Small group for art, design and architecture

[Sorcha]

Hi,

I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring to start a group reflecting on the experience of teaching art, design and architecture (both theory and practice). I’ve recently moved from Dublin to London and teach design history, mostly to design practice students, across graphic, product and furniture design. I have a background in design practice myself, and worked in commercial eLearning as a designer during the late 1990s/early 2000s. I’m particularly interested in reflecting on TEL in the art school environment, as well as figuring out how my own (very practical) experience can relate to that of the student today.

 

Sorcha

[Carol Howells]

I’m interested in this group as I work for Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. I think that there may be overlaps with art, design and architecture. Most staff are experts in the field of either music and dance. Many of the courses are highly practical. Thus due to the specialised nature of the teaching that is conducted within our institution, we need to ensure alignment with our creative application of learning technology. For some staff, a learning environment is a music stand and some sheet music!

[MmMouton]

Hi there,

I teach Art History, Art Appreciation, and Art & Aesthetics at Durham College in Oshawa, Canada (east of Toronto). I teach fully online and f2f classes. In my spare time I dabble in oil painting and pen & ink drawing, teaching these skills at local community centres and in my studio. I have loved using GoogleArtProject and Google Streetview to take my students on “fieldtrips”, and am keen to learn new ways to engage and retain students. Looking forward to finding out what you use with your students!

Michelle Mouton
Whitby, Canada

[GraphDesProject]

Hello, Like Sorcha I teach design context and analysis to practical graphic design students at HE level. This is mostly f2f but we also ask them to run WordPress blogs to record and reflect in. They have taken to this very smoothly and we have seen some grades rise because of it. I have been carrying out research into this as well, which has been fascinating for me and for the students too. I also teach online – exclusively through WordPress blogs – a variety of private design students of all ages, inc homeschoolers. I have noticed that a few mature learners abandon their projects when faced with strating a blog, even though there is plenty of help and support.

My colleague, Tim Bones, and I were yesterday discussing via Twitter the TES article about students reluctance to go with new technologies unless directed by their tutors. I’m not sure if Sorcha would agree, but we have found graphic design students can be quite pro-active with technology (possibly because it is part of their regular design practice). However, I have found that what you introduce at the start of a course will stick whereas trying to bring in new things half way through is more problematic. And indeed, not all learners are as pro-active as others. Anyway, I’m still researching design students using blogs and trying to figure out why (if) it is best practice.

Any thoughts?

Sancha

[TheoRifortel]

I am joining this small group for two reasons: the first is that it is a domain which I don’t know so I will have the opportunity to follow and possibly to contribute as a learner, second I am interested in contemporary art (on which I write but not in English).

I registered to this MOOC as a first experience of such a learning environment, although I have no longer to teach… however, being on the edge of finishing having activities in TEL research, I am still interested in what is happening. The best way to learn is not “to read about” but “to engage in action within”. So, I do.

[mrtimbones]

Hello,

I’m jumping in here as the group title appears to fit what I do. My name is Tim, I work in a F2F environment with Sancha, who has posted already, and I also am Programme Leader of a fully online Graphic Design & Illustration degree with Interactive Design Institute (IDI), a private online learning provider whose courses are validated by the University of Hertfordshire. This has given me an insight into the pros and cons of online learning for both staff, tutors and the organisations. I have also participated in small-scale CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) activity and didn’t take to it, largely because the group was too small and the asynchronous nature made it awkward and unnatural, whereas so far —and these are very early days—ocTEL appears to be a well structured platform which is thriving.

Looking at the questions posed for reflection, I think that it’s too early for me to be able to identify the challenges for this MOOC . Everyone’s experiences and expectations are obviously so varied. Instead of challenges it appears to present a host of opportunities for sharing ideas and dialogue. I am interested as to how a MOOC might come into play within Art, Design and Creativity, and perhaps that’s something that might be explored over the coming weeks.

Best,

Tim

[AnnaC]

Hi,

It look s a bit quiet in here! If it’s OK with you all I would like to participate in this group.

I have recently started working in HE and currently work as a tutor on an HE fashion course in the UK.  I am also a ‘technology ambasasador’ of sorts within our team (which is what has led me to this course), so part of my role is engaging students in using technology within the course so I would be especially interested in how others working in arts teaching get on with this.

Thanks, Anna

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