Defining Interactive Multimedia Design Education: Expanding the Boundaries

The future of interactive multimedia design education depends upon the disintegration of discipline-based boundaries within the higher education system. Disciplines outside of computer science and computer art contribute significantly to the understanding of the cultural and social implications of the medium. A cross-disciplinary approach enables students to explore new ideas that inform their understanding of the implications of multimedia production on the individual and society. The evolution of communication design has reinforced the need for an understanding of human behavior and representation. Because functionality no longer takes precedence over appearance in WWW and CD-ROM design, students must have a strong understanding of the principles of art and design as well as programming. The boundary between content provider, visual designer, and software designer is blurring therefore reinforcing the need to explore the relationship between art, psychology, computer science, popular culture, software engineering, and the social sciences in a meaningful way and integrate these connections into the curriculum. Only then will higher education begin offering interactive multimedia design education that will enable students to influence the direction computer graphics and interactive techniques in new and profound ways.