Year 11 and Year 12 Visual Communication Design students recently participated in an excursion to the Melbourne CBD, designed to deepen their understanding of the expectations and opportunities within the VCE Visual Communication Design course.
The primary focus of the day was a visit to the Melbourne Museum, where students viewed an exhibition of top Visual Communication Design portfolios and submitted VCE work (Top Designs). This experience gave students valuable, first-hand insight into the level of thinking, technical skill and creative depth required to produce folios at an exceptional standard. Importantly, the session was not intended as a scare tactic. Instead, it was positioned as an inspirational opportunity, allowing students to see what is possible and to better understand the journey involved in creating high-quality design outcomes. Across both year levels, students responded positively to the experience and left the exhibition feeling motivated and inspired, with a clearer sense of the challenges ahead and a renewed enthusiasm for their own design practice.
Following the museum visit, the group explored the city together, using the urban environment as a living classroom. Along the way, students were encouraged to identify and discuss real-world examples of visual communication design, including branding, architecture and industrial design. These observations helped students make meaningful connections between classroom learning and professional design practice.
The day concluded at ACMI, where students viewed the multimedia exhibition, with particular attention given to interactive and immersive experiences. This final stop brought together the four major fields of design studied throughout the VCE curriculum, namely visual communication, environmental design, industrial design and interactive experience design. It reinforced the relevance of these disciplines within contemporary creative industries.
Overall, the excursion provided students with a valuable and motivating experience, broadening their understanding of Visual Communication Design while encouraging them to embrace the creative challenges that lie ahead.
