Justin Pritchard, MEd, MSc, MDes

Area of Study / Keywords

Design Fundamentals Visual Fundamentals Visual Communication Design Design Thinking Design Education Learning Design Andragogy / Adult Education Career Design Career Coaching Mindfulness at Work Mindfulness in Education Teacher Wellness Student Wellness

About

My design journey began in 2005 when I was studying apparel design and business. I later earned a Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design/Visual Communications and a SSHRC-funded Master of Design degree from the University of Alberta. At present, I serve as a Sessional Faculty Member in the Department of Art and Design. I also completed two Master's degrees in Education and I'm currently pursuing a Doctor of Education. I'm certified as a Certified Career Development Professional (CCDP) and Career Master Coach Practitioner (CMCP), with a specialization in career and life design for adult learners. My expertise centres on guiding learners in incorporating design into their lives to foster creativity, curiosity, and confidence, both on and off campus.. Also, I incorporate mindfulness meditation into my teaching and coaching work.

Within Design Studies, I specialize in the following areas: visual fundamentals, design processes, ideation (idea generation), typography, layout design, visual identities and systems, design research, and design for social good.

Teaching

Academic Courses Taught (credit)

Department of Art and Design, Faculty of Arts, 2014–Present

DES 135: Design Fundamentals

DES 393: Foundations of Visual Communication Design I (Typography)

DES 393: Foundations of Visual Communication Design I (Type and Photography)

DES 394: Foundations of Visual Communication Design II (Type-Image Integration)

DES 396: Introduction to Research and Theory in Design

Guest Speaker, Graduate Teaching and Learning Program (click here)

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, 2015–2022

Integrating Mindfulness into Life and the Classroom

Select Teaching Accomplishment

2023 University of Alberta Faculty of Arts Academic Teaching Staff Award

This award is bestowed annually on three deserving individuals within the Faculty of Arts, and it is awarded based on excellence in teaching as reflected in the nominee's dossier. The Arts Undergraduate Teaching Awards Committee, made up of both faculty members and undergraduate students, reviewed the dossier to make their decision. The dossier included a nomination letter, the nominee's academic CV, student evaluations from upper and lower level courses over the past five years, a teaching statement, and letters of support from three faculty members, including the Departmental Chair. Susan Colberg, who holds the positions of Undergraduate Programs Associate Chair & Associate Professor, made the nomination.

DES 393 - Foundations of Visual Communication Design I

Introduction to the principles of visual communication design. Study of communication concerns through the use of photography and typography. Emphasis on appropriateness, clarity, expression and description. Introduction to information and publication design problems. Prerequisites: ART 134 and DES 135, or ART 136 and DES 138, and consent of department. BDes students must enroll in DES 394 in second term. Note: Not open to students with credit in DES 390.

DES 394 - Foundations of Visual Communication Design II

Continuing study of the principles of visual communication design. Study of communication concerns through the integration of photography and typography. Emphasis on appropriateness, clarity, expression and description. Introduction to information and publication design problems. Introduction to the computer as a tool for language and visual communication. Prerequisites: DES 393, and consent of Department. Note: Not open to students with credit in DES 390.

DES 396 - Introduction to Research and Theory in Design

Introduction to information gathering methods, literature search and empirical research. Problem identification and definition. Purposes, goals, design and evaluation methods. Communication theory. Corequisite: DES 394 and consent of the Department.

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