The criteria for measuring the competency levels of graphic design (GD) graduates have continuously been shaped by the changing context of practice. However, previous studies provide little evidence on the existence of an effective competency assessment tool for GD graduates. This study aims to develop a model and an instrument to measure the competency levels of future GD graduates in Malaysia. Sequential exploratory research design approach was used. In the first phase, a two-round modified Delphi technique was employed with a group of 32 GD experts to gain their consensus on the desired competencies. In the second phase, a survey questionnaire was constructed to collect quantitative data with 207 final year GD degree students. The data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Cronbach’s reliability test. The results of EFA suggested that the instrument consists of 12 constructs and 59 items under five competency dimensions (CDs). In specific, cognitive C.....

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Traditionally, graphic design (GD) education focuses on the training of technical production skills to prepare graduates for entry-level employment. However, due to the new challenges and the expanding opportunities of emerging practices, GD graduates are expected to master a wide range of additional competencies beyond traditional scope. The study aims to identify the competencies required by future GD graduates in the context of Malaysia. A two-round modified Delphi technique was used to gain consensus from a panel of experts consisted of design educators and industry practitioners regarding the competencies needed by the graduates for effective work performance. A total of 108 competencies were generated. All accepted competencies were ranked 'very important' and 'extremely important' by at least 75 percent of the respondents in Round Two. These competencies could be classified into 29 subdomains under five components, i.e., cognitive competence, functional competence, personal comp.....

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The participation of external stakeholders in pedagogical activities in higher education has increased in recent years, and this is because such involvement can potentially improve student learning outcomes. However, the strategies and processes have yet to be adequately explored and documented, especially in the context of the Malaysian university. This paper presents a case regarding how the external stakeholders were involved in the design and implementation of an experiential learning project for an elective module in Diploma programmes of Raffles University, Malaysia based on a pedagogical model. This model consists of three major phases: (1.) initiation and design; (2.) execution; and (3.) evaluation and review. The roles of external stakeholders and the responsibilities of lecturers in each phase were discussed. In addition, students’ learning experiences and their reflections on the experiences were also described along with the discussion. This paper concludes that the devel.....

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