{"id":4102,"date":"2023-05-17T05:52:59","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T10:52:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kucd.kutztown.edu\/?page_id=4102"},"modified":"2023-05-18T19:37:07","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T00:37:07","slug":"mfa-graduate-research-project-oker-teaching-design-as-a-visual-language","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/k120025well.kutztown.edu\/kucd\/index.php\/mfa-graduate-research-project-oker-teaching-design-as-a-visual-language\/","title":{"rendered":"MFA Graduate Research Project | William Spanjer, OKER: Teaching Design as a Visual Language"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row el_class=&#8221;site-inner-small&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"cyan\">MFA Graduate Research Project | William Spanjer, OKER: Teaching Design as a Visual Language<\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4119&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"cyan\">William (or \u201cAndy\u201d, as friends call him) joined Kutztown\u2019s MFA program to pursue a career in higher education, with the goal of inspiring and guiding future graphic designers. He currently works as a middle and high school art teacher at Chapel Field Christian Schools, where he also serves as an in-house designer. On top of this, he is working to grow his freelance business, Andy Spanjer Design.<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4104&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221;][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221;]Building on the idea that design is a fundamental form of human communication, OKER is a mobile app prototype created to teach graphic design as a visual language. Inspired by successful language education programs like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone, OKER is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of graphic design in a fun, engaging, and effective way.<\/p>\n<p>The app utilizes tried-and-true language learning techniques, such as heavy repetition and quiz-style exercises, to help students develop a strong foundation in graphic design. By working through OKER\u2019s mobile course material, students will gain a well-rounded grasp of essential graphic design topics, including color theory, typography, layout, concept development, ethics, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, OKER seeks to empower students and individuals so that they emerge with a better understanding of the graphic design field and an instilled confidence when considering higher education and career goals in design-related fields.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;site-inner-small&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/xd.adobe.com\/view\/5bf0b19f-3f44-4795-8e6e-00a9a9616a53-0ea3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><button class=\"apply\">View Prototype<\/button><\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;site-inner&#8221;][vc_column][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4118&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4117&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=&#8221;6&#8243; initial_loading_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221; grid_id=&#8221;vc_gid:1684456607802-11147ea4-10a6-8&#8243; include=&#8221;4116,4115,4114,4113,4112,4111,4110,4109,4108,4107,4106,4105&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;site-inner-small&#8221;][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"purple\">More Work by William<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>The Grandparent Project<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>A book (and initiative) written and designed to honor William\u2019s \u00a0four grandparents and to encourage readers to engage with their elderly loved ones. The book consists of photos, stories, and memories that reflect on the author\u2019s relationships with his grandparents as well as prompts meant to provide readers with topics for fruitful and memorable discussions with their own grandparents.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_images_carousel images=&#8221;4120,4121,4122,4123&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; onclick=&#8221;link_no&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>Self Branding<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>As part of William\u2019s &#8220;professional exploration&#8221; studio semester, he decided to rebrand his identity material for his freelance work, \u201cAndy Spanjer Design\u201d. The decision to rebrand was driven by the desire to create a brand that accurately reflected his minimalist style and values, and that would better resonate with his target audience.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_images_carousel images=&#8221;4137,4138,4139,4140,4141&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; onclick=&#8221;link_no&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>Honeybee Inspired Paper<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A unique project meant to spread awareness of the crisis surrounding the rapid decline of North American honeybee populations. Using recycled paper, along with honeybee inspired ingredients such as beeswax, honey, and even the bodies of deceased honeybees, William learned the art of handmade papermaking. On the newly created paper, he created art displaying the dangerous lives of honeybee populations.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_images_carousel images=&#8221;4127,4129,4130,4128,4131,4132&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; onclick=&#8221;link_no&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row el_class=&#8221;site-inner-small&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text] MFA Graduate Research Project | William Spanjer, OKER: Teaching Design as a Visual Language [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4119&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221;][vc_column_text] William (or \u201cAndy\u201d, as friends call him) joined Kutztown\u2019s MFA program to pursue a career in higher education, with the goal of inspiring and guiding future graphic designers. He currently works as a middle and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4102","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>MFA Graduate Research Project | William Spanjer, OKER: Teaching Design as a Visual Language - Kutztown University | Communication Design Department | Art &amp; Design<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/k120025well.kutztown.edu\/kucd\/index.php\/mfa-graduate-research-project-oker-teaching-design-as-a-visual-language\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MFA Graduate Research Project | William Spanjer, OKER: Teaching Design as a Visual Language - Kutztown University | Communication Design Department | Art &amp; Design\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row el_class=&#8221;site-inner-small&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text] MFA Graduate Research Project | William Spanjer, OKER: Teaching Design as a Visual Language [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;4119&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221;][vc_column_text] William (or \u201cAndy\u201d, as friends call him) joined Kutztown\u2019s MFA program to pursue a career in higher education, with the goal of inspiring and guiding future graphic designers. 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