SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL STRUCTURE
RELATIONSHIPS
Teacher & student (New Culture of Learning, Collaboration in Contemporary Artmaking, Some Tools for Radical Pedagogy, Emergent Pedagogy, Conversational Pedagogy, Doing Research with Young People, Click Clack Move) The outdated model of pedagogy views the teacher as the single source of authority and students as passive receivers of knowledge. In the art classroom, this means the teacher will "tell and show students how to use arts media to achieve the desired product outcome" (CP). Why doesn't this work anymore? This does not account for the construction of knowledge that students already do in the 21st century (CP, NCL). Students have an unlimited resource of knowledge already on the Internet, so authority is diminishing (NCL). Teachers more meeting the challenge to balance a classroom of resources with the massive information database online (NCL). Therefore, classrooms have started to shift from outcome expectations to process expectations (EP). Students live in an ever connected, globalized world - they need to learn how to work together in a world that reflects this shift in interaction and human collectivity.
Peer to peer (New Culture of Learning, Doing Research with Young People, Emergent Pedagogy, Click Clack Move, Dartmouth) Fostering learning between peers in the classroom helps students learn outside of the classroom, using one another as a network resource - especially online and on social media (NCL). There is also opportunity for students to create friendships and use one another as a resource which has shown to increase academic performance and motivation (NCL, CCM). When the teacher is not the ultimate source of authority, peers can learn to evaluate one another by interacting with each other's work. Evaluation is an exercise in teaching - which increases cognitive understanding (D).
Student & community (New Culture of Learning, Students as Producers, Doing Research with Young People, Some Tools for Radical Pedagogy, Listening, Thinking, Acting Together, Click Clack Move) When students collaborate in community efforts or actively draw inspiration from and/or alter their environment, they can recognize how much of an impact art has on perception and society at large (SAP, STFRP, LTAT, CCM). Extending learning beyond the academic setting is essential for arts interacting with society, and gives students an idea of how they will interact with "the real world" once they graduate. Empowerment is a common result of this interaction (DRWYP, STFRP, LTAT, CCM).
THE CLASSROOM
Physical Layout (Conversational Pedagogy) Physical layout of the classroom should reflect intentions of the teacher and the relationship they would like to have with students.
Communal resources (Listening, Thinking, Acting Together, Collaboration in Contemporary Art) Communal resources help students recognize that art and life can be merged, and that artistic community is a natural part of making work.
PROJECTS & CURRICULUM
Collaborative curriculum (Collaboration in Contemporary Artmaking, Students as Producers, Listening, Thinking, Acting Together) According to Theresa L. Robert's thesis research, there are three distinct categories of artistic collaboration: object-centered, relational, and dialogic (CCA). Any collaboration can use all of these categories at one time - it is fluid.
Specific exercises (Listening, Thinking, Acting Together, Dartmouth, Click Clack Move) can help develop the social skills necessary for a successful collaboration.
DISCUSSION
Discussion is essential for collaborative efforts so students can problem-solve, maintain relationships, critically engage and expand their knowledge. Incorporate specific times for critical dialogue outside of critiques in your studio curriculum. Like the three types of collaboration, these areas of dialogue often flow into one another depending on the discussion.
RELATIONSHIPS
Teacher & student (New Culture of Learning, Collaboration in Contemporary Artmaking, Some Tools for Radical Pedagogy, Emergent Pedagogy, Conversational Pedagogy, Doing Research with Young People, Click Clack Move) The outdated model of pedagogy views the teacher as the single source of authority and students as passive receivers of knowledge. In the art classroom, this means the teacher will "tell and show students how to use arts media to achieve the desired product outcome" (CP). Why doesn't this work anymore? This does not account for the construction of knowledge that students already do in the 21st century (CP, NCL). Students have an unlimited resource of knowledge already on the Internet, so authority is diminishing (NCL). Teachers more meeting the challenge to balance a classroom of resources with the massive information database online (NCL). Therefore, classrooms have started to shift from outcome expectations to process expectations (EP). Students live in an ever connected, globalized world - they need to learn how to work together in a world that reflects this shift in interaction and human collectivity.
Peer to peer (New Culture of Learning, Doing Research with Young People, Emergent Pedagogy, Click Clack Move, Dartmouth) Fostering learning between peers in the classroom helps students learn outside of the classroom, using one another as a network resource - especially online and on social media (NCL). There is also opportunity for students to create friendships and use one another as a resource which has shown to increase academic performance and motivation (NCL, CCM). When the teacher is not the ultimate source of authority, peers can learn to evaluate one another by interacting with each other's work. Evaluation is an exercise in teaching - which increases cognitive understanding (D).
Student & community (New Culture of Learning, Students as Producers, Doing Research with Young People, Some Tools for Radical Pedagogy, Listening, Thinking, Acting Together, Click Clack Move) When students collaborate in community efforts or actively draw inspiration from and/or alter their environment, they can recognize how much of an impact art has on perception and society at large (SAP, STFRP, LTAT, CCM). Extending learning beyond the academic setting is essential for arts interacting with society, and gives students an idea of how they will interact with "the real world" once they graduate. Empowerment is a common result of this interaction (DRWYP, STFRP, LTAT, CCM).
THE CLASSROOM
Physical Layout (Conversational Pedagogy) Physical layout of the classroom should reflect intentions of the teacher and the relationship they would like to have with students.
- Communal tables: chairs and tables open to dialogue between all people - encourages authorship and interaction.
- Workstations: reserved for play, students together, not isolated.
- Seating: all on the same level, around a table or room
Communal resources (Listening, Thinking, Acting Together, Collaboration in Contemporary Art) Communal resources help students recognize that art and life can be merged, and that artistic community is a natural part of making work.
- Places to relax: comfy chairs or couch, zine library for reading
- Places to interact: beverage station, music station, critique area
- Places to share: adequate wall and floor space to build installations, perform, or exhibit finished works
PROJECTS & CURRICULUM
Collaborative curriculum (Collaboration in Contemporary Artmaking, Students as Producers, Listening, Thinking, Acting Together) According to Theresa L. Robert's thesis research, there are three distinct categories of artistic collaboration: object-centered, relational, and dialogic (CCA). Any collaboration can use all of these categories at one time - it is fluid.
- Object-centered: students collaborate with the intent of creating physical art piece
- Relational: students collaborate with other people in the artistic field
- Dialogic: socially-engaged art projects where students are working with the community to improve society
Specific exercises (Listening, Thinking, Acting Together, Dartmouth, Click Clack Move) can help develop the social skills necessary for a successful collaboration.
- Threeing (LTAT): students work in groups of three. This could work for any collaborative project. Because of the smallest possible number of people who can work together, students became more aware of power dynamics and how their actions affect others. Three limits the possibility of dominance or splitting among group members.
- Asset-Mapping (LTAT): students identify resources or knowledge that they can share with the class. This takes away the assumption that students must work independently all the time. Chairs are arranged in a circle for students to sit in with one extra chair. One person is assigned note taker. One person stands in the middle while other students sit and shares a skill or resource they can share with the class. Everyone who also has that resource moves to a new seat, while one person who does not have that resource comes to the middle. The process repeats until every person has a chance to share. Notes are recorded and available to students in some form.
- Peer-to-peer review (D): students evaluate one another's work. This encourages students to collaborate without being concerned about a bad grade from their teacher, and helps distribute energy and accountability among students. Students have to grade or evaluate one another's contribution to the collaboration or group project.
- Trust Building Exercises (CCM): great exercise before letting students begin their collaboration. It could be as simple as partnering students and having one lead with the other in a blindfold!
DISCUSSION
Discussion is essential for collaborative efforts so students can problem-solve, maintain relationships, critically engage and expand their knowledge. Incorporate specific times for critical dialogue outside of critiques in your studio curriculum. Like the three types of collaboration, these areas of dialogue often flow into one another depending on the discussion.
- Social engagement (Collaboration in Contemporary Artmaking): dialogue about society and communities
- Personal insight (New Culture of Learning): dialogue about personal experience and feelings towards a topic
- Active questioning (Strategic Questioning Manual, Some Tools for Radical Pedagogy): dialogue about institutions and systemic oppression
