Reflection + Engagement
Art and Design practices do not happen in a vacuum. As we transition to an online format, forming and maintaining community requires greater intention and effort. Many artists (and designers) have found ways to remain in community even from a distance, evidenced by the proliferation of letters written between artists across history, from Leonardo Da Vinci to Bernice Abbott. The course website and weekly zoom meetings will be some of the spaces where community will be cultivated. Learners are encouraged to find further ways to connect with colleagues outside of class through social media, phone, letter writing, video chat, and in-person.
Learning Partners
Each learner should identify one learning partner who will be their first contact when they have a question about the logistics of the course and expectations from the instructor. Your learning partner will be your ‘go-to’ person for all sorts of questions about due dates, assignment instructions, procedures, where to find resources, etc.
Your learning partner will also help you stay on track and accountable with your course work and be someone you can turn to for advice, process critiques etc. It is up to you and your partner to determine how you will stay in contact. Aim to connect weekly outside of class time through a channel that suits both partners (Zoom, e-mail, phone, text, social media etc.)
Blog Reflection
Blog Categories: sr-studio, reflection
In this online format the weekly blog becomes our virtual studio space, cultivating community and collaboration amongst learners. It facilitates encouragement, feedback, accountability and the exchange of ideas and resources. Learners are encouraged to engage with one another’s blogs creating a vibrant virtual conversation that takes place within and beyond the scheduled class meeting times.
The blog also provides a space for reflection and integration of insights from readings, posted course materials, exercises and projects.
Formatting your blog posts
Studio hours: 6.5 hours [indicate the number of hours you spent on your project]
Last week’s goal: Be more playful in my work by giving myself time to work rather than waiting to the last minute. I will create a more playful atmosphere by putting on music and allowing myself to experiment more. [Copy and paste your last week’s goal at the top of your blog post]
Reflection:
- “Describe the experience“
- “Analyze the experience(s) from different categories of perspectives”:
- Artistic
- Personal/Spiritual
- Organization/Time Management
- “Identify learning in each category”
- “Articulate learning by developing a well-developed statement of learning, using four guiding questions as a guide”:
- “What did I learn?”
- “How, specifically, did I learn it?”
- “Why does this learning matter, or why is it significant?”
- “In what ways will I use this learning?”
- What changes will you make in response to this learning? What will you start doing, stop doing and keep doing as you move forward?
- Fold in reflections on the week’s reading from Art and Fear in this section. How do the insights from Art and Fear intersect with your learning and creative practice this week?
Guided process for facilitating reflection adapted from Ash and Clayton (2004)
Process Images: Include images of your completed AND in process work from this week.
If you spent 3 hours of your time that week looking for materials in Home Depot document that. If you spent 8 hours working on a drawing that you haven’t finished document the process. If you spent 4 hours trying to figure out new animation software document that. This is a space to let the community into your process.
Goal for this week: Make more time to be in the studio with no agenda. I will do two four hour studio sessions this week. Keep exploring play. [Based on your reflection, what is your goal for the coming week?]
Assessment:
- Blog entry includes categories: Studio Hours, Last Week’s Goal, Reflection, Process Images and New Goal for the Week
- “Connection to Experience: Makes clear the connection(s) between the experience and the learning being discussed.”
- “Clarity: Consistently expands on ideas and provides examples/illustrations.”
- “Relevance: Describes learning that is relevant to the learning goals and keeps the discussion specific to the learning being articulated.”
- Depth: Demonstrates self-reflection, “addresses the complexity of the problem; answers important question(s) that are raised.”
- Significance: Draws conclusions, sets goals that address a major issue raised by the experience.”
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.