1

Arts West Teaching Development Support

Arts West Spaces

possibilities for delivery in the new Arts West Spaces

2

Right: Artist’s impression of northeast corner of the redeveloped Arts West Building

30p Collaborative 8 30p Project 4 30p Object 2 30p Media 1 60p Interactive 2 60p Collaborative 3 60p Project 1 60p Discursive 1 60p Cinema 1 150p Theatre 1

This document presents possible models for delivering subjects in the new spaces available from semester 2, 2016 in the redeveloped Arts West building. Each two-page spread offers a model for the delivery of a subject in a different type of space: the Collaborative Learning Spaces, the Project Spaces, the Interactive Spaces, and the Discursive Spaces. Each example models the hypothetical subject’s contact hours, class sizes, what might occur in-class throughout semester, assessment, and what online materials might be prepared. Each example is accompanied by graphics of the relevant spaces.

Arts West Spaces #

For more information on the specifications and plans of each space, see the Arts West Redevelopment Teaching Space Brief

Contents

I. collaborative

learning

spaces

II. project spaces

III. interactive

spaces

IV. discursive

spaces

3

Collaborative Learning Spaces

4

01

Possible Model

Contact hours for the subject are a 2hr

seminar each week, with a clear

expectation of the time students spend

each week working through material on

LMS.

Classes may have 30 students (e.g.

allowing five groups six), or 60 (e.g.

allowing 10 groups of six), but could

have fewer students and/or have groups

of five students.

Each seminar (on a different overall topic

each week) incorporates a range

of whole-class, individual or group

activities that best engages students with

the evidence, issues, and problems

associated with the week's topic. The

particular activities undertaken might

vary each week according to the focus of

that week or unit, but might include:

whole-class discussion of focused issues

(i.e 'traditional' tutorial/seminar

discussion) using polls or similar

activities to generate discussion and

identify potential differences of approach

and interpretation; students working in

groups of five or six on specific problems,

case studies, focused evidence or

examples, with each group

presenting/reporting to the class on their

arguments/findings/solutions; students

working in small groups (e.g. pairs,

groups of three) to draft brief, written

analysis of evidence or response to

specific interpretive questions, then

share/workshop their analysis or

response with their peers in the group for

feedback, discussion and debate (such a

task could provide an opportunity for a

whole-class debrief on what students

learnt from the peer feedback and the

activity as a whole).

Assessment is designed to reflect the

skills and knowledge exercised in

seminars. Seminar activities can be

explicitly designed form (graded or

ungraded) assessment tasks, and/or

assessment is the cumulative outcome of

the work done in class. Both assessment

and the seminar activities align with the

learning outcomes of the subject.

Online material is designed to prepare

students to engage in class activities. As

well as reading, contextual material and

examples of tackling problems or issues

of interpretation (which may or may not

take the form of vLectures),

opportunities are also provided for peer-

to-peer interaction and exchange of views

on that week's material as a preparation

of the activities and engagement that will

be expected in the seminars. There are

also opportunities for students to reflect

on, discuss and debate the outcomes of

each seminar at its conclusion.

cont.

5

01

Graphics 6

0p

Co

llab

ora

tive L

earn

ing S

pace (x

3)

30

p C

oll

ab

ora

tive L

earn

ing S

pace

(x

8)

Project Spaces

6

02

Possible Model

Contact hours for the subject are divided

into six intensive, half-day/4hr

workshops—one per fortnight—or (in

cases where a single project is developed

over the full course of the semester) at

key points in the teaching period aligned

with the development of project. There

are also clear expectations of the time

students should spend each week working

through material on LMS, and the time

that project groups are expected to meet

outside of class time.

Classes may have 30 or 60 students,

although fewer in each class is possible.

Student project groups of five or six

within each class cohort are determined

at the beginning of the teaching period.

Each workshop might include many

activities also appropriate to a

collaborative approach (see p.4), but the

class time is focused around

opportunities for the each group to work

on complex projects. These projects

might be a single project developed

cumulatively throughout the semester,

might be two or three related projects, or

might differ with each class (i.e. being

based on the topic for that section of the

subject). The workshops might also

provide an opportunity for groups to

devise and deliver presentations on their

projects in class for discussion with, and

feedback from, the class as a whole.

Assessment is based on the project work

undertaken by each group and

workshopped in-class. The graded tasks

combine the outcomes of the projects

themselves (group work) which may

involve presentations and written reports,

and individual reflection and analysis

(including, potentially, ongoing reflection

and analysis of an individual's own

contribution to their group project). The

workshops provide an opportunity for

ongoing, formative feedback (both from

the teacher and from the peer group) on

the projects as they develop, and the skills

and knowledge demonstrated in the

projects/assessment constitute the

learning outcomes of the subject.

Online material is designed to provide

clear articulation of the projects (or

parameters and criteria of the projects if

they are to be student-devised),

contextual material, and examples of

projects and guidance on the

methodologies for developing the

projects. Online tools are also used to

facilitate interaction within each project

group and among the different groups

(i.e. whole class) outside of the

workshops themselves.

cont.

7

02

Graphics

60

p P

roject S

pace (x

1)

Ob

ject

- B

ase

d L

earn

ing L

ab

ora

tory

(x

2)

Interactive Spaces

8

03

Possible Model

Contact hours for this subject are two

1hr lectorial classes each week (or its

intensive equivalent), with an

expectation of the time students

should spend working through

material on LMS before each class.

Classes may have 60 students,

although more students in the class

(possibly utilising 150 capacity spaces,

see graphic on p.11) may be equally

effective with in-class teaching

assistance.

Each class alternates between

presentation of material by the teacher

and discussion of questions raised by

that material. Design of the questions

aligns with the learning aims of the

subject and might include close

analysis of primary evidence

(potentially including object-based

study), interpretive questions, and/or

case studies. Discussion is among

student groups of four or six along

either side of each section of tiered

desk, although whole-class discussion

is also possible. Additional activities,

such as polls, can be employed by the

teacher to gauge students’ understand-

ing of material and prepare for

discussion. Reports from each

discussion group can provide

opportunities for feedback on students'

comprehension, skill development and

engagement with subject material.

Assessment is by individual

assignments designed to demonstrate

the skills and knowledge developed

through in-class discussions. Classes

could be used explicitly to workshop

questions, evidence or case studies

that feature in assignments (or similar

to them) in order to provide formative

feedback on students' progress before

submission.

Online material is designed to prepare

students for in-class discussion, with

teacher presentation during the class

allowing further explanation and

clarification of student questions. As

well as readings, vLectures and other

appropriate video materials, online

tools are also used to allow peer-to-

peer interaction modelling the more

detailed in-class discussions.

cont.

9

03

Graphics 60

p In

teractiv

e Sp

ace 1

6

0p

In

tera

ctiv

e S

pace

2 (

wit

h c

inem

a)

Discursive Spaces

10

04

Possible Model

Contact hours for this subject are a

2hr seminar each week, with a clear

expectation of the time that students

spend each week working through

material on LMS.

Classes may have 60 students with

class divided variously between two

groups of 30, four groups of 15

students, or smaller groups depending

on the nature of in-class activities.

Some classes in this subject follow an

interactive lectorial model (see p.8) in

a 2hr format. A number of other

classes are focused around structured

debate and/or roleplay with groups of

students assigned to construct and

present arguments in support of

specific positions or interpretations of

issues and evidence. The parameters

of each debate, and the evidence on

which to base arguments, are clarified

by the teacher before each activity.

Opportunity is provided for rebuttal

and interaction among student groups

as well as reflection on the outcomes

of the arguments at the conclusion of

each activity.

Assessment combines individual

assessment designed to demonstrate

the skills and knowledge developed

through in-class discussions with

group based assignments based on the

problems addressed through in-class

debate and roleplay. These group

assignments may take the form of

considered position papers and/or

presentations drawn up following the

in-class activities, with the seminars

themselves integrating opportunities

for formative feedback from peers and

teacher.

Online material is designed to prepare

students for in-class discussion and to

provide all necessary background,

reading and criteria for each debate or

roleplay exercise. Online tools also

allow some opportunity for students

to engage in limited and focused

debates before class and/or provide

example discussions, which model

expectations and dynamics of the in-

class activities themselves. Provision is

made for online debriefing and

reflection on the outcomes of the

seminar activities.

cont.

11

04

Graphics

60

p D

iscursiv

e Lectu

re Th

eatre

15

0p

Lec

ture

Th

eatr

e (i

nte

ract

ive/

dis

curs

ive)