Abstract:
"Authorship is only useful as a term to the degree that it opens up a space for thinking about design that transcends established and possibly limited definitions" (Poynor 2003: 146). This paper argues for the potential educational value in critically considering varied descriptions of, and claims to, authorship in graphic design as a means of encouraging students toward more sophisticated conceptualizations of the "design entity" (Davies & Reid 2001: 180). It describes how the form and content of debates over authorship can be used to support desirable educational goals of deep and transformative learning. I suggest that the critical discourse around definitions of authorship in graphic design provides rich territory for critical, reflective thinking, and challenging students to develop more critical dispositions in relation to their discipline.