The Visual Arts in YIS by james mccrory

Visual Arts Department 2009

The Visual Arts in YIS

James Mc Crory Head of Visual Arts JMC 2009

List of Contents:

1: YIS and the Visual Arts..................................................................p. 2 2: The Visual Arts in MS …………………………………………………p. 3-4 3: Proposals for the Visual Arts ……………..…………….………..…..p. 4-5 4: Resources for implementation …………………………….………..p. 5-6 5: Estimated Costs and Possible Phasing….………………………...p. 6-7

Appendix: Further information and links……………………………….p. 8-9

1: YIS and the Visual Arts 2

The majority of visiting speakers to YIS over the last few years, from Steve Heppel to Ian Jukes etc have stressed the need to develop more creativity through modern technologies to in order to better equip students for the future. The well known TED discourse by Ted Robinson on creativity in schools, quotes Picasso as saying, 'All children are born artists. The problem is remaining artists as they grow up.' For 'artists', for our times it is necessary to also read 'designers'. In the UK, the government agencies have been focusing on this over the last few years, such as the QCA on Creativity. There have been creative developments in YIS that use technology in several areas, including; the introduction movie making projects in English, Design projects and presentations in HKC and Digital Carpentry, (3D computer modeling). If MYP were to be introduced in MS, the future of the VA and the delivery of the Technology component would require serious consideration. To develop an effective cross-curricula strategy, the delivery of at least some of these creative projects would need a more planned and structured approach. Over the last two years the VA Department has fully adopted and implemented a new criteria based assessment system for MS students, which is operated through individual Student Assessment Portfolios. The creative process is emphasized in each project, to ensure critical thinking skills are developed through planning exercises, group and class discussions, class presentations and discussions and written reflections. Completed work is posted on public display on the web. However, it is felt that an impasse has been reached. Owing to the brevity of the time involved for each project there can be no more meaningful development at this stage, and some media are consciously avoided. An examination of this 'time' factor is examined in the following pages. Within the VA Dept., there have been major improvements in the Design and technological capability over the last few years, such as new work tops to facilitate newer macs, design software, a new projection system…..etc. This has been augmented with a new pedagogical and assessment approach, which builds on that in MS, i.e. assessment for learning. All HS VA students also have Student Assessment Portfolios, have their work online and engage in regular critical thinking exercises. Despite the current Gr.12 group (only 5/6 students opted for any Arts at all), the trend on the number of students in VA is on the up. This has also been facilitated in no small way by timetabling changes over the last few years:

• the introduction of two Art & Design Foundation classes in Gr.9 • the introduction of a 5 lesson IGCSE Art and Design class into Gr.9 • the introduction, (next year) of an additional Art IGCSE course in Gr.10 It has been my experience that YIS HS students arrive in the VA lacking both an adequate breadth and depth of skills and understanding relative to their age group. The currently total VA numbers for HS stands at 65, and as these courses are all elective, this would tend to suggest there is a strong student demand for VA courses. Is this being met currently in MS? Following is an examination of the current provision of the VA in MS and recommendations to help find solutions to the issues identified. Recommendations have been written in red font in boxes in relevant areas.

2. The Visual Arts in MS (a) Table (i): The current MS lesson allocation by subject

Table (ii): The current number of lessons per year, for the 3 year duration of MS. Rank (time) 1

Subject

Gr 6

Gr. 7

Gr.8

Total

Human Kind Core

280

245

770

English

175

525

Japanese

140

175

525

Mathematics

175

525

Modern Lang or EAL

105

140

175

420

Science

140

420

4 5

PE Music

105 105

105 70

315 280

Drama/Voice

264

Visual Art

132

(b) Continuity As Art students engage in Art for short periods of approximately only 5 weeks per semester,

(outside of which Art is discontinued), students cannot build up and reinforce skills incrementally over the 3 years. (c) Balance In terms of overall balance the above tables omit the large time commitment outside of lessons for the different areas. eg: academic subjects: homework program and revision for exams sports: playing in various team sports, (practices and games) music: rehearsals for performances of the various bands, choirs etc drama: rehearsals for plays Conclusions: - MS Visual Arts students receive an inequitable lesson allocation. - The learning of MS Visual Arts students suffers from the lack of continuity. - MS Visual Arts students also lack equal 'time opportunity' outside of lessons.

Recommendation 1: As the current MS system disadvantages students in the Visual Arts, and it does not deliver the students the 'balanced' educational experience, (described in the YIS mission statement), regardless of the outcome of current debate regarding the implementation between MYP and the HKC, this issue needs to be addressed. The lack of time allocation in MS allows only certain basic skills, in relatively few media, to be practiced in 6 x 5 week periods over the there years. As MS and HS form an educational continuum, the effects of the current situation on HS Visual Arts students should also be considered. It is therefore only logical that this must at least be a contributory cause to the fact that, (in my experience), YIS students arrive in HS Visual Arts lacking both an adequate breadth and depth of skills and understanding relative for their age.

3) : Proposals for the Visual Arts Recommendation 2: YIS students should have equal opportunity of access to the Visual Arts throughout the M.S. and H.S. The VA program should offer the appropriate time and facilities to students in order to broaden and deepen the range of skills and techniques offered, thus creating access to more routes to a wider variety of creative college courses and professions.

To facilitate this, YIS students need to be offered a broader range of creative opportunities, particularly design and technology orientated. This is also an important consideration if the

school does adopt the MYP. The Technology component could play a significant part in the future development of the Visual Arts Department. a) Students could engage in designing and making various - patterns for fabrics/wallpapers - clothes/costumes/accessories - graphics for various purposes, including larger scale work - 3D designs of objects and sculpture, buildings and interiors - comics - animated movies and cartoons b) These could be 'real life' projects, integrated into existing school events and structure, (as currently happens in Business Studies). Here are some possibilities:

• • • • • • • •

Posters/invitations to YIS Social/Music/Drama/Sport events Costume designs for Drama productions Set designs for Drama productions Designs for YIS team sports wear/bags Designs for YIS school stationary products, momentos etc Collaboration on creative assignments for other subject areas Designs/animation etc for school magazines/webpages/newsletters etc Designs for companies with links to parents

4: Resources for implementation a. Time Any serious attempt to improve the depth of the MS VA program will require a more equitable time allocation. b. Equipment An attempt to broaden the skills offered will require more equipment, and eventually an additional room. c. Staffing Both points 1 and 2 have planning implications for staffing. This may be resolved by using the rest of FC's timetable, who is very keen to integrate further into the VA. He also has a lot of technological skills to help implement future plans. There will also be PD costs to help sustain any proposal. Recommendation 3: To best meet the needs of the students and YIS and to ensure the most effective implementation possible, it is recommended that the Administration and V.A. should embark on a collaborative, coherent 3-5 year plan. Any such plan should made be in conjunction with the current broader review of the MS Curriculum, (including the creative and performing arts).

This approach could be supported by investment books, software, (including updates and guides), magazine subscriptions, visiting creative professionals to YIS, visiting creative alumni to YIS, student visits to Design companies, colleges/courses etc.

Audit of current Visual Arts resources: Equipment audit equipment mac desktop mac tower (-50% capacity) scanner Small format tablets Digital camera (mine) Video camera Flip camera (new) Projector/screen (new) Mobile projector mannequin (mine) sewing machine batik kits clay electric wheels

teacher JMC FC N

qty 6 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 3

The provision of technological resources, storage facilities and the size of the work surface areas have improved dramatically over the last few years. This has been facilitated through the annual "Department 'Review and Proposals' Documents. â&#x2021;? To the left is an inventory of existing equipment in the Visual Arts room. This is better than before, but still basic. There are already several high spec computers and other equipment around the school. An evaluation study could be made of the work carried out on them, to determine if they could be exchanged with current VA computers, to allow for quick upgrade, as computers which regularly use Design programs require a high spec.

VA Teachers experience/technical skills audit experience/skills Interior Design, 3D modeling, Graphic Design & software knowledge, printing Design software training, IT training, Design software knowledge/ sewing machine/

Conclusions: A comprehensive program is required to update resources to best equip the Department for the wider range of creative activities, (as outlined in 3a). More training would be also required for use of up to date software and equipment for all VA staff. Familiarization with Fashion Design processes would also have to be engaged in, as this is also an area of strong student interest.

5 : Estimated Costs and Possible Phasing Math is not my strongest point, but an example of a possible phasing process has been included in an estimated costing calculations below, allowing for a rolling program of growth over 3-5 years, when eventually an additional room would be required in order to offer the fuller program. This clearly would need further work and detail, but does help establish some idea of possible costs.

C Capitol Costs

qty

*Large format printer* A4/A3 laser printer LCS graphic tablet mac tower mac desktop A3/A4 inkjet printer high end digital camera washing machine

1 1 1 3 5 1 1 1

Cost per unit 750,000 (ordered) 200,000 200,000 150,000 50,000 80,000 60,000

sub totals

total cost smaller item costs sewing machine video cameras digital camera scanner portable hard drives small graphic tablets mannequins

qty 6 5 2 2 6 6 6

cost 15,000 20,000 30,000 10,000 30,000 6,000 10,000

p.(i) 1 1 1 2 -

Qty per phase p.(ii) p.(iii) 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 -

2.490,000

1,250000

890,000

sub totals 90,000 100,000 60,000 20,000 180,000 36,000 60,000

p.(i) 2 1 1 2 3 1

p.(ii) 2 2 1 2 1

p.(iii) 1 2 2 1

p.(iv) 2

168,000

160,000

102,000

140,000

750,000 ? 200,000 600,000 750,000 50,000 80,000 60,000

total cost Y 546,000 Other resources black out facilities tripods card readers/bridges inks/papers for w/f printer Fabric cutters sets Fabric dyes sets

qty 2 3 PA

cost (this year)

10,000 5,000 70,000 20,000 PA 20,000 total cost Y:

sub totals 40,000 20,000 15,000 70,000 20,000 20,000 185,000

other costs/works new counters and storage new chairs/stools preparation of new class room staffing (F.C.?) Phase (i)

Phase (ii) Phase (iii) Phase (iv)

cost t.b.c. 30,000 t.b.c. -

p.(i) √

p.(ii)

350,000

p.(iii)

p.(iv) -

1 1 3

p.(iv)

√ √ √ √ √ 165,000

√

√ 110,000

p.(i) √

p.(ii) √

√

√ 90,000

p.(iii) √

p.(iv)

√ -

- preparation of wide format printing area - repositioning of counter tops, (and secure area for LCD tablet) - planning of courses - liason with IT for identifying and ordering best equipment - planning of appropriate staff PD - new countertops/storage provided - ongoing staff PD - increase in teaching hours - planning of courses - ongoing staff PD - additional classroom provided - creation of full time VA teaching position (FC)

6 : Appendix: Further information and links A sample of Art and Design related Courses (Savannah Arts College): Accessory Design Advertising Design Animation Architectural History Architecture Art History Arts Administration Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics Cinema Studies Commercial Photography Design Management Digital Photography Documentary Photography Dramatic Writing Fashion Fashion Marketing and Management Fibers Film and Television Furniture Design Graphic Design: Historic Preservation Illustration Illustration Design Industrial Design Interactive Design and Game Development Interior Design Luxury Fashion and Management Metals and Jewelry Painting Performing Arts Photography Printmaking Production Design Sculpture Sequential Art Sound Design Teaching Television Producing Urban Design Visual Effects

A sample of Art/Design related careers: - Advertising - Architect - Ceramicist - Cinematic photography - Corporate Image consultant - Costume Designer - Design Consultant - Design Manager - Fashion Designer: Clothes design - Shoe Design - Lingerie Design -Accessories design Merchandise buyer - Furniture Designer: retail - leisure - domestic - Graphic Designer : computer/web- game design - computer animation (cartoons/manga) - web page design and layout CGI (SFX for movies)print design - magazine design/layout - packaging design - logos business cards - letter headings - book illustration - comics - Interior Designer: Offices-Retail -leisure bars/cafes/restaurants -civic buildings - domestic - Industrial Designer - Jewelry Designer - Landscape Architecture : Urban environment - Model builder: architectural models - SFX models for movies - models for set designers - models for product designers - Photographer: news - fashion - Product Designer: electrical appliances - toys furniture - Set designer: television - theatre -movies - Textile Designer: patterns textures for fabrics and papers

_______________________________________________ Further Quotes and links: "I think managers have to BECOME designers, not just hire them. I think CEOs have to embrace design thinking, not just hire someone who gets it." Link to the text of Bruce Nussbaum's speech on management and creativity to the RCA, in business week magazine.

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask a creative person how they did something, they may feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after awhile. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. – Steve Jobs A link to the webpage on the development of creativity in the UK curriculum creativity in the UK '1998 US Department of Labor statistics that tell us that 1 out of 2 workers today has been working for the current company for less than 1 year; and that 2 out of 3 have been working for the same company for less than 5 years. Add to this that the Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, was recently quoted as saying that none of the top 10 jobs that will be available in the year 2010 exist today; and that these are jobs that will require workers to use technology that hasn’t been invented yet to solve problems that we haven’t even thought out yet. Ian Jukes "Facing the Future", p.12