MFA THESES EXHIBITIONS

ASHLEN JACKSON | VIDENTIS

DEGREE AWARD DATE: SPRING 2024

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ashlen Brooke Jackson, from Blount County, Alabama, holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Troy University and has been interested in the arts since she was young. Her current focus, as well as that of her MFA thesis exhibition, is infographic design, pattern design, and website design. Her style combines geometric aesthetics and a contrasting color palette, showcasing her passion for graphic design. Her goal is to use design to advocate for high school educators and students by infusing creativity into high school classrooms.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

As some may say, student success is defined by academic achievement, being in the top ten of their class, and obtaining a 4.0 grade point average. However, student success to me is measured by their growth and acquisition of life skills: communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and innovative thinking, which are essential for success beyond graduation. My personal and professional experiences in my education journey have fueled my passion to develop a teaching methodology for high school teachers to infuse creativity into their curriculum.

You may ask, who influences the students? It is the faculty. Therefore, I have created a design-based methodology that introduces a designer’s thought process into common core standard subjects such as Mathematics, English, History, and Science. The aim is not to disregard other teaching models but to provide a strategy for faculty to incorporate creativity within their classrooms. The beauty of this method lies in how students approach and solve problems from their own perspective, fostering life skills that will benefit them beyond graduation and enabling them to engage with course material through hands-on learning.

Many students claim they are not creative and cannot draw. However, creativity transcends drawing the perfect portrait; it is about personal growth and problem-solving. As Benjamin Franklin aptly said, ‘Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn.’ Education is weighty content to digest, and my designs exemplify how graphic design can enhance secondary education teaching methods.

THESIS PAPER