THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Centre for Open Learning : Creative Arts

Undergraduate Course: A Visual and Sensory Response to the City (LLLA07218)

Course Outline
SchoolCentre for Open Learning CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryStudents will learn how to use the sights and sounds of the city to inspire their practical work in the studio.
Course description Students with some experience of drawing, painting or photography will be introduced to a range of ways of gathering visual and sensory information from the city. After taking part in several structured, tutor-led exercises to help see the city afresh, students will return to the studio to pursue structured and independent projects, making small pieces of work, or proposals for works, with guidance from the tutor regarding themes and the use of appropriate materials.


Course Content

The course teaching is typically delivered over weekly class sessions of around 3 hours each and totaling 30 hours. Alternatively, the course can be delivered more intensely or as a block if required.

Over the class sessions the course will cover:
- Introduction to contemporary artistic approaches to the city
- Introduction to research methods for gathering visual and sensory information from the city
- Structured tutor-led exercises - visual and sensory research using photography, sketchbooks and sound recordings
- Practical demonstrations - how to make a sound recording
- Practical demonstrations - how to use mobile phone photography to gather visual images of the city
- Practical demonstrations - how to alter images digitally and manually
- Project brief - visual research (weeks 1-3)
- Project brief - sensory research (weeks 4-6)
- One to one discussions with students to develop an independent project (weeks 7-10)
- One to one discussions with students regarding project development, materials and and project resolution

The Learning Experience

The teaching will be based and delivered in specialist art and design studios or workshops and will typically include a range of practical exercises, introductions to techniques, processes and concepts, and set projects which lead to more focused and personal exploration. Over the course, students's progress will be monitored and supported by the tutor. Teaching will include practical demonstrations, one to one tuition, group discussions and critiques.

Several tutor-led, structured group exercises will take place off-campus in nearby locations in Edinburgh. These will last around one hour. Students will also be encouraged to conduct some independent visual and sensory research during class time and also as part of their directed study.

For work required to be undertaken after the class hours are complete, the course tutor will set students a 'directed study plan' which can be undertaken without the need for specialist workshops or access to models.

Directed study will include research into a range of suggested artists or designers and their associated movements to engender a contextual awareness of the sculpted figure in visual culture. Students will be expected to demonstrate how the research has informed their work through annotated sketchbooks or visual journals and practical outcomes. The Directed Study Plan will include preparing evidence of research and practical work to form an appropriate presentation for assessment.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs Unless otherwise stated, all students on this short course pay a published course fee per enrolment.
In addition to the learning and teaching resources and content, this fee also includes;

1 sheet of A1 one-sided card
2 sheets of A3 tracing paper

This course requires students to bring their own art and design materials. The tutor will advise students about materials that they should bring as they course progresses.

Students should bring to the first class:
- a small sketchbook and pencil/pen and basic colour set that students feel comfortable with using outside
- a simple digital camera/cameraphone for capturing images during fieldwork
- a small reporters¿ notebook and pencil for making notes on fieldwork and for journaling thoughts and ideas between classes.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  8
Course Start Lifelong Learning - Session 3
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 30, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 68 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Formative Assessment (required for all credit courses).
(Occurs in weeks 6 or 7 of the 10 week course)

A formative assessment session will occur in week 6 or 7 of the taught element of the course. Each student will undertake a 5 minute verbally presentation with their practical work in progress to other members of the class group followed by a 5 minute group critique supported by the course tutor. Each student will also electronically submit their work in progress digital journal to the course tutor.

Indicative and supportive feedback will be summarised in written form on the digital journal which will give an indication of what areas requires to be address in order to meet the published learning outcomes. This will comprise of short written summary of action points.

Summative Assessment
(Occurs at least 2 weeks after the last taught class)

Two weeks after the end of the class teaching, this course will be assessed by the submission of:

A digital journal documenting a summary of the learning journey as evidenced in the portfolio
(Indicate time spent: 20 hours)
This will include a summary of idea development, media exploration, contextual research, critical reflection and outcomes through notes, annotation, illustration and photography.

A portfolio of visual art/design works
(Indicate time spent: 80 hours)
This will include a selection of resolved design works, sketchbook works, preparatory studies, visual research and evidence of a contextual awareness.

The Digital Journal and Portfolio must be presented in a clear and professional manner appropriate to the discipline. The submission should include work undertaken within the class as well as directed and independent study out with the class.

The combined Digital Journal and Portfolio submission will be assessed against the three learning outcomes for this course. These are equally weighted (33.3% each) and each will be given a percentage grade. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 30% in each learning outcome and an overall combined mark of 40% minimum.

Feedback Formative Assessments
This will comprise of short written summary of action points of areas requiring addressing to meet the learning outcomes, but no indicative grades will be given.

Summative Assessments
On completion the assessment, each student will receive a % mark for each learning outcome along with written feedback putting in context the % mark and outlines areas for development.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Research, Context & Ideas (33.3%) Employ a range of practical methods to gather visual and sensory information from the city, utilising a range of approaches informed by other artists, writers and urban practitioners.
  2. Practice, Skills & Techniques (33.3%) Demonstrate practical knowledge of ways of exploring and synthesising material gathered from the urban environment using a range of appropriate methods and techniques.
  3. Selection, Presentation & Reflection (33.3%) Demonstrate knowledge of how best to present a body of work appropriate to the ideas and materials explored, contextualised within contemporary art practice.
Reading List
Suggested Readings

JOHNSTONE, S., 2008, The Everyday: Documents of Contemporary Art. Massachusetts: MIT Press

EVANS, D. 2013, The Art of Walking: A Field Guide. London: Black Dog Publishing

COVERLEY, M., 2006, Psychogeography. London: Pocket Essentials

PEREC, G. (1997). Species of Spaces and Other Pieces. London: Penguin

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Students will gain skills in:
- reflective practice - through considering their response to the urban environment in the context of their own art practice.
- research - by considering and exploring a range of methods for gathering visual and other sensory information
- critical thinking - by selecting methods and ideas that are relevant to their personal interests and exploring how to apply them creatively to their own work.
- participating in group discussions - verbally communicating their ideas.
KeywordsCity,urban,contemporary art,visual research,sketchbook,journal,sights,sounds,drawing,photo
Contacts
Course organiserMr Robbie Bushe
Tel:
Email: r.bushe@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr John Ethcuit
Tel: (0131 6)50 3409
Email: jethcuit@exseed.ed.ac.uk
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