The article assigned to me (Orr & Shreeve,2017) – Signature Pedagogies in Art & Design.
Although I was initially excited to learn how signature teaching and learning practices could be applied in art and design, the academic language used in the article made it difficult to understand. I had to constantly look up words and phrases, and I ended up highlighting every sentence. As someone who is neurodiverse, this made reading the article even more challenging. However, despite these difficulties, I persevered and continued to read the article to find relevant information that I could apply to my practice. As I got further into the paper, I even began creating my own artwork using different highlighters.
As I continue to read on, I appreciate the author’s use of subheadings to address different topics. The section based on the studio resonates with me, especially as a technician. I often work with students in studio spaces where I have seen many students come and go during the day. The space plays a significant role in shaping students learning experience in numerous ways, from workshops, to students being able to discuss and bounce ideas off their peers and tutors. This means students never leave the same way they came in, as they expand their knowledge after learning in the studio space. I have observed students often prefer to work in the same self-designated areas within studio spaces, which provide a familiar and comfortable environment, which often maximises their ability to feel more creative.
The quote below explores the idea that a studio space can be a form of pedagogy as it directly facilitates students learning.
“The space where learning occurs is usually referred to as the studio, but there may also be associated resources where technical processes take place, such as workshops. These physical spaces are important in helping structure the kinds of learning which we describe in this volume. A space may not seem like peda-gogy, but in its widest sense the studio helps structure what can and does take place when students learn, and it has been a central part of organised learning in visual arts for more than a century.” (Orr & Shreeve,2017).
References
Orr, S, & Shreeve, A.(2017).’Art and Design Pedagogy in Higher Education: Knowledge, Values and Ambiguity in the Creative Curriculum’, Routledge Research in Higher Education,1.