Teaching at the University of the Fraser Valley

Stephen Bau -

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to teach at the University of the Fraser Valley as part of the Graphic + Digital Design program.

  • GD154 Typography
  • GD157 Digital Design Media I
  • GD202 Interactive Design I
  • GD204 Interactive Design II

I chose to study at a small local college. In 1986, the Kwantlen College Graphic Design Program was a two-year program that was housed in an industrial area of Surrey, BC, a school shared by the journalism and auto mechanics departments.

After two years of practical instruction and practice in the basic knowledge and skills of graphic design, we had learned about felt pen comps, Letraset, photo typesetting, PMTs, mechanical paste up, process cameras, and film negatives. Within six months of finding my first job at a design studio in Vancouver, we were introduced to Apple Macintosh computers. Everything I had learned had become obsolete, although the skills and knowledge were valuable experiences that helped me adapt quickly and recognize the advantages and disadvantages of the changes.

Ever since, I have been teaching myself the latest technologies in an attempt to keep ahead of the curve, as communications technologies are always in an ongoing process of evolution. The perennial challenge is to adapt or perish.

Over the years, I have learned so many things that I consider myself to be a jack of all trades, master of none. I decided early on that I should learn as much as I could, to be as useful as possible. My experience includes design for video, advertising media, print, and web.

After 30 years of work as a designer, I have been offered opportunities to pass on what I know to the next generation. It has been my privilege to work with the students of the University of the Fraser Valley.

GD154 Typography

An Introduction to Typography

This course explores the history and foundation of typography beginning in the 19th century to present day. Students will gain an understanding of typographic best practices, and an appreciation for the expressive qualities of type through lectures, projects and presentations.

GD157 Digital Design Media I

An Introduction to Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop

Introduction to digital image making in both vector and raster formats, and the use of the right tool for the right task. Content-driven projects combined with workshops focus on image creation, image use, and critical reflection in visual communication contexts.

GD202 Interactive Design I

An Introduction to User Interface and User Experience Design

Introduction to interactive mediums and the fundamentals of the interactive experience. With a focus on information architecture, interface design, and usability students will explore digital screens for web sites, mobile applications, and data-driven information systems.

GD204 Interactive Design II

Exploring content strategy, information architecture, user flows, visual design, and interactive prototyping

In this course students are introduced to designing interactive pages for the web. Emphasis is on the role of the designer in the creation of websites using a professional web-authoring tool. The primary focus was on Adobe XD as tool for creating layouts and prototypes for responsive web design.