Critical Reflection (Dalian)

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• explore links between your contextual sources and your practice
• reflect on, research and develop ideas in context
• identify and select different working methods so as to advance your ideas on different design projects;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• reflect on your ideas and draw conclusions to assist the development of a specialist practice project;
• demonstrate organisational skills and time management
• communicate your ideas in a variety of verbal, written, visual formats,

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• how different facets of your work inter-connect: the relationship between context, concepts, materials and techniques .
• the value of critically reflecting upon the development and context of your work
• key theoretical and contextual themes relevant to your ideas;

The Critical Reflection module documents your experience of the development of your ideas in the FD Specialist Practice & Research 2a module (FD) and in the GA Specialist Practice & Research 2a module (GA). It will reflect on and analyse research material collected and document the development of a range of practical and experimental techniques and methods utilised in a project. Your understanding and consideration of the context in which you are practicing, as well as an articulation of how this context informs and/or challenges your practice, should be evident.

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

• Lectures and seminars
• Introduction to methods and techniques of a reflective journal
• Group critiques and tutorials

Learning activities include

• Reflective writing workshops
• Self-reflection – peer discussion (i.e., what have I experienced?)
• Independent analysis (i.e., what have I learnt from looking at the work of other artists?)

Relationship between the teaching, learning and assessment methods and the planned learning outcomes

Learning in this module promotes independent study and is supported by tutorials. You will be encouraged to reflect on the development of your specialist skills and the decision-making processes in the context of specialist practice.

Self-reflection is critical. This means analysing your ideas, methods chosen to develop your work and the skills selected to realise your ideas within a project. The critical work of the Journal will be evidenced by way of critical commentary and reflective reports contained in your final Journal.

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Tschichold, J. (2006). The New Typography. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Lupton, E., & Miller, J. (1999). Design Writing Research: Writing on graphic design. London: Phaidon.

Rawsthorn, A. (n.d.) (2013). Hello world: Where design meets life. Hamish Hamilton.

Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the Judgement of Taste. Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.

McCarthy, S., & Venezky, M. (n.d.). (2013). The designer as author, producer, activist, entrepreneur, curator & collaborator: New models for communicating. Bis Publishers.

Jackson, P, Lowe, M, Millar, D, Mort, F (2000). Commercial Cultures: Economies, Practices, Spaces. Berg Publishers.

Black, S. (2012). Eco Fashion- the Fashion Paradox. Routledge.

Sudjic, D. (2009). The language of things. London: Penguin.

Collins, H. (2010). Creative Research: The theory and practice of research for the creative industries. Lausanne: AVA Publishing.

Grady, J., & Grady, K. (2006). A designer's research manual: Succeed in design by knowing your clients and what they really need. Gloucester, Mass: Rockport.

Potter, N. (2002). What is a designer: Things, places, messages. London: Hyphen Press.

Clarke, M. (2007). Verbalising the visual: translating art and design into words. Lausanne: AVA Publishing.

Armstrong, H. (2009). Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the field. New york: Princeton Architectural Press.

Davis, M. (2012). Graphic design theory (Graphic Design in Context). London: Thames & Hudson.

Lury, C. (2011). Consumer Culture. Polity Press.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal