Tag Archive for 'teaching'

Generic Learning

I was recently able to sit in on a universities Student Union meeting. One of the topics of discussion was their frustration that their course didn’t actually focus on the topic it should’ve. For example, almost everyone in the room has had to a basic web design module, even if they’re doing something like journalism or art. The university’s excuse for this is that soon everyone will have to have a website. I kinda understand their reasoning, as the web is playing an important part in just about everything, but shouldn’t the course focus on the topic at hand?

I can understand this reasoning if a journalism student was study online journalism or if an art student was making a web based project, but to teach web design ‘just in case’ seems like something that is more likely to irritate and frustrate people on the course.

I think a review of why subjects are taught is in order.

Soapbox

Something that I saw some time ago on the artsjobs mailing list but forgot to post. It’ll be great for workshop deliverers and anyone else involved in learning (perhaps you, Bobbie?):

Supported by Black Country Creative Partnerships: Soapbox is an informal space where creative practitioners who work in learning can meet up with each other to:

  • question, ponder, debate and wonder
  • get inspired, irritated, encouraged, creative
  • connect up, catch up, talk through what’s up and simply meet up

Soapbox is a space for creative practitioners who work in learning to share and learn from each other in an open and honest way. It’s a space to reflect upon our own creative thinking and practice. It’s about us doing something for ourselves and it will run for as long as it proves useful to sufficient numbers of us to keep it going.

To suss out if it’s something for you, come along to our first session on:

TUESDAY 8TH APRIL (6.00-8.00pm)
Atticus Bar, 113/114 Three Shire Oak Road,
Bearwood, Birmingham, B67 5BT
(Google map)

This session will be started by Noel Dunne, freelance producer and creative agent who’ll be exploring the question: ‘Do we know our own value?’

Confirm your attendance by e-mailing Janine Millington on janine.millington@wlv.ac.uk. See y’all there!