An inclusive approach to written communication which supports students’ development of a personal approach to design pra

1. An inclusive approach to written communication which supports students’ development of a personal approach to design practice. Leeds Metropolitan University

2. studio writing tacit knowledge learned knowledge vocational explicit evidence academic implicit evidence direct to personal goals innate skills indirect to personal goals rules to break rules to follow learned skills inclusive exclusive low interaction high interaction student centred tutor centred isolated experience shared experience prescriptive exploratory incremental absolute synthesis analysis internal initiation external initiation sense of audience obscure audience Leeds Metropolitan University

3. Absolute • Certain & absolute answers • Uncertainty = lack of access to ‘the’ answer • Learning = Absorbing & remembering • Transitional • Partial certainty & uncertainty • Authorities may differ • Learning = need to understand • Independent • Learning is uncertain • Everyone has own beliefs • Judgement may be weak • Contextual • Knowledge is constructed • Understand the constructs as well as the knowledge • Opinions are supported Moon, J. We seek it here … Leeds Metropolitan University

4. Educational strategy Motivation: Link motivation in critical writing assignments to personal and vocational goals (as expressed in studio work) Knowledge and Skills: Naturalise and support knowledge and skills associated with written work and make space for tacit knowledge and innate skills in written work. Process: Allow scope in written work for ‘creativity’ – exploratory processes, breaking of rules, synthesis of knowledge as well as analysis Access: Enable students to feel powerful and in control of their own writing process – adopt an inclusive as opposed to a traditionally exclusive approach Communication: Encourage visible process outputs in written assignments, and facilitate sharing opportunities amongst students. Function: Engage students in identifying the purpose of, and audience for their assignments. Leeds Metropolitan University

5. Pyramid exercise • On your own complete this sentence ‘…is….’ • Turn to your neighbour and in pairs combine your sentences so you have one sentence between that starts ‘…is…’ • Join with another pair and combine two sentences again. • Now join with half the group. read out your sentences and then try to combine them all into one super definition of ‘…’! Leeds Metropolitan University

6. “An independent learner is …” Leeds Metropolitan University

7. BA Design Objectives related to PDP • an ability to identify and articulate a personal and professional position and profile • the ability to negotiate and manage individual programmes of study within design and to evaluate and reflect on subsequent design outcomes Leeds Metropolitan University

8. Skills audit L1 CV/ business card L1 Student reflections of assignment, module learning & achievement L1/ L2/ L3 LA Personal tutorials L1/ L2/ L3 CS Tutorials L3 Learning Log L1/ L2/ L3 Learning Agreement/ PDP - Inputs Studio Tutorials L3 Tutor feedback on assignments, module learning & achievement L1/ L2/ L3 Inter Semester & end of Yr reviews L1/ L2/ L3 Core Skill modules L1/ L2 Careers 3DD 2.8 L2 Student reflections L1/ L2/ L3 Portfolio L1/ L2/ L3 Self initiated/ negotiated CS/ Studio projects L2/ L3 Personal Statements L1 Critical Self Reflection L2 Leeds Metropolitan University

9. Leeds Metropolitan University

10. Motivation: Link motivation in critical writing assignments to personal and vocational goals (as expressed in studio work) Leeds Metropolitan University

11. Knowledge and Skills: Naturalise and support knowledge and skills associated with written work and make space for tacit knowledge and innate skills in written work. Leeds Metropolitan University

12. This exercise involves writing for a very short time without undertaking any planning. Rules: • Once you’ve started writing don’t stop until the 5 minutes is over. • Don’t allow yourself to be distracted into thinking about the words you use, just write the words that come, totally uninvited, into your head as you are writing. • Don’t stop to think about grammar or punctuation, or spelling. • Don’t worry about whether what you are writing is making sense. • If you run out of things to say, rewrite the last word over and over again until you come up with something else to write (if you want you can substitute your name, or your favourite swear word). From Fairbairn, G., and Fairbairn, S., (2005), Writing your abstract: a guide for would-be conference presenters, APS Publishers Leeds Metropolitan University

13. Quotes from students about ‘writing for 5 minutes’ “ This exercise was useful as it helped me to realise the key points I wanted to explore in my dissertation” “it shows me how much I am capable of writing” “it’s a good way to actually force you to decide what you think about something, or properly remember something” “made me realise that writing is not really that hard” “it helps me think about more questions that can be asked from my dissertation”“could help a lot of people get ideas down and get started on a project”“this is a great way of getting your ideas flowing” “by getting things down it makes things more clear” Leeds Metropolitan University

14. Process: Allow scope in written work for ‘creativity’ – exploratory processes, breaking of rules, synthesis of knowledge as well as analysis Leeds Metropolitan University

15. Access: Enable students to feel powerful and in control of their own writing process – adopt an inclusive as opposed to a traditionally exclusive approach Leeds Metropolitan University

16. Communication: Encourage visible process outputs in written assignments, and facilitate sharing opportunities amongst students. Leeds Metropolitan University

17. Function: Engage students in identifying the purpose of, and audience for their assignments Leeds Metropolitan University

18. Some conclusions … • Writing is important to students’ development of a personal approach to practice, through … • Enabling independent thinking, understanding, criticality, reflection, action planning & communication • Traditional essays are not necessarily the best way to do this • Tutors need to: • unpack what we want students to learn/ demonstrate through writing • therefore develop new assessment criteria • review how we teach • have appropriate skills to facilitate personal development Leeds Metropolitan University

19. It’s over… Leeds Metropolitan University