Smart project final report

SMART Project Final Report

SOUL MATES IN ART

July 2014

Emma Forrest-Leigh

“I learnt that Europeans are all the same when it comes to their art, and we can use art

to communicate as a common language. “

David Rawlinson

The College of West Anglia

The dates

2 year COMENIUS Multilateral school partnerships project

Part of the Lifelong Learning Programme, British Council

Bid submitted 21/2/2012

> Comenius Applications British Council 10 Spring Gardens London SW1A 2BN

> [email protected]

> Project identification > UK1 LLP-Com-Era (BRITISH COUNCIL)

Project ran from Jan 2013 to May 2014

The partners

Three FE colleges:

UK > The College of West Anglia, Tennyson Avenue, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30

2QW, UNITED KINGDOM, UK

www.col-westanglia.ac.uk

The Netherlands > ROC Friese Poort Drachten, Leidijk 49, 9202TW, Drachten,

NETHERLANDS, NL

www.rocfriesepoort.nl

Germany > Heinrich-Hertz Europakolleg der Bundesstadt Bonn, Herseler Strasse 1,

53117, Bonn, GERMANY, DE

www.hhek.bonn.de

UK participants >

CWA STAFF Emma Forrest-Leigh

CWA STAFF Tom Griffiths

CWA STAFF Emily Paxton

CWA STAFF Scott Jarvis

CWA MEDIA STUDENT David Rawlinson

CWA ART & DESIGN STUDENT Charlotte Lawrence

CWA ART & DESIGN STUDENT Egle Silinyte

CWA PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT David Pollard

CWA PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENT Bryony Robinson

CWA GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENT Joshua Marshall

CWA GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENT Kimberley Bowman

The student participants (with names of artwork

produced)

The teacher participants (with names of colleges)

Visit 1 Germany (Bonn) – Nov 2011 PLANNING

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

meeting as well as UK based exploratory assignment, pre project, documented in film. )

ABOVE > Each group of tutors introduce their college facilities and present their ideas

and hopes for the project before brainstorming to establish a way forwards together.

ABOVE > SMART staff working group are established

During initial discussions at the genesis of this project the partners all agreed that Europe is on the edge of a challenging new era marked by social upheaval and economic uncertainty which transcends national boundaries - and this realisation underpins their commitment to the project with real and achievable improvements in the student learning experience as the desired outcomes. These outcomes will be pursued by employing project management tools and techniques together with quality review and evaluation materials derived from the QaS (Quality and Sustainability) resource at: www.programkontoret.se/sv/QaS/ which is sponsored by the European Commission to support Comenius projects under the Lifelong Learning Programme. The project partners are committed to collective success with all partners actively engaged in delivering the project as a whole - fragmentation will be avoided by regular contacts, both on-line and in person, between the project lead in each school whilst ongoing review and evaluation processes will be embedded in the project and informed by staff and students. Furthermore, it was agreed that the impact of the project will be sustained beyond its delivery with active dissemination via 'on-line' hosting and personal representation. For example: a project weblog (blog) will be established to promote discussion; a shared internet platform to enable digital media exchange will be developed to host the art works produced by the students; and each partner will feature the project on its school intranet with local press exposure and publicity in the wider community.

An agreed aim: Project SMART aims to raise student achievement and promote progression by identifying, reviewing, evaluating and sharing alternative approaches to vocational teaching and learning between the partners. Objectives: - to explore the social behaviour and cultural norms of students, staff and publics in the host countries. - to develop self confidence among students which will enable them to work in a foreign environment. - to question stereotypical perceptions and encourage students to treat foreigners with respect. - to enrich the students’ learning experience by developing confidence, commitment and motivation. - to generate and sustain positive learning attitudes underpinned by proactive student engagement. - to familiarise students and staff with foreign languages in a professional vocational environment. - to build awareness among students of visual communication as an alternative to natural language. - to enable partners to experience alternative teaching and learning techniques in different countries. - to enhance student learning by removing constraints and expanding perspectives on teaching methodology. Approaches - these objectives will be pursued by: - hosting workshops to confront students with cultural situations to be solved via a creative consensus. - inviting external experts to support the design process and the social development of the students - reflecting on established working practices and comparing them to those of the European partners. - engaging students in the design, production and application of creative art and media in their own school. - encouraging communication between partners via staff/student exchange visits and 'on-line' discourse. - promoting the impact of the project on teaching, learning and European co-operation to key stakeholders. - evaluating the project and reviewing performance with school partners via annual 'face-face' meetings. These approaches will be employed to explore teaching methodologies, circumvent cultural and stereotypical barriers and innovate the learning experience in vocational areas common to the partner schools. The key problem is defined as being 'sub-optimal learning and achievement as a result of constrained national perspectives, rigid teaching paradigms and an incomplete pedagogy' which will be addressed via a problem-solving mechanism based on a strong personal involvement in the production, exchange and public exhibition of student-generated creative art and graphic design. The three teaching teams agreed to submit a bid to pursue the project based on an agreed format for exploration, development and dissemination through the academic years of 2012-14 on the strength of the thematic scope of STEREOTYPE and the use of creative art to explore this. Report submitted 21.2.12

The initial proposal

Project SMART proposed to engage students and teachers from partner schools in three EU Member States in a productive working relationship to develop and share best-practice in teaching and learning in the vocational context of creative art and media. The process proposed to be facilitated via an enriched multi-dimensional interaction between the partners in which students would explore cultural stereotypes and relationships and this process would be documented by creating specific forms of art and media ranging from ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture and print-making to the performing arts, fashion, photography, video and computer graphics. The student-generated products of this endeavour would be exhibited at a public art gallery in each partner’s home city whilst the student-led activity will inform the participants’ perception of national cultures and illustrate their commonality via the medium of art. The creative outcomes of this artistic expression would act as a focal point for ongoing interaction and discussion between the partners along two parallel and mutually-reinforcing paths: firstly – the project would enhance the knowledge and understanding of national language, identity, cultural diversity and shared historical heritage by participants; secondly - the project would explore new approaches for teaching and learning in creative arts and media to encourage innovation and to share excellence between the partners. The specific interests of each partner were explored in a preparatory visit to identify relevant vocational areas and to establish common purpose. The project was expected to begin in the academic year of 2012 and engage students and teachers from relevant artistic disciplines within each school in co-operative working over a two year period.

Introducing the theme and principal

Project SMART is motivated by a collective awareness amongst the partners that, whilst teaching and learning across Europe is superficially similar, there are radical differences in educational policy, pedagogical process and procedures which reflect differences in cultural heritage and established practice. The project partners represent three EU member States with Germany, Britain and Holland in a contiguous geographical area of shared borders with similar 'socio-economic' profiles and common concerns over employment, economic growth and social welfare. And yet these similarities are often obscured by language barriers, historical issues, stereotypical perceptions and topical disagreements which combine to accentuate differences and constrain the opportunity to share ideas and to build a new European perspective amongst the partner schools. This desire to construct new paradigms in teaching and learning which reflect an alternate world-view is shared by all of the project partners and is underpinned by recognition of the need to actively engage students in the planning and organization of project activities. This involvement is essential if students from different countries are to break through the barriers of language, history and national stereotyping in order to learn from each other in a productive and co-operative relationship. The fundamental driver of this relationship will be communication – the channels, the media and the messaging used to support the project will influence its direction and determine its success. This project will showcase students work in the context of European Art and Graphic/Design and motivate participants to innovate their teaching and enrich their learning whilst the creative art and

media pool generated during the project will form a rich pedagogical resource to support art education and foreign language learning. Students from each school will visit at least one partner in each year of the project, during which they will build relationships with peers and explore their partner's teaching and learning environment whilst working together on an agreed task. This task will be recorded by the students and uploaded to the shared internet platform to enable all partners to review the outcomes. This student-centred approach will ensure that young learners are directly engaged in a project which will support their personal development and enhance their employability in the context of greater knowledge and understanding of the value and diversity of European language and culture. If learning is defined as a change in behaviour then long term success in this project will be measured by its ability to create mechanisms and to inculcate attitudes which sustain individual learning, promote behavioural change and nurture growth. In this context, whilst language will play an important role in the project, the partners are keen to explore, develop and apply other modes of communication. For example: by visualisation – young people are increasing exposed to concepts, ideas and information via images and videos delivered via broadcast and on-line media in a variety of contexts which cover both formal and informal learning. In modern life this exposure is now part of a process of socialization which has been shown to engage young people via social networking (Facebook) and instant messaging (MSN/Twitter) which can transcend the spoken word. This project will enable young European students to learn how to use artistic expression to support their own learning and to develop new vocational skills with a clear focus on enhancing their employability and underpinning their future career progression. When dealing with international business partners it will be of great advantage to have knowledge about the different cultural backgrounds, even more to have experienced and analysed the meaning of a diverse mentality and the resulting behaviour – a process that can be basically applied to other cultural situations. This direct engagement will generate a sense of ownership and will empower students to manage their learning experience and build their confidence via a fluid interaction between staff and students in a structured learning community which acts beyond the barriers of national culture and language. Whilst working on their art pieces the students will be encouraged to review what they do and evaluate how they learn - which is an important factor when comparing approaches and reflecting on the merits of alternatives. On a personal level they will understand that there are often several viable solutions to a problem and that, whilst one isn't necessarily better or worse than another, it may offer an elegant alternative to established approaches. As the students are personally engaged into the art process by means of their own national identity, they will be highly motivated to deepen their knowledge and revise their project work, as they have been through a hermeneutic circle together with their students of the other nations. Furthermore, as they develop their art portfolio and explore alternative modes of communication the students will realise that natural language is not necessarily a barrier to building productive relationships with students in other EU countries. However, the need to express their own attitudes and opinions will engage them in relevant dialogue and promote their familiarity with English in the German and Dutch school curricula. The choice of English as the common language of the project reflects a consensus amongst the partners of its value and relevance in pan-European and global business and a recognition of its impact on all human social and economic activities. Project SMART is needed at this time to lift the veil of parochialism which has impacted national policy in EU Member States during the recent economic downturn. This is marked by an increasing preoccupation with public funding amongst educationalists which threatens to constrain the

development of new student learning initiatives in the European context whilst increasing concerns among students over their economic futures is reinforcing national stereotypes and limiting the concept of European Citizenship. As the European Union moves out of recession its Member States face short-term issues which are important to their economic recovery but may act against their long-term success in global markets. This success is based increasingly on their willingness to invest in human capital with education, knowledge, training and skills for their young people as a key driver of economic performance - Project SMART will promote this goal in a small but intense impact which will inspire students and teaching staff to look beyond their own parochial veil and to extend the boundaries of their personal potential and individual achievement.

Visit 2 Germany (Bonn) – Jan 2013 COUNTRY INTRO

ACTIVITIES, THEME WORKSHOPS / PRACTICAL

WORKSHOPS

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

mobility in film)

ABOVE> Introductions from the staff teams of 3 counties

ABOVE> Activity to see if we can identify fellow participants nationalities based on their

images alone, before formal introductions took place. OUTCOME > not possible to

identify college groups from images alone. (Images shared before the event.)

ABOVE> Participating students are introduced to each other and form the SMART team

ABOVE> Participants take part in a “nationalities / stereotypes” exploration activity

ABOVE> Participants are asked to present their preparatory work in response to the

theme of “stereotype”, created pre visit, to their peers

ABOVE > Participants take part in a “personality linked to nationality profiling” activity

ABOVE> Participants are asked to feedback on who they met and what they learnt

about nationality differences and similarities in comparison to pre held expectations

ABOVE> Participants tour the German college.

ABOVE> Participants take part in a Photoshop workshop developing practical skills

whilst challenging the right to “deface” national imagery.

ABOVE> Participants take part in a treasure hunt which enables mixed nationality

students to work together and get to know the local town, and then feed back to the

group to win prizes for the most objects sourced and creativity shown in created work.

ABOVE> Germany participants present information about their local areas, including

information on the local “karneval”.

ABOVE > The SMART team are established.

ABOVE

> Social & Cultural

> Bonn

Visit 3 UK (Kings Lynn) – April 2013 COUNTRY INTRO

ACTIVITIES, PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS AND TEAM

WORKS CREATION

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

mobility in film)

ABOVE> Themed events room used for a quiz to explore British stereotypes.

ABOVE > Participants tour the college.

ABOVE > Painting and Drawing workshop.

ABOVE > Photoshop workshop.

ABOVE > Printmaking workshop.

ABOVE > Participants are asked to feedback on work created during the visit in mixed

teams exploring the theme, expressing what they have learnt so far and utilising their

new practical skills learnt in workshops

ABOVE > The SMART team on their second meeting as a full team including student

participants.

ABOVE

> Social & Cultural

> UK

ABOVE > EXAMPLE of the postcard created on UK visit

Midway press

Midway comments

"What I have found the most rewarding so far is the growth in confidence from the students involved. Before the programme commenced, we knew our students were artistically talented and in their own way they had considered the theme, but to see them come out of their shell and engage with other students was a significant step forwards. The life skills being developed are fast tracked because of the project and the scenarios we are putting the students into, and with this new confidence they are more able to engage with other students to discuss their thoughts and receive other considerations in return. The end result is twofold. Clearly students have a better understanding of the theme we set with STEREOTYPES and the resulting work is stronger than it would have been if produced outside of the programme, which meets the outcome we initially identified for the programme. But in addition, the students have learnt how to explore their ideas and receive other ideas and have been challenged to forge these connections. As the students develop in future studies, their general approach and their work will be stronger as a result. I can see that we have already, mid-way through the programme, achieved the STEREOTYPE outcome but have also achieved something much deeper, much more of a life changing experience than any of us had expected. Having taught for 15 years, I have not seen such a distance travelled in such a short time as we have seen as a result of this programme. It has been quite astonishing to be a part of and I am now an absolute advocate of these types of programmes as a way to provide a learning experience to our students." Emma Forrest-Leigh Programme Manager The College of West Anglia

Visit 4 Netherlands (Drachten) – Nov 2013 COUNTRY

INTRO ACTIVITIES, PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS AND

CURATION OF INDUVIDUAL WORK BEING PRODUCED

POST UK VISIT

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

mobility in film)

ABOVE > Exploring the area and national stereotype quiz

ABOVE > Touring the college

ABOVE> Planning meetings to discuss the individual work being created and the best

way to present it together in the touring exhibition

ABOVE > Workshop creating images of participants faces for the exhibition

ABOVE > Presenting progressed work to the team, where some participants have also

opted to create joint work for the exhibition as well as individual pieces

ABOVE > The SMART team on their second meeting as a full team including student

participants.

ABOVE > EXAMPLE of the hosts exchange gifts on each of the “first trip to the country

with participants” visits

ABOVE

> Social & Cultural

> Netherlands

Visit 5 Netherlands (Drachten) – March 2014 EXHIBITION

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

mobility in film)

ABOVE > Exhibition documentary

ABOVE > Post exhibition social

Visit 6 Germany (Kongiswinter) – April 2014 EXHIBITION

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

mobility in film)

ABOVE > Exhibition documentary

ABOVE > Post exhibition social

Visit 7 UK – May 2014 EXHIBITION

SIGNPOST (Also see www.sprinboardtv.com Euro channel video documenting this visit /

mobility in film)

ABOVE > Exhibition documentary

ABOVE > Post exhibition social

ABOVE > EXAMPLES Exhibition promotion materials

ALSO SEE THE PROJECT AND EXHIBITION CATALOGUE FOR COMMENTARY ON

THE MOBILITY ITINERIES, VISITS, PARTICIPANTS, EXHIBITION LOCATIONS AND

ARTWORK DETAILS

The Work

ABOVE > EXAMPLES of catalogue pages

The work

SIGNPOST (For full list and details of the work, please see the catalogue and

www.springboardtv.com Euro channel.)

Evaluation

The added value of this project has been generated by synergies which derive from three powerful factors: > Active student engagement;(all students have learnt new practical skills, created and exhibited work overseas, explored the theme pf “stereotype”, developed self confidence in social interaction and travel, and experienced a variety of cultures through themed food and activities alongside gallery / local site visits.) > Ongoing review and evaluation;(work is used for main qualification submission and presented to tutors at all three colleges, outside of the project to be used for assessment against their qualification.) > Multiple channels of communication; (students still communicate post project via social media,

creating digital work forums. Springboard TV hosts all of the footage for the project, which has been

accessed to show to large staff groups at all three colleges as an example of a successful European

project.)

Project SMART has had a positive impact on our students' confidence in their ability to manage unfamiliar situations associated with working and living in different EU Member States and has enabled them to pursue international business relations, employment in other countries and also to appreciate the role of foreign workers in their own country. Furthermore, students and teachers developed as people by reflecting on prejudices, reviewing attitudes, reforming opinions and by adopting new approaches to teaching and learning which will continue to build on a now established pro-European paradigm and embed new perspectives on pan-European educational co-operation in their home schools.

“My Name is Lisa I’m 18 years old and I’m from Germany.”

Q Why did you want to participate originally? To get to know more about the other countries and to practice my English.” Q What have you learnt about the partner colleges? Do they work the same or differently? Give examples. “I think the other schools from UK and the Netherland works similarly. Both work quite differently to our school in Germany, because we have no TV studio or any place to do practical work with our hands. They work more creatively than we do in Germany. My college work more on the computer and use Photoshop skills more.” Q What new skills have you practiced, learnt and used in the project? “I practiced my creating works with hands and practiced my English. I’m a person who love the creating things so I enjoyed the time spent on this project.” Q What course units/modules back at your own college has this helped with? “This project gave me some ideas for my practical work I will create on my UK placement as part of my programme, when I visit the UK again October and stay there for three weeks to use their workshops. I can do more practical work now because of UK links.” Q What have you learnt about yourself? What skills have you developed as a person? “I really think that I have to practise my English and to communicate more with other people. I think teamwork and talking to each other is better developed too.” Q Would you recommend this project to a friend? “Yes I would, because you travel a lot and see so many great places. Another point is that you practise your English because you must communicate with others to talk with them. It’s so much fun to spend time with people from other counties and realise that we are really all the same underneath.”

My Name is Charlotte Baur. I am 17 years old and from The Netherlands

Q Why did you want to participate originally? “To gain new experiences. It sounded like fun, a chance to make art, and take part in a project with people from another country.” Q What have you learnt about the partner colleges? Do they work the same or differently? Give examples. “They work differently. The UK focus more on the subject of art and we are half art and half math and other subjects in our curriculum.” Q What new skills have you practiced, learnt and used in the project? “That is it important to improve my practical skills and refine the detail in my work.” Q What course units/modules back at your own college has this helped with? “Graphic art coursework.” Q What have you learnt about yourself? What skills have you developed as a person?

“I have learnt to Break barriers and that I am not as under confident as I thought I was. I have gained

confidence in traveling, speaking to others and teamwork.”

Q Would you recommend this project to a friend? “Yes, it was an awesome experience.”

“My Name is David Rawlinson. I am 20 years old and from The UK” Q Why did you want to participate originally? “I wanted to widen my educational experiences before going to university.” Q What have you learnt about the partner colleges? Do they work the same or differently? Give examples. “The Netherlands work similarly to us as they have a TV channel. I think we do more linked work with them. The Germany College seems much more computer based and less practical and I like the fact that they have to have a work placement. We don’t, so I think they get a better feel for the world of work as part of their course.” Q What new skills have you practiced, learnt and used in the project? “I have seen the other students practiced printmaking, Photoshop and painting and drawing while I have been filming them and developing my editing skills, producing the films to document the project.” Q What course units/modules back at your own college has this helped with? “Professional practice, filming & editing and project management. Three BTEC units. It has also helped build my portfolio for UCAS application and counted towards my Personal Development Certificate. The hours I have spent on the project have been included as Guided Learning Hours for my BTEC L3 Diploma in TV & Film, Media Studies.” Q What have you learnt about yourself? What skills have you developed as a person? “I learnt that I can manage to navigate myself around other countries without my parents or elders. I

learnt that Europeans are all the same when it comes to their art, and we can use art to communicate

as a common language.”

Q Would you recommend this project to a friend? “Definitely. It is hard work but it has been the most rewarding aspect of my College studies. Amazing!”

Please note that some words and details have been changed to correct the English used in quotes, or

transcribe verbal interview questions.

ABOVE > EXAMPLE All participants were asked to keep a diary throughout the project

as well as create final artworks. The diary should collate cultural observations.

Future plans

German students have an established annual placement at the UK college during October for

21 days, as part of their main studies.

UK students visit Germany, Netherlands and new partners in Malta MCAST (inspired to join us

as a result of the SMART project success) in March 2015 for 4 weeks as part of their main

studies.

SMART plan to reform in September 2015 to launch SMART 2, to create a video imagery

based project that is web cast, exploring the stereotype theme by involving performing arts and

music students to create short films.