About
Reflection after the innovation – on inspiration
Inspirational speaker Kayode Damali – about critical thinking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q98Alruxht8&feature=youtu.be
I am interested in an idea of motivation, what motivates students?
The workshop created lots of energy and lots of great ideas, what is the actual motivation for student to carry on the project?
Sustaining the energy, and Flow?
What would be the obstacles?
Haleh inspirational talk – where she has explained the Met MUnch social enterprise students raised lots of important issues, such as:
– opportunities for students at Cheshire CAmpus
– support of MMU staff with the projects
Growing Skills invention in teaching idea
‘ ‘ Gaining necessary skills to allow to blossom in the future’
nurturing
ideas map
First seeds – representation the skills I would like to grow – is better communication with students, building confidence in my teaching practice and Student experience role,helping student to realize their potential and undestanding the importance of getting involved with extracurricular activities – to gain new experiences and learn new skills
planting the seeds – choice – spinach – it gives me strength
Greenhouse at Cheshire Campus – place for the workshop
need water,
LOok
‘ Gaining necessary skills to allow to blossom in the future’
Testing the idea and telling other MMU staff about it staff – stage 1
first results , I was expecting more plants
Resource for developing Social Enterprise ideas suggested by a councillor at MMU Student Academic Services networking event, http://www.actionforhappiness.org/
Ideas for workshop , FLOW, Motivation , Inspiration
I am interested in motivation for action, why do students want to engage with extracurricular projects.
Do I need to become an inspirational speaker?
http://www.pechakucha.org/presentations/just-dont-do-it
________
FLOW – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow, the secret to happiness
http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow?language=en
Workshop – reflect on the moment, activity, work – you really enjoyed doing – ( when time has passed and you were immersed in the activity) become aware of your talents – think about if there is anything you could do in this area- what skills you need to be able to achieve this?
– find opprtunitiies to develop those skills, through your degree, extracurricular activities that relate too your studies – INTERESTS – can you combine both? CREATE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES
Developing Social Enterprise idea – great way to learn new skills, build bigger social network, generate income and help society
use of INSTAGRAM in the workshop – the way of documenting the development of the skill – start with the plant you have chosen – from planting the seed to blossom / crop -whats next – what is your next idea? it would help students to build a sense of community – and leave the scope for Collaboration
— look into: motivation and marketing – inspirational speakers, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation
5-minute silence and free fall writing , Motivation
During the workshop facilitated by the colleagues from the course, we have been asked to sit in 5 minute silence in the big lecture theatre that was different to our usual setting of a small room. Prior to the task I felt anxiety caused by deadlines for 2 different unit I was completing. When we entered the lecture theatre, I have decided to find similar place where I use to sit when I was an undergraduate student. Was I looking for a save, comforting place? When 5 minute commenced, I have decided to do freefall writing about my anxiety about the deadline for written coursework to analyse the situation. I thought about routines we create for ourselves and what comfort us, does sitting in a similar seat give me comfort? If so, why? – is it because it brings me back to something I already know, does it bring comforting memories of what I know. Is it because I know it I know what to expect, perhaps it is a good seat, I can see well from this point. This led me to reflecting on what motivates me to complete this course? Is it because I want to get a good grade, is it because I want to pass PGCAP , is it because I want to be a teacher or is it because I want to be a great teacher, inspiring , motivating teacher.
My motivation is to be an inspiring and motivating teacher who can help students to see the opportunities, help them to understand how they can use the skills they may already have , use them through engaging with different opportunities and projects to use and expand their skills. I also would like to enhance students experience through helping students to make the most of their university experience through collaboration, engaging with their passions , finding different ways of using their skills through extracurricular projects. ( Students starting to look of ways of sourcing funding, writing business plans, planning – learning transferable skills that they can take to future careers). Start new projects that will help them to have the best experience as they can of being at university.
I can do that through collaboration with other staff across the University, building links to start new projects that will create opportunities and platforms that students can get engage with. But also through expanding my knowledge in the specific fields – such as Social Enterprise.
( Flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)
This led me to thinking about my projects and growing skills, what obstacles or barriers student s may be facing when considering involvement with extracurricular activities.
What motivates students?
Motivation – research further
out and about town – creative problem solving in Manchester City Centre
In our 2nd session we met outside Selfridges , the choice of location was a nice surprise as it was next to windmills designed by MMU researcher and lecturer John Hyatt. Also in the entrance gallery to the department store was an exhibition of by Whitworth gallery featuring dresses by Andrea Zap researcher and lecturer at MMU, both tutors have previous links with Interactive Arts course I have studied. This definitely gave me a boost of creativity.
Together with my group we decide to go to Corner Exchange Theatre to continue our initial discussion in a warm and inspiring environment. As soon as we walked in we were hit with creativity. I am talking sound, objects, and actors. What is great about Royal Exchange that structure of the theatre and the backstage is visible to visitors. This already was linking with our problem we were aiming to resolve. It was a great surrounding to engage with the discussion about structures of assignment, making students aware of complex journey of learning making it visible to them . Demonstration, using creative example which would help student realise that learning is not just about outcome but about the process, it’s a work in progress.
Making a strong structure help to construct strong outcomes. ( scaffolding – cognitivism – further research)
Students may not see a relevance of learning how to structure an essay, paragraph or using referencing system, but these would be the crucial foundation, which will allow them to concentrate on subject matter. This can be translated to other aspects of university education, students sometimes may not be able to connect what they are learning with the outside possibilities.
I am interest in ways I could support students with seeing those possibilities.
Also going out and experiencing different setting was a valuable experience, it allowed point for discussion and finding out topic for the conversation. (group work – further research)
Working as a group allowed us to bring our own experiences linking to the topic. We explored varied ideas and experiences: colleague David told us a story when he brought the plant to the class as a metaphor for ‘ Gaining necessary skills to allow to blossom in the future’, this really captured my interest as I am looking for a way to help students picture the necessity of growing – expanding skills. This led me to an idea of planting a plant and documenting a process of growing as a representation of growing the necessary skills. This could be developed as campaign for skills: academic skills, employability , entrepreneurial skills, social skills, … . ( use of the metaphors – theory)
Something I made
I have been asked to exhibit some of my artwork as part of an exhibition in an old textile mill, instead I’ve decided to use the materials – knitted textiles found in the mill, I wanted to create architectural shapes. This linked with my previous research and artwork, which is about the spaces we inhabit and use of textile. This meant continuing with my practice, exploring new ideas. In a way I have created my own residency. From working with textile materials I moved on to working on the fabric of the building striping down the broken walls, making the space to clean and incorporating it in my work. I used my research and ideas to make something new out of old ‘fabric’ .
Zine Workshop – aesthetics
One of my first teaching experiences was running a Zine workshop at Art History course. We were supporting group of students from various creative courses (Unit X at Manchester School of Arts). Groups worked towards producing a Zine and had to come up with a concept, design, production and distribution. Students were asked by the leading tutor to put themselves in groups according to interest. This created a problem in my opinion, as students didn’t know each other and if they did they stayed in same groups as this was comfortable. As project went on students struggled with group work and designs, we decided we needed to get students to do something hands on, considering they were all creative students, they haven’t been creating any physical samples. We have asked students to bring objects, magazines, journals, books paintings -things they like.
My colleague and myself presented students with tables full of sources: photocopies, cut outs, publication and materials such as paper, sellotape, glue, pens, string. Only instructions given by us was to critique what they see, and create an artifact from what’s on the table. It was up to a group to decide what directions to take. This time we have mixed up the groups to change dynamics and engage students in conversation. Initially we were met with blank faces – ‘screaming’ – ‘what do you want us to do?’ – we supported them with simple questions about aesthetics of design, what do they think has good aesthetics and what doesn’t. We discussed ideas based in the materials presented, we left students to come up with new product, there was lots of freedom, which sometimes can be quite overwhelming. We encouraged them to come up with concepts based on what they see and have. This encouraged collaboration and play but also making. We wanted students to create something no matter what the outcome.
Later we asked groups to choose a representative from each group which would form a new group to create a BIG zine on paper, laid out across the room. We asked students to use the objects, publications etc. brought to the session by the class. Here we didn’t allow use of scissor or tape or pens, they had to use just the objects and photocopier to create a BIG Zine. This process was a little different form the previous one where we allowed unlimited creativity, in here we set boundaries on what to use , but this did not stop students – in a way they just become more creative – they tidied up they previous process, they extracted and defined learning experiences. Aesthetic have changed, design became simpler, students were more resourceful. Students opened, arranged Books, looked at suitable images, discussed layouts and content. They enlarged images they folded paper, they even used a projector.
At the end of the session, the representative group who created the BIG zine explained the process to the rest of the group and engaged in the conversation with the rest of the group
This process showed that making can facilitate learning, in this session students explored aesthetics of publications, worked with students with who they haven’t worked previously. Every students had a chance to be involved in collaborative making and discussion about aesthetics.
Story
Expressions of feelings when playing a board game
Expressions of feelings when playing a board game
Marcin Wozniak cpd 