Task for tutorials

Here and in Coventry, many would come to the tutorials with nothing to present - just their thoughts. I found setting a detailed task very helpful to know what and how much is expected from us. 

Please can you post the following on your blogs:
• A focused description of your project in one sentence. This can be in the form of a research question or a proposition. Can be taken or adapted from your proposal forms.
• Identify 3 key texts (which could be books, journal articles, films, documentaries, interviews etc) and pull out at least one particular quote or passage from each of them and comment on its relevance to your research.
• 5 images (at least 5 - more if possible) – exploratory, rough or experimental/not necessarily finished. 

Surrealism Workshop

I found this workshop extremely helpful to get started with my personal project, it helps with creating an image form scratch.

The first task was making continuous drawing of a model using different techniques (wrong hand, mouth, both hands, without looking at the paper..etc)

The second task was taking an object and deconstructing it

The last exercise (which is my favourite) was choosing an object (from the things we brought which is relevant to our project) and then writing related words to it (Objects, scenario, location, people and texture) and creating an image related to these words.

After that we had to combine the new object with the words to create a new image

Typography 1

After the Visual Communication module we had 2 weeks enrichment week. I didn't like enrichment weeks because I felt like we were not doing much. There wasn't any lectures because the tutors were marking our work, but we had one day a week seminar/tutorial and we had technical workshop with Pete. The only thing is the brief we had was not marked so people didn't take it seriously but it helped with the next module. We were asked to make a 16 pages booklet on typography, we were not given the text so we had to research about it on our own. I think as a first year student we needed more guidance and time with the tutors.

Duration: 5 weeks + Christmas Break

Brief: For the typography brief, we were given a very long text and we had to fit it on an A3. This was a great challenge and it helped me a lot to learn about arranging text and sizes and InDesign.

Tutorials: The tutorials were in small groups and we looked at everyone's work and discussed it together. It was nice seeing everyone's work and sketchbook and learn from each other.

Seminars: I can't remember the seminars exactly, but I think there was something about grids and layouts.

Lectures: Again cant remember, but they were related to the project.

Assessment: Final piece hand in with sketchbook.

Along with this module, We started Integrated design and I had PDP and Addvantage module.

Monday: Phill's Lectures
Tuesday: Simon's lecture + Typo Seminar
Wednesday: Addvantage
Thursday: Integrated design all day
Friday: Technical workshop + PDP

Refelctive Writing

I came across this writing brief by a tutor that explains to students exactly what is expected from reflective writing and shows how its going to be assessed. I think its important to guide students on how to do reflective wring because not everyone understands it. 

Reflective Essay #2 For this assignment write a reflective essay in response to some of the questions below.  You can choose which question(s) you wish to address.  Use them as a starting point.  Feel free to synthesize and run with them. But don’t feel so free as to write much more than 3 pages.  Well, write all you want, but submit something that has been reviewed and edited to a more concise statement. Also, please submit your type-written essay with the text formatted at 1.5 spacing and 12 point font. I am not looking for a critique of the course or the various assignments.  This essay is about you and your experience.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. The IAS program has a learning objective for all of its students called Collaboration and Shared Leadership (CSL).  What follows is a summary of the CSL learning objective.  Read it closely. The IAS program offers students multiple opportunities to develop effective collaboration and shared leadership skills.  We help students hone the capacities needed to accomplish tasks in diverse group contexts.  This includes the ability to work with others to identify dimensions of a project; to generate and refine ideas related to a project; to appreciate and draw on group members’ multiple histories, strengths, and potential contributions; to follow through on the consequences of collective decisions; and to work on specific tasks without losing a sense of the whole.  We also foster competencies associated with shared leadership, including the ability to listen emphatically; to mediate conflict and act for the common good of the group; to encourage and participate in multiple forms of individual and group communication; to tolerate ambiguity within emerging processes; to share roles flexibly; and to reflect critically and creatively on collaboration processes. Please address some subset of the following questions relevant to the CSL learning objective.  Reflect critically on the collaboration process and make sure to refer to the various sub-objectives listed above. -   In what ways have you made forward progress on these CSL learning objectives by collaborating throughout the quarter on the research poster assignments?
-   How did you take advantage of the collaborative opportunity?  To what degree was it conscious or unconscious?  How could you have taken better advantage of the opportunity?
-   In what ways was the course and research a richer experience than if you had done the research and poster production on your own?  Did it enhance your learning on the topic?  How so?
o   Did it make you more motivated to conduct the research and contribute to a team effort?
o   Did the collaboration take you in directions you wouldn’t have otherwise gone?
o   Did you identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses and work with them strategically?
-   What did you get more out of – what you learned on the research topic or what you learned from engaging in a collaborative research project?  If your gains were heavily skewed towards one or the other, what about you made it so?
-   If there were aspects of the collaboration process that didn’t work for you, reflect on what you could have done differently to make it work better or what you will try to do next time (be it in a course or at work).
Evaluation How will I evaluate your reflective essay?  After all, there are no right or wrong answers when asked to reveal your thoughts and opinions.  But your effort and the quality of your product can certainly vary.  Aside from just doing the assignment, I am mostly looking for evidence of reflective thought.  More specifically, you will be evaluated on your success in articulating how the course is intersecting with your educational experience.  To a lesser extent, you will also be evaluated on your writing skills.
 The essay is worth a maximum of 15pts.  I will use the following rubric to evaluate your essay and assign point values.  Please recall that the total maximum points you can score will go down 5% for every day your essay is submitted late.  If you are unhappy with the score you earn on your essay, you might be able to boost your grade with a revision and resubmission, subject to approval by the instructor. 

					Points scored
	Poor (1)	Fair (5)	Good (8)	Very Good (10)
Content	Not reflective or relevant to any of the guiding questions.  Points are scattered or reasoning is haphazard.  No personal or unique insights.	Connections are made between the course and personal experience, but they are inconsistent – some points are unpersuasive, unclear, or off-base.  Personal stance unclear.	Fulfills the objectives of the assignment.  Multiple good points are made and supported.  Personal stance is clear.	Compelling.  Abundant evidence of critical and independent thought.  Makes connections in a creative and unique way.  Personal stance is persuasive.
	Poor (0)	Fair (1)	Good (2)	Very Good (3)
Writing	Difficult to read because of choppy writing, redundancies, many spelling and grammar errors and/or poor organization.	Clarity of essay suffers due to weak organization or spelling and grammar errors.	Evident care spent on writing and reviewing.  Minimal writing problems.	A joy to read.  Flows smoothly with creative and logical transitions and organization.
	Poor (0)	Fair (1)	Good (2)
Adherence to Format Guidelines	Submitted late or does not adhere to any of the guidelines.	Adheres to most of the guidelines.	Adheres to the guidelines in all ways.

 

Visual Communication 1

For Visual Communication 1 we had five weeks and five projects. The briefing and critique for the work would be on Monday. This module criteria was focusing on research and concept development.

Mondays: Project related lecture with Phil followed by a tutorial (Critic + Briefing)
Tuesdays: Art History lecture with Simon followed by a seminar. (Help us think about the project)
Wednesday: Addvantage Module
Thursday: Seminars to discuss our research
Friday: Technical class with Pete and PDP.


Week 1: The first project was to produce a photo for the book cover. I think that the hardest thing that left me confused is that I wasn't sure on how to do my research and where to look for inspiration. I also felt that one week was a bit too much for a photography project. The critics on Monday for this project was that we left post it notes with our feedback for each other. We didn't get any feedback from Phil which felt that the tutorials were pointless as the feedback from other students weren't that helpful. I guess we all agree that as much as tutors encourage students to give feedback to each other, it won't help if the tutor doesn't start it first. And this happened naturally, when students become friends, they start giving feedback to each other; it shouldn't be forced. The most useful critic sessions is when the tutor starts giving feedback and then there best of the group joins in.

Week 2: Typography Movie Poster. I can't really remember what the seminars were about, but I didn't find them helpful. For the critique, we had to stick our posters and then using post it notes we would rate them. The critique was very general and Phil didn't get the chance to talk about everyones work. But I think the lectures were related to the topic, so it was quite helpful.

Week 3: Shoes Advertisement. We had to choose from a range of news advertisements and have them in  a poster form. The critic was in group and we had to fill a feedback form on each others work.

Week 4: Argos Logo. We had to redesign Argos logo using three different mediums.

Week 5: Manifesto. Three words that describe our work and an image in the middle.

I wished we had more feedback on our work, or help us direct our research.

Reflecting on it now, I think the module structure was great, we just needed more feedback on our work.

For the assessment we did a portfolio presentation and we had to submit a feedback sheet which we were given every week on the feedback we got from our peers and how we responded to it.

First Steps Towards Teaching

I  decided to start this blog to reflect on my experience as a student and use it for a future reference . I will try as much as I can to remember what we did for each module, the timetable, lecture topic..etc. I will also try to upload the marking criteria for each project.