I’ve created a new forum in Blackboard for your Action Research questions, which you’ll need to post up by Friday (ideally prior to the learning group session but not essentially).
I’ve created a thread within that forum with some suggestions for using the forum effectively and a link to some great advice on writing your action research question from the CCRA. You can combine this advice with the guidelines we looked at last time; before you post, ask yourself… is your question
- clearly stated
- embedded in your own context
- manageable
- open-ended
- self-reflective
- significant
- answerable…?
Once the questions start finding their way onto the forum, it would be great if you would respond to each others’ AR questions; do the above criteria apply? Can you identify any of the signs of weak questions listed in the CCRA document? Do you have any ideas to exchange with each other?
Teach Arts 
hi all
if anyone can post any comments up here i would be grateful as for some reason or another i cannot access blackboard!!
thanks
manda
By: mandahelal on December 11, 2009
at 3:48 pm
It’s probably a good idea if I post up your question as it stands at the moment and then people can respond below!…
Manda’s question so far…
“If i create a ceramic process wiki and ask for feedback from students and colleagues, will the information i receive help inform my future wikis?”
Ashleigh’s comment (I hope she doesn’t mind me posting it up on her behalf)… A ceramic wiki would be great for the fine art students to get their head round processes and know what they can do even if the ceramics studio is not available to them. What would you put on it? Would you make it available to everyone on the course or just 3DD-ers?
Hope you’re having fun – we all miss you 🙂
By: Lindsay on December 11, 2009
at 4:03 pm
thanks for your comments ashleigh
i would hope the information would be available to all staff and students not just the 3dders
i wanted to start with some simple explanations,or videos which help to explain the processes but in particular the timescales involved
much like breadmaking there are some times when one is waiting for things to dry or reach the famous leatherhard stage and so i wanted to say how in these times what a student could be doing usefully ie planning, discussing the next stages
also because of the days i am in the firings can only happen then so students would also have to be waiting at those times, so i wanted to say something about testing glazes or other colours and techniques which could be as it were out of synch with the time limits unless that time is used to maximum
hope that helps a bit
i know as you have done some skill sharing with me that you are already in a better position than someone with no experience and i value your comments and critiscisms
thanks i am stil having too much fun!! and wish you were all here
lots of superb education projects happening mainly with younger age groups, as some indian states are better than others at providing even basic education
By: mandahelal on December 16, 2009
at 5:31 am
Hi Manda,
My own comments on your question so far…
“If i create a ceramic process wiki and ask for feedback from students and colleagues, will the information i receive help inform my future wikis?”
…Is this the question that you want to answer in the first instance? I applaud your reference to implications for further work but I would imagine it would be simpler to focus at the stage on the feedback that you get from students and colleagues and what question that feedback will be answering. I would imagine it would be something along the lines of ‘If I create a wiki about ceramic processes, how will this enhance the learning experience of my students?’
I would also think about the nature of the resource you are planning to create in terms of relieving the burden on you as a sole creator, and drawing on theories of learning and teaching such as collaborative construction and communities of practice. Perhaps your students can be involved in the creation of this resource?
By: Lindsay Jordan on December 17, 2009
at 1:13 pm
Hi again Manda,
I’ve been thinking about the high proportion of the group’s AR questions that involve the production of resources for the delivery of content, and mulling over how some of you may be able to draw on or use existing resources for your studies rather than re-inventing the wheel, so to speak.
Are you aware of Chris Follows’ and Paul Lindley’s Process Arts site? It’s a wiki that they’ve built to host a wide range of arts processes; there are videos and still images with descriptions of processes including a very fetching terracotta cube that appears to have been made by your good self 🙂
http://web-ip2.arts.local:8080/category/tags/ceramics
The site is currently only accessible from University computers, but we are working to fix this in the very short term (a matter of weeks) – the idea is that the wiki will be open for all UAL staff to get a login and add videos and photos.
I was thinking that you might consider using this existing Process Arts wiki to host any additional process resources you create – this will make life easier for you and will contribute towards what I’m sure will prove to be a fabulous resource.
What do you think?
By: Lindsay Jordan on December 17, 2009
at 3:00 pm
excellent idea lindsay as usual i remember your analogy for me insteaad of a scratch on an lp the brake pad rubbing on a bicycle wheel
i did make the cube and a gorgeous sphere too and would be delighted to be able to enhance the process arts site
since i have been reading meyer and land all day (seriously) i have also thought that the ar questions in general could be more about the understanding of whatever threshold concepts each of us have in our own subject areas as this is obviously key to students transformative perspectives
i dont know what paul and chris have written to accompany the cubes and spheres i made although i do remember chatting away whilst they were filming!! i cant remember exactly what i said or what they may have edited!! ha ha
By: mandahelal on December 17, 2009
at 4:17 pm
im having a rethink about my action research proposal question partly because the process arts wesite isnt really up there yet ad because im inundated with students up from 2 last year to between 9 and 14 this year!!
it would be as follows
“if i encourage students to make tests and experiments , how will their learning be enhanced?”
This is much more doable in terms of being embedded in my practice as a teacher, as i already do this but have thought up a number of ways in which i think i can do this better.
please let me know what you think
i appreciate any comments at this point!!
By: m.helal on February 10, 2010
at 5:27 pm
Hi Manda,
I think focusing on something that is more embedded in your teaching practice is a really good move. Also the more ‘doable’ the project, the better!
By: Lindsay Jordan on February 11, 2010
at 9:30 am
hi lindsay
so now im thinking that this will be embedded in my practice and that it gives the opportunity for the students to help make the learning resources!!
any thoughts on how i can include the day i work into the question?
By: m.helal on February 12, 2010
at 3:36 pm
Hi Manda,
Do you need to embed the day you work into the question? If you feel that it’s a significant factor in the intervention that you’re planning, either because it is part of the rationale for the intervention, or if it has a particular impact on the design, how you initiate and/or evaluate it, then by all means explore that in your proposal and report. I’m not sure whether it would be worthwhile incorporating it into the question but it’s up to you. The question should state what you want to explore and/or find out, rather than giving too much detail about the context.
By: Lindsay Jordan on February 15, 2010
at 10:46 am