” said Trautman. Amy Layman Buskirk, another VCT alumna, is a client solutions director for Freeman Company. She has been successful creating audio and video strategies for corporate clients and now manages cross-functional and interdisciplinary teams in the field.

Several alumni and faculty started companies in areas covering animatronics, exhibit displays, visual production, and tradeshow exhibits. Mike Blasko, president and founder of Weigl Controls, is another alumnus that has had a career in intuitive, solid-state, and cross-platform controls for themed entertainment motion controls. Strong relationships with the industry have been key to the program's success, said Trautman. Faculty members regularly attend trade shows and industry organization meetings to make connections and keep up with visual media technologies. Industry partners inform and guide the faculty on what the industry needs. Many alumni maintain their connection to the program and come back as guest speakers, to hire new graduates, serve on the advisory board, and donate equipment and software.

“Alumni and industry partnerships are part of the fabric of our program,” said Fugett. “They're interwoven within.”

Trautman explained that their program was one of the first to go completely digital. She takes pride in how the program evolves and leads with technology to help students be continuous learners and become passionate about their talents. The faculty now is integrating the use and applications of AR/VR and artificial intelligence (AI) into core courses (Fig. 4).

“We've always been on the cutting edge of things,” she said. “We know that what we're teaching them today—using specific tools—is going to change rapidly. We teach new software, equipment, and processes, and they change almost every semester. We also want to teach our students to embrace AI and to know how to use it to improve efficiency and effectiveness.”

Staying innovative comes with challenges of acquiring enough funds and keeping up with rapidly changing technology. It also is challenging to hire faculty with the right expertise, she said, because the industry needs them and typically offers higher salaries. “We need a faculty that embraces continual change in technology and has an excitement for teaching. The rewards are tremendous.”

Another source of pride for both Trautman and Fugett is the VCT program's focus on diversity and inclusion. When Trautman was hired, she was one of two female tenure-track faculty members in the college, and was the first female to achieve tenure. “It's been a struggle to say the least, but my passion for the program, support from mentors, and love for teaching keeps me going. I have always encouraged all students to stand up for themselves, strive for their own success, and ask for help when they need it.”

The faculty and student body come from many backgrounds and cultures, said Fugett, and students are made aware of the importance of recognizing diversity and inclusion as they venture out into management and leadership positions. “It's not only that we have recognized diversity and integrated it, we're also trying to keep moving forward. It's not just a buzzword, it is part of our culture. Our program helps build social capital for our students.”

The VCT program is unique in its vision: VCT is, and will continue to be, recognized as an innovative program for individuals who apply creative and technical problem-solving through the broad disciplines of digital and emerging media. It will be the program of choice for students who aspire to make a visual impact locally, nationally, and globally. Its curriculum—including online, blending, and on-campus coursework—focuses on applied learning that will set BGSU apart from other programs and will lead to recognition as educational leaders in visual media.