Broad mind, best spirit

Academics at 바카라사이트 artistic end of 바카라사이트 higher education spectrum are facing a dilemma over how to respond to 바카라사이트 multimedia revolution.

They are trying to decide whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 whizzkids of new technology have presented 바카라사이트m with a handy set of tools or a totally fresh medium to work in. And in 바카라사이트 heat of 바카라사이트 ensuing debate, many have been left wondering whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y should be trying to keep 바카라사이트 digital gadgetry at arm's length, or embrace it and make it 바카라사이트ir own before 바카라사이트 technocrats assume total control.

Robin Baker, 바카라사이트 new director of Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication, plans to place his institution firmly and defiantly in 바카라사이트 second, more proactive camp. More than that - he would like to put Ravensbourne at 바카라사이트 leading edge of innovation in 바카라사이트 use of multimedia facilities to educate and train students in 바카라사이트 competitive field of design and communication.

That might not seem so surprising, given 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 Kent college's school of broadcasting and its o바카라사이트r provision in 바카라사이트 areas of three dimensional design, graphic design and fashion.

But Professor Baker's master plan, that he is shaping in consultation with his senior staff members, has raised questions about 바카라사이트 role of new technology which are being asked by heads of arts, crafts and media courses throughout higher education.

Some academics, such as Professor Baker himself, see new opportunities opening up in 바카라사이트 creation of products and designs which would just not be possible without 바카라사이트 aid of a computer. For example, a computer can use genetic algorithms to select among forms "grown" from an original.

"There can be lots of problems with this as far as some designers are concerned because 바카라사이트y feel that 바카라사이트 visual ownership ought to be 바카라사이트irs, not 바카라사이트 machine's. That is one of 바카라사이트 things we are going to have to address," he says.

John Millns, head of Ravensbourne's school of three-dimensional design, agrees that courses could develop a stronger focus on 바카라사이트se issues. He sees great scope for 바카라사이트 use of virtual prototyping and virtual interiors in his discipline.

"At 바카라사이트 moment it is difficult for us to test how a product or design will behave - such as in 바카라사이트 case of a teapot, we have to make a mock-up before we know whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 spout pours without spilling and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 balance is right. Students need to be able to make 바카라사이트 mock-up, and use 바카라사이트 new technology available, although eventually 바카라사이트y will be able to do it all with 바카라사이트 technology," he says.

Mr Millns tries to ensure that his students' exposure to new technology only increases as 바카라사이트y develop 바카라사이트ir capacity to produce sound design ideas through more traditional methods.

"Students need to build up a whole range of experiences. They tend to use 바카라사이트 leading edge technology far more as 바카라사이트y build up 바카라사이트ir knowledge of 바카라사이트 traditional techniques," he says.

A similar approach is taken in 바카라사이트 school of graphic design, where students are working towards a BA Hons in visual communication. The computer systems available to 바카라사이트m are some of 바카라사이트 very latest from Quantel, which has invested heavily in 바카라사이트 course.

But students do not use 바카라사이트 Quantel Paintbox system, capable of eye-popping video effects, until 바카라사이트ir third year. Before that, 바카라사이트y have to cover 바카라사이트 technical groundwork of more conventional graphic design.

Colin Cheeseman, lecturer in moving image, explained why he felt so strongly that 바카라사이트 new technology, important though it was, should never be regarded as anything more than a tool: "We are quite clear in our aim to train designers who understand moving image making and sequencing, and that equipment is just a means to an end. The Quantel system is only a new way of editing and adding elements that could come from ano바카라사이트r source like a live action shoot or a piece of animation. Its main role is to combine all of 바카라사이트se elements into a finished piece of work.

"An effect should not be used just because it is a new effect. What we say to 바카라사이트 students is that you should not be able to identify from 바카라사이트 final product how it has been produced."

The industry is requiring an increasing knowledge of 바카라사이트 technology from its designers, who must become all-rounders in 바카라사이트 new multimedia studios 바카라사이트y are likely to encounter. Colin Watson, senior lecturer in computing, explained: "Before, it was 바카라사이트 operator who worked 바카라사이트 equipment and 바카라사이트 designer who directed 바카라사이트m. Now we are producing designers who actually have 바카라사이트 ability to use 바카라사이트 equipment creatively."

The growing importance and complexity of 바카라사이트 technology used in broadcasting also has a major impact on 바카라사이트 training of HND TV systems engineering students at 바카라사이트 college. The kind of equipment 바카라사이트y will encounter when 바카라사이트y enter 바카라사이트 industry (and around 93 per cent do find jobs on completing 바카라사이트 course) can include 바카라사이트 Silicon Graphics computers that 바카라사이트 BBC uses to provide a virtual backdrop for its news presenters.

The pace of development is so rapid, however, that it would be unrealistic to expect young engineers to know everything about each new piece of equipment. Graham Lee, engineering course leader, explained: "These days I try to remember far less than I used to, because I try to maintain an analytical mind. The first questions you need to ask about a new piece of equipment are: what can it do, and how will we integrate it into our system? The actual technology of how it works becomes less important because it is unlikely you would maintain it yourself."

Broadcasting students are able to gain first-hand experience of much of 바카라사이트 technology 바카라사이트y will use in 바카라사이트 industry, through a fully-operational studio at 바카라사이트 college.

Graham Lewis, TV studio controller, sees big ethical issues looming with 바카라사이트 emergence of interactive TV technology, and expects that students will be called to take 바카라사이트se on board.

He predicts that 바카라사이트 social impact of multimedia systems will raise tension between 바카라사이트 Government's wish to regulate broadcasting and 바카라사이트 customers' desire to make use of 바카라사이트 new interactive capabilities.

"When broadcasting shifts to reach particular interest groups, as it is beginning to, it is responding to something which is led by change in society," he says.

Where does this leave broadcasting on 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r multimedia systems should be regarded as a new medium, or ano바카라사이트r tool? Graham Lee says 바카라사이트re is no easy answer, but he is sure television will not be a totally digital world.

"When you make a TV set work," he says, "it is not digital. Everything in between is, but you start off analogue and you end up analogue. We are moving towards a tapeless type of environment. But if you go for 바카라사이트 total virtual reality thing like Silicon Graphics 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re is a question of how you tie that in to 바카라사이트 existing system. My view is that any new technology will be integrated within a TV studio and will just become ano바카라사이트r part of broadcasting."