Pre task was to read the ‘Learning outcomes and assessment criteria in art and design. What’s the recurring problem?’ by Allen Davies, which I will reflect on in the ‘reading to reflect’ section of my blog. Accompanying this it was also to see the course tool kit and how we use these tool kits to help develop, build or strengthen parts of the course building.
Two, in particular, stood out for me:
1. Course designer: Defining course aims.
2. Course designer: Vision and Values.
These were of particular interest as they can provide me with a starting point of seeing what my aims are for my position in the course my skills are related to and if those skills are progressive or emotively connected to that course. But also I like the idea of building my own course around knitwear and fashion knit, how would I set these aims and provide the course value and vision?
The diamond structure of building vision and values is new to me, and something I would like to test out technically as well as academically in that sense. What values in technical skills should a course provide a student in comparison to that creative skills?
Also, I think the technical staff isn’t provided with the information in their course, especially on my course, my defining the aims upon reflection of existing courses, what information or data do I have access to that I can check student feedback, etc?
Coming to the workshop today, I was ready, but also felt inadequate, hoping that I wasn’t the only technical staff member, and how the tasks seemed to really focus on assessment or teaching formats and strategies, situations that I have zero experience in, my value of input was questionable or only reflective on how technical staff is used in these scenarios.
The icebreaker was fun and energetic as it brought a sense of what and whys to the table, getting to know the group we decided on two quotes:
” 8. while risk-taking is central to the critical thinking process, this behavior is unlikely to occur unless those involved have no sense of fear.’ (no citation)
” Sensory experiences are key in the formation of knowledge…sensory experiences affect emotions that initiate decision-making processes…Unexpected patterns of behaviour and language [are] used when describing sensory experiences. To facilitate teaching in an educational setting [we need to use] metaphors and visual language as words describing tactile experiences are relatively underdeveloped”.
Groth, C., Mäkelä, M., & Seitamaa Hakkarainen, P. (2015). Tactile augmentation: A multimethod for capturing experiential knowledge. Craft Research, 6(1), 57-81.
Both are interjoined with each other, and while the risk is present from the previous discussion the focus for me was the unique dialogue about the sensory experience and art/design in general. We agreed that adding sensory artefacts into our teaching environment can really change a student’s experience in learning, as the use of smell, touch, or can recall emotions, experiences, or places. But the interesting and also probably inappropriate was eliminating a student’s sense in these environments;
1. Changing an object’s smell, for instance, a Lilly smelling like a sheep.
2. Blind folding students and letting them touch objects to get a sense of descriptive factors.
3. The obscenity of tasting objects, How would you describe the taste without tasting?
•Who do you imagine saying it?
We believed the quote came from someone who studies pedagogy or is in the field of it, who would have a greater sense of student learning that the average practitioner.
•What does it mean to you?
It gives meaning to us, a purpose to what’s being taught, an idea that isn’t just a paper document describing said sensory experiences but reliving those experiences. It brings a sense of owning the intelligence behind re-living new/old senses.
•What else does it bring to mind (an idea/image/event/memory)?
I said that I was bringing what Olafur Eliasson does as an artist, and their interactive showcase at the Tate Modern, where the idea of senses played a huge role in what they wanted to achieve. How light can be distorted to obscure your sense of safety, or eliminate colours bar one from a room. Even the translation of noise into captured light waves paints a command onto canvas.
•In what ways do you agree with it?
I definitely agree with how sensory objects/artefacts can play a huge role in the learning process as they build not just anatomical memories but all senses. Which gives the learning process a stronger foundation to memorize and also recall.
•In what ways do you disagree with it?
I personally don’t disagree, but I feel in the objective of participation, could come into ‘accessible misconduct’, that someone with a sensory disability could feel objectified or in a worst-case become reflective in comparison.
•What do you think are the implications of this belief for teaching practice?
That they are practical and worthy of all practices, in any teaching environment, adding a sensory experience even at the smallest scale could really change a student’s perspective of absorbing knowledge.
LEARNING DESIGN WORKSHOP #1
⟶What is it for (aims)?
The aim of my artefacts is to enhance the outcome of lessons on garment making and especially designing jumpers/sweaters.
⟶How is it used?
It is used as a fundamental tool, that is easily passed about for students to touch, place, and find cute. It expresses different ways of making garment styles and shows the students how each sleeve design changes the silhouette.
⟶What is assessed?
As this is a technical workshop, I believe nothing is assessed, this is a learning cue to get students to participate in designing knitwear pieces, it is optional to be used but more to just influence one’s process in ‘industry standards’.
If it was to be assessed, I would critically examine students’ observations on construction methods, seams, and joins (through trial and error) and a display of prototypes to the final outcome.
⟶How is it assessed?
I can only dream of how it might be assessed, and that would be a balance of student understanding of the system that goes into making a garment.
Do they understand tension swatches?
Have they used the correct terminology to describe their jumper/sweater?
Do they comprehend the difference between Silhouette and style?
Have they experimented with construction and trims?
LEARNING DESIGN WORKSHOP #2 MAKE A POSTER
We had to redesign our artefact and focus on an element of that workshop. I would like to embed this as a practical critical thinking workshop;
‘How does a Shape become Genderised?’
Classic knitting was very much ungendered, it was basic squares or rectangles that became a vessel of protection against elements or used as identifying fishermen to their families after death at sea. It has been a capitalized ordeal to gender garments, and I don’t want to remove that notion either but enhance the practice of shape-making at the more experimental stage.
Knitting shapes, a circle, square, rectangle, or more challenging like an ‘I’ or ‘H’ shape and using those to construct a ‘wearable vessel’ in a rudimentary format, unrefined to critical analysis of why and what we are practising. Then we introduce these ideologies of gender into these shapes, how does a bust dart affect a certain shape. Does it matter which way an opening opens? commercially masculine or feminine stitch structures or gauges play a role in the construction
Upon reflection, I really enjoyed this poster-making workshop, as it was the first time that I realized if my teaching in technical is connected to that academically? It also makes me want to create this workshop and refine its purpose of breaking gender norms in fashion. I will leave it with that the ‘craft’ community of hand knitting is probably the most gender-fluid fashion community that is also size-inclusive. A garment comes in the range of 9 sizes!! that covers the smallest of ‘women’s’ and the largest of ‘men’s’ giving the crafters a wide range of making something that fits their body.
TEACHING FORMATS AND STRATEGIES
⟶Large group teaching/lecture
⟶Small group teaching/demonstration, seminar, workshop
⟶One-to-one teaching/tutorial (OUR GROUP)
⟶Crit/presentation
This was interesting and smartly approached by Tim in how he first used the whole classroom to discuss the ‘Large group teaching/lecture’ scenarios. Those who teach larger cohorts with 100 plus students became more dominant in the dialogue which strangely all belonged to one group (interesting to see if groups are preselected to find a relatable peer-mate). It was concluded that dialogue was heavy to keep proactive and that it felt comedian based on stand-up trying to get a group of students to participate. Although some answers of preselecting students to talk in a pre-lecture begins the conversation, or randomly selecting students in the crowd and on the spot to see if they can participate. The other more humane approach is to see if ‘climbing a mountain’ starts off easy, gradually introducing banal or ‘funny’ infographics or visuals to awaken the dialogue, slowly generating more in-depth questions around the topic at hand.
We then split into our groups for the rest of the strategies, our group was handed the 1-2-1 tutorial scenario, which we generalized between both the student and tutor perspectives. Working out the benefits and challenges, rather than the pros and cons, as all these scenarios would have biased views on tutor-to-student teaching. As I don’t hold or participate in these scenarios it was hard to be a part of the conversation in the manner of expressing my benefits or challenges that I’ve experienced, It was interesting to listen and hear back from experienced teaching staff and see the difference in approaches. This also left me stagnant and unfocused, and I noticed that it was a challenge to stay active in the dialogue with peers looking to see if I understood or wanted to contribute.
The ending of the session was more on the assessment process, and conversations around pastoral care, one peer acknowledged that she, herself didn’t fully understand what it meant or how it was involved in her practice. Others mentioned that they don’t use the word pastoral or split up the different tutorials so that students are aware of what the 1-2-1 scenario is about before attending. Others reflected on how ‘their’ duty of care was basically a 24/7 person to contact and that the subject of pastoral care seemed very muddled and grey.
This conversation left a huge sour taste in my mouth, It was the first time I questioned if this course or path was right for me and it is not subjectively against it or not to show empathy. But If it is that from Northern Ireland where mental health is basically a front-line crisis in young people committing suicide. I just couldn’t comprehend how an academic is meant to be a stable advisor and I repeat “student having a mental breakdown” or “drug addiction” or even other students messaging late at night saying “so and so hasn’t been reachable for a few days, we are worried”. Academics/tutors/technical staff ARE NOT trained professionals to deal with this crisis and can lead to poor choices, poor advice, and worst case scenarios even death!
It really made me stop in my tracks, and jump off the train, I don’t want that responsibility of someone’s life in my hands, or what if something happens and then it affects my life? is their security in place from UAL to protect me as a practitioner? I show empathy, I have first-hand experience with living with mental illnesses, and these are not easy subjects to navigate.
I am currently in limbo, searching for an answer on how I move forward, both my close peers have advised me to take a break and reflect upon the decision later, and have encouraged me to work on these feelings of why and muster the courage to challenge it.
Do I want to be an academic? – this is what I am questioning, is this the right path for me.
“Pastoral care in education means a whole-school strategic and operational approach to improve learners’ attendance, and to foster an atmosphere that is conducive for learning and promotes tolerance, resilience, fairness and equal opportunities for all, with due regard for protected characteristics. Such an approach to pastoral care should eliminate racism, inequality, discrimination and other hindrances to learning, to create an ethos that culminates in engagement and academic achievement of learners. Therefore, effective pastoral care can:
- improve students’ attendance and retention rates
- foster an orderly atmosphere in which all students can access opportunities, and enhance their academic achievements
- promote tolerance, especially in students and teachers with due regard for protected characteristics
- subdue racism and inequality
- teach respect for self and others (Benard, 1995, pp. 3–4)” (LINK)
I think I need to do some research on this topic, as what I have found out today compared to what is written above, there seems to be a disconnect in what pastoral care is.
IMAGE: BOJAGI PATCHWORK (LINK)
“Bojagi is a Korean textile technique which roughly translates as ‘covering’ or ‘wrapping cloth’. Bojagi is traditionally a square piece of cloth skillfully constructed from a variety of leftover scrap fabrics, commonly made from silk or ramie. It has played an important role in Korean culture for centuries as a tool to wrap, cover and carry items, as well as for special occasions such as religious rituals and marriages. These functional yet beautiful items were not just a means of self-expression for the maker but were used as an integral part of everyday life. “
I think I a finding a theme in this art works, bricolage and bojagi the idea of building and using left overs or scraps to create a sense of purpose to construct a narrative is really building in my feelings of patching bits and bobs together to understand the necessary needs to participate or continue.