27.08.13 - Clil Exam

Anyone who knows me well, will tell you that despite writing a 10,000 word dissertation, passing a teaching qualification and communicating on various levels daily, I am constantly faced with the fear of "spelling & meanings behind language" I don't know what it is, but I have always found it incredibly difficult. So with that in mind you can only but imagine my facial expression when I was told that those involved in the delivery to the Chinese students would have to take a Cambridge English CLIL exam!!

CLIL (content and language integrated learning) in a nut shell is about understanding the approach and delivery of subject content and language to learners whose first language is not English. It involves looking at the core of my practice in a sense of general "slang" and language used whether formal or informal. Before I broke for the summer a selection of us were faced with a week long intense training course, where we went through the entire CLIL module handbook attempting to store in our minds all that we could. When I arrived back from the summer I sat my official CLIL exam (bringing back memories of GCSE's, I am still awaiting the result and will post up my certificate "If and when I receive it".

Despite not having a particular strength in language, I did become really involved in the subject and it has definitely made me realize just how much we as professionals working daily in a specialist sector can take language and content that we understand for granted. I feel that it has improved my confidence and will ultimately enhance my practise for all students who I will be delivering to this new academic year. The delivery level of the course I will be teaching on  does ask for critical, reflective and analytical creative language, that students may/ may not know where to begin. 

19.08.13 - New dawn, new day & New term for me

Well, what a summer break it has been for me, I have been busier than ever and even before I broke for the summer, new plans were discussed and put in place. I have officially left my position as Course team leader of Level 3 art & design and despite looking forward to the prospect of writing all the new year 2 modules and having such a good year 1 group, I am pleased to say my new and official role at South Essex College is Pathway Leader in Visual Communication for the UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in art & design.

Personally I feel this is a great step in the right direction in terms of professional practice and the level at which I enjoy most. The students on the course have either experienced either A-Levels or one of our Level 3 courses that now wish to take on boards the challenge of a fast paced foundation diploma to essentially build a creative portfolio. The entire team has now restructured and changed with some of my closest colleagues being part of the new team (always helps working with close friends to share that some drive and ambition). I have had delivery experience on the foundation since arriving at the college back in 2010, yet never the opportunity to run one of its creative pathways and write new program and material.

Another added challenge which I will discuss in further at a later date is that we have an exciting and refreshing challenge in the way of oversees students arriving. If you are a regular reader of my Blog you would know that back in May I designed promotional material for the course, that my faculty manager presented to several colleges and agency's out in China. Well between the material I designed and my managers presentation we must of done something right, as we have had several students confirm interest and apply for a position.

This academic year for me I feel is a chance to really put into perspective all that I have achieved at the college so far, with my teaching degree completed and with the responsibility of pathway leadership rather than course I can really get my head stuck into my creative output and my leaner's work. I feel it is also a key opportunity for my to start creating a teaching practise portfolio. Documenting not only the material I design and deliver, but the outcomes and student experiences showcasing my rich and diverse contribution to teaching art & design. For now though, I have a few weeks to work with the team in creating a dynamic and rigorous creative program that will excite not only the students, but myself and my team. Everything I deliver is going to be posted up, so please keep your eyes peeled, a lot is coming your way.

3.07.13 - Padlet "Paper for the web"

Padlet is a great new web resource that was introduced to me a week or so ago at a recent staff development event. Focusing on emerging technology and how to use it effectively within the studio for students, Padlet offers users a free we-based mood board where you can store a selection of resources including, images, notes and web-links. This is a great resource for someone like me who is always trying to remember specific details about a designer or artist that I read about last month or who was recommended as a to pass on their details to a student. 

It now means that all of my inspirational sources and anything "cool & creative" I come across, will go straight up onto my wall and stay there. It goes beyond that though, depending on how you wish to treat your privacy and security you can open your wall up to other users posting additional content and comments to compile a huge communal forum. I would advise anyone who wishes to store digitally their resource list, or who may have a pinterest, to jump on the Padlet wagon.

Check out my wall here.

01.07.13 - Graphic Design tool Kit

There has been for many years a stereo typical image associated with designers and graphic designers in particular, always having the latest gadgets, being on trend (or attempting to). Since becoming a lecturer in design I have slowly equipped myself with what could only be identified as my tool kit, as well as an ever growing extensive amount of books and magazines I own, there are certain possessions that I deem highly beneficial.

From Left - right top - bottom: I-pad mini, Macbook Air, AArk Watch, Pantone Notecards, I-pod Touch, Muji 0.5 Black tip, Muji Mechanical pencil, Graphic Deisgn rule book, Pantone note book.

21.06.13 - "Jack in the box"

After the recent success of the end of year show "Autotelic" some of the students' at the private view were approached by the colleges marketing team for a local press release both internal and external. Below is the article released discussing Jack and his "Fashion Vision" project. 

 

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You can’t accuse Jack Rayner of not throwing himself into his work, he’s quite literally a part of it as he sat in a see-through perspex box as part of a performance-based installation! Thinking, er, inside the box the 19 year old from Rochford found himself in the cramped confines of the clear box of his own making as part of his final major project on the Level 3 BTEC General Art & Design course at South Essex College. He’d picked two words from a hat, fashion and vision.

Jack said: “Throughout my course I’ve worked a lot with computers but wanted to take it back to basics. The idea was that I was sat in a perspex box and I would record my thoughts and feelings on the inside of the box which everyone could see and then people viewing it could respond or ask their own questions. I guess you could say it was a physical embodiment of a social media feed – there for the whole world to see and interact with.”

And people certainly responded, over the three and a half hours that he was sat in his somewhat claustrophobic surrounding Jack had messages asking him how he was through to some deeply personal things. Jack added: “That was what I really loved about it, the whole unpredictability of it all but I think sometimes people like opening up more to total strangers.”What isn’t unpredictable is Jack’s next step; he’s off to Swansea Metropolitan University to study a degree in Graphic Design.

17.06.13 - UAL Event

Well after much speculation and recent events of staff leavings and changes it has been confirmed that I will be leaving my role as Level 3 Art & Design Course leader, and have been appointed as the new pathway leader in "Print & Design" for the UAL (University of Arts London) level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design. To gain clarification of the course and an insight into the expectations, myself alongside the newly founded team took at trip up to Nottingham where UAL held an external event at new Nottingham College. 

The events main aims were to discuss the year just gone, highlighting any factors of success and areas for development, alongside an introduction to any changes due to take place as of September 2013. Another main focus was assessment and in particular ensuring that across the country colleges delivering the qualification kept a level of assessment and standards that swept across the board. It was an opportunity for us as a new team to have a look at Nottinghams' students work, their exhibition and assess according to the UAL grading criteria. Overall, it was really beneficial in agreeing grades not only as a team, but to then find out we were correct according to the external about the marks giving, (a bit of confidence embedded into the team). 

The prospect of going onto the Foundation Diploma initially caused doubts in my mind, I was really pleased with my development and progression on the level 3 course and alongside my former colleague Lee, and felt we had recently found a strong brand identity and house style of work. Not only that but the opportunity to write the new course modules as we transferred over into UAL was something that I felt was a great development point. Having spent many weeks discussing the potential of next year I have started to see the benefits in other areas of development, my CV and a new challenge that is something I always strive off of. I will certainly continue being creative and continue to progress, and of course I will continue blogging, it will just be in a new role.

05-06-13 - Autotelic "Private view"

It is finally here, Autotelic the Fine Art & Art & Design end of year show. A massive night that celebrates the hard work, many hours, tears of stress and joy and all things creative. The night was an absolute triumph, and if you didn't get a chance to see it in person "Unlucky" is all I can unfortunately say. However like all good exhibitions many photograph are taken and below should give you an insightful view of what shape the night was in. The work was of a fantastic standard with some great feedback form the general audience as well as colleagues and managers. A massive well done to all the students who exhibited.

 

03-06-13 - Jack Petchey Award no"3

Well not to highlight this but to get three student Jack Petchey awards in three years of being at South Essex College is not bad running, maybe its just the type of highly driven creatives that keep coming my way. It is great to see those who truly work hard be rewarded and of course I become highly motivated every time we get a winner that represents us as a course and tutors. Pictured below is Liam Cosford, a 1st year student who is to say the least driven by art! enthusiastic and highly motivated as well as creative. As part of the Jack Petchey scheme students are awarded a cash prize to help support aspects of the course, Liam is planning to keep this money safe till next year and spend it on funding part of the years overseas' trip to Pairs. Well done Liam, and I look forward to attending the award ceremony.

30-05-13 - BA (Hons) Graphic Design Show

Wow, it has been a busy busy couple of months, and hence the reason for no blogging and keeping tabs on everything. Autotelic is in full motion, but of course there is always time to visit and give the support in seeing other course shows. The BA Graphic Design show featured work from both year 1 & 2 whilst the 3rd years began final arrangements for Free Range. It was particularly important to me to go and see this show as I had two students who had progressed onto the BA from GAD. The 1st year exhibition was a final body of work responding to Shakespeare and his numerous plays featured at London's Shakespeare Globe theatre, a real simple brief that looked thoroughly into the aesthetics and layout of content whilst attempting to attract to viewer with a range of different visual identities. Jodie Smith (Spider poster featured below) was a former GAD student . The 2nd year show was from a very interesting and intriguing brief entitled "reporters without boarders". The exhibition featured a wide range of visual indents and outcomes responding to the many scenarios we hear of about regarding reporters freedom and the unavoidable danger that these people put themselves in to brings us news. A great brief that had real delicate content to play with, Tom Ettery (T-shirts featured below) was again another former GAD student. It was great to see the development of these two students and to again witness them enjoying their current course.

27-05-13 - "AUTOTELIC" Art Exhibition