Since I first heard about the annual ThinqStudio unconference roughly three years ago, I have been wanting to attend. Due to work and graduate school conflicts, I was never able to. But, this year, my schedule was free and I was excited to register for the event. Then, from happenstance, I was asked by the Learner Agency at the University of Colorado Denver to help create some event flyers at the end of February 2021. I love designing graphics, and so I agreed to the opportunity. This was great experience working with the ThinqStudio unconference faculty leaders using a fluid, iterative process for design work.
We started with brainstorming some ideas to incorporate the dinosaur on a segway logo, including paint splatters, water guns, watercolors, and generally “messy” and “playful” designs. The unconference faculty leaders wanted several different iterations to utilize in marketing online since the unconference was going to be virtual due to the ongoing pandemic. I created multiple iterations of an event poster, flyers, and social media designs (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook). Here are some of my favorite iterations of the event flyers, although they were not used:
In the end, the main flyer design shared via email communications and on social media was a final iteration that I’m proud of:
Additionally, I helped the unconference faculty leaders test and demo an audio spatial digital tool called, Topia. This was my first experience working online with spatial audio functions. The Topia platform is gamefied by having avatars that can move around any space to their liking. In our Topia use, the University of Colorado Denver main campus was virtually recreated with the Tivoli Student Center, and some fun easter eggs, like Burning Man, dinosaurs, a concert space, yoga areas, and a fire pit, to name a handful. Topia was a great way to connect in the morning of the ThinqStudio unconference as it works similar to Zoom in that video and microphones are used, but your voice can be heard louder the closer you get to others, or quieter the farther away you move from others in Topia. I hope to see more audio spatial tools used to connect online in other virtual events moving forward. Here's a screen shot of Topia from the unconference:
I also was fortunate to work the ThinqStudio unconference event on Friday, March 19, 2021, serving as a virtual assistant and technical support. Our unconference staff also had some fun with the event, wearing our dinosaur logo sweatshirts with matching Zoom backgrounds (that I also had the honor to create!). Some of the highlights from the unconference were:
1. Maha Bali (!), who I was already familiar with her work from previous graduate courses and readings, and Ross Gay were unkeynote speakers. Bali’s morning unkeynote was interactive and if you’re not familiar with her work on inclusive critical digital pedagogy, check out her work online. The afternoon poetry reading was my introduction to Gay’s work and ended the event with some beautiful words of his readings. Please also check out his work online!
2. Optional rapid demos during the lunch break included some volunteers presenting on the fly!
3. Afternoon unconference breakout sessions included the ability to hop around to your area(s) of interest including: building escape rooms, puzzle tournament games, making memes, and unlocking your inner playful professor.
This was a passionate group of faculty leaders in higher education that inspired me. I can’t wait to attend future ThinqStudio unconference events!