teaching portfolio part 2 complete

Teaching Portfolio: Part 1

Teaching Portfolio: Part 2Student Name: Tracey Dalton

Word count: 13,000Date: 25th May 2011

Contents

1. Reflection on Practice:A reflection on practice and summary of learning.........32. Personal Learning and Teaching Development: a) An Individualized Learning Plan for Module 2...11b) Critical Reflection Account under 2 headings: i) Curriculum Design...........13 ii) Assessment Strategies .17c) An Action Plan for further professional development..223. Design for Learning:

Re-design of an Existing Module.....244. Researching Curricula:a) Resource Review...44b) Practitioner Research Project....50c) Journal Article Review..535. References.....60Appendix 1 Part 1: Reflective BlogsAppendix 2 Part 2 (b) - Critical Reflection AccountAppendix 3 Part 3 - Design for LearningAppendix 4 Part 4 (c) - Journal Article Review

1. Reflection on Practice(Please see weekly reflective blog entries in Appendix 1)Note: In this part of the portfolio I am reflecting on weekly sessions in relation to classroom practice. The blog entries in the Appendix explain what the topic of each session was and in my reflections below, I speak about the effect that each session has had on my classroom practice. Most topics will appear again throughout the portfolio in some form, especially curriculum and assessment. Therefore I will be speaking about them in greater detail. This is noted below in relevant sections.

Week 1 & 2 Curriculum / Theories & Models of Curriculum DesignA lot of my thoughts on the topics covered in week 1 and 2 are covered in Part 2: Personal Learning and Teaching Development: (b) (i) Curriculum Design. In terms of classroom practice, I would say that since I have taken up this course I am much more aware of the importance of the description of intended learning outcomes aligning with teaching and learning activities, and methods of assessment (Biggs, 2002). I think that some of the module descriptors, which are written by the accrediting body, can be quite obscure, both to the student and the teacher alike. I am more aware of these descriptors and the possibility that if they need to be changed, that maybe they should be. Week 3 The First Year Experience

I teach first year students and I was one myself, so I know the challenges from both sides. In terms of classroom practice, I have always made a point of welcoming first years and making their transition as easy as possible. I have students from all backgrounds and only a fraction of them are coming straight from second level. I have a lot of mature and international students both full and part-time, of which many work in full or part-time employment. I will reflect on the list of issues which came up in this session, in relation to my classroom practice and I will refer to students quotes from Teaching First Year Students by Erickson, Peters & Strommer (2006), which I think are appropriate to each issue:

Being a new learner of a new subject: The students, to whom I teach 3D design, have often never drawn a building to scale, for example, or know what a scale ruler is. I find it is often the biggest challenge for a teacher to remember what it was like to know nothing on a subject and bring themselves back to that place. As student Matthew comments: My courses..require a lot of careful reading and understanding of hard topics. Many times it is hard to grasp exactly the concepts without the help of the teacher. (Erickson et.al., 2006). Fear of the unknown and new interaction: I think it is important to reduce fear of the unknown by using simple things like induction days and handing out term schedules. Also, it is very important to learn students names as quickly as possible, depending on class size. I always do the above when I work with fist years. I find that students tend to interact with those who have things in common with them, which is human nature. As I mentioned before, I have a lot of international students and do find that they tend to stick together, but not all of them do. Interaction can be divided on gender lines sometimes too. The majority of my students are female though. The classes that interact well tend to do better over all in my experience. As student Kylie comments: I am very happy with the diversity here, but it frightens meI came from a tiny private school and it is overwhelming.(Erickson et.al., 2006) Excitement, discovery: A lot of my students work full or part-time in areas unrelated to design. They are doing a design course because they are usually artistically talented and have never pursued a creative path. Therefore, they are excited to be doing 3D design and it is up to me as teacher, to help them learn to fulfill their ambitions. Getting to know new assessment methods: Most of the assessment in design related courses is project related continual assessment, with some essay type assignments. There are no final exams. Assessments are graded as pass, merit and distinction. There are no numerical grades used. I had to learn to adjust to this system myself, never mind the students. At first, I didnt agree with the system, but now I see the merits of verbal and written feedback, instead of a number. In general, the students seem to prefer it too. How to become an independent learner: This is very important in the courses I teach. The students must put in a lot of effort on their work in their own time. Practice makes perfect, as they say, and this is very true of design skills. For example, they cannot master AutoCAD in class alone. Those who are good time keepers and deadline reachers, tend to do better. As a teacher, I try to help students as much as possible. As Toohey (1999) states: 'It is part of the teachers role to make students aware of the knowledge and skills that their profession and discipline requires of them. I give them a project timeline to keep to. They have to take responsibility for themselves also, which comes with life experience. As student Stephanie comments: In school, every class was five days a week.I had to do homework. every daybut here, there is a day between class, so its hard not to put off homework until the night before it is due. (Erickson et.al., 2006) Using support services in the institution: I work in a small college, but we do have good administration staff who keep students informed. Also, we offer them a free link to AutoCAD student version, which saves them some money. The college does not have a webcourses service, because it is a small institution, but the students can always contact lecturers by e-mail or phone if they need support. Budgeting: This is a big issue when it comes to any art or design course as equipment is essential and projects have to be printed in full colour. The fees for the courses themselves are not cheap and there are no grants for private colleges. I had to deal with theses issues myself as a student so I can empathize with students and always try to find money saving options for them. Joining Clubs and societies: In a small college this is one of the areas that is lacking. The students dont have this facility and I dont think it may be something they are looking for, as a lot of them work full/part-time. Teachers expectations of students: I find that the thing most first years struggle with is time management. It takes time to realize just how time consuming design projects can be and some students struggle with various project deadlines overlapping or being on a weekly basis. I give students advice on this, to prepare them for this change. Giving constructive feedback: I always give constructive feedback, which is the basis of the grading sheets used in the Btec/Edexcel system. The '7 week itch': - Students decide on their future in the course in the first 7 weeks, so it is very important to make sure their experience is a positive one to retain students beyond the first year. This is helped by good communication and getting to know their names and interests as quickly as possible. In design, there are usually a few students who have a different perception of what they thought the course would be. Generally, it is a lot more technical than they anticipated. The importance of having high quality teaching early in first year to pave the way for future years: This is vital and I always put a lot of preparation into first year lectures. I tend to enjoy my lectures in subsequent years, but have been told by students that they really enjoyed first year because they learned so many new things. Whereas, when they get to second year they have learned the core skills. This is easier for the lecturer, but they would still struggle if their core skills were weak due to low quality teaching. The five Cs: Curriculum, Classroom, Colleagues, Campus, Community, (Krause, 2006).This article by Krause, from Queensland University, Australia, was very useful for classroom practice and referred to strategic learning and the five Cs mentioned here are all topics I have discussed above. This theory is a good on to follow, when it comes to teaching first years. Week 4 Key Skills & the Curriculum

As mentioned in my blog for this session, we can all remember inspirational teachers who may have leaned us towards a certain path in life. I aim to be that inspirational teacher to my students and have been given compliments from various students throughout my time teaching. Also mentioned, was the point that it is sometimes difficult to help students to excel but it is all too easy to destroy confidence in a students ability. I always try to give constructive feedback. I think it is important to be honest, but find the right words to say something. I think students appreciate honesty. That is why it is so important in the first year to give positive and constructive feedback.

Dave Kilmartin made reference to a lyric by "The Smiths' in their song 'Panic'. The line is "it says nothing to me about my life". This draws attention to the importance to keep up to date with our students generation - if they are school leavers / teens to early 20's - to keep up to date with technology and software. I do get annoyed when students have laptops or mobile phones in class and they are looking at them during lectures. Sometimes I comment on this and other times I let it go. It is a hard battle to completely overcome this. Also, I have been exposed as not being up to date with the latest chart hits when a student chose a Lady GaGa song as the name of her shop in the retail design project! It is impossible to be up to date on everything, but we must try. Especially with e-learning tools, software updates and the latest innovations in the design world, in my case. Dave also spoke about methods we can use to prepare students for employment ie. 'Work Relevant Learning' - such as presentation, telling real industry stories about real projects - even if they went wrong and what was learned from this. I aim to always teach relating to 'real world' incidents and have done since I have started teaching. Students need to produce a design portfolio which doesn't look like a students portfolio. Brown & Knight (1994) refer to fact that: a portfolio is not a heap of material, and there is a case for saying that the grade awarded has as much

to do with the learners explanation of that selection

as it does with the actual content of the portfolio.

This is my goal as a design lecturer. I also aim to help as many students as possible gain advanced entry to degree level design courses. This has proved very successful since I have worked in my college. My favourite quote from this lecture is: "Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand", (Confucius, 450BC). In my case, it makes me think of how I Teach AutoCAD, technical and perspective drawing. Design is a very hands on vocation and it generally involves the three steps mentioned in the quote. Confucius (450BC), Vygotsky (1938) and Biggs (2002) were saying the same thing, many centuries apart.Week 5 Community based learning

My own thoughts on community based learning:

I think community based learning has a lot of positives, many of which are listed in my blog. The key points mentioned were that the student must be informed before CBL that they are entering the community to learn, but not just to 'help' the community. For example, Ciaran OLeary mentioned the 'Wells for Zoe' project in Malawi. Students must go through a learning process in the classroom beforehand and a reflection process after the experience.

In my own classroom practice to date, I have not used community based learning. A subject where I could use CBL is 'Professional Studies', where students could be sent to county council planning offices or the office of public works to get hands on experience with planning issues, or they could be volunteers as designers for community centres or charities who cannot pay for the service. For example, students could redesign a community centre bar and function room free gratis. The 'client' would have to be aware that this is a two way process and that they are working with students. I intend to do a group project in the third year level of the course, which will involve the re-design of a care home or hospice. I will speak of this again in other parts of the portfolio. I think that third year would be a good time for students to take on a group project of this nature, as they will have the technical and communicative skills.

The disadvantages of CBL would be: - There is a lot of preparation involved. - If things don't work out it can leave a bad taste in the mouth of all parties and may be detrimental to the student's confidence. - Students may believe that they are 'saving the world', but must look at CBL purely as a learning experience. - The lecturer may need back up from the college board of management to enable it to work.

In my own case I am in a small private college and could not see management supporting me. If they did it would be with the understanding that I do all the work myself, in my own time, unpaid. However, I will be undertaking this challenge next year, as mentioned above. I think I will learn a lot from it too and it will make it easier to try out this method of learning in the future,

Week 6 Blended Learning Strategies

In this session we looked at the main complaints lecturers have with blended learning, which include: lack of student participation; lack of communication with peers;it takes up too much time for tutors to facilitate; student confusion about what exactly they have to do. Students need to know the purpose of using Web 2.0 / e-learning, knowing their goals/tasks and reasons for doing it, clearly explained by tutor and having the skills to use web technologies. It also emphasized the importance of reflection after learning has occurred. In terms of classroom practice, I use software such as AutoCAD and Microsoft Office packages, as do the students. In terms of e-learning, I am in a small private college, so we do not have a blackboard learning service. I have started using You Tube more to give quick and easy demonstrations to students. One example of this was explaining planned obsolescence to a product design first year student, giving a quick explanation with clever animated films. I intend to introduce Prezi to students next year, as an alternative to PowerPoint for presentation. I am thinking of pursuing the MSc in E-learning in the future also, myself, so I can learn how to utilize e-learning properly.

Week 7 & 9 Assessment Strategies / Group Assessment

A lot of my thoughts on the topics covered in week 7 and 9 are covered in Part 2: Personal Learning and Teaching Development: (b) (ii) Assessment. In terms of classroom practice in the area of design, most assessment is project based, with approximately four modules covered in each project. As previously mentioned, the grades awarded for each module are pass, merit and distinction, with written feedback. No numerical grading is used and there is no overall grade for the whole project. There are grades for each of the four modules which are assessed as part of the project. There are some essay type assignments in all projects and a few summative theory exams in first and second year. I think the non-numerical system works well. It is easier to grade and the students get more feedback from it, than just a number. It took me time to adjust to it, but I see the merits of it now. I have no major group assessment type assignments but hope to introduce this, as mentioned previously. Week 8 - Tutorial on Module design proposal

See Part 3: Design for Learning: Re-design of an existing module, for my thoughts on this. See PowerPoint notes from the session, which I presented to the class on that date. See blog in Appendix for my reflections on the session. Week 10 - Role of Evaluation in Curriculum Design

I terms of my classroom practice to date, there are student evaluation forms handed out annually to all classes, or at the end of shorter courses. The problem with the system in my college is that they are seen by management only, so the teachers dont get to see what has been said about their performance. I have been told in the past by administrative staff that I have got very positive reviews, but I have also been told about other staff members who have got negative reviews. This does not give the teacher a chance to defend themselves. It is probably better to have some negative reviews as well as positive ones, as you usually cannot please everybody all of the time. I have seen teachers removed from teaching certain classes in the following academic year and I have also seen teachers lose their jobs without getting a full explanation. I think this is very unfair and there should be more transparency. In a private college, there are only yearly contracts issued, so the employee is quite powerless. I liked the evaluation form shown to us in this session, which was from the Australian system, which put responsibility on the student too. The student has tended to be thought of lately as a client or customer, who then of course expects to be treated as if they are always right. This is referred to by Higgins, Hartley & Skelton (2002), stating that the majority of students.perceive higher education as a service, in which they view assessment as obstacles to overcome in the pursuit of grades.

Week 11 Journal Article ReviewSee Part 4: Researching Curricula: (C) Journal Article Review, for my thoughts on this. See www.Prezi.com Journal Article Review Tracey Dalton, for my presentation given to the class, at this session. Please see the original journal article and my blog on the session in the Appendix. In terms of classroom practice, this type of analysis, critique and research may be an assignment I would consider introducing for third year students, in a similar form. They would review an article relating to design, in some manner. 2. Personal Learning and Teaching Development

Note: This section (a) was written on 15/02/2011.

a) An individual learning plan for Module 2 a personal account of your hopes, expectations, and aims for learning and development in this module. It will be based on the discussions with your assigned tutor at the start of the module.

For Module 2, the focus of the course changes from reflection of teaching to curriculum design and application of teaching and learning in the third level classroom, using various learning strategies, such as community based learning and assessment strategies. In terms of the portfolio submission at the end of Module 2, I have highlighted four key items which I need to think about from an early stage, in order to successfully complete the module. These four key items are the following:

1. Choosing a module to re-design.

2. Choosing a topic for the practitioner research project.

3. Finding a journal article which is based in my professional area of teaching to review.

4. Choosing a learning resource to review.

I feel that if I can decide on these four key issues at an early stage in the module it will give me good direction. While experiencing the lectures and learning from them each week, I will be learning a lot of new ideas throughout the module.

Decisions on the four key issues will be as follows:

1. The module I am thinking about re-designing is Drawing Techniques and Approaches which is referred to as Unit 1 at first year entry in the HND in 3D Design, which I currently teach on at my college (Dublin Institute of Design). It is an Edexcel/Btec awarded higher national diploma, with 16 units in total. (Just to note, when I refer to a Unit, it is the Edexcel equivalent to a Module). This unit needs re-structuring to allow students especially part- time students more time to learn to draw and sketch, rather than spending too much time (as it is at present) on theory based lectures.

2. The topic I am thinking of choosing for the Practitioner Research Project is related to my colleges bid to gain accreditation for HETAC approval Level 7/8 courses. It would extend the HND to an ordinary degree level qualification, for students wishing to pursue a third year.

3. The journal article I will choose is not decided at this date and will be based on research and discussion with tutors.

4. The learning resource I want to review is the AutoCAD software package which is used in the architecture and design field. I will review its use as an aid in design drawing. After all, it is an abbreviation of Computer Aided Design.

Other hopes, expectations and aims for this module would be to gain greater knowledge of the module document and constructive alignment (Biggs, 2002) in its structure. I think that this is one of the areas of teaching which we tend to overlook, especially when we are entering our first year of teaching and are merely finding our feet, making sure our lectures are prepared well and run smoothly.

Personally, I came from over ten years working in industry and the main aim I had was to teach students to produce a professional portfolio of design work which prepared them for the work place. I did this through demonstrations of industry methods of producing design work and real life stories relating to my experiences as a designer. I did not go to the module document to check that I had aligned the teaching to the learning outcomes of each module/unit. I think I succeeded without knowing it in most areas, but maybe not in all areas. Nobody alerted me to the units in the course in depth.

I was primarily an AutoCAD teacher in my first year of teaching and didnt have to deal so much with the breakdown of units which were important in other design based parts of the course. As time went on, I gained more knowledge because I had more time to deal with it and now I am ready to get full understanding of curriculum design.

b) Critical Reflection Account

(i) Curriculum Design

Initial Thoughts

Initially, when I thought about the Curriculum I probably viewed it in the same way as a lot of people. I would think of it as being a course of study, which is made up of various subjects /course content. Each subject would have a learning objective and in turn, assessment criteria would be set up to determine how well the student has achieved the objectives. This is an overview of curriculum which is referred to in The curriculum? Thats just a unit outline, isnt it? (Fraser & Bosanquet, 2006), (See Appendix 2), as Category A: the curriculum is the structure and content of a unit (subject).

When we think of a topic we start with a basic definition and through greater analysis of the subject we come to a deeper understanding of what it is really about. In reference to the article mentioned above, there are no wrong answers to the questions and all are valid. As we move from Category A to D which states the curriculum is a dynamic and interactive process of learning (Fraser & Bosanquet, 2006), we are scaffolding our definition of the word. Personally, I feel they are all true definitions and that even though I may have initially thought in terms of Category A, I frequently teach using the Category D definition.Influencing Factors

The curriculum is affected by various influencing factors. These would include awarding bodies, lecturers, industry, the university/institute, research, funding, students, benchmarking, external bodies, resources and personal values:Awarding bodies/External Examiners: They determine and approve the curriculum; must be adhered to, in order to have a sense of discipline.

Lecturers: They all have different views on teaching and curriculum and can vary from teacher directed types to student centred.

Industry: The curriculum should reflect industry depending on the course to produce students who the necessary skills for industry. Of course, education is for life-long learning and not all courses are industry focussed eg. Classical and Roman Civilisation.

The University/Institute: The governing bodies in the university/institute will be involved in the Curriculum as overseers.

Research: The curriculum design of a course should attempt to include aspects which will enable and encourage students to have the desire to research into their chosen area of study. This should be encouraged from first year, if possible, to produce learners who are innovative, with a desire to change the world. This can be affected by resources and funding.

Funding: The amount, or lack, of funding on a course can effect how much resources can be put into curriculum design. This can determine the quality of teaching and willingness for change.

Benchmarking: The standards of curriculum design in a third level institution may be determined or compared to other third level institutions, to maintain high standards in a particular area of study.

Students: Students have an effect on curriculum design, because nowadays, they are sometimes treated like clients or customers, paying a fee for their education and demanding certain results/expectations from their chosen course of study.

Values and Teaching Methods: Educators have different values and a belief about what they personally feel is an important aspect of the curriculum. The aim is to communicate and come to the best conclusion between the teaching fraternities.

Interesting Ideas about CurriculumLatin origin:

The word curriculum originated from the Latin word for course, which makes a lot of sense as we think of a course eg. a race course as circular, which ties in with the cycle of learning and ties in with learning strategies such as experiential learning, (Kolb).

Constructive Alignment:

This is a definition of curriculum defined by John Biggs (2007) which enables the student to learn constructively through the activities which are taught to them and then be assessed on what they have learned. The teachers task is to align the learning activities with the assessment.

Knowing, Acting and Being:

This is a philosophy of curriculum design defined by Barnett & Coate (2005) in Engaging the Curriculum within Higher Education. This theory is about gaining knowledge through learning, acting on the learning through using the skills learned, and being the professional in the workplace/life through the gained knowledge and skills.

Content, Purpose and Organisation:

This is a theory created by Walker (1990). The content refers to the topics and themes of the course; the purpose is the intellectual, personal and social reasons behind why a student has chosen the course of study; and organisation refers to how the curriculum is planned and the sequence in which it develops. It is scaffolded to build on the learning.

Teacher Directed v. Student Centred:

This theory is referred to in The Curriculum? Thats just a unit outline, isnt it?, (Fraser & Bosanquet, 2006), and can be broken into a mindset of educators which take on a lecture based, teacher directed, traditional/discipline and performance based methods of curriculum design versus a philosophy which is student centred, focussing on problem based and experiential learning, cognitive skills and aiming to produce students who are socially critical and have a desire to change the world around them.

The Hidden/Sabre Tooth Curriculum:

The hidden curriculum (Bowler & Gintis (1976), Illich (1970) & Snyder (1971)) refers to the fact that students can be strategic learners. For example, the Leaving Certificate, choosing to learn only a necessary amount of what is required, in order to pass exams. This doesnt necessarily mean that they understand what they have been taught. Another aspect of Hidden Curriculum is that lecturers can give messages, consciously or unconsciously, that some items of the curriculum are more important than others which are re-iterated in the way students learn for the Leaving Certificate. Lecturers sometimes set deadlines, but dont keep them. This gives an ambiguous message to students.

The Sabre Tooth Curriculum (Peddiwell/Benjamin, 1939), refers to a theory that educators sometimes teach topics because they have always taught them, maybe because they have not kept up with new trends in their area of study/research. Their method of teaching a subject is practically extinct, or the subject is. For example, the City & Guilds 3D CAD assessment, still assesses features which are dated and no longer used such as mesh modelling.My Preferred Definition

I think that all the theories mentioned above are valid. Many of them have common themes and similar ideas throughout. The theory which I feel best describes Curriculum to me is Biggs theory of constructive alignment (2007) as it is a logical theory which follows four steps:

Defining the intended outcomes.

Choosing teaching/learning activities.

Assessing students learning outcomes to match what was intended.

Arriving at a final grade.

(ii) Assessment Strategies

To express my thoughts on this subject I will break it into three headings:

a) Assessment

b) Assessment Feedback

c) Group Assessment

a) Assessment

Assessment methods and requirements probably have a greater influence on how and what students learn than any other factor. This influence may well be of greater importance than the impact

of teaching materials. (Boud, 1988) As cited by M.Crehan, Mar. 2011.As stated above, I would agree that assessment and how learners are assessed is probably to the forefront of most students minds and determines what they choose to focus on in terms of priority learning. This tends to mean that a large amount of students became strategic learners. This type of learning is what a lot of students have become accustomed to in secondary level education.

Summative assessment would have been the primary assessment used, which means students are unfamiliar with formative assessment methods. Summative assessment looks back on what has been learned, in the form of a final or interim exam usually. Formative assessment looks forward and aims to continually assess through tasks which are continually assessed such as project work. The learner is involved in more vocational exercises, with the aim of getting experience and improving their standard with each project. Assessment strategies must be aligned with the learning outcomes of a particular module or subject. The lecturer must contemplate what form of assessment will enable the most learning.

Some key questions are:

Why are we assessing? We probably want to monitor that the student has understood what they have learned.

What is it we are actually assessing? Is it a skill, formula, memory task, method, intuition etc.

How are we assessing? Are we using a formative or summative method and is it best suited to show that learning has occurred.

Who is best placed to assess? - Usually the lecturer is best placed to assess. However, there is a place for peer, self and group assessment of certain subjects. After all, students best learn when they can do something for themselves and then show another how do something which goes back to ancient times:

"Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand". (Confucius, 450BC)

When should we assess? Is the subject/task being assessed at the end of a term or academic year, or would it be better assessed at shorter intervals? Maybe it is project work which is continually assessed or an essay format as opposed to exam format.

b) Assessment Feedback

Assessment feedback is a key issue when considering assessment methods and when we assess as tutors. If assessment only occurs at the end of the academic year, there may be only a grade issued with no feedback. The student doesnt get an idea of where they could improve or what they did particularly well on. Written feedback can often be vague, or the same feedback may be given to a number of students. It may need to be more specific. Studies have shown that the majority of learners appreciate feedback which is both positive and negative. Verbal feedback is very valuable but not always possible in terms of time constraints and class size.

The seven principles of assessment and feedback practice (Nicol, 2004 as cited by M. Crehan March 2011) are as follows:

1. Facilitates the development of self-assessment (reflection) in learning.

2. Encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning.

3. Helps clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, expected standards).

4. Provides opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance.

5. Delivers high quality information to students about their learning.

6. Encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem

7. Provides information to teachers that can be used to help shape the teaching.

Reflection is an important element of feedback which is often forgotten. Without proper feedback, reflection is not possible. Assessment feedback brings up power issues for tutors. As stated by Higgins et. al. (2001), the tutor is in a position of both assisting and passing judgement on the student. Their judgement puts them on a higher level and they have the ability to involve feelings such as pride and shame within students (Layder, 1997) as cited by Higgins, Harley and Skelton, 2001.

In our everyday lives we communicate through common understanding, but students may feel that they do not get to know their lecturers, to enable this connection (Higgins et. al., 2001). This means that they may not get to know what wavelength or discipline a particular tutor comes from, in order to connect with them. Another important issue is to make sure that students fully understand the learning outcomes of a module which should be aligned with the assessment method and how they can achieve them in their assessment tasks. c) Group Assessment

Group assessment is another method of assessment which is worth considering for appropriate tasks. However, it must be well planned and facilitated in order to work successfully for teachers and students alike. The method of assessment which is used must be clearly communicated to students, proving that it will be fair to all members of the group. It must also be decided who will assess ie. tutor/peer, and what will be assessed, ie. product, process or a combination of both. In Assessing Learning in Australian Universities: Assessing Group Work by James, Mc Innis & Devlin; (2002) discuss a lot of the theories I have written below in my own words, and I agree with the points made in the text. Here are some of the ideas and thoughts discussed:Some of the positives of group assessment are: (James, Mc Innis & Devlin, 2002)1. It can improve the quality of learning and works on the two minds are better than one principle.

2. Students will have to work in teams on occasion in the workplace and group work prepares learners for this, giving them a sense of responsibility for the team.

3. If correct preparation is used, group work may reduce the workload of tutors in relation to assessing grading and providing feedback, as it could all be carried out as a peer assessment.

Some of the negatives of group assessment are: (James, Mc Innis & Devlin, 2002)1. The learner doesnt see a relevance to the task or the objective of it, perhaps due to poor preparation and communication.

2. Some students do not think that group work replicates the work place and that more individual work takes place.

3. Success of group assessment is very dependent on the previous experiences of the staff and students involved.

4. Students are accustomed to being assessed as individuals at second level.

5. Students dont have negotiation skills and can get frustrated at having to use them.

6. There is usually an imbalance of contribution. This can be interpreted as unfair unless marking is proportional to work done.

7. If this method is overused, it can become arduous for staff and students to organise and assess. A balance of different types of assessment works better.Guidelines for group assessment: (James, Mc Innis & Devlin, 2002)1. How will the group be formed? Should staff or students choose the group? This will depend on the assessment or process. The group could appear to be randomly chosen by teacher, but is actually well thought out.

2. Establish roles and responsibilities for each group member.

3. Schedule group meetings with consideration to travel time, work commitments, family responsibilities, student disabilities etc.

4. Define and clearly explain group processes and procedures.

Options for group assessment of an assignment: (James, Mc Innis & Devlin, 2002)1. Will it be assessed on end product or project process, or both?2. What are the assessment criteria?

3. Who will assess? Lecturer, student or both?

4. Who will get the mark the individual, according to merit, or the whole group? i) Lecturer assesses the group final product.

- The marks are shared equally among the group.

- An individual mark for an allocated task.

- An individual mark for a written report.

- An individual mark for an exam.

ii) Student assesses the group final product.

- Students distribute the pool of marks.

- Students allocate individual weightings.

- Peer evaluation, which is moderated by the lecturer.

iii) Lecturer assesses the group project process.

- An individual mark based on observation of the project process.

- A group average mark based on observation of the project process.

- An individual mark for a written paper analysing the process.

iv) Student assesses the group project process.

- Peer evaluation, with an average mark awarded, based on pre-determined

criteria. - Self evaluation by student, which is moderated by lecturer, based on

pre-determined criteria.There are so many options on assessment marking of a group assignment to consider. I think the chosen method is taken on project by project basis, depending on circumstances. The advantage of this text by James et.al. is that it sets down all of the options, available to the lecturer and acts as a checklist to refer to when designing a group project.c) An action plan for further professional development in the future.

General ambitions for the future:

As I come to the end of Module 2 of the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning I can reflect on what I have learned and how I plan to use some of the theories and strategies I have learned. I chose to pursue this course because I wanted to learn new methods of teaching in order to become the best teacher I can possibly be. I also chose to do the course, because I would like on to a state funded college, or a more secure position, in the future and I would also like to pursue a masters degree in higher education or e-learning at some stage over the next five years. Bearing in mind, the current economic climate ie. recession, I may not be able to make a move as quickly as I would like. However, I feel that I will be in a good position to move on with the experience and learning I have gained from the course. I will put my learning into practice in my current teaching position.

Curriculum Design:I plan to propose change to a module I am teaching, which I will talk about in detail in part 3: Design for Learning. I will put this change into action in the next academic year.

Group Work/Service Learning/Problem Based Learning:I intend to use more group work and assessment. This will involve planning and organisation before it is put into action. It will be introduced on a third year design project, which will combine all three aspects. The project will be something related to a care home or hospice. It may involve background work on the teachers part, such as contact with a care home and preparation of lectures on the subject and maybe on palliative care in the case of a hospice. It will involve research on current regulatory legislation in the area.

Evaluation: (Please see Appendix 2 for student evaluation form referred to below)I would like to use some of the types of evaluation I have been shown to gain student feedback which is more balanced in its method. The best evaluation questionnaire we were shown in class was from Australia and had a very broad range of questions which were about the students academic life, extra curricular activities and general lifestyle. Some of the questions are not relevant to the small private college I am currently working in, but a lot of it could be used. The greatest aspect to this evaluation form is that it is not just about the college serving and accommodating the student to their satisfaction, but puts a responsibility on the student to contribute to campus life.

Blended Learning:In both modules of this course, I have had lectures on blended and e-learning. A vast amount of information on various technologies has been brought to my attention. I propose to explore some of these technologies and incorporate them into teaching and learning. Some suggested software tools were Active Words, Book Collector, Filemaker Pro, Mint, ViceVersa, Wikis, Prezi and many more.Practitioner Research Project:For this part of the portfolio, which will be carried out during the summer months and presented in September, I have chosen to assess the process involved in a bid to add a third year to the Higher National Diploma in 3d Design, which I am currently teaching. Please see part 4. Researching Curricula (b) Practitioner Research Project for more thoughts on this topic.

3. Design for Learning: Task: To re-write an existing module in order to add value to the student learning

experience. (See Appendix for lecture notes and tutorial presentation notes)(i) Background to Module Descriptor

Title: Unit 1 Drawing Techniques and Approaches

The module I have chosen to re-design is called Drawing Techniques and Approaches, which is module 1 (referred to by Btec/Edexcel as Unit and I will refer as such herein). It is Unit 1 of seven core units in the Btec/Edexcel Higher National Certificate / Diploma in 3d Design, which has an NFQ level 5 (1 year certificate) or level 6 (2 year diploma). Unit 1 is the first unit of three units taught to students, being units 1, 2 and 3 listed below:

Unit 1: Drawing Techniques

Unit 2: Historical and Contextual Referencing

Unit 3: Properties of 3d Materials.

It covers a ten week first term and five weeks of term 2, with a total session time of sixty hours. Through these three core units, along with smaller projects, covering some specialist units (choice of 9 out of 20), the students get an introduction to 3d design, which then leads them onto project work for the last thirteen weeks of first year. (Second year comprises of three terms, which cover three ten week projects.) Students branch off into their chosen disciplines of interior, graphic and product design when they start project work. Drawing Techniques and Approaches is a unit which all three disciplines commence with, giving a common grounding for all students. This makes logical sense because all types of design are linked.

Unit 1 (DT&A) is a unit I teach, with parts of it being split with another lecturer for part-time classes. I currently teach three first year groups. They are:

Full time students 4 hours per week 60 hours total.

Part-time day students 2 hours per week (15 hours extra by other) 45 hours total.

Part- time evening students 3 hours per week 45 hours total.

There are no issues with the full time students, as they receive the allocated hours in teaching, with projects carried into term 2, which allow students to put skills learned into practice. However, the part-time students cannot possibly get the desired 60 hours. This is the nature of choosing to study part-time for the same qualification, with hours lacking expected to be carried out through work in the students own time.

(ii) Aims and Objectives

Many teachers, particularly those responsible for introductory

units, feel a responsibility to cover the territory. Regretfully

they will admit that their students never get the chance to look

at any topic in depth there is always too much to be covered.

(Toohey, 1999, P.13)

The key issues with the teaching of this unit which have proven unsatisfactory are the lack of teaching hours available to part-time students and the course content. I propose to re-design the existing module descriptor and most importantly, re-structure the lessons, to allow more time to topics of greater importance. The existing module/unit description is good, but the content does not align to it completely. One obvious omission from the existing module descriptor is the subject of colour theory. The unit is called Drawing Techniques and approaches, so even the title of the unit does not necessarily mention theory at all. When I started teaching this module/unit, I was given a schedule for each session, in which this topic featured heavily. Colour theory is interesting and important to future designers but it is not as vital as good drawing and rendering skills. When I was a student Spatial Design myself, in DIT Mountjoy Square, for 1992-1996, I did not learn about colour theory in such a detailed and scientific manner. In a way, it is assumed that artistic people have a natural instinct for using colour. I had to learn a lot of the theory myself before I taught it. There were lectures prepared from previous years, which I could work with and improve on. Some of the topics were even defunct, in my opinion, such as The Munsell System (See Appendix: Colour Theory - Lesson 2) and therefore would be reminiscent of The Sabre Tooth Curriculum (Peddiwell/Benjamin, 1939). Also, it is difficult to assess this subject also. Weekly physical tasks are given, but the only way to assess the theory is to set an exam. The answers are definitive, assessing if the student understands the theory (See appendix Colour Theory exam). Some students do very well on this exam and others do terribly. I have a lot of international students, so language barriers can be another problem area. A new method of assessment may be necessary. It may need to be a larger physical and visual project, or an essay type assignment. The other major issue is that part-time students do not get enough time to learn how to do a perspective drawing by hand on the drawing board. I think this is important. The students will learn how to 3d Model in AutoCAD and set up perspectives, but the learning would be constructive aligned (Biggs, 2002) if they had more tie to learn technical process, with practical experience.(iii) Existing Module DescriptorUnit 1: Drawing Techniques and Approaches

Learning hours: 60

NQF Level 5: BTEC Higher National H1Module Author: Edexcel/Btec

Description of unit

In this unit learners will be encouraged to develop visual thinking and creativity for design work. This unit will enable learners to experiment with drawing approaches and techniques in order to broaden their experience and understanding of visual language. Learners will need to use materials and media which are specific to drawing and 3D design, as well as unusual materials and media which may extend visual language and creativity.

Summary of learning outcomes

To achieve this unit a learner must:

1 Comprehend the specific nature and qualities of drawing media and materials

2 Demonstrate creative use of drawing techniques and processes

3 Develop and extend understanding of visual language

4 Evaluate work for further development.

Content

1 Drawing media and materials

Drawing medium: pencil, compressed/willow charcoal, marker pens, chalk, oil, pastels, graphite, dry pigment, silver point, inks, dyes, various paints Technological media: computers, lens-based media

Specific nature and qualities of drawing medium: mark-making techniques using a range of wet and dry media, use of media in traditional and non-traditional ways, own and others work

2 Drawing techniques and processes

Application of materials and techniques: traditional, non-traditional technologies, 2D, 3D

Contrasting concepts: for example hot/cold, dry/wet, soft/hard, alive/dead, dark/light

Alternative contexts: life drawing, perspective drawing, analytical studies, environmental drawing.

3 Visual language

Visual language: the clarification and utilization of visual coding and decoding, including semiotics, semantics, symbolism, icons and concepts.Formal elements: colour, line, pattern, texture, form and tone, structure, composition, weight, mass, space, volume, proportion, scale, balance, movement

Personal and/or emotional response: through the intentional use of layout and composition, stability, energy, movement, harmony, discord, balance, disparity, distortion

4 Development

Evaluate and analyze: de-construction of outcomes, identify strengths, weaknesses, successes or failures, application of criteria for the analysis and evaluation of creativityAdaptation: combination, modification and re-construction of outcomes.

Outcomes Assessment Criteria for Pass

1 Comprehend the specific nature and qualities of drawing media and materials To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: research and record specific qualities of various media in own and others work

produce a range of competent work showing use of various media in traditional and non- traditional ways

2 Demonstrate creative use of drawing techniques and processes To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: present a juxtaposition of concepts, subjects, techniques and materials through a range of work. show originality and innovation.

3 Develop and extend understanding of visual language To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: apply materials in a range of work to express a personal/emotional response. manipulate formal elements in a range of work to evoke emotional response. critically analyze others work.

4 Evaluate work for further development To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: produce a range of evocative, expressive work for development. prepare work for presentation. analyze and evaluate own work in terms of creativity through discussion.

Guidance for Lecturers

Delivery

Delivery of this unit should be practical and motivating for the learners. An experimental approach is required to encourage learners to broaden their visual language and creativity.

Learners should be exposed to as wide a range of good-quality examples as possible. In particular the study of visual language in relation to different cultural contexts should be wide ranging, with a particular focus on mark-making techniques, formal elements, and responses, moods and emotions evoked. Learners should be encouraged to look at contemporary youth culture as well as historic sources for reference. Learners should be encouraged to experiment in their own work, and evaluate their own use of visual language. Unusual materials and media which may extend visual thinking and creativity, as well as materials and media which are specific to art, craft and design, should be used.

Learners should demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a range of ways, through discussion, presentation, criticism with tutors, professional practitioners and the peer group. Formal elements and visual dynamics are essential parts of the vocabulary for all artists, craftspeople and designers. These technical terms should be used in discussion with learners about 3D design work. Research is a basic skill that is developed through this unit in order to broaden visual thinking and creativity in 3D design. Learners will need to be encouraged to research others work and critically analyze their use of materials and media, techniques and processes to improve the quality of their own work. Learners should be shown how to record sources carefully and accurately citing authors, titles of books, articles, journals and publications, date of publication, place of publication and country of publication.

Assessment

Evidence for this unit can be generated through exploratory work using the formal elements of 2D visual language and mark-making techniques. Work produced should communicate a theme effectively and evoke responses from the viewer.

Learners can present their analysis and evaluation of their own and others work in written assignments or to peer groups and/or tutors for discussion. Learners should be able to articulate their own thinking using appropriate language, through discussion and evaluation, demonstrating a broader understanding of visual thinking and creativity in their work.

Links

This unit can link to all other units as a developmental unit. Drawing is of central importance to this qualification and learners must be able to think visually. It could be used as part of a vocationally-focused assignment which embraces both practical and more theoretical units.

Resources

For practical work, basic studio resources will be required. Resources for research may include a learning resource centre, the internet, CD-Roms, databases, specialist publications, galleries, exhibitions, questionnaires and interviews with practitioners.

Support materials: BooksBerger J Ways of Seeing (Penguin Books and BBC, London, 1973)

Berger J About Looking (Peter Smith Publications, 1992)

Gombrich E H Art and Illusion: A Study of the Psychology of Pictorial Representation

(Phaidon Press Limited, 1995)

Hoffman D Visual Intelligence What We Create and What We See (WW Norton &

Company, 1998)

Date of Academic Council Approval: March 2005

BH015806 Guidance and units Edexcel Level 5 BTEC Higher Nationals in 3D Design

(iv) The Current Course Content/Timetable

(Note: Please see Appendix for all course notes, assignments and examinations.)Class SessionLength of Session Session TopicDelivery method

14 hours - full time/

3 hours part time studentsMeet & Greet. Term Schedule.

Materials/equipment list.

Colour Theory 1

Colour wheel.

Sketching Introduction.

Technical Drawing: Intro to tech. dwg, materials and equipment, surveying, scale. Home survey assignment. Lecture,PowerPoint,

Hand-outs,

Demonstration on white board/drawing board.


3 hours part time studentsColour Theory 2

Hue, Value and Chroma.

Sketching.

Technical Drawing: Survey a room in the college. Sketch plan. Technical plan.Lecture,PowerPoint,

Hand-outs,


Group work.

One to one feedback.


3 hours part time studentsColour Theory 3 Contrast

Gallery visit.

Technical Drawing: Technical plan. Planning a space to scale. Scaling furniture.

Lecture, PowerPoint,

Hand-outs.

Demonstration on white board/drawing board. One to one feedback.


3 hours part time students

Colour Theory 4

Colour harmony & Psychology;

Sketching on location. (Full Time Only) Technical Drawing: Elevations/sections. Concept Boards.Lecture, PowerPoint,

Hand-outs,

Demonstration on white board/drawing board. One to one feedback.

5 4 hours

full time/


Colour schemes.

Sketching on location.

(Full Time Only)Technical Drawing: Axonometric Drawing / Isometric Drawing (CAD)

PowerPoint, Hand-outs.


Demonstration on white board/drawing board. AutoCAD.



Colour through historical periods

Group Communication Project.Technical Drawing: Ink pen drawings. (Full Time Only) Title Blocks. Lecture, PowerPoint,

Hand-outs,

Student Presentation.

Group feedback.



3 hours part time studentsColour Theory written exam

Rendering assignment handout.

Rendering samples demo marker, coloured pencil, and pastel.Technical Drawing: Cad drawings. Sample Boards. (Full Time Only)Exam Hand-out.

Demonstration of rendering styles.

AutoCAD, Demos.


3 hours part time studentsRendering

Studio TimeOne to one feedback.


3 hours part time studentsRendering

Studio TimeOne to one feedback.


3 hours part time studentsRendering assignment presentationSketchbook submission.

Presentation of mini space project

(Full Time Only)Student Presentation.

Group feedback.


3 hours part time studentsGrading and feedback.

Pecha Kucha Brief.

(Unit 19 Visual & personal presentation)1 point perspective (Full Time Only)One to one feedback.


Hand-outs,

AutoCAD, Hand-outs


3 hours part time students1 point perspective Cube Brief Handout

(Unit 8 Design Method)Lecture, Hand-outs,

AutoCAD. Demo on white board/drawing board.

Brief hand-out.


3 hours part time studentsPecha Kucha Presentation.

2 point perspective

Cube Brief progress

(Full Time Only)Student on PowerPoint, Group feedback.

AutoCAD,

Hand-outs,



3 hours part time students2 point perspective (Full Time Only)Cube Brief progressDemonstration on white board/drawing board.



3 hours part time students2 point perspective (Full Time Only)Cube Brief presentationDemonstration on white board/drawing board.

Group feedback.

v) Problems with the Current Course Content

Too much time is spent on colour theory 7 weeks total. This could be reduced to give a broader knowledge in less time, omitting defunct information. Colour theory is not a good introduction to design, with other aspects being more important. It misleads the students when they start the unit. They may expect to be doing more hands-on exercises, given the title of the unit. Not enough time spent on sketching especially part-time students. Students have to sketch at home and get feedback. It is also difficult to get to see all students on a one to one basis for any reasonable length of time. Not enough time spent on perspective drawing for part- time students, as previously discussed in aims and objectives. Not enough time spent on technical drawings especially with ink pen. This is an important stepping stone to AutoCAD drawing and encourages neat and professional presentation. More time required to explore different drawing/rendering media. This would help students understanding colour theory in a more hands-on way. More hand drawing would be encouraged in students project work than always relying on computer software. Students tend to get a mindset that the computer can do all of the work, when it should really be thought of as a tool for designing, but the inspiration and skills should come from the person. More time required for location sketching. The schedule is so tight that items like this tend to be squeezed out. More time required for group work. The logistics and planning of group work tend to mean that this method of teaching and learning is not used often enough. More time required for visits to galleries / exhibitions and showrooms. This is similar to the last two points and is really thought of as an added luxury. Part-time students expected to practice in their own time out of necessity. This is essential and is not so a problem, but a fact of life as a designer in general. (vi) Proposed Module DescriptorUnit 1: Drawing, Rendering and Mixed Media Techniques Learning hours: 60

NQF Level 5: BTEC Higher National H1Module Author: Tracey Dalton

Description of unit

In this unit learners will gain knowledge of various drawing media which will aid them in the application of 3D design. They will learn how to use appropriate media to a high standard and develop drawing and rendering skills, which can be used and improved on in future projects. Learners will also develop creative drawing. Rendering and mixed media skills, which may extend their visual language. The drawing and rendering skills learned will be freehand, technical and computer aided. Learners will also explore the theory of colour and its application in 3D design.

Summary of learning outcomes

To achieve this unit a learner must:

1 Comprehend and master the skills to use various drawing media and materials.2 Demonstrate creative use of drawing, rendering and mixed media. 3 Develop and extend visual communication skills.4 Evaluate work through critical and visual things skills, for further development.

Content

1 Drawing media and materials Raw materialsDrawing medium and mixed media: pencil, polychromos, charcoal, marker pens, chalk/oil pastels, ink pen, metallic pens, collage, fabrics, print media, paper and art board.Technological media: computer aided, lens-based media

Specific nature and qualities of drawing medium: line work, hatching techniques, creative an exploratory use of media, photomontage, industry trends and styles.

2 Drawing, rendering and mixed media TechniqueApplication of materials and techniques: traditional and non-traditional drawing, rendering and mixed media techniques in 2D and 3D work.Contrasting concepts: application of colour theory, hot/cold, dry/wet, soft/hard, alive/dead, dark/light

Alternative contexts: technical drawing, perspective drawing, analytical studies, environmental drawing, abstract and conceptual sketching.

3 Visual communication - PresentationVisual language: the ability to express conceptual ideas literal, lateral, abstract and symbolic contexts.Formal elements: Introducing design elements into 2D and 3D work through use of: colour, line, pattern, texture, form and tone, structure, composition, weight, mass, space, volume, proportion, scale, balance, movement.Personal and/or emotional response: Introducing design principles into 2D and 3D work through: layout and composition, stability, energy, movement, harmony, discord, balance, disparity, distortion to enable learners to express conceptual and concrete ideas.

4 Development - ResearchEvaluate and analyze: Learners should be able to evaluate and analyze work in progress, finished work and assess its functionality and creativity.Adaptation: Learners will correct mistakes through further learning, self evaluation and critical thinking.

Outcomes - Assessment Criteria for Pass

Outcome 1: Comprehend and master the skills to use various drawing media and materials.Assessment: To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: research and record techniques used in drawing, rendering and mixed media in their own and others work. apply their learning through use of drawing, rendering and mixed media in traditional and non- traditional ways.

Outcome 2: Demonstrate creative use of drawing, rendering and mixed media.Assessment: To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: show creativity and conscientiousness through conceptual and technical work. show originality and innovation in the use of drawing, rendering & mixed media.

Outcome 3: Develop and extend visual communication skills.Assessment: To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: show personality and individuality through expression in a range of work. Explore specific chosen topics in various techniques in order to capture the viewers attention. critically analyze others work to strengthen the learners own sense of style and aesthetics.

Outcome 4: Evaluate work through critical and visual things skills, for further development.Assessment: To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to: produce both realistic and abstract work which expresses concepts clearly and can be developed in the future. prepare work for presentation, both verbally and in hard copy to a professional level. analyze and evaluate work through critical discussion at group presentations and develop ability to be critical of own work.

Guidance for Lecturers

Delivery

This unit should be delivered in a way which is motivating, enticing learners to improve their practical and creative drawing skills, covering freehand and technical methods of drawing.

Lecturers should show learners high quality examples of drawing, rendering and use of mixed media. This can include contemporary and retrospective design work but can also include the work of artists and architects.

Good quality examples of the lecturers own work from time spent in their profession would be beneficial and desirable also.

Lecturers should also show work with a variety of cultural contexts.

Drawing techniques should progress from basic line drawing and mark making techniques, use of design principles, conceptual work and also technical and perspective drawing.

Learners should also gain a basic knowledge of colour theory for further development.

Learners should be encouraged use many types of drawing media, both traditional and experimental, to create innovative and creative work.

Learners should become critical thinkers in design through class discussion, presentation, group work, self criticism and one to one feedback with tutors.

Design principles should be encouraged in design work. Technical terms in certain types of drawing and theory eg. Technical and perspective drawing and colour theory should be used in class and encouraged.

Research is a crucial skill which will be developed through future project work. Learners should be shown how to research in a thorough manner and with a critical mind.

Assessment

Learners should show evidence that they have mastered drawing, rendering and mixed media techniques through project work and assignments. The work should communicate their concepts and schemes in a way which clearly communicates to the viewer what they are trying to express. The majority of work in this unit is visual and will be assessed through group presentation or through submission of notebooks and sketchbooks, which show thoughts and responses of the learner in a visual manner. These projects and sketchbooks demonstrate visual thinking, creativity and innovation in their work. Other items in the unit, such as colour theory can be assessed through sketchbook exercises along with an essay or summative exam. This unit is primarily formative, for further development in the future.

Links

Drawing and rendering are the backbone of 3D design and learners must be able to communicate visually. This unit translates to many other units in the course in a direct or indirect manner.

Resources

For practical work, basic studio resources will be required and students should be provided with an equipment list. Resources for research may include the internet, databases, libraries, specialist publications, galleries, exhibitions, questionnaires and interviews with practitioners.

Suggested Reading List for Learners: BooksTangaz, Tomris - The Interior Design Course (Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2006)Hughes, Alan - Interior Design Drawing (The Crowood Press Ltd., 2008)Doyle, Michael E. - Color Drawing., 3rd Edition ( Jon Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007)Varley, Helen Colour (Marshall Editions Ltd., 1983)

Date of revision of module: March 2011

Edexcel Level 5 BTEC Higher Nationals in 3D Design

(vii) The Proposed Course Content/Timetable

(Note: Please see Appendix for all course notes, assignments and examinations.)Class SessionLength of Session Session TopicDelivery method


3 hours part time studentsMeet & Greet. Term Schedule.

Materials/equipment list.

Colour Theory 1 & 2 Colour wheel.

Hue, Value and Chroma.

Sketching Introduction sketchbooks for life, work out of college. Technical Drawing: Intro to tech. dwg. materials and equipment, surveying, scale. Home survey assignment. Lecture,PowerPoint,

Hand-outs,

Demonstration on white board / drawing board.


3 hours part time studentsColour Theory 3 & 4 Contrast

Colour harmony & Psychology;

Review sketchbooks. New task given.Technical Drawing: Survey a room in the college. Sketch plan. Technical plan. Technical drawing first term assignment hand-out.Lecture,PowerPoint,

Hand-outs,


Group work.



3 hours part time studentsColour Theory 5 & 6 Colour schemes.

Colour through historical periods

Colour theory essay assignment.

Review sketchbooks. New task given.Technical Drawing: Technical plan. Planning a space to scale. Scaling furniture.


Hand-outs.




3 hours part time studentsSketching on location.

Technical Drawing: Elevations/sections. Concept Boards.One to one feedback.

Hand-outs,

Demonstration on white board /drawing board.


3 hours part time studentsSketching on location in Gallery.

Technical Drawing: Axonometric Drawing / Isometric Drawing (CAD)


Demonstration on white board / drawing board. AutoCAD.


3 hours part time studentsSketch in a group.Group Communication Project.Technical Drawing: Ink pen drawings. Title Blocks. Student Presentation.

Group feedback.

Demonstration on white board /drawing board.


3 hours part time studentsRendering assignment handout.

Rendering samples demo marker, coloured pencil, and pastel.Lecturers portfolio presentation.Demonstration of rendering styles.


3 hours part time studentsRendering Studio TimeOne to one feedback.


3 hours part time studentsRendering Studio TimeOne to one feedback.


3 hours part time studentsRendering assignment presentationSketchbook submission.

Submission of first term technical drawing assignment.

Student Presentation.

Group feedback.


3 hours part time studentsGrading handout and feedback.

Pecha Kucha Brief and demonstration.

(Unit 19 Visual & personal presentation)1 point perspective demo on o/head.



Hand-outs,

AutoCAD, Hand-outs.


3 hours part time students1 point perspective on drawing board.Cube Brief Handout

(Unit 8 Design Method)Hand-outs, Demo on white board / drawing board.

Brief hand-out.


3 hours part time studentsPecha Kucha Presentation.

Where I come from?2 point perspective demo on o/head.Cube Brief progress

(Full Time Only)Student on PowerPoint, Group feedback.

AutoCAD,

Hand-outs,



3 hours part time students2 point perspective on drawing board.Cube Brief progressDemonstration on white board / drawing board.



3 hours part time students2 point perspective on drawing board.1 and 2 point perspective submission after mid-term.

Cube Brief presentationDemonstration on white board / drawing board.

Group feedback.

(viii) Changes to the Current Course Content

Time spent on colour theory reduced to 3 weeks and prioritized for usefulness. The reason for this is to give more priority to other topics in the unit. The important theory can be used and some of the Sabre Tooth Curriculum (Benjamin/Peddiwell, 1939) type theories can be omitted. Colour theorys importance reduced, with other aspects being as important, especially sketching, orthogonal and perspective drawing as mentioned in the aims and objectives section. More time spent on sketching especially part-time students. Students have to sketch at home and get feedback, but more class work introduced. Time allowed for sketching would pay dividends in future projects, to help students to articulate conceptual ideas through concepts. Time spent on perspective drawing increased for part- time students. As I have state in aims and objectives, it would align the learning and understanding between hand drawing and computer aided drawing of perspectives. More time spent on technical drawings especially with ink pen. The reason for this is that it would also help students to align their had-drawn skills with their CAD drawing. Also, the students will learn how to draw neatly and precisely, due to the tricky nature of mastering ink pen drawing. More studio time introduced, to explore different drawing/rendering media. The students would feel more confident to produce more hand rendered work in future projects if they had more studio time to practice. More hand drawing encouraged in students project work, than always relying on computer software. This is useful for future projects, to become a well rounded designer. More time allocated to location sketching. It is important to sketch on location as it improves the learners observation skills. A good designer tends to think of design as a vocation and this relates to observation of the environment in their everyday life. More time allocated to group work. Group work is an important part of real world learning for the work place. It improves communication skills and the ability to share and allocate tasks, which are important life skills. More time allocated for visits to galleries / exhibitions and showrooms. During Design Week 2010, students visited galleries, exhibitions and showrooms. It would also be advantageous if students could be brought to London, Milan or Cologne to exhibitions. However, this may not be possible in a small private design college with part-time classes. Part-time students expected to practice in their own time out of necessity. This will not change and is the nature of being a part-time student. If the part-time students are getting the same qualification as the full-time students, they must put in the work out of college hours. Summative assessment omitted, using formative project assignments and essay type assignments. The Colour theory exam would be omitted and replaced with a hands on project, which incorporates the theories.4. Researching Curricula: a) Resource Review

I have chosen to review AutoCAD software, an Autodesk package for architectural and design drawing, as it is the most commonly used software package in my field ie. interior/architectural design.

Software Evaluation:Objectives:

To assess the software and analyze its positive and negative aspects.

To assess if it is clear from the software what its functions are and what the end product will be from usage. To assess if it is user friendly and easy to navigate.Layout and Content: How is the software designed in terms of layout and content? The software is graphically well-designed and legible with the use of pull down menus, icons and text tools, which give the user the option to carry out functions in a number of ways, choosing the method which suits the user best. The layout of the software is logical in terms of the grouping of tools and commands. This involves a layout where file saving/printing is grouped together, followed by editing, then functional, then modification tools, leading to groupings which are more specific to the system software and finally a help menu. This sequence is generally used in a lot of software packages and it is good to have a common sequence which is familiar to the user. One issue with the software is that it is revised on a yearly basis, with a new design layout. Similar to all Microsoft Office software such as Word and PowerPoint, the pull down menus have been omitted, with the use of tabs replacing them.By what process is the user expected to learn about the subject as they work through the package?

The user is expected to learn the basic tools ie. drawing and modifying tools initially and this is usually achieved through tutorials or lectures on each tool, with related exercises to complete.

Is this a good way of learning how to use the software?

I think it is a good way to learn how to use AutoCAD, because we learn most by observing and then doing.

Would your students be motivated to use this package?

The majority of my students are motivated to learn to use this package. They do not necessarily find it easy to learn in the beginning, but know the necessity of mastering the computer aided drawing skills for future projects. They would not be employed in the design field without CAD skills. There are always a low percentage of students who do not like using the package. They are usually lacking in computer literacy in general and prefer to draw by hand. They tend to be more mature in age and have worked on real world projects previously, drawing by hand. However, they do master the skills over time.

Navigation/Usability:How easy is it to navigate your way through the software without help?

It is fairly clear where the various tools are located and there is a help menu. However, whether it is easy to navigate through the software without help depends on how computer literate the user is or if they have used a similar drawing package before. There are simple settings which are not easy to change initially, such as display of scroll bars, background colour and display of layout tabs. Therefore, I would not think that AutoCAD is easy to navigate without help.

Could you customise the package to suit your course requirements?

Yes, you can customise the package to suit your course requirements. For example, AutoCAD caters for designers, architects and engineers, who all use it for different purposes. There is the option to customise you interface to accommodate your discipline. There is a Design interface option, which sets the interface to tool bars used by designers. Whereas the Detailing interface is used predominantly by engineers and architectural technicians, containing for example, detailing symbols for building construction which designers would never use. The Visualization or 3D architecture interfaces would be used for 3d modelling and rendering which would rarely be used by an engineer. Learner Support/Pedagogy:

How do the learning strategies encouraged in this package fit into those of your existing courses and related teaching and learning materials?

AutoCAD is completely linked to other teaching and learning materials on the course. Alongside computer aided technical drawing, first year students learn technical drawing skills manually on the drawing board, which prepare them for CAD and act as a natural progression.

What background knowledge or additional support would be desirable by your students when learning this package?

Computer literacy and knowledge of a similar computer drawing package usually give students a head start when learning from scratch. If they are struggling to learn the skills, extra lessons or on-line tutorials and video demos can help to accelerate progress.

What is the level of active participation required by the student?

Full-time students receive three hours class time per week and part-time students receive ninety minutes class time per week. Therefore, it is essential for students to acquire the software for use out of class time and get a lot of practice. They will not learn to perfect the package in class time alone.

Are the students assessed in any way?

Students are given a mid-year assessment to test knowledge which is of low importance in terms of end results. Their AutoCAD skills are assessed through their project work and the quality of the drawings produced for presentation.

Technical Evaluation:

Is an interactive tutorial provided which gets users going quickly?

Yes, there is a tutorial provided and also a help menu. Most learners tend to by-pass the tutorial though. I think short videos and written tutorials available on the internet on sites such as CadTutor.com and YouTube are more user friendly.

Adaptability of interface: are novice and expert levels available?

No, there is only one level available. You are taught at beginner level or advanced level, building up the learners ability over time.

Does software minimise mental load on user? (ie. user should not be required to remember long lists of commands).

There are a lot of simple toolbars and short cut keyboard entries for commands on AutoCAD which the student learns over time. However, some commands have various steps to them and information to be entered, which really have to be explained to them by the tutor, or through the help menu. Also, some aspects of CAD require step by step information to get through. For example, setting up a camera for a perspective view, or setting up a view for render. This requires the help of a tutor also, for most learners.

Does it facilitate fast access/exit?

AutoCAD can be accessed through a shortcut icon on most users desktops. Its speed depends upon the users computer ie. the level of RAM available. Exiting AutoCAD is usually a quick process.Are there hot keys, icons? Yes, AutoCAD has a lot of icons and hot keys available to the user.

Are there more than 2 key presses to exit? No. Is there a designated 'help' key? There is a Help pull down menu or Help tab in newer versions.Is the level of help determined by where you are in system? No. The user enters the name of the topic they wish to enquire about.Is there a telephone help line available?

Yes. There is the option available to contact Autodesk if the user has a problem with, for example, installation. However, most users do not avail of this and generally find someone who can help them or they search the internet for advice. Use of text format/colours/graphics? All of these aspects are well covered in AutoCAD as it is a vector based drawing package. It is not a graphic design package, so would not have Adobe CS attributes but colour and graphics are catered for in reference to the most common users ie. architects, designers and engineers.Are there standardised areas (e.g. for help, command icons etc.)? Yes, with the ability to move toolbars to where the user would like them located.Does it minimise opportunities for input errors and avoid lengthy keyboard input? Yes, in some ways. It has a command line and will let the user know if an unknown entry has been made. In general, there is not too much lengthy keyboard input.Is there use of window icon menu pull-down interfaces? Yes. These are used predominantly, along with a keyboard entry command line.Is there built-in safety? Yes. You are given warning dialogue boxes before doing certain commands eg. Save as. A back up file is created as you save a file.Does it avoid one action 'delete' functions in case of accident? Yes. You must select first and the press enter key to delete. Does it give confirmation prompts before over-writing files / documents etc.?

Yes, when using save as. However, by just using save, the user may accidently overwrite work done. Is there reversible actions/undo facilities etc.? Yes. There are undo facilities. You can undo until you get back to before the error was made. However, settings cannot be reversed with undo. You must go to the options menu and change settings there.Does it give incoherent e.g. error 00014256, or meaningful error messages? AutoCAD does sometimes give incoherent messages such as Fatal Error with a code attached, which then leads to the package shutting down. It usually means there is a corrupt object in the file.Does it give a textual explanation of what happened and how to fix it? There is a Recover option. However, it will only recover the drawing up to the last save. There is no explanation of how to fix a problem.

Conclusion:

AutoCAD is user friendly, but this depends on the background knowledge of the user in terms of computer literacy and it can help if they are both visual and mathematical learner by nature. A major issue with AutoCAD is that it is revised annually, which is too often. It has had a completely different default layout in the last few years, similar to Microsoft Office software, and various details have changed. For example, the drawing layout background colour was always defaulted to black, but has now been defaulted to white. The previous default user interface layout with pull-down menus and tool bars - is still available, but it is now called AutoCAD Classic. Most CAD users have learned in this format, so it makes teaching CAD more difficult, as most tutors learned with this layout. New learners only get the new layout when they download/install the latest version, so it is confusing for both students and teachers alike. It seems that Autodesk feel the need to change details annually simply because they are employing staff to do so. b) Practitioner Research ProjectNote: This section of the portfolio will be completed in September 2011 with a written report and oral presentation. Please see notes below on my chosen topic of research. Practitioner Research Project Proposal Template (March 2011) Introduction and Rationale Provide a brief synopsis of the area you would like to research?

I propose to assess and evaluate my colleges aim to secure HETAC approval

to add a 3rd year to our HND in 3d Design. It would enable students to attain a Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor degree in Design. A lot of work has alre

teaching portfolio part 2 complete

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