I recently visited the digital fabrication area at Chelsea so get a feel about what their set up is and how the technicians feel about it. Since I work at the School of Pre Degree at UAL it’s beneficial for me to see what students will be progressing to and how we can help ease that transition for them.
For context this is our previous workshop at CCW Foundation:
And this is the space we have inherited at Lime Grove:
We are in a much bigger space with more potential, but a benefit of our previous space was how it was directly connected to the 3D Workshop and Print Studio. This led to a flow which encouraged cross-discipline, which is something I personally believe is very important for student development, especially at foundation level, and something I try and encourage as much as possible. In our new space we are a lot more isolated which I believe is unfortunately a step backwards for the student experience.
For example here is precious feedback from a past student at CCW Foundation explaining the importance of fluidity within the workshops:
In extension to that, the workshops at Wilson Road were in the centre of the building. However at Lime Grove they are placed in a separate block away from studios, some very far away. This removes the ‘make’ from the heart of the course and pushes it, whether subconsciously or not, to the side.
With the visit to Chelsea what initially stood out to me was the fluidity of space. As the Digital Fabrication area is next to the 3D workshop (similar to how it was for us previously) it allows more interesting discussions and experimenting to happen naturally. The space almost acts as a long corridor that students can flow between, not closed off individual spaces. This allows a fluidity of movement to naturally occur amongst the space which inevitably impacts student outcomes. Workshops should be a place where ideas can happen and those ideas shouldn’t be linear.
Some examples of past student work from CCW Foundation that highlight a multidisciplinary workshop approach:
My action research project has been shaped by the circumstances of my role at UAL. I work as a digital fabrication technician at, what was, CCW Foundation but which is now The UAL School of Pre Degree. I have since moved sites from Camberwell to Lime Grove, in Shepherds Bush. To say this has uprooted my working pattern would be an understatement. For example, we were initially supposed to be in the building in August to get the space ready for students in September (which isn’t enough time) but actually weren’t allowed in our space until the beginning of October with a revised timeframe of getting the students in the space for part 2 of their course in November.
Initially I thought my project would be about tackling the complexity and nuances of technical language and how to simplify them for students and staff. After undertaking the PGCert something that stood out to me was the often inaccessibility of academic language, which I at times find a struggle. This made me think of the similarities of technical language, something that comes more naturally to me and how to simplify it for students to discuss technical ideas more comfortably and also help staff members understand what happens in a digital fabrication space.
However because I won’t be interacting with students much for the duration of the ARP I thought it would be beneficial to focus on what was right in front of me and that’s setting up a technical workshop, as essentially that’s what my role has become for the past couple of months. However because of the limited time frame of getting ready for students it’s more like setting up a temporary technical workshop. I want to focus on how to make an ethical/inclusive workshop environment, one that’s open to everyone. For the inclusive practices unit I focused on making an inclusive induction video to the space, but I want to expand that general idea to the physical space itself.
Because of my limited interaction with students I will focus on getting DATA from members of staff, colleagues I work closely with at Lime Grove and other technicians across UAL. In terms of gathering DATA I would send out a question via email to technicians across UAL with questions regarding the thoughts on their spaces and how, if they started from the ground up, they would improve them. I initially thought I’d only send them to other digital fabrication technicians but it might be interesting to gather data from a wider variety of technicians across UAL. ‘An exploratory study should take investigators out beyond their own academic or industrial subculture, to new “experts”—ones with differing counsel if at all possible.’ (Jean, M. 2011)I also think it would be beneficial to record conversations with colleagues about thoughts on the space, potentially doing a walk around to get a feel and sense of movement/flow of the space. I would also like to observe other technical sites across UAL and take field notes.
Bibliography
Converse, J., & Presser, S. (2011) ‘The Tools at Hand In: Survey Questions,’ SAGE Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks
What is the context of your teaching practice, your positionality in relation to your practice?
I am a Digital Fabrication Technician at CCW Foundation, soon to move to Lime Grove when Pre-Degree courses combine in September. I work in the Creative Tech Lab, a digital fabrication space that encompasses tools like 3D printing, laser cutting and pen plotting. I am white man, able-bodied and neuro-diverse, working in education since 2019 and at UAL as a technician from 2021. I am a practising multi-disciplinary artist, primarily focusing on painting and installation and I’m part of an art collective that specialises in performance art and film.
After considering my positionality, primarily as an artist, I realise I could provide some unconscious bias or extra support to those students who develop art projects as this is my preference and what I find more interesting. As a technician at CCW Foundation we support all students from the art, design and communication pathways so I see a variety of students on any given day so it is paramount i give the same level of support to each student regardless of discipline.
With booking data gathered from student cohort 2023-24, it shows art pathways are less likely to book the Creative Tech Lab. Although, for reference, we are quite relaxed on officially booking as most often discussions are informal and not logged. (Fig.1)
Fig.1
With this information In mind, I think it’s important to encourage students from historically low attended disciplines to use the Creative Tech Lab, and workshops in general to help alleviate the gap of ‘epistemic injustices.’ (Reki, 2023) One way I believe is to highlight our positionality within the video induction as technicians and our practices from a wider, art/design context. For example, in ‘How do art and design technicians conceive of their role in higher education?’ (Sams, 2016) It finds that ‘the majority of technicians who took part in this survey were also active arts practitioners.’ (Sams, 2016)’ And I believe this should be something celebrated within a technical induction video so students from pathways who might not consider the relevance a certain area can provide. As Haifaa Jawad states: our prejudices ‘are often based on lack of knowledge and understanding about each other’s lives.’ (Jawad, H, 2022) Moving forward, additional targeted outreach and curriculum integration could further bridge this gap.
I have also previously tailored workshops to low-attendance areas (Fig.2) and recently exhibited my own artwork at Wilson Road highlighting fabrication techniques in the context of a painting installation to encourage attendance. (Fig.3) I took inspiration from reading ‘An a/r/tographic métissage: Storying the self as pedagogic practice’ (Osler et al, 2019) and using the ‘self’ as subject matter to explain how the processes available within the workshop have benefited my own ongoing artistic practice. This has allowed deeper and more interesting discussions with students as we can converse as fellow practitioners, rather than teacher/student: ‘An opportunity for dialogue on equal and inclusive terms develops.’ (Osler, et al, 2019)
Fig.2
Fig.3
What is the intervention you have designed in your teaching practice (what is the aim, when will it take place, what resources, training, support is required)?
My intervention is to redesign/reimagine the format of an induction video that students will access on Moodle and watch before accessing the workshop for the first time. With the move from Camberwell to Lime Grove this is something that will have to be done in the future and historically it was an induction to the space and technicians, along with a health and safety video. With resources learnt from the inclusive practices section of the PG Cert I think this can be improved and I want to redesign the process of creating an induction video that includes intersectionality, hidden disabilities and social justice. An inclusive induction model is also of use not just to my team in the Creative Tech Lab but to similar teams across the university and beyond just technician areas.
After reflecting with peers, both of whom I work with in the Technical department at CCW and my peer to peer presentation group, some common themes occurred. These will be highlighted throughout to show how they can be used for a better induction video.
Firstly, a video, rather than an in person induction, means students can either watch in a large group together or at their own pace. They can pause, and go back, in case they missed anything in person amongst a large crowd. Small but pivotal changes can be done to the video format to make it more inclusive. For example, currently subtitles are below the video but these could include closed captions to support students who are hard of hearing and audio descriptions for visual elements for students with visual impairments. It could also be available in different languages for those students who aren’t as confident with English, to help remove the narrative that bilingual students are a ‘challenge’ to institutions, (Bradbury, A. 2020) use inclusive language and have sign language for students who are deaf. It should use a consistent visual style and sound level to avoid sensory overload for those with autism, ADHD, PTSD or sensory processing disorder. The video should also highlight how to navigate the lab with mobility aids and access language support and mental health services, ensuring all students feel accommodated.
As mentioned previously, I believe Introducing staff and technicians to students, explaining their roles and expertise would benefit staff/student relations. Using our own positionality would help students know who to approach with specific questions and fosters better communication and respect. There is often a misunderstanding of what technicians can offer in terms of help, as mentioned above, we are often practitioners outside of our role at UAL. Currently we have a section stating our names and roles, but this could be expanded to briefly state our individual practices/interests/expertise. (Fig.4)
Fig.4
‘Space is not recognised as neutral but are recognised to operate in explicit and implicit ways that reflect structural inequalities of power and privilege’ (Wong, 2023) This is something that should be addressed within the induction. A key point should highlight the fact that the workshops are a safe-space where all students are welcome. This should be a prominent within the video, highlighting ‘success stories’ (Sadiq, 2023) as often students feel nervous to enter a workshop environment. ‘…recognising the importance of others, such as peers, in the co-creation of shared meaning at the University.’ (Wong, B. 2023) For example, it could feature past work of students from various backgrounds with testimonials of how they benefited from the Creative Tech Lab to help inspire new students.
Along with being a safe space for students, workshops should also be an anti-racist and anti-hate space. One solution discussed amongst my peers could be similar to a health and safety checklist, with a list of rules that students have to accept to enter the workshop. Highlighting respect for diversity, use of inclusive language, mindful of inclusivity needs etc. A point raised during the discussions is how staff have inclusivity training but students don’t, and this could be one small step to providing that.
Space itself is a huge factor when creating an inclusive workshop environment, although we can’t change the building, we can modify the feel, movement and agency of the space to help benefit all students. I was unable to get student feedback for this report as the students have all left, but I have received this previous email from a student alumni that highlights the importance of space. (Fig.5)
Fig.5
Another key point taken from workshops during this part of the PG Cert is hidden disabilities and supporting those students with neurodiversity. An area which can be improved in the induction is highlighting this support so students don’t have to ask for support, removing the barrier of ‘being seen.’ (Thomas, C, 2022) For example, the Creative Tech Lab can become quite noisy so an area where students can access headphones could be highlighted for those who might feel overstimulated, if they can access this themselves then it reduces the chance of ‘identity threat.’ (Thomas, C, 2022). Small improvements like this would benefit all students, not just those with neurodiversity. These should be highlighted in the induction, showing their ease of use for students to feel comfortable accessing them at their own leisure.
It is also worth noting that the premise of an inclusive induction video is one that’s ever changing, similar to students’ needs, and would benefit from being updated regularly. ‘Research must consider how adaptations can be tailored, as opposed to being a ‘one size fits all’ (MacLennan, 2022) Getting student feedback is key, potentially trialling a video to a focus group to get responses, for example having a diverse group of students and staff review the script for the induction video to ensure inclusivity and clarity in language. Also a feedback form could be linked at the end of the video, inviting students to share their thoughts and suggestions. This could be regularly reviewed and incorporated to keep the content relevant.
Bibliography
Bradbury, A. (2019) ‘A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: the case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England’, Race Ethnicity and Education, 23
Manning, C., Williams, G., & MacLennan, K. (2023). Sensory-inclusive spaces for autistic people: We need to build the evidence base. Autism, 27
Osler, T., Guillard, I., Garcia-Fialdini, A. and Côté, S. (2019). An a/r/tographic métissage: Storying the self as pedagogic practice. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, Concordia University, Intellect Ltd
Reki, J. (2023) Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Account. Hypatia 38
Through the readings for this blog post, an initial quote that stuck out to me was regarding education: ‘whiteness is an invisible structural feature of the institution.’ (Garrett, R. 2024) For BAME students and academics they have to navigate academia through an structural, institutialised white lens in which practices ‘shape specific understandings of what is considered to be professional, and this can result in pressure to assimilate to white.’ (Garrett, R. 2024) These points make think back to blog post 1 in which Ade Adeption discussion on discrimination by design in regards to buses, academic institutions needs to be re-designed from the ground up, as Rhianna Garrett goes on to say: ‘a more nuanced approach to intersectional cultural institutional change that goes beyond optical diversity.’ (Garrett, R. 2024)
This cultural framework is highlighted by Alice Bradbury, in regards to children where English isn’t their first language: ‘the idea that bilingual students are a ‘challenge’ for schools is made normal through policy documentation which lists how they should be supported.’ (Bradbury, A. 2020) This underlines how policy and traditional frameworks are implemented from an early age which ultimately carry on through to later life. This is again highlighted through Asif Sadiq’s Ted Talk on diversity, equity and inclusion: ‘whether in primary or secondary school, did we learn about the British Empire from the perspective of the coloniser or the colonised?’ (Sadiq, A 2023). It’s clear from these sources that the system of education as a whole needs to be reworked as Asif goes on to talk about the importance of inclusivity and diverse perspectives: We must diversify the content we teach and localise it, allowing teams and individuals to discuss what diversity means to them.’ (Sadiq, A 2023) His positionally as a person of colour underpins the importance of diverse perspectives, as he mentions specifically: ‘successes in diverse communities’ (Sadiq, A. 2023) to challenge the notion of our underlying biased perspectives of others. For young children especially it’s crucial that they see themselves represented in positive positions. In contrast, in the video ‘The School That Tried to End Racism’ a white student positioned at the front of the privilege walk remarks: ‘It feels quite weird because if you think about it, I think all of us should be at the same point.’ (Channel 4, 2020) To me this highlights the importance of understanding our own positionally in relation to others, as speaking from a white perspective it is not something often consciously considered due to predominately white framework we’re engrossed in, whereas for others it’s something they have to confront on a daily basis.
The video ‘The charity turning UK universities woke’ Dr. Vincent Harinam says how the University of Cambridge is not institutionally racist as a report found ‘that over the past five years, there have been five instances of a formal report to HR of racism.’ (Orr, J. 2022) As we are aware working at a University, and through resources in the workshops provided highlight how many instances of racism go unreported and the process itself can be harmful for those reporting. His view disregards the nuance of institutionalised racism and view it as a statistical formality, if a survey was done asking students about experiences of racism within the university I think it would tell a very different story
Garrett, R. (2024). Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education.
For my intervention I want to look at previous workshops I have delivered and expand on them with ideas developed from this part of the PG cert. Within my role as a Digital Fabrication Technician my dialogue with students mainly involves discussions of materiality, rather than conversations about the conceptuality or personal ideas behind student work. With this in mind, I want to focus on the ‘epistemic injustices’ (Reki 2023) brought on by the lack of understanding of technical knowledge and the limitations of resources that might hinder a students progress.
Two main processes we provided in the Creative Tech Lab are laser-cutting and 3D printing. I propose a series of workshops that encounter these techniques, with a focus on collaboration and an understanding of sustainability. A consequence of laser-cutting is we inevitably produce a lot of off-cuts. I will provide these off-cuts to students to create designs or engrave images on the materials to repurpose the waste material and create a new work. As these materials are free I aim to help support those students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in which purchasing materials might be a barrier.
For 3D printing I have found a free phone application, Polycam, that scans objects and creates a 3D mesh which can be printed. I will demonstrate this to students and have them scan their own objects, develop them digitally in the Creative Tech Lab, and then print them. I was thinking of modes of space, and similar to Ade Adeption thoughts on discrimination by design, how can that mode of space be challenged to help students’ intersectional needs, ie – being able to scan the work at home and finish in the workshop.
Key References
Duna, S. (2017) Students’ Experience of Identity and Attainment at UAL, Final year 4 report of a longitudinal study for the University of the Arts London. Project Report. University of the Arts London, London.
After engaging with the resources for this blog, an initial thought that stuck with me regarding faith and how it intersects with someone’s identity is how in essence faith and identity are intertwined and shouldn’t be seen as separate, independent, factors, as Kwame Anthony Appiah says ‘there is no such thing as religion about which to make these claims.’ (Appiah, K. A. 2014) To me this quote highlights this – it’s important to remember when being critical about faith you are also being critical of someone’s identity. ‘I think one of the real challenges we’re facing in our society is a tendency to try and paint entire communities with a single brush stroke.’ (Trinity University, 2016) Faith tends to succumb to sweeping generalisations and the resources highlight the importance of nuance and understanding as each person approaches their faith differently, and often it’s an inseparable factor to their own individual identities. I think perhaps we have a tendency to separate faith and identity, as something you choose, but the resources highlight how this isn’t always the case. As Jaclyn Rekis says on religious identity as a social identity and worldview: ‘these two aspects of religious identity inevitably co-exist.’ (Reki, J, 2023)
Growing up I went to church and went to a Christian secondary school (despite not being religious – which reminded me of a joke made by Kwame Anthony Appiah: ‘Oh, so you belong to the atheist branch of the Hindu tradition.’)(Appiah, K. A. 2014) but I understand that my upbringing isn’t the norm for a lot of people, as Kwame Anthony Appiah also says about Christianity: ‘it’s an extremely specific tradition.’ (Appiah, K. A. 2014) It’s important not to assume others subscribe to the worldview that I was brought in to, specific to myself, and understand their own experience with faith, and other intersectionalities of their own identity gives them an experience unique to their perspective. I try to be conscious of this in regarding my own teaching context, for example with artist references I give, hopefully more accurately reflecting the diverse cohort of students at UAL.
As Simran Jeet Singh says: ‘everyone has their own experiences, everyone has their own perspectives.’ (Trinity University,2016) Another point I kept coming back to regarding the texts and workshops 3 & 4 is the importance of putting in the work yourself to understand others, as Jaclyn Rekis talks about ‘Epistemic Injustice’ and lack of knowledge of others inevitably creates. ‘individuals can be harmed in their capacity as knowers when their testimony is wrongly diminished according to inequalities in social power.’ (Reki, J, 2023) This is highlighted in Students’ Experience of Identity and Attainment at UAL, with one student saying ‘She felt misunderstood and that she could not reveal her creative intention, which centred on her faith stance, to her tutors because she believed that they would not take it seriously.’ ( Duna, S. 2017) This brings me back to the importance of understanding how my own worldview is unique to me and gaining a greater understanding of other worldviews inevitably creates an environment where social power is diminished as the prejudices of misunderstanding are decreased, similarly reflected by Haifaa Jawad our prejudices ‘are often based on lack of knowledge and understanding about each other’s lives.’ (Jawad, H, 2022)
References
Duna, S. (2017) Students’ Experience of Identity and Attainment at UAL, Final year 4 report of a longitudinal study for the University of the Arts London. Project Report. University of the Arts London, London.
From the videos, resources and workshop 1 & 2 a key point that stuck out to me and kept re-entering my mind is the prospect of not being ‘seen,’ or invisibility as a privilege, seamlessly blending into everyday life and not sticking out, something I take for granted. For example being white in a majority white country, being able bodied etc – not being othered. The ability to ‘pass’ is a privilege, which also made me think of invisible disabilities and in the context of privilege walks the pressure to ‘out’ yourself. ‘It places the participant in a position of identity threat.’ (Thomas, C, 2022)
Individuals who belong to more than one marginalised group face compounded discrimination, their ability to be invisible is taken from them in multiple ways which can result in additional challenges and barriers, things I had not considered before. A similar theme that occurred throughout the interviews is the idea that one particular group isn’t homogeneous, and intersectionality creates a blending of opinions within different cultures/groups. ‘Identities are dynamic and contextual to time, location and context.’ (Thomas, C, 2022) In the case of Ade Adeption he mentions how things like transportation can discriminate against individuals with disabilities, drawing similarities to segregation. While Rosa Parks challenged racial segregation on buses, individuals with disabilities may face segregation in transportation due to inadequate accommodations or designated seating areas. This example highlights how discrimination by design affects individuals at the intersection of disability and race. Instead of a designated area for wheelchair users, what if the whole concept of a bus was redesigned from the ground up to cater to everyone? A separate space only adds to the disadvantage of being visible.
These thoughts led me into thinking more about space and, in particular, the space I work in. I work in the Digital Fabrication Lab at CCW and how accessible is the workshop? Or the building? For example, I could be more conscious of clutter and keeping access points clear, but if the space was redesigned from the ground up how could that benefit everyone?
This led me back to thinking about invisible disabilities and how to help students with them. For example for those with sensory difficulties, there could be a place that’s clearly visible with headphones available to block out outside noise, reducing the issue of ‘identity threat.’ (Thomas, C, 2022) as they can access them themselves. This more inclusive addition also benefits everyone, not just serving a specific group of students. For students with language barriers or hearing difficulties I consciously try to speak clearly and precisely and use the aid of physical examples of work to explain visually, drawing on my own experience as an artist as I find it very helpful personally. I’m also conscious of references I give, diversifying my knowledge of artists/designers/etc is key to reflect the cohort of students and also broaden my understanding of different perspectives. One thing I’ve already found with this section of the PG Cert is the importance of other perspectives in broadening our own.
Bibliography
Thomas, Cate (2022) Overcoming Identity Threat: Using Persona Pedagogy in Intersectionality and Inclusion Training, Social Sciences 11
As a Digital Fabrication Technician, I heavily depend solely on formative assessments and regular feedback exchanges to facilitate the learning process. For instance, I provide direct feedback to students on their files during drop-in sessions or scheduled one-on-one appointments. However, a significant challenge lies in ensuring that the feedback provided is both clear and comprehensible, thereby ensuring that students grasp the expectations and next steps for improvement.
Evaluation
Currently feedback is given verbally during the process of making. For example, during a one on one session with a student they will propose a project and I will help facilitate the development of the proposal, assessing their understanding of technical software, materials, etc and advise accordingly. Depending on their understanding of technical processes, a different path might be directed to create a desired outcome, for example laser cutting might be more appropriate than 3D printing. While there isn’t a formal feedback structure, it is provided consistently throughout the students’ project development process.
Students who book a one-on-one session must fill out a box on Moodle that briefly explains their proposal so I have a vague understanding of what they want to achieve beforehand.
Moving forwards
After reading ‘Could do Better?’: students’ critique of written feedback’ a point that stuck out to me was that one-on-one feedback was ‘ideal’ but not practical. (Brookes, K 2008) I feel, as a technician, I’m in an interesting position where the feedback I give is primarily one-on-one, direct and instantaneous. Because I don’t do summative assessments I often find students are more often to engage in critique and honesty about the development of their work, as I’m in a position to help facilitate and aid that development. A problem with this is that a small cohort of students will have access to this direct, beneficial feedback while potentially a majority won’t. There’s an imbalance between students I see and those I don’t.
Recently I exhibited some of my own artwork in the Vitrines at Wilson Road to showcase how digital fabrication can be used in a painting context. I created a series of paintings, laser cut frames/stands with engravings and used a plotter with a 3D printed pen holder to automate different marks on the canvas. It’s been successful in bringing new students to engage with the space from painting within the art pathway, which historically uses the creative tech lab less. I took inspiration from reading ‘An a/r/tographic métissage: Storying the self as pedagogic practice’ (Osler et al, 2019) and using the ‘self’ as subject matter to explain how the processes available within the workshop have benefited my own ongoing artistic practice. This has allowed deeper and more interesting discussions with students as we can converse as fellow practitioners, rather than teacher/student: ‘An opportunity for dialogue on equal and inclusive terms develops.’ (Osler, et al, 2019)
Often I find the feedback is most successful when allowing a student to explain their project, showing them useful tools to aid in this and then letting them try it themselves for a while before helping further when they get stuck. ‘It is the person who explains who really deepens their learning, rather than the person being explained to.’ (Race, 2001) This quote was in the context of student peer feedback, but I believe it applies here as my role is to facilitate the development of student work and help them understand the crucial nature of learning how to learn.
My Artwork displayed in the Vitrines at Wilson Road
Bibliography
Brookes, K (2008) Could do better?: students’ critique of written feedback. Art/Design/Media Subject Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol.
Osler, T., Guillard, I., Garcia-Fialdini, A. and Côté, S. (2019). An a/r/tographic métissage: Storying the self as pedagogic practice. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, Concordia University, Intellect Ltd
Race, P (2001) Assessment Series No.9 A Briefing on Self, Peer and Group Assessment. The Generic Learning Centre, Learning and Teaching Support Network.
As a technician, I am conscious of the fact that students might not be fully aware of the possibilities of the Creative Tech Lab and what can be produced. Myself and my colleagues have curated a series of examples in our area that span as many disciplines as possible.
Evaluation
Students’ understanding of what is possible within the creative tech lab creates a notable challenge. We address this by showcasing various examples of both student and staff work and use them to explain the processes involved. This approach has proven successful in encouraging students to contemplate their desired outcomes, utilising the examples as inspiration for their project development. However, students sometimes find the possibilities overwhelming, realizing they lack the time to generate intricate results.
Additionally, managing student expectations poses a continual challenge. There’s a misunderstanding of the speed of digital fabrication techniques, such as laser-cutting and 3D printing, which leaves students unaware of the necessary preparation time. Consequently, they often express disappointment when confronted with the actual duration of these processes within set deadlines. To mitigate this issue, we offer one-to-one tutorial consultations, explicitly conveying and reminding students of the time-intensive nature of these processes.
Moving forwards
Some of the strategies I have encountered on object-based learning have made me think how useful having examples are in the context of the workshop. They can be used to explain a process in simple terms and for students who might struggle with the complexity of a digital object translating into a physical one. This was particularly clear from my micro-teach, as I received positive feedback on this process. Here it was made clear the importance of simplifying technical steps and the aid physical resources can have in this process. ‘The embodied knowledge which physical engagement with materials provides is distinctive.’ (Orr et al, 2017) I believe seeing physical outcomes help students who struggle with technical language and those whose primary language isn’t english.
During undertaking the PGCert I’ve come to the understanding that examples act as teaching assistants, facilitating learning when one-on-one discussions aren’t possible. However in their current iteration they raise more questions than answers, so moving forward, it would be beneficial to complement them with additional explanatory materials. For example, showing 3D prints printed at different sizes with information showing how long each one took, or a notice board with laser engravings developed at different power settings with associated production times. This would offer students a clearer understanding of the time investment required for different projects and how different a process might be more relevant to them. ‘The object, though, might also be used as a tool to support learning in manufacturing processes and techniques or to illustrate alternatives within the studio and workshop environment.’ (Orr et al, 2017)
Currently a lot of the samples around the workshop are from my own, or colleagues, practices. As we are all practicing artists ourselves, I believe it’s important to showcase the possibilities the tools we provide can be utilised. As expanded in ‘How do art and design technicians conceive of their role in higher education?’ (Sams, 2016) I believe it’s essential to emphasize that artistic growth extends beyond the confines of academic programs by highlighting the evolving nature of artistic practice and the importance of continuous learning and experimentation.
However with the addition of more finished student work on display the current cohort of students would have a more tangible understanding of what they can achieve within the constraints of their project timelines, particularly considering the short timeframe of the Foundation diploma.
Examples of artefacts on display
Bibliography
Orr, S, & Shreeve, A (2017) Art and Design Pedagogy in Higher Education : Knowledge, Values and Ambiguity in the Creative Curriculum, Taylor & Francis Group, Milton.
Sams, C (2016) How do art and design technicians conceive of their role in higher education? Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal
