1w73 Unit 1 Assessment – Blog Curation

Develop your project proposal to plan a challenging and self-directed programme of study

My initial project proposal aims to explore the social agenda of climate change and sustainability through moving image.  I chose this theme as it is at the forefront of media discussion and a topic that often creates debate.  I chose moving image as a means of delivery as I have been a stills photographer for many years and wish to expand my skill set and working practices, and moving image is an area in which I have little experience.  I suggested in the project proposal that the film will be delivered via the web and also DVD, allowing me to explore new technologies and software.  Both are areas that I have little experience and knowledge, putting me out of my comfort zone as a stills photographer and creating a challenging programme of study.

The project proposal has been developed over time and recorded on the page Project Proposal.  Although I was initially confident about the direction my work would take, I feel that through my research I have discovered new areas that may support my intentions.  The mid point review also played pivotal significance in the development of my project proposal, as it allowed me to identify areas of my research that needed expanding.  Tutorials with Andy and Jonathan also contributed to the development, permitting me to explore and clarify the direction of my research. My travel plans changed, throughout the course and I’ve now settled back in London.  I did collect a good amount of data supporting the initial project proposal but now that the research question has been clarified more, the project has really evolved.  I feel I could explain my proposal in a much cleaner fashion and feel it necessary to rewrite the project proposal; it’s not clear and it could be improved and refined.

Demonstrate a critical engagement with practice-based research and contribute actively to debate and discussion

I feel that I have been an active member of our online community and have contributed to discussion and debate throughout the duration of the course.  I have contributed ideas and suggestion to other members of the group via their blogs, personal messages and in the group chats, during the mid point review and in preparations for the research paper.  Examples of my comments made to my peers can be viewed here: Zak; Satbinder; Maya; Tahira and Melanie.

Regarding my personal work, I’m looking forward to getting back to the practice based research and creating some visuals.  I’ve enjoyed the contextual side of Digital Arts and feel I have discovered a lot throughout the course so far.  Reflecting on my initial project proposal; once I had created some practical work, the ideas increased and expanded my project. I have a lot of sequences to choose from and feel that once properly collated, the intentions of the project will become more clear.  I think I’m trying to complicate some areas unnecessarily.  Some footage will not be included to clarify the context of my film.  Climate change and sustainability has been chosen as the theme of the art project and our understanding of climate change is very much based on information; whether it be social, political or scientific.  As an art project, my work doesn’t aim to encapsulate any one of those yet merely makes suggestions as to alternative energy sources whilst highlighting some contributors to climate change.  The Production Log includes stills of the footage and I think it demonstrates a critical engagement in practice based research, and has allowed me to substantiate my findings and communicate these with others.  Additionally, I do feel that it would also benefit from being updated.

Articulate a clear understanding of the methodology and context of your creative practice in both written and verbal forms

I chose to use time-lapse for the piece as it questions time, reflecting the question how long our planet will survive under stress.  I have included information as to how the time-lapses are created here.

I have considered using a database to deliver the sequences at random, to provide juxtaposition of data that may not be possible if the film was delivered in a linear format.  Examples of the database in cinema.  My interest in the interface and how we communicate with computers has also been addressed and can be found in my research paper, along with blog posts that explore new developments in technology.

1w72 Unit 1 Assessment – Briefing Sheet

UNIT 1 MAVA: Digital Arts Briefing sheet

Unit one assessment looks at the role of Research, Development and Practice within your project.

In preparation for the assessment on Monday January 31st, you need to consider the following:
What have you developed + learned over the unit.
How has your project proposal changed / developed since its submission.
Has your timetable worked / failed / changed.
How was your work received in Mid point review – what changes were made as a result of feedback.
What development work have you undertaken.
How has practice informed the direction of the project.

Assessment Evidence:

You are required to curate your assessment. A separate page / section of your blog is required, with a title such as UNIT 1 ASSESSMENT. The purpose of this is to indicate to staff and to your peers your understanding of the knowledge that you have developed over unit 1. This is contextual knowledge, professional skills that you have developed, knowledge that has been obtained though systematic rigour such as ‘action research’, etc. Also your engagement within the group needs to be demonstrated. This could be in the form of reflections upon some of the key conversations and debates over the unit.
The ‘curation’ requires the following:

• Create a new page / section within your blog called UNIT 1 Assessment.

• List the Learning outcomes.

• Under each learning outcome, you will need to evidence how you have achieved it. Remember learning outcomes require a minimum of 2 pieces of evidence – we expect to see 3 / 4 pieces of evidence. Use the ‘Assessment Evidence’ [listed below] as a guide to what you can submit. Remember much of your ideas / developments and contextual information will be contained in the blog, so use what you have already written

Write a paragraph or two, about each piece of evidence, discussing how it relates to the outcome, and why it is included above other evidence – why you feel its important.
Remember that things that did not work are as important as the things that did.

Learning Outcomes

• Develop your project proposal to plan a challenging and self-directed programme of study.

• Demonstrate a critical engagement with practice-based research and contribute actively to debate and discussion.

• Articulate a clear understanding of the methodology and context of your creative practice in both written and verbal forms.

Please refer to the handbook, page 43, to see how these align to the UAL Assessment criteria.

1w71 Preparations for Unit 1 Assessment

With assessment for Unit 1 looming, I have summarised Andy’s key points from the chat today for manageability.

First up is the overview of work completed.   Looking at the work you have been producing – expertiments, tests – perhaps parts of the final work etc.  Present what you consider is the best and most interesting evidence that you have uncovered during the course, that supports and develops your project.  This evidence also needs to reflect the ‘learning outcomes’ for unit 1.     Basically; an audit.

This evidence will be research conducted as:

• theoretical
• practitcal

This is why I (Andy) asked you (us) to do an overview of your blogs – so that you could identify areas that need bolstering – finding the research that needs a bit more, and identifying any trends in your thinking/development that you can discuss as part of the curation process

After we did the blogs I (Andy) thought a similar exercise may be worthwhile with regards to practical experiments etc. that you may have undertaken

Things to do: The blog and practice overviews/audit whatever you wish to call them – and then the curation of the blog of the assessment process.

Evidence that you have acheived the learning outcomes

There are 3 learning outcomes for unit 1:

• Develop your project proposal to plan a challenging and self-directed programme of study

• Demonstrate a critical engagement with practice-based research and contribute actively to debate and discussion

• Articulate a clear understanding of the methodology and context of your creative practice in both written and verbal forms

Add the links and information to each section.  It could be reflections on a discussion – so when you have reflected on what has been discussed, and how that issue relates to your own ideas/practice

Consider that we have done other presentations as a group -  research proposals etc.

What I (Andy) would really like to see is a detailed outline of the methodologies; firstly how you came to them, and what other practitioners use similar processes

Methodology is the theory behind the process you use – so if you use moving image in a certain way; why, and who else uses this process