From Sarah Wall: GMIT,
Ireland…
if I was in charge for a day I would encourage (mandatory seems almost intuitively counterproductive…but maybe not)….. a module in creativity, regardless of disciplines, i.e. across the board.
I would go one step further and request that both “educators” and “students” participate in these modules together….the them and us scenario can be a barrier. Being creative together may help in trust and “comfort” levels for students.
Creativity would involve problem solving, imagination work, the impact of choice, artistic and craft elements, music and song….play and improvisation.
My logic/reasoning is that creativity is absolutely fundamental to life and both inspires and sustains. We are repeatedly told in society (particularly when times are hard) to be innovative in our solutions. If we brainwash our students and ourselves to only absorb other peoples thoughts and deeds and suppress their/our own originality and imagination, then what are we doing to their/our innovation and indeed their/our passion.
if I was in charge for a day I would encourage (mandatory seems almost intuitively counterproductive…but maybe not)….. a module in creativity, regardless of disciplines, i.e. across the board.
I would go one step further and request that both “educators” and “students” participate in these modules together….the them and us scenario can be a barrier. Being creative together may help in trust and “comfort” levels for students.
Creativity would involve problem solving, imagination work, the impact of choice, artistic and craft elements, music and song….play and improvisation.
My logic/reasoning is that creativity is absolutely fundamental to life and both inspires and sustains. We are repeatedly told in society (particularly when times are hard) to be innovative in our solutions. If we brainwash our students and ourselves to only absorb other peoples thoughts and deeds and suppress their/our own originality and imagination, then what are we doing to their/our innovation and indeed their/our passion.
In IADT School of Creative Arts, I think we assume that
creativity is a core component of our Teaching and Learning, because a lot of us are creative, coming
from creative disciplines and teaching creative disciplines (or rather helping
our Learners to Learn creative disciplines in the most progressive and constructivist ways). As creative lecturers, we
assume there are no ‘wrong answers’. We try to push the imaginative aspects of
everything we do, all the time (some
of us more than others, I admit (stretching this point can lead to all sorts of
psychotic and problematic areas)
So, it’s easy for us to be rather
dismissive of Sarah Wall’s suggestion… However, I’m only realising that this
‘problem’ of creativity is probably a daunting prospect for many of our IADT
lecturing staff, admin staff and students.
With this in mind, I've already suggested a series of short, fun, evening workshops in lateral thinking, brainstorming and creativity, starting in September 2012, for all IADT staff, with students invited too... I'm sure they'll find some idiot to run such workshops...
No comments:
Post a Comment