February 23, 2012

Cross-curriculum priority : Asia and Australia¹s engagement with Asia

The ‘organising ideas’ for the Asia priority provide enormous possibilities for embedding Studies of Asia across the curriculum.  Your response to the latest version of the ‘organising ideas’ for the Asia priority in the Australian Curriculum are most welcome.

Asia and its diversity
OI.1     The peoples and countries of Asia are diverse in ethnic background, traditions, cultures, belief systems and religions.
OI.2     Interrelationships between humans and the diverse environments in Asia shape the region and have global implications.
Achievements and contributions of the peoples of Asia
OI.3   The peoples and countries of Asia have contributed and continue to contribute to world history and human endeavour.
OI.4   The arts and literature of Asia influence aesthetic and creative pursuits within Australia, the region and globally.
Asia-Australia engagement
OI.5   Collaboration and engagement with the peoples of Asia support effective regional and global citizenship.
OI.6   Australia is part of the Asia region and our histories from ancient times to the present are linked.
OI.7   Australians play a significant role in social, cultural, political and economic developments in the Asia region.
OI.8   Australians of Asian heritage have influenced Australia’s history and continue to influence its dynamic culture and society.  

Sourced from the ACARA website.

 

We Made This: The Edge 2nd Birthday Bash!

To celebrate their second birthday, The Edge | SLQ are hosting a little party, and it will only be fun if you are there!

The EDGE are celebrating in DIY style, 50 free workshops in 5 hours on everything from paper plane making and guerilla gardening to high speed photography, underwater sound recording and documentary film making. Also on the bill will be bands, exhibitions and a suitcase rummage.

Everything is free and no bookings are required. Doors open at 12pm on 25 February. Everyone is welcome!

WORKSHOPS

Magnificent Flying Machines
It’s time to get serious about your paper plane makin’. Arguably man’s greatest invention, these little flying machines are both cheap and fun to make. This workshop throws caution to the wind and sends you plummeting into the world of aerodynamics as you build 10 different kinds of paper planes.  Figure out how and why they work and take home the instructions to amaze your friends and family. Prizes will also be awarded for the furthest flight on the day.

When: 1pm, 4pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 4
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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DIY Bookbinding
Turn your piles of paper, manuscripts, notes and doodles into a professional book. From cover to cover your book will look the part and be ready to take pride of place on your shelf. No experience is required, and the only skill needed to participate is patience. All materials will be provided, alternatively you are welcome to bring in a collection of your own papers to bind.

When: 2pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 4
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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High Speed Photography
Ever wanted to capture an image of very fast moving objects and phenomena like smashing a window, exploding a water balloon or throwing a tomato? If you’re nodding your head, then this workshop is for you. High-speed photography is a technique used to take pictures that are usually too fast to be visible to the human eye. Learn the basics of this lower cost set-up, and maybe smash a tomato or two!

When: 1pm-2:30pm, 3pm-4:30pm, 25 Feb
Where: Level 0 (aka the basement)
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Intro to Documentary Filmmaking
Focusing on the ‘shut-up and shoot’ style of filmmaking, this workshop will equip you to film on the run, and nail your lighting and sound recording techniques. Designed to be an interactive production based workshop, facilitator Ben will put into your hands the professional grade equipment you need to set up for a documentary style interview. You will learn how to white balance, focus and use exposure; and explore different recording formats.

When: 1pm, 3pm, 25 Feb
Where: Mezzanine, Level 2
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Stop Motion Animation
Revisit your child-like creative side. Get down and dirty with play dough, recycled cardboard and found objects to create a backdrop for your animation ala Wallace and Gromit, Jason and the Argonauts and Gumby. No previous knowledge required, just a decent dose of imagination.

When: 1pm -2:30pm, 3pm – 4:30pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 6
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Create Your Own Super Hero
Comic residents Ashcan are back with a banging new workshop. Spend an hour with one of the talented and knowledgeable Ashcan crew and create your own superhero. It’s time to bring your fantasies to life, complete with walking through walls, mind control, sonic screams and The Edge’s personal favourite Technopathy (the ability to manipulate technology). Learn from the best as you explore existing super hero character models from Marvel and DC and put pen to paper to create your very own.

When: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 1
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Inflate O Morphia (aka 3D inflatable sculptures)
Spend an hour with crazy genius Beh Wattenberg and learn the art of inflatable sculptures. Using all recycled post consumer waste (i.e plastics, fans and tape) you will learn physical concepts of pneumatic pressure, surface tension, volume, light transmission and artistic robustness. But if that all sounds a little complex, don’t fret. We’ll be starting from the beginning and at the end of it all, there’ll be something resembling a blimp.

When: 1pm, 2pm, 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 9
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Slammers: Shifting Worlds With Words
Have you wanted to master the art of articulation? Use words to your advantage? Understand the use and artistic importance of alliteration? Well, learn some slam poetry! Brisbane based slam poet, Scott Sneddon will show you effective ways to use your voice, words and action in a performance (and we think just everyday life).

When: 1pm, 2pm, 25 Feb
Where: Lab 3
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Blinged Badges
In this workshop you will make a wearable pin badge complete with flashing lights to attract some serious attention. You will learn how to design and construct a simple electronic circuit using conductive thread and LED’s. So and come get crafty and add some excitement to your wardrobe.

When: 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 5
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Pizza Box Oven
Who would have thought foil, glad wrap, black cardboard and a pizza box could make an oven? If you’re still not convinced, come meet our new DIY Catalyst, Clinton Freeman, who’ll show you how it’s done. This is definitely one that you should try at home.

When: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 3
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Underwater Sound Recording
This workshop is a quick intro to underwater sound recording, handy for those moments you find yourself composing your best songs in the depths of the bath tub. In this workshop you’ll make your own piezoelectric transducer hydrophone (underwater microphone). Things will get a little wet as we go and make some recordings of the unfamiliar sounds of the river to share.

When: 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Lab 2
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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LED Throwies
DIY Resident, Nathen Street, will be adapting the work of the Graffiti Research Lab in New York to bring you a throwies workshop. These little LED magnets allow you to use light to make your mark on the metal fixtures in and around your environment. A quick and simple introduction to the world of electronics, this workshop is suitable for all ages.

When: 1pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Window Bay 2
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

 

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Photo Manipulation
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but those words are not always truthful. Join Hannah Suarez as she leads an expedition into the world of photo manipulation into the land of photo surrealism. Hannah will host an hour of Photoshop fun in our splendid Mac lab and teach you some tips and tools to create your own photo mash up.

When: 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 25 Feb
Where: Lab 1
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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BeatMakers
For any lovers of music, this intensive beat making workshop will not disappoint. Lea

 

rn the basics of step sequencing and build your own hip-hop, breakbeat or freestyle rhythms. Add bass lines and leads and follow your musical instincts to make your own tracks. The workshop will use FL Studio music software.  Computer workstations and headphones provided. No experience necessary, though advanced users are welcome to bring some skills to share.

When: 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where
: Lab 3
Cost
: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

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Guerrilla Gardening
Ever notice those ugly pockets of your neighbourhood that need some love? This is your chance to paint the town green one seed bomb at a time. In this one hour workshop you’ll be given all of the ingredients to make your very own seed bombs. Choose from a variety of seeds and craft a handmade clay seed  bomb. Get your hands dirty and make Brisbane a greener place.

When: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 25 Feb
Where: Front foyer (in front of VSO counter, near entrance)
Cost: Free
Bookings: No bookings are required for this workshop, just come along on the day

Yves Behar Unveils One Laptop per Child XO-3 Tablet

One Laptop per Child and fuseproject demonstrated a fully functional version of the much-­anticipated XO 3.0 -­ a low­cost, low-­power, rugged tablet computer designed for classrooms around the globe -­ at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. The XO-3 tablet integrates off-grid power sources and durable, kid-friendly design to provide a low-cost, energy efficient way for children in developing nations to learn and utilize technology.

“After 6 years of design development with Nicholas Negroponte and the non-profit organization he founded, One Laptop Per Child, I am incredibly excited to share the next generation XO-3 tablet,” Yves Behar commented. “More than 2.4 million children in 25 countries received the original XO Laptop, and these kids have been our inspiration to create the next generation of this educational tool.

One Laptop Per Child is a technology story about how to provide low-cost educational tools to millions of children. For those children, and for us, it is also a creative story about how to design specifically for young students. Every decision made by the OLPC engineering team and the design team at fuseproject has been about adapting technology to children’s needs at a cost that makes the tablet affordable for developing countries.

The first impression of the XO-3 is its extreme simplicity. The focus is on the screen, while the surrounding green rubber border provides a safe tactile grip for children’s hands. The back surface has a bumpy texture and integrates a rear-facing camera. The connectors, power switch and speakers are arranged on the bottom edge, facing the user.

The XO 3.0 tablet features Marvell ARMADA PXA618 SOC processor, Avastar Wi-­Fi SOC, standard or Pixel Qi sunlight-­readable display, and Android/Linux operating system support. The XO-3 is the only tablet that can be charged directly by solar panels, hand cranks and other alternative power sources.

 

Design Minds

The State Library of Queensland will benefit from $60,000 in State Government funding to create and make available high quality design education resources for Queensland teachers.

Funded through the State Government’s $3 million Designing Queensland program 2008–12, Design Minds will provide a central, online location for design education tools that all Queensland teachers can tap into.

Manager of State Library’s Asia Pacific Design Library Christian Duell said the resource, to be hosted on the APDL’s website, would be launched with content from the Queensland- Smithsonian (Cooper-Hewitt) Design Museum Fellowships.

“The aim of Design Minds is to increase the capacity of Queensland teachers to teach creativity in the context of the Australian Curriculum, as well as increase the opportunity for students to take part in world-class design education projects and activities,” he said.

“Design educators will be able to access material for lessons, share knowledge and ideas, interact with each other, and contribute and collaborate.

“Design Minds also aligns with the goals of QUEENSLANDERSIGNTM, the Queensland Design Council’s communication initiative dedicated to celebrating and championing world- class Queensland design.”

The Asia Pacific Design Library was launched in October 2010 to support and promote the best of design and offer the best publicly-accessible collection of design resources in the Asia Pacific. Its website will host the Design Minds resource.

The Blank Sheet Project: The Power of Creativity

The Blank Sheet Project is an initiative from Arjowiggins Creative Papers, aiming to inspire creative excellence by encouraging individuals and businesses to be more innovative, thoughtful and sustainable. It asks creative professionals, given a blank sheet of paper “How will you leave your mark?”

From its introduction in 2010, The Blank Sheet Project has gone on to address and inspire a global audience of young minds. To promote its message, Arjowiggins Creative Papers currently is collaborating with two eminent organizations: D&AD and One Young World.

Sir John Hegarty, founder and global creative chairman of advertising agency BBH, in a forthright interview with D&AD Chief Executive Tim Lindsay, discloses surprising and spontaneous confessions on creativity.  His call for “game-changing” creativity reinforces The Blank Sheet Project’s message to think again — and think differently.

In choosing Hegarty to present his insights from The Blank Sheet Project, Jonathan Mitchell, business director of Arjowiggins Creative Papers says, “We believe that whatever our profession, we each have the opportunity to use the power of creativity to truly leave our mark. In Sir John Hegarty, we have a creative leader of world renown who shares this belief and isn’t afraid to express sometimes uncomfortable insights to inspire us and motivate the next generation to be great.”

Geographics: Design, Education, and the Transnational Terrain – Call for Proposals

For many design educators working in different parts of the world today, design practice is taking place in what may be called a transnational context.

The boundaries that define the field of higher education have become increasingly fluid, and professors, students, programs, and curricula are moving back and forth between different regions of the world as never before.

The design projects, research, and institutions that result retain a unique cultural complexity because they promote meanings and values that often transcend the cultures and boundaries of the nations within which they originate.

Taking place at the East-West Center and the University of Hawai’i in Honolulu, the conference, Geographics: Design, Education, and the Transnational Terrain will provide international design educators, scholars and practitioners the opportunity to share examples of design programs, research, and projects that have been implemented within a transnational context.

Deadline for proposals is February 15, 2012.

more: aigageogfx.com/files/GEO_FINAL_CALL_PROPOSALS.pdf(48)

Restarting Britain: Design Education and Growth

To create tomorrow’s innovators our education system needs to learn from the best businesses in the world. Companies like Apple, Dyson, and JCB integrate design as engines of innovation,” commented David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council. “It’s time for our education system to follow suit. We need to shift from a system that encourages discrete specialist subjects to mix but remain unchanged, towards an integrative system that promotes adaption as skills needs change. Put simply, our High Schools need to be ‘iSchools’.”

This inaugural report from the Design Commission explores the link between the UK’s national design capacity, and economic growth in the 21st century. In so doing, it describes and analyses the design skillset, assesses the current strengths in the field of design education, and compares those to the practices of other nations. It sets out the current threats to the ongoing successful delivery of design education and what the Design Commission believe the UK must do now to continue to compete.

Read the report
Download the full report
Download the pamphlet (executive summary)

Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design.

Creativity is increasingly recognised and celebrated for its contribution to cultural development, economic growth and social harmony; but it’s also intrinsically good. We value our artists, film-makers, designers, authors, playwrights and performers because they entertain us, challenge us and inspire us.

Australian cultural endeavour feeds the roots of our creativity; it helps preserve and protect the storehouses of the nation’s memory; it supports and sustains our disadvantaged and marginalised communities; and it shapes and defines our shared national identity.

Australian culture, in all its various forms and guises, is interwoven with the philosophy and the spirit of our nation, it is at the heart of who we are and is integral to the way we see ourselves and how others see us. Through film, writing and performance we try to define our unique experience, tell our own stories in our own voices and make our mark on the world.

Read more about The future of the arts, film and design here.

Creative Capital: Arts and Culture Strategic Directions for Queensland

Creative Capital

Creative Capital: Arts and Culture Strategic Directions for Queensland is an opportunity to reflect on where we have come over the past five years and how we can build on our successes into the future.

The name ‘Creative Capital’ highlights that arts and cultural ‘riches’ or capital, found in every part of the state, make a vital contribution to the social and economic capital of Queensland.

Read below about the Creative Capital paper, forum and blog posts happening in December 2011.

Creative Capital forum

The Creative Capital forum will be held at the State Library of Queensland on Wednesday 14 December 2011. It will bring together creatives, business and civic leaders and educators to reflect on the past, present and future of Queensland arts and culture.

Speakers at the forum include Robert Forster (musician), Fiona Foley (visual artist), Lucas Stibbard (performing artist), Lenine Bourke (cultural development worker), Scott Hutchinson (business leader), Madeline Veenstra (creative entrepreneur), Kevin O’Brien (architect), Mayor Bob Abbot (local government councillor) and Dr Julianne Schultz AM (academic, writer and editor). The Honourable Anna Bligh MP, Premier and Minister for Reconstruction, and The Honourable Rachel Nolan MP, Minister for Finance, Natural Resources and The Arts, will also address the forum.

You can watch a live webstream of the forum from 9am – 12:15 pm on Wednesday 14 December 2011 via Gigtv.

Read more here.

QUEENSLANDERSIGN

constellation awardLearn more about this exciting initiative raising the profile and understanding of good design and design thinking in Queensland.

Good design is all about attitude. Sure, it needs to tick all the right boxes: be sustainable, functional, beautiful, accessible, ethical and enduring. But truly great design is the result of something more thoughtful, more instinctive. It is the product of the designer’s deeply held belief that they can make something better – that they can improve the way we live and enjoy every day.

QUEENSLANDERSIGN is all about focusing this energy on thinking about how we, as a state, can be better designed – from our footpaths and bridges, to our schools and our hospitals, everything you can imagine – for the benefit of everyone.

Visit Designing a better Queensland now!