‘Essentially, the issue boils down
to; is there a choice between teaching specific
technical skills or developing
learning attributes and ‘soft skills’? How do we know in
advance what skills will be needed
in the future, since we can’t know the future? Or
should we simply concentrate on
meeting the current demand for specific technical
skills, as the government (and
probably most students and employers) would prefer?
Some game companies want highly
trained graduate artists and programmers.
Some claim they really prefer
creative individuals with a good Liberal Arts
background. They can’t both be
right can they? How can education meet these
opposing views and yet provide a
valid and fulfilling experience to students?’
The first point raised emphasises whether
courses should be more concerned with teaching ‘soft skills’ or technical
skills. I think that there should be more of a harmony between the two, as in a
work place one cannot exist without the other, much like yin and yang. For
example an artist could have the technical skills of a master however without
any social skills in order to communicate his ideas accurately and effectively,
others may not –and certainly not within the general public- see the complex issues
and problems addressed and solved within his or her work, it will effectively
become a pretty picture to most.
On the flip side to this it is much the
same, someone with impeccable social and communicational skills could convey these ideas down to the very last detail however others would not be able to visualise the designs
the way it is intended as everyone will build a very different metal image of
what has been said.
The second point, and the third offers an
interesting idea constantly facing employers and the educational system, should
they teach what is currently required or teach ‘next gen’ as it were, but how
can you know what is the next step? Personally I think that the best
educational institutes can do would be to teach what is currently required and
emphasise a constant need to research currently evolving trends and technology
and bring it back for everyone to benefit. That way it will also allow students
to teach others which is a fantastic test of truly being able to understand the
subject/technology yourself.
The forth point really bottles down to
what I've already mentioned, from speaking to my tutors and my own personal
opinion of one of balance, in the industry currently it is becoming more and
more necessary to complete tasks/jobs outside of your title, especially in
smaller indie companies, a artist may also have to rig models and undertake
engine work. So it would make more sense to be a ‘jack of all trades’ as oppose
to one highly developed skill.
Although there are still positions in
large companies that are much more strict and has dedicated individuals to
complete each task, but for entry level university graduates a well rounded
individual capable of multiple tasks would be far more successful than one of
one highly developed skill.
The final point I believe again, relates
back to a balance, developing a well rounded individual while still providing
interesting, engaging content for the
tasks. One thing that I think this course does well it really tailor the tasks
to the students, tasks are creative and interesting, engaging and in some cases
exciting student just from reading the brief.
External References
From:
Own sourced information from speaking to tutors.
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