Exploring information and communication theory in graphic design education with activity theory

In the context of a university in a developing country, large class size and inadequate studio space have become the bane of graphic design educators. Students go through the process of ideation with limited lecturer-student interaction. The problem has been compounded by the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT), which should be used as an advantage rather than a menace, since educators are not clear with the right pedagogy for ideation. This paper discusses the application of activity theory as a lens, in analysing the process of ideation as a way of looking at distortions in the current pedagogy. It concludes with the conviction that ICT has radically changed students learning practice. Educators need to find a way of tackling this, especially when large classes seem to be emerging.