J Ball's PGcert

In workshop 3 we were given 5 quotes (as seen below) about education and its purpose and were asked to acknowledge which is most relatable to us as educators and practitioners. I felt quote number 4 spoke to me the most. It states that the importance is not on the education itself but rather on the student and how they decide to use it. This is something that I can relate to in my practice daily as I see how some students respond to their teaching and how their imaginations can run wild yet some students get stuck in how they interrupt the brief and what they want their outcomes to be.

• Aphorisms:
• 1. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.- John Dewey 
• 2. School is the advertising agency which makes you believe  that you need the society as it is.-Ivan Dominic Illich 
• 3. The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy. 
• 4. Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.- Paulo Freire 
• 5. The learning process is something you can incite, literally incite, like a riot.- Audre Lorde 

After summarising Paulo Freire’s book Pedagogy of the Oppressed on ChatGPT it seems this seminal work on education published in 1968 “challenges traditional educational models and advocates for a more participatory and liberatory approach to teaching and learning.”

Some of the key points from the book are as follows:

• Problem-posing Education: criticises traditional “banking” modal of education where teachers dump knowledge into passive students- he prefers more of a dialogue between teacher and student.
• Conscientization: raising awareness of social and political issues to empower students.
• Liberation and Empowerment: The ultimate goal of education “is the liberation of individuals and communities from oppression” (Freire,1968). Education is a tool of empowerment.
• Humanisation: to emphasise each individual’s worth and potential= anti-passive students
• Cultural Context: education should be rooted in lived experiences and connecting the classroom to their social, cultural, and historical backgrounds.
• Action and Reflection: the concept of Praxis- encouraging educators and learners to critically reflect on their experiences and take action to become less oppressed.

I found the problem-posing education section of Freire’s work very interesting as educating passive students is never successful. You need a full dialogue between educator and learner to fully grasp the subject. It’s very important to avoid the “banking” model of education even when tired and uninspired. Just unloading information onto a student without any discourse or feedback is a bad way to teach.

Freire, P. (2017). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Penguin Classics.

On the 24th of January, we were joined by Judy Wilcox and Georgia Orgill to speak about Object Based Learning. Here are some thoughts and reflections I had about this exciting event.

The analogue and the digital: experiencing objects 

• Concept began in 2005-2008 with Object-based learning in public museum settings (Paris, Hooper-Greenhill) 
• Developed as an academic discipline in university museums (Duhs, Chatterjee, Hannan, Kador)- UCL 
• Modified for art and design environment (Hardie, Willcocks, Lange, Barton, Mahon) 
• Objects support the communication of troublesome knowledge and help make abstract concepts concrete 
• Object-based learning activities develop a range of transferrable skills 
• Objects are a means of approaching or understanding material and visual culture 
• Objects provide a focal point for reflecting on meaning-making and habits of mind and improving self-awareness 
• Can be used to build bridges in trans- or inter-disciplinary groups  
• Can successfully be done online- padlet, miro 
• Padlet is great for quieter members of the class as they can interact without shouting out in front of the class- more inclusive for all learning types.

Judy gave us some really helpful tips about how to include OBL in our lesson plans. I found this very helpful as she broke the points down into simple sections that can be adapted for different styles of teaching.

Lesson Structure: 

• Need at least 1.5 hours 
• • Objects 
• • Framework 
• • Worksheet explaining activity 
• • Small groups (4) 
• • Deep time with object 
• • Discussion / sharing 

Frameworks for engaging with objects: 

• Where we share information about the objects: 
• • Subject specific 
• • Thematic (sustainability, cultural appropriation) 
• • Visual analysis 
• (Curatorial voice– when the teacher explains the objects- doesn’t give the students a chance to work it out) 
• Where we hold back information about the objects:  
• • Material culture analysis / object readings 
• • Emotional / extra-rational responses to objects, self-awareness 
• • Visual analysis 
• (Let the students work it out themselves)- preferred method of OBL 

Overall I found listening to both Georgia and Judy extremely helpful. Their experience and knowledge within teaching have given me lots of helpful advice to put into practice in my own teaching. I especially found the subject of OBL very relatable as it is something I do on a day-to-day basis in my role as it’s a very hands-on style of teaching. Going forward, I want to be more aware of when I’m using the curatorial voice. When using such technical machinery and equipment in the workshop, it can be easier to just tell the students rather than ask them or give them space to work it out. In terms of teaching this isn’t very helpful as it’s more of a didactic approach as opposed to an interactive style of learning. As I mainly teach with objects and in person, I think this will be very beneficial to my practice going forward.

Before workshop 2, we had to choose an article that we found interesting or related to us. As a technician, and one who has not seen or read any case studies or papers about technicians, I decided to go with the paper titled ‘How do art and design technicians conceive of their role in higher education’ by Clare Sams, an artist and former technician at CSM.

Link to the article

• The study used a mixed methods approach, involving a survey followed by participant-produced images accompanied by text-based self-analysis to create a portrait of technicians’ views of their role in higher education. 
• technicians perceive their role as supporting staff, students, and events in both traditional and virtual learning environments BUT ALSO educators, artists, and expert practitioners 
• The study was open to all technical staff across UAL– over 10% of UAL technicians responded to the online survey 
• Technicians move away from the traditional skills-based aspects of their role when moving into management.– this is something you hear all the time within the role as it is one of the few routes to progress 
• Learning in the form of skills and techniques is an important aspect of their role 
• Technical staff did not feel that they were well supported in their career and professional development. 
• Next part of the study uses photos. Participants collaborate with the project researcher to generate images, accompanied by text. In this case study, photographs were used as an initial talking point to encourage a discourse about the technical role. 
• From these volunteers 4 technicians were selected, one from each UAL college. They were asked to produce 3 images relating to student learning and the teaching aspects of their technical role. They were then asked to select one of these images and write a short accompanying analysis. 
• Open questions were used such as: ‘Why did you choose this image?’, ‘What is shown in the image?’ and ‘How does it relate to your role in learning and teaching?’ 
• The process starts as a concept on paper or the computer screen and is then realised in the workshop. 
• Research is an important part of this technician’s role. It broadens the reach of the University by creating access to a universal, virtual lecture theatre that promotes learning and teaching for current and prospective students. – lack of time for research within the role 
• The idea that objects promote discussion connects with the rationale behind the use of the ‘photovoice’ methodology used in this study 
• Three key themes emerged when comparing the responses from this study, establishing notions of supporting, helping, and teaching as fundamental to the technician roles. 

Supporting: Academic Support Technicians 

Helping: Learning environment technicians 

Teaching: Technical Lecturer 

A technician’s role is…: 

• Complex and varied 
• Covers a wide range of disciplines 
• To support staff and students 
• To be expert practitioners 
• Under researched 
• Valued by students but not by academics 
• Point of contact for students and staff 

Quotes from technicians: 

• Helping students achieve their creative potential, supporting staff and students with technical queries, promoting sustainability and reuse of materials, balancing health and safety and creativity in a workshop environment. (Technician 31) 
• Managing a large technical team across diverse specialisms, I am responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations within these areas: health and safety; staff management; timetables; resource management; strategic planning. (Technician 2) 
• Students value and find the teaching provided by the technicians invaluable and essential to their learning and further practice. This is currently shown through the ‘White Square Teaching Awards’. (Technician 11) 
• I recently decided to give more time to my arts practice because I don’t see any option for me at University. As a technician I have no chance in terms of career and no time at all for research, which is vital in my career. 
• ‘There is always someone to talk to. A technician deals face-to-face not through emails, Moodle, Facebook or any other “online” tool.’ (Technician A) 
• We are mainly valued by students constantly, but never from anyone else. The job of the technician is always backstage, as it should be, but it would be nice to be supported and valued. When I say valued, [that] means professionally valued, not just receiving the odd email saying “well done to all”. 

In Workshop 1 we were given articles to read on a selection of subjects related to pedagogy. I was tasked with reading a case study by Jason K.McDonald and Esther Michela from Brigham Young University, USA. The paper is titled ‘The Design Critique and the moral goods of studio pedagogy’.

The paper explores the moral goods significant for design studio instructors by examining their perspectives on critiques within the studio as a social practice. The study, conducted through in-depth interviews with six studio instructors, identifies three types of moral goods pursued through critiques: student development, self-cultivation of instructors, and benefits for other stakeholders.  

What are Moral Goods? 

• Moral goods refer to desirable and positive outcomes or values within a particular moral or ethical framework. These goods are associated with actions, practices, or behaviours that are considered morally right within a specific context or community. Moral goods guide individuals or communities in making ethical judgments and decisions. 

• In the context of the discussed paper on design studio pedagogy, moral goods include values and outcomes that are considered beneficial within the practice of design education. The study identifies three types of moral goods pursued through critiques in design studios: 

• Student Development: The improvement and growth of students in terms of their skills, knowledge, and overall development as designers. 
• Self-Cultivation of Instructors: The enhancement and refinement of instructors’ own skills, teaching methods, and personal growth through engagement with critiques. 
• Benefits for Other Stakeholders: Positive outcomes that extend beyond students and instructors, potentially benefiting the broader community, industry, or any other stakeholders involved in the design studio environment. 

Instructors express a sense of well-being as they develop meaningful relationships with their students.