Welcome to the Metropolis Project blog...where National Diploma Art & Design students from Abingdon and Witney College link to their individual project blogs

Friday 17 June 2011

Hi5 e-learning Awards



Title of Submission: Metropolis Blog
Category: Supporting Students and Learning



I am entering this blog for the Hi5 e-learning awards:

This year I experimented by using blogs as a teaching and learning tool. I set up my own blog and then asked students to do the same, linking theirs to mine.This meant I could track their posts and vice versa, but most importantly, they could see each others' progress and make comments. I isolated this experiment to National Diploma Year 2 Art & Design students and one project they were set with the theme 'Metropolis.' I was able to upload learning materials such as video clips, sounds and images in preparation for our lessons, monitor students between sessions and keep in touch with those who were absent using the blog. I was observed by an Ofsted inspector, when using the blog in a session, who commended this emphasis on inclusivity. I  filmed some group activities and photographed art work in progress and posted it to celebrate the students achievements. In fact, the banner is a student's painting from the project.

The students used their blogs in different ways and some are continuing to use them (click on the links on the right.) Indeed, some students have improved their grades since starting their blogs, they have found it preferable to record, critique and evalaute their work online. The notion of a blog publicly exposing their artwork, and the understanding that the blogs can be used for assessment evidence, reallyengaged the students. The group have also been able to print less images, reducing costs and wastage.

There were pitfalls, of course; still required to keep a journal for their coursework, some students felt stretched across two mediums of recording. The Course Leader addressed this by agreeing that they could keep one or the other, hence some blogs continuing beyond the parameters of the project and others not. The staff team are excited by my findings and have agreed that all art and design students will start a learning blog in September, which will be linked to Moodle. Watch this space!

Hannah James, Art & Design, Abingdon & Witney College

Wednesday 30 March 2011

And don't forget...

to show off your blog as part of your unit evidence.

Good luck in your METROPOLIS assessments next week!

Don't forget you are being assessed for Unit 23 (photography) Units 41 (Mixed Media) and then 2 units you have selected.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Jack Fm asked us 'Is it a good idea for 2 strangers to get married?'

You answered:

The video will be on the (Jack Fm) 2strangers.co.uk website soon!

Oxford Metropolis!!

Monday afternoon in Oxford, bathing in the sun whilst drawing. We went to the top of Castle Mound, Bonn Square and Radcliffe Square to create layered experimental drawings in your moleskines. Thank you for  a lovely afternoon (those of you who were there!)

Monday 28 February 2011

Project Tutorials

Some great project ideas are developing this week:

Sam - creating posters to advertise New York City
Jess - Creating her own fantasitical festival
Fran- An illustrated Day and Night in the City
Charlie - Morphed cities into humans, humans in to cities.
Jack - Graphic novel of a bizarre story set in Oxford in 2040
Tom VDB - Poor/rich city using a wall to the two.
Trisha - Social classes and ranks of of the city
Katie - Dream utopia illustration

Make sure you have a tutorial this week with any of your tutors. Create a timeplan this week too- you have 5 weesk until assessement...not long!