Connections - Identity map
Karen Colville
with Fife College & Dundee University
Part of Professional Doctorate Thesis
Fife College
An experimentation of 'drawing' College users together to express the emotional journeys of education.
Drawing
Connections – mapping the interconnections of the creative journey of college
learners.
I am fascinated by the lines and connected pathways
that are created within community and post-secondary Further Educational (FE) environments,
the learning through experiences, taught
skills and , the
choices we make creating our own learning journey. Can the use of
‘drawing’ help the voices of College users be heard to explore the
individuality of the educational experience. Can drawing help tell the story of
the College users from unique
perspectives that text is unable too? The
ways in which we develop personal journeys through various stages in our lives
is intriguing,
I
query if the act of drawing has connections with educational cultures through
the hierarchy of the skillset involved: a doodle can be seen as a quick sketch
to transfer an idea, but a technical drawing shows in-depth knowledge and
detail, similar to education where learners are informed through static
methodology to allow rapid accepting of knowledge, however deeper understanding
comes with time, analysis and reflection. This cyclical nature of drawing keeps
the experience rooted in the present, as it necessitates a constant
reassessment of the whole (Blue, 2020), showing that drawing involves a
personalised level of understanding.
Each individual’s journey is unique, like any
drawing, and can be interpreted and reflected upon as
a tool to share and express emotion and uniqueness. Many
researchers have proven that we express our emotions and sentiments
and concentration of thoughts through drawing (Rostron, 2019) or use drawing to
think and explore ideas, but importantly to test the relationship between
components (Tollady, 2022). Therefore, drawing has been proven to be a valuable
resource for gathering deeper information about an individual (Cetin, 2021).
I seek to explore drawing as a tool of
communication of the learning journey through the creation of a series of creative
explorative workshops that are
designed to allow participants to express emotion, thought and interest through
using a form of drawing, but also to allow college users to
interact in ways that a written thesis would not allow. Unlike a book that will
sit hidden on a shelf hidden from
the viewer, I would like to create moments of shared connectivity where all
learners, staff and stakeholders can feel part of the College community and
gain new experiences along the way…adding to their educational journey.
Through
using existing space, both interior and exterior, area
and the outputs of the workshops, to
create a number of installation/exhibitions spaces that allow moments of
contemplation, like a piece of art to be appreciated, pondered and to
raise further questions.
- How
can the educational journey of Further
Education (FE) college
users be explored
through ‘drawing’ connections?
- Can a shared visual
experience support the voices of
College learners to be heard, appreciated and valued and build a sense
of belonging?
- Can drawing
help transform
the ‘learner’ relationship with educational spaces and journeys?
- What are the
educational benefits to learners in using visually collaborative experiences?
Making the connections
This is a free event
Suitable for ages:
16+
Organised by
Fife College Built Environment
Collaborating organisations
Fife College Built Environment