cltad : sinta tantra

CLG : SIP Films

2009-04-14T15:58:00.011+01:00

Solo Taxonomy.

Influence of Subj/Obj.

Constructive Alignment.

The Number 3.

HISTORIES & THEORIES OF ART EDUCATION

2008-10-13T16:33:00.006+01:00

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Working towards a professional practice
within art schools today

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Questions to think about.....

What do arts (and design) students need to learn?
What, why and how do we teach arts and design?
Is there a hidden curriculum?
If there is a hidden curriculum, how is this being assessed?
Is there a taste culture behind teaching? e.g house style

Histories of theories of arts education

APPRENTICESHIP

• skills based
•learn by example
• learn from each other
• final major project
• What apprentices learn determined by the master's specialism

TRADITIONAL

• Academies of art
• Based on classical models / ideals
• Taught traditional 'grammar' of art
• drawing, observation, proportion, harmony, perspective
• a grammar of visual language, a universal language
• worked alongside apprentice system
• raised the status of artists and the arts
• originality NOT encouraged
• lots of painstaking copying
• human figure and anatomy
• geometry
• perspective

FORMALIST

• Modern
• basic design
• bauhaus influence
• basic grammar to learn and vocabulary
• colour, shape, proportion
• doing away with the ornament
• properties of materials 'truth to materials'
• geometry
• "form following function"
• core curriculum for all
• visual perception (Gestalt)

EXPRESSIVE

• Everyone is different
• Everyone has something unique to express
• Every student has different needs
• Improvisation
• Spiritual
• Romantic notion of the artist / designer

CONCEPTUAL

• historical knowledge
• theoretical knowledge
• contextual knowledge
• coldstream report
• students must communicate about their work
• Ideas NOT skills
• Design process
• Innovation
• Problem solving
• Different Media
• New Media
• Multi Media
• Barriers broken down

PROFESSIONAL

• Instrumental
• Training for future career ad future success
• Tied to professional arts / design world
• How to build a successful career
• Presentation, marketing, promotion
• Influence of business theory

BIBLIOGRAPHY

* Artists making art for Social Change
Hornsey 1968: The Art School Revolution Lisa Tickner

The events at the Sorbonne in May 1968, when a dispute between students and university authorities brought France to the brink of revolution, have been widely celebrated and discussed in this the year of their 40th anniversary. London’s own évènements are far less widely known. At the heart of them was the six-week long occupation of Hornsey Art College, beginning on May 28. Lisa Tickner, who describes herself as a ‘participant observer’ in the occupation (she had graduated from the college in 1967 and did not return there to teach until the autumn of 1968) provides a meticulously documented account of those tumultuous weeks. ‘If ‘1968’’ she writes, ‘conjures Paris, Prague, the London School of Economics, civil rights and the Vietnam solidarity campaign it is Hornsey – described in its earlier incarnationas a ‘mouldering suburban hutment teaching pottery and basketmaking’ – that has dropped off the revolutionary map. And it was a revolution, according to Tom Nairn at the time, in which ‘a few North London crackpots achieved more than the working class of this overwhelmingly proletarian country.’’ Frances Lincoln | paperback |ISBN: 9780711228740 http://www.lrbshop.co.uk/hornsey-1968_4120.html

* "Why art Cannot be taught" James Elkins

* "Making Artists in the Art Universities"

* "Art Subjects - making artists in the University" Howard Singerman

* "International Journal of Art and Design Education"

REFLECTING ON REFLECTION

2008-10-13T16:28:00.002+01:00

What makes things more reflective than others?

SURFACE vs DEEP

• identifying own feelings
• being able to identify emotions
• being critical of ourselves
• taking responsibility

Artists usually employ a process of working

1) Start with a problem
2) Research
3) Generate ideas
4) Solution

Each stage you must reflect, reflect, reflect

BIBLIOGRAPHY

* Lindstorm, Lars (2006)
Creatvity: What is it? Can you assess it? Can it be taught?
International Journal of Art and Design Education, Volume 25, no. 1

* Jenny Moon's books are all published by Routledge Falmer, London. Reflection in Learning and Professional Development (1999a); Learning Journals, a handbook for students, Academics and Professional Development (1999b) and second edition, 2006 with much new material); Improving the Impact of Short Courses and Workshops (2001); a Module and Programme Development Handbook, 2002); A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning (2004).

MINDMAPPING

2008-10-13T16:20:00.004+01:00

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"Mind mapping can be used to illustrate sophisticated levels of understanding"

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A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing.

Buzan[1] claims that the mind map is a vastly superior note taking method because it does not lead to a "semi-hypnotic trance" state induced by the other note forms. Buzan also argues that the mind map utilizes the full range of left and right human cortical skills, balances the brain, taps into the alleged 99% of your unused mental potential, as well as intuition (which he calls "superlogic"). However, scholarly research suggests that such claims may actually be marketing hype based on misconceptions about the brain and the cerebral hemispheres. Critics argue that hemispheric specialization theory has been identified as pseudoscientific when applied to mind mapping.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

NATIONAL STANDARDS FRAMEWORK

2008-09-29T20:42:00.015+01:00

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Understand and use the National Standards Framework but do not teach by the book.

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Questions to think about

Should teachers in higher education have to be qualified to teach?
How would you arrange matters for established teachers?
Should engagement with continuing professional development be compulsory?
What is the "dual professional"?

The National Professional Standards Framework:

www.heacademy.ac.uk/regandaccr/StandardsFRamework(1).pdf

Standards descriptor 1: Demonstrates an understanding of the student learning experience through engagement with at least 2 of the 6 areas of activity, appropiate core knwoledge and professional values; the ability to engage in practices related to those area of activity; the ability to incorporate research, scholarship and / or proffessional practice into those activties.

Examples of staff groups: Postgraduate teaching assistants, staff new to higher education teaching with no prior qualification or experience, staff whose professional role includes a small range of teaching and learning support activity.

(There are 3 Standard Descriptors in total)

AREAS OF ACTIVITY

1. Design and planning of learning activities and / or programmes of study
2. Teaching and supporting student learning
3. Assessment and giving feedback to learners
4. Developing effective environments and student guidance and support systems
5. Integration of scholarship, research and professional activties with teachinga nd supporting learning
6. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional development

CORE KNOWLEDGE

The subject material
Appropriate methods for teaching and learning in the subject area and at the level of the academic programme
How students learn, both generally and in the subject
The use of appropiate learning technoligies
Methods of evaluating the effectiveness of teaching
The implications of quality assurance and enhancement for professional practice

PROFESSIONAL VALUES

Respect for individual learners
Commitment to incorporating the process and outcome of relevant research, scholarship and / or professional practice
Commitment to development of learning communities
Commitment to encouraging participation in higher education, acknowledging diversity and promoting equality of opportunity
Commitment to continuing professional development and evaluation of practice role includes a small range of teaching and learning

TECHNOLOGY FOR LEARNING

2008-09-27T00:35:00.011+01:00

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Use VLE to as a tool to create community development and provide for a range of learners.

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What is a VLA?

A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a software system designed to support teaching and learning in an educational setting, as distinct from a Managed Learning Environment (MLE) where the focus is on management. A VLE will normally work over the Internet and provide a collection of tools such as those for assessment (particularly of types that can be marked automatically, such as multiple choice), communication, uploading of content, return of students' work, peer assessment, administration of student groups, collecting and organizing student grades, questionnaires, tracking tools, etc. New features in these systems include

wikis
blogs
RSS
3D virtual learning spaces
podcasts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_learning_environment

Blackboard
Wiki
cltad:sintatantra
clg:sip

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVE PRACTICE

2008-09-27T00:15:00.013+01:00

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Diversity is fostering a learning environment where everyone feels valued

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What is diversity?

"a mix of people in one social system who have distinctly different, socially relevant group affiliations" (Cox, 1993:6)

1. LEGAL

First Generation Equal Opportunity developments: the Legal Framework

Characterised by passage of laws to prevent specific kinds of discrimination

• Sex Discrimination Ace
• Race Relations Act
• Disability Discrimination Act
• Equal pay Act
• Subsequent case law from all to the above

Provided impetus for change and for establishing institutional ways of ensuring the laws were followed
e.g

• Institutional policies and procedures
• Monitoring and record keeping to check compliance
• Training and awareness raising

2. POSITIVE ACTION

Second Generation Equal Opportunities developments: positive action for disadvantaged groups

Evidence of action could include:
• Access, outreach and special programmes e.g Foundation programmes, Passport, WISE
• Specialist advisers e.g mature students, dyslexic, international
• Single focus support groups
• Training aimed at single interest groups e.g research skills for female researchers
• Targeted recruitment e.g ethic minorities
• Action research / surveys to identify student experience
• Extra tuition sessions for non native English Speakers
• Virtual reality field course for students with mobility problems

3. DIVERSITY

Third Generation Equal Opportunities development, managing diversity

• Policies and procedures on inclusive language, harassment, respect, family- friendly policies etc
• Explicit information
• Transparent procedures, criteria, decision making
• Student Charters
• Student experience surveys, monitoring and information

Examining curriculum to see if it is:

fair and consistent
responsive to a variety of student needs
assessed using explicit criteria
providing all students with opportunities to achieve their potential
providing opportunities for all students to participate fully
using approaches which positively value student and staff diversity

Dr. E Joy Mighty

Text extracted from the Keynote Workshop by Dr. E Joy Mighty, University of New Brunswick, 4th Annual Dalhousie Conference on University Teaching and Learning, Tuesday, May 1, 2001

How can we define diversity?

• Social
• Cultural
• Gender
• Age
• ethnicity
• class
• religion
• language
• learning styles
• marital status
• family make up
• physical / mental ability
• immigrant status
• educational background
• political outlook
• discipline

The Concept of Social Identity

Our self definition involves accentuating similarities of people belonging to the same social group and difference of people belonging to different groups.

Our social identity influences how others view us

All interpersonal relationships are influenced by the social indentities of the persons interacting.

Positive approach - celebrating diversity, open minded, allowing people to be who they are, recognising one's integrity.

People can be diverse in infinite ways.

Phenotype and Culture Identity Group

Phenotype Identity Group: Based on physical, visually observable difference from other groups

Cultural Identity Group: Based on shared norms, values or common socio- cultural heritage that distinguish one group from others

Prejudice and Privilege

Putting system in place to give everyone equal status

Content

Need to change learning Pedagogies and Content

Do the instructional materials, methods, and assessment techniques reflect the learning styles of diverse students?
Does the course provide continuous opportunities for all students to strengths their self - identities, develop greater self - understanding and improve their self concepts
Does the course help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary for effective interpersonal and group interactions with diverse populations?

Conduct

What learning processes should we use?

UBUNTU - Zulu word. Using each person's difference to learn from.

CAUTION: Inclusive teaching does not mean to asking the black student a question about black culture!!!!!!

How can we foster an inclusive learning environment?

1. Ground Rules, establishing boundaries,
2. Make a point to learn and pronounce names correctly
3. Offer students a choice of students addressing you
4. Get to know students as people. But do not disclose personal
5. Use ice breakers
6. Be prepared for appropiate self - disclosure yourself. Be honest and open.
7. Be aware of your own non verbal behaviour in class.
8. Some things that you can not do in a light hearted way.
9. Ensure accessibility for students with disabilities
10. Reconfigure your space, classroom from time to time using circular / semi circular layouts
11. Use of a variety of discussion formats e.g whole class, small groups, pairs. Smalle groups provide a sense of safety
12. Discourage and challenge racist, sexist, homophobic or other bigoted remarks.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

2008-09-26T23:06:00.021+01:00

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Use the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy verbs to help develop Intended Learning Outcomes.

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What are Intended Learning Outcomes?

to introduce to students what they will learn
to explain to students how they will learn
to enable students to learn

core definition

A learning outcome is the specification of what a student should learn as the result of a period of specified and supported study.

explanatory context

Learning outcomes are concerned with the achievements of the learner rather than the intentions of the teacher (expressed in the aims of a module or course). They can take many forms and can be broad or narrow in nature (Adam, 2004).

Learning outcomes and ‘aims and objectives’ are often used synonymously, although they are not the same. Adam (2004) notes that ‘Aims are concerned with teaching and the teacher’s intentions whilst learning outcomes are concerned with learning’ and Moon (2002) suggests that one way to distinguish aims from learning outcomes is that aims indicate the general content, direction and intentions behind the module from the designer/teacher viewpoint.
However, learning outcomes and objectives are more difficult to distinguish as objectives can be written in terms that are very similar to that used in learning outcomes. Indeed, in the UK polytechnic sector in the 1970s, objectives were written that identified what students should be able to do; this was well before they were known as learning outcomes.

Citation reference: Harvey, L., 2004, Analytic Quality Glossary,
Quality Research International, http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/glossary/

What is Bloom's Taxonomy?

Understanding that "taxonomy" and "classification" are synonymous helps dispel uneasiness with the term. Bloom's Taxonomy is a multi-tiered model of classifying thinking according to six cognitive levels of complexity.

http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy

Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT)

During the 1990's, a former student of Bloom's, Lorin Anderson, led a new assembly which met for the purpose of updating the taxonomy, hoping to add relevance for 21st century students and teachers. This time "representatives of three groups [were present]: cognitive psychologists, curriculum theorists and instructional researchers, and testing and assessment specialists" (Anderson, & Krathwohl, 2001, p. xxviii). Like the original group, they were also arduous and diligent in their pursuit of learning, spending six years to finalize their work. Published in 2001, the revision includes several seemingly minor yet actually quite significant changes.

Caption: Terminology changes "The graphic is a representation of the NEW verbage associated with the long familiar Bloom's Taxonomy. Note the change from Nouns to Verbs [e.g., Application to Applying] to describe the different levels of the taxonomy. Note that the top two levels are essentially exchanged from the Old to the New version." (Schultz, 2005) (Evaluation moved from the top to Evaluating in the second from the top, Synthesis moved from second on top to the top as Creating.) Source: http://www.odu.edu/educ/llschult/blooms_taxonomy.htm

The new terms are defined as:

* Remembering: Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long-term memory.
* Understanding: Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining.
* Applying: Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or implementing.
* Analyzing: Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose through differentiating, organizing, and attributing.
* Evaluating: Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing.
* Creating: Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing.

(Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001, pp. 67-68)

RBT - Two Dimensional Table

Table1. Bloom's Taxonomy


The Knowledge Dimension	The Cognitive Process Dimension
The Knowledge Dimension	Remember	Understand	Apply	Analyze	Evaluate	Create
Factual Knowledge	List	Summarize	Classify	Order	Rank	Combine
Conceptual Knowledge	Describe	Interpret	Experiment	Explain	Assess	Plan
Procedural Knowledge	Tabulate	Predict	Calculate	Differentiate	Conclude	Compose
Meta-Cognitive Knowledge	Appropriate Use	Execute	Construct	Achieve	Action	Actualize

WHY WE ASSESS? DIFFERENT MODELS OF ASSESSMENT

2008-09-26T22:19:00.014+01:00

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Self Assessment can be through written, verbal, and recorded images.

Peer Assessment can be through group work, seminars and marking schemes.

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http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AssessmentInst/2008/images/Assessment.JPG

how to assess

• Go through Learning Outcomes with students
• Developing higher level skills, cognitive skills, (not competency skills)
• Too much assessment = too much surface approach
• Try not to have all assessments end of term
• Traditionally tutor feedback has been verbal - can be written / recorded / videoed so that students can work on feedback
• You can devise other types of feedback, peer groups assessment, seminars, activities
• "Accommodated Assessment" means having with special needs e.g dyslexic, deaf, disability.
• Tutors have a rich language when they talk about students work / videoed feedback and students can replay this discussion.

why we assess?

We access in order to

• Develop critical ability
• Become an independent learner
• Support students
• Develop marking schemes
• prompt questions

BASIC STEPS

1) What do you want your students to learn?
2) How you are going to help them to learn?
3) How wiil you access it?

different types of assessment

PEER ASSESSMENT

• Critical Seminar with others
• Group Projects
• Support students
• Marking Schemes

SELF ASSESSMENT
• written
• verbal
• images

GROUP WORK
• makes you learn about problems solving
• makes you learn about group dynamics
• group projects can put into context what you have learnt
• need needs to be monitored by teacher

Bibliography / Papers (http://scholar.google.co.uk)

* Cordelia Bryan, papers on group work
* Graham Gibbs, papers on group work
* Developing Effective Assessment in HE: A practical Guide, Sue Bloxham / Pete Boyd Some References for Assessment in Art and Design
* Blair, B (2006) Enhancing Curricula: contributing to the future, meeting the challenges of the 21st century in the disciplines of art, design and communication. Lisbon, Portugal, CLTAD, centre for learning and teaching in art and design
* Blair, B (2006). Perception, interpretation, Impact: An examination of the larning value of formatative feedback to students through the design studio critique. Theses. Institute of Education, University of London.
* Bryan, C. and K. Klegg (Eds) (2006) innovative Assessment in Higher Education, Routeledge, London
* Eisner, E.W (2003) Reshaping Assessment in Education. In Scott, D. (Ed) Curriculum Studies. Routeledge, London pp 242 - 258.
* Gibbs. G. (1995) Learning in teams: a tutor guide. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.
* Orr, S. (2006). Studio based mark agreement practices: the said and the unsaid. In Davies, A (Ed) Enhancing Curricula: contributing to the future, meeting the challenges of the 21st century in the disciplines of art, design and communication, Lisbon, Portugal, CLTAD
* Price, M., B O' Donovan, et al. (2003). Improving Students'Learning by Developing thier Understadning of Assessment Criteria and Processes. In Rust, C. (Ed) Impoving Student learning: Theory and Practice - 10 years on. Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.
* Shreeve, A., S. Bailey, et al. (2003). Students' approaches to the "research" component in the fashion design project: variation in students' experience of the research process. Art, Design adn Communication in higher Education 2(3): 113-130
* Shreeve, A., J. Baldwin, et al. (2004). Variation in Student Conceptions of Assessment. In Rust, C. (Ed) Impoving Student learning: Theory and Practice - 10 years on. Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development. Communities of practice: Lave, J. and E. Wenger (1991). Situated Learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice. Learning meaning and identity. Cambridge, Cambridge Univerisity Press.

SUMMATIVE & FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

2008-09-09T21:54:00.009+01:00

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Good Assessment uses a variety of models, promotes positive group and shared critique.

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SUMMATIVE

• exams, test, measured

Characteristics:

1. It tends to use well defined evaluation designs. [i.e. fixed time and content]
2. It provides descriptive analysis. [i.e. in order to give a grade, all the activities done throughout the year are taken into account]
3. It tends to stress local effects.
4. It is unopressive and not reactive as far as possible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summative_Assessment

FORMATIVE

• tutorials, seminars, unmarked, process of learning
• self-reflective process that intends to promote student attainment
• bidirectional process between teacher and student to enhance, recognise and respond to the learning.

In the training field, formative assessment is described as assessing the formation of the student. Facilitators do this by observing students as they:

* Respond to questions
* Ask questions
* Interact with other students during activities, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formative_Assessment

What does good assessment look like?

• variety of modes
• genoursity
• quality
• personal feedback
• feedback that allows progress
• prompt and timely feedback
• group and shared critique
• engaging the student
• safe environment
• encouragement
• clear
• positive
• engaging the meaning
• deep learning
• clear and understood criteria
• duty of care
• learn what quality work

What does Bad Assessment look like?

• no feedback
• late
• little
• irrelevant
• poorly written briefs
• unclear of assessment
• not setting up in the beginning
• no clear expectation on how assessment will be don
• surface assessment
• quanity rather and quality
• policing what to do
• concentration of marks rather than feed back
• unsypathetic tutors
• public humiliation
• imposing tutor's views
• not listening, not asking
• unaware

KNOLB'S LEARNING CYCLE

2008-09-08T21:58:00.004+01:00

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SPIRAL LEARNING: Experience, Reflection, Abstraction & Action

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KNOLB'S LEARNING CYCLE

DAVID A. KOLB (born 1939) is an American educational theorist whose interests and publications focus on experiential learning, the individual and social change, career development, and executive and professional education.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Kolb

"The Experiential Learning Model," composed of four elements:

concrete experience
observation of and reflection on that experience
formation of abstract concepts based upon the reflection
testing the new concepts
(repeat).

1) Self evaluation - Where am I now? The learner reflects, evaluating his / her own skills, knowledge, values and attitudes.

2) Goal Setting - Where do I want to be? The learner considers his or her aspirations, and sets personal goals or targets.

3) Action Plan - How can I close the gap between where I am and where I want to be?

4) Action! Carry out the action plan, monitoring its implementation.

BACK TO 1)

These four elements are the essence of a spiral of learning that can begin with any one of the four elements, but typically begins with a concrete experience.

His model was developed predominantly for use with adult education, but has found widespread pedagogical implications in higher education.

KNOLB'S LEARNING STYLE INVENTORY (LSI)

Dr. Kolb is renowned in educational circles for his Learning Style Inventory (LSI). His model is built upon the idea that learning preferences can be described using two continuums: active experimentation-reflective observation and abstract conceptualization-concrete experience.

The result is four types of learners:

1) converger (active experimentation-abstract conceptualization)

2) accommodator (active experimentation-concrete experience)

3) assimilator (reflective observation-abstract conceptualization)

4) diverger (reflective observation-concrete experience)

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

2008-09-08T21:47:00.004+01:00

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Reflection helps with language and supports a diversity of visual and active learners

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WHAT REFLECTION IS

• Reflection lies somewhere around the notion of learning and thinking. We reflect in order to learn something, or we learn as a result of reflecting.
• We reflect on things for which there is no obvious answer
• Reflection is a means of working on what we already know
• Reflection may involve emotion
• We draw out of it something that connects with the purpose for which we are reflecting
• Emotion is used to trigger the memory. e.g Fear, happy,

WHAT REFLECTION IS NOT

• Conveyance of information, instruction or argument in a report, essay or "recipe"
• A straight - forward decision about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad, etc
• Simple problem solving

Purposes of writing Reflection 1

• To record experience
• To develop learning in ways that enhances other learning
• To increase the ability to reflect and improve the quality of learning
• To enhance problem solving skills - think around the pros and cons of problem solving situations
• To enhance professional practice or the professional self in practice - current theories say, its difficult to improve teaching / learning if you are not a reflective practioner.
• To facilitate learning from experience
• To foster reflective and creative interaction in a group - collaborative nature of groups.
•

Purposes of writing Reflection 2

• To deepen the quality of learning, in the form of critical thinking or developing a questioning attitude
• To enable learner to understanding their own learning process
• To increase active involvement in learning and personal ownership of learning
• To explore the self, personal constructs of meaning and one's view of the world
• To enhance the personal valuing of the self towards self empowerment

Purposes of writing Reflection 3

• As a means of slowing down learning, taking more thorough account of a situation
• To enhance creativity by making better use of intuitative understanding - holistic, incorporating left and right brain activities
• To provide an alternative voice for those not got at expressing themselves - visuals, mind mapping

Bibliography:

: Brockbank A & McGill I. (1998) Facilitating Reflective Learning in Higher Education, Buckingham: SRHE

: Brookfield S. (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, s.f Cal. Jossey - Bass
Moon J. (1999)

: Learning Journals: A Handbook for academics, students and professional development. London: Kogan Page

EDUCATIONAL BIOGRAPHY

2008-09-08T21:20:00.006+01:00

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Reflect on your own educational background to develop your own teaching methods

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PAST LEARNING EXPERIENCES

- Think about your own educational biography - educational autobiography - What have been high points? Low points in your educational history - Can you remember educational excellence or an inspirational teacher? - What parts of your educational didn't work? - What was the reason? - Do they have relevance to the course you are starting now.

: SINTA TANTRA

I was born in New York 1979. My parents are from Bali, Indonesia and I am the youngest of five. Our family travelled around the world lots because my father was a banker living in Indonesia, Singapore, New York and London. This is why all my brothers and sisters speak English as well as Indonesian with a different accent. Luckily for me I only had to change schools once when we moved from New York to London. My first school that I went to was PS 144. The PS stood for public school and the 144 stood for number 144 primary school in Queens, New York. My mother told me that 144 was quite a handy number as 12 multiplied 12 was 144. I remember having shouty teachers at PS 144, being regularly sick on the school bus and lining up by the door for the fire drills.

Infant school in London was great - learning, playing, playing and learning. Nothing really to do with the teachers, just the fact that everything was an adventure - from playing in the sand pit to learning the alphabet, learning and playing became one squishy bit of plasticine. But from the age of nine, primary school started to get a bit boring for me. School became about trawling through text book after text book, answering question after question, reading line after line, thing after thing. The worst part for me was that we had to do everything together - start together, finish together. Everything just went at a steady pace which was perhaps too steady for me. No glitz, no glamour, just a tick here and a cross there.

Extra curricular activities after school were more my thing - gymnastics, choir, piano, balinese dancing, french horn, drama, and Saturday orchestra. Within these places I was free to work at my own pace as well as working with others in a team. This was good for me as I started to recognise and value my own individual importance within a group. If I didn't turn up to the Christmas play, who would have played Elf number 3?

My Secondary School was a bit better but much the same as primary school. I did more extra curricular stuff to feed my boredom - chess club, netball, basketball, tennis, cross country running, french club, jazz band, opera singing, trumpet and more piano.

I went to a different school for Sixth form college and it was there where I met my favourite teacher Mr. Livesey. Mr. Livsey taught art at Camden School and funnily enough also taught Eliza Bonham Carter - who also taught me for my MA at The Royal Academy. Mr. Livesey not only believed in my talents but treated me as an adult. Art gave me lots of space to be creative, make mistakes and learn from them. The glitz and glamour of A' Level Art was not really in the grades or the showcasing of work but in the fact that art enabled me to think more abstract.

After A'Levels I went and did an art Foundation. Art foundation was like going to infant school again - lots of mess, learning and discovering. After foundation I went to the Slade and then after the Slade I went to the Royal Academy. Both places were really very good in lots and lots of ways but they were also harsh and competitive at times too. I don't really know why this was so but I guess its because students can be very ambitious and artists can be very neurotic. Tutors didn't really help with this as they often had favourites but of course you also didn't mind if that favourite was you.

Royal Academy seminars were particularly harsh. There were only 17 of us in the year and we would meet one day every week for three years. I hated these seminars but kept on telling myself that it was just like drinking medicine. It seemed we got told off for being too quiet, told off for being too nice - people got upset if other's were being too critical, people got upset that other people only stood up for their own mates - it really was quite ridiculous that after three years the balance and harmony of this year group was just never right. I think that the tutors wanted the atmosphere to be a bit like a debating society or the house of commons. Either way I felt there was something very unmodern about this way of learning and just concentrated on my personal tutorials and studio work. The good tutors kept me on my toes, challenged and questioned me. They praised me when they thought something worked and encouraged me when it didn't work.

Surprisingly I had no extra curricular activities in art school I did however though work as Playworker during the holidays (working with children aged 3 - 11). Eventually I ended up managing and then went on to do training for other playworkers. This is where I learnt about workshop and training techniques. I felt that as the person leading the workshop it was important to make your participants feel like they were contributing to their own learning and development. This can be done through collaborative learning groups (just like we are doing) - learning, sharing, feeding back. But even before this, its important to spend time getting to know your participants - giving them time to get to know each other, giving them time to get to know you. Having a good harmony in the group means that individuals can voice their opinions within some sort of common understanding. To get the group going I like playing ice breaker games to get them talking and relaxed.

So why am I on this course? I guess I'm on this course because I'm passionate about my art career and passionate about teaching. I'm passionate about the ways in which learning, sharing, teaching, making art, curating and exhibiting can be one squishy piece of plasticine - but unlike primary school this plasticine needs to have more professionalism, glitz and glamour I hope.

HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM

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Keep a record of where you get your information from

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HOW TO "QUOTE"

: TOP TIPS

• Whilst you are reading get into the habit of writing page number!
• Style tips on Intranet
• Guide in the course booklet
• there is a computer programm which does automatic referencing called "end note"

: Harvard referencing system used by University of the Arts

Download .pdf on Harvard Referencing System

Surname, Initial, dot, bracket, year, bracket, title in italics, dot, city of published, semicolon, publisher, dot

e.g

• Smith, A. (2007) Arts Education for a New Century. London: Hudson and Thames.

: 2 authors

• Smith, A. & Jones, R (2007) Arts Education for a New Century. London: Hudson and Thames.

Note: chapters in the book are not in italics

• MacFischery, K. (2002) Strategic learninrs. In: Yeomans, Z. (ed.) Assessnebt for Arts Education. New York: Univerity of Columbia Press, pp.43-79.

: Journals

• Wheeler, L. (2008) Now we are six (tea). Journal of Arts Education. vol 16 (2) pp.23-60.

: Internet

• Simmerman, Z. (n-d Art and Design Education. Available from: http//www.nsead.pl [Accessed 24 August, 2007]

THEORIES AND PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING

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Make a shift towards Student Centred Learning

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REMEMBER TO...

Critically analyse and evaluate contemporary pedagogical theory
Be critical
Analyse what is in there and then challenging on from your own experiences
Go beyond theory
Its ok to disagree theories
Label (e.g behaviourists) so that you can group the camps
Find out which authors you agree with? which ones you want to challenge?
Which theories do you want to experiment with?

TEACHER CENTRED LEARNING

: Syringe Method

• Syringe method, injecting knowledge into the students.
• Used in Universities in the past
• Teachers talking on a podium and then students to read / study after

: Transmitter

• Beacon transmitter model
• Less aggressive
• In order for the transmission to work the receiver / student must be ready to receive
• Learning happens all the time in your life

: Multiple intelligences / Burt

• Cyril Burt did a lot of research which proved that people had innate intelligence - there is limited amount education one can hold.
• Was used in the latter part of 20th Century e.g 11 plus, separating the grammar school children and non grammar school children
• This theory of learning is now discredited as he was caught cheating!

: Getting it covered!

• Taking a curriculum ensuring that everything is covered
• Disadvantages of this is that if the wall is not completely covered there will be cracks!

: Computer

• Using technology to aid learning
• Computers taking over!
• 10 - 15 years ago teachers were worried about distance learning and technology learning

STUDENT CENTRED LEARNING

: Nurturing / Plant

• Shifted the focus on the content of the curriculum
• Concentrating on the student
• nurturing the plant
• plants are all different - different students have different needs
• different plants thrive in different conditions

: Biggs / House

• Constructive learning. Start with the foundation / knowledge - building brick by brick.
• Teacher is facilitating / guidance like scaffolding
• Learner is in charge of the build
• Taking brick by brick what is offered
• This theory sits well in Art and Design - making, doing, building on what you have.

S.O.L.O TAXONOMY

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SOLO Taxonomy helps recognise levels and complexity of understanding

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S.O.L.O

SOLO Taxonomy

Structured of
Observed
Learning
Outcomes

Developed by Biggs and Collis (1982) describing the 5 stages and complexity of understanding.

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/solo.htm

1) Pre-structural: here students are simply acquiring bits of unconnected information, which have no organisation and make no sense.

2) Unistructural: simple and obvious connections are made, but their significance is not grasped.

3) Multistructural: a number of connections may be made, but the meta-connections between them are missed, as is their significance for the whole.

4) Relational level: the student is now able to appreciate the significance of the parts in relation to the whole.

5) At the extended abstract level: the student is making connections not only within the given subject area, but also beyond it, able to generalise and transfer the principles and ideas underlying the specific instance.

WHAT IS LEARNING & WHAT IT TEACHING?

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Encouraging Deep Learners

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WHAT IS LEARNING?

What is learning? How does it happen? What are the conditions to help effective learning?

• evolving
• find out and discover
• expression and communication
• skill and knowledge
• study and practice
• questioning and inquisition
• being analytical & critical, discipline and motivation
• Innate learning - from childhood observation, mimicing, subliminal, human nature,
• Learning through yourself
• A pathway to understanding
• gaining knowledge
• ambition

We are here to discover formal process, where we attempt to facilitate learning.

WHAT IS EFFECTIVE TEACHING?

• effective communication or knowledge within a structured framework
• different practices and modules of teaching e.g planning, outcomes, evaluation, results, mentoring, working
towards clear aim and objectives, supporting and flexible to individual needs
• confidence, understanding, discipline, empathy, fun, exciting, inspiring, role model, nurturing pastoral, flexible, firm, insturction, giving clear boundaries, ethical, management, patient, learning with your students
• generous with your time

CONSTRUCTIVE LEARNING

• Building on what you have
• Bringing what you have already had from experience

BIGGS, JOHN
Building research, look at ways in which people develop understanding. Two distinct types of learning. People choose to approach either Surface or Deep Learning.

SURFACE LEARNING

Surface Learners - students who take a simplistic and quantitative view of learning e.g how many drawings so I need to do?

DEEP LEARNING

Deep learners - deep learners need to understand fully e.g engaging with process

Biggs researched into different categories of learning. He wanted people to take the "deep" approach rather than the "surface" approach.

The features of Deep and Surface approaches can be summarised thus:

Deep	Surface
Focus is on “what is signified”	Focus is on the “signs” (or on the learning as a signifier of something else)
Relates previous knowledge to new knowledge	Focus on unrelated parts of the task
Relates knowledge from different courses	Information for assessment is simply memorised
Relates theoretical ideas to everyday experience	Facts and concepts are associated unreflectively
Relates and distinguishes evidence and argument	Principles are not distinguished from examples
Organises and structures content into coherent whole	Task is treated as an external imposition
Emphasis is internal, from within the student	Emphasis is external, from demands of assessment

(based on Ramsden, 1988)

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/deepsurf.htm

PROFILE 1

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: DESIGNING AND PLANNING OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND / OR PROGRAMMES OF STUDY

Whilst studying at University I worked as a Holiday Playscheme Manager for five years with an London based organisation called Mapalim. Part of the role involved planning activities and workshops for children and young people aged between 3 – 13. As an organisation, Mapalim were very keen to have structured activity plans to keep the children and staff engaged, stimulated and challenged. When designing learning activities I found it important to offer a wide range of choices, being clear in the learning outcomes ensuring that the needs of individuals were catered for. I took into account special needs, personal beliefs on religion, and physical and mental disability if any. I really enjoyed planning themed activities which accumulated into a showcasing of work either through an exhibition or performance.

After completing my MA studies I worked for six months as a Children's Services Project Manager . Based across several schools in Essex, one of my projects "Play in Schools" involved working with Learning Support Mentors and Headteachers within the schools; identifying the needs of the children and then structuring drama and art activities using "play" as a tool to teach children a variety of communication skills such as friendship and listening skills.

Following from this I worked as a Cultural Coordinator for a year and a half at The Parlour Studios and Project Space, London. My role here involved curating exhibitions as well as planning the arts educational programme. I really enjoyed working with a range of people from freelance Artists, Playworkers to community groups and national stake holders.

: TEACHING AND / OR SUPPORTING STUDENT LEARNING

During my time as a Children's Service Coordinator, I delivered training and assessed NVQ CCLD Level 3 (National Vocational Qualification in Child Care Learning Development) to Playworkers and Midday Assistants in schools and playcentres.. Although the skills and knowledge taught to adults were different to those of children, underneath my role as a teacher / educator was very similar. When suporting student learning I found it was fundamental to recognise when to intervene when not to intervene. Students need the time and space to work out problems and challenges by themselves and develop their own independent learning skills.

I felt that my role a lot of the time to these NVQ students was to listen and to mentor them in a positive and supportive manner . One of the ways in which I did this was to put together with them an individual learning plan. These learning plans began by identifying goals and then breaking these large goals up into smaller tasks which were to be completed within a realistic time frame. A lot of adults going into education and training felt overwhelmed by the amount of additional work given to them. However with the right support, its possible to juggle many things such as family, work and education.

: ASSESSMENT AND GIVING FEEDBACK TO LEARNERS

When working with children and young people within a childcare setting, I learnt how to use "positive language". Using "positive language" means that you omit negative words in your vocabulary such as "can't", "don't", "won't" and "not". So instead of saying, "Don't talk loudly," the alternative would be to say "Talk quietly." Although challenging at first, using positive language did eventually become a very standard part of my practice as a Playworker / Arts Educator. The benefits of this means that you can build positive relationships creating better learning and working environments for everyone involved.

After completing my studies I was invited to give tutorials at Slade School of Art, Birmingham Univerity and Royal Academy of Arts. When giving feedback to each student, I found myself using positive language and constructive criticism. Although some might argue that is more beneficial to give more honest and at times perhaps negative responses to work, I believe that as an educator it is important to think about the long term benefits to the student rather than excersising the voice and opinion of the teacher.

: DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTS AND STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE

Although I have not had much experience in developing student support and guidance, I have noticed that there seems to be current interest amongst educators to use technology and the internet to communicate more effectively amongst their students and collegues e.g "Blackboard" for example, used by University of the Arts.

Technology plays an important role in our lives today giving people easier access to information. Yet I believe it is as important to continue developing face to face communication. Talking is the most simplest and direct way in which to connect with others. Talking during a tutorial, seminar or even a lunch hour should be encouraged as a very fundamental part of teaching and learning.
There is also much to be said about providing information through physical means such as handouts, leaflets and noticeboards.

Regardless of all the different ways in which we can communicate to students, ultimately the most important aspect as an educator is to be constantly open, adaptable and flexible to the needs of the individuals.

ABOUT SINTA TANTRA

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ABOUT SINTA TANTRA

SINTA TANTRA (b. 1979, New York) works in a variety of media to manifest a playful and often seductive visuality. Comfortable in the use of and experimentation with excitements of color, Tantra’s work provokes the attention she seeks from audiences as both an artist, curator and educator.

Sinta Tantra’s acclaimed work in the public realm has included commissions for the Southbank Centre, Camden Council, Platform for Art and London Fashion Week. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the prestigious Deutsche Bank Pyramid Award, the Henry Moore Postgraduate Award and most recently Westminster’s City Council’s Civic Award for contribution to public arts.

www.sintatantra.co.uk

ABOUT CLTAD

SINTA TANTRA is currently studying a Postgraduate Higher Education Teaching Certificate with CLTAD (Centre of Learning and Teaching of Art and Design), University of the Arts, London 2008.

cltad : sintatantra is an internet blog which records her research and development throughout the course.

Tantra is also part of clg:sip, a collaborative learning group with Iain Struth and Pallas Citroen. Three practising artists dedicated in exploring new and innovative approaches in teaching and learning for higher education.http://clgsip.blogspot.com

about cltad

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