Writing Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria in Art and Design. A. Davies
The learning outcomes and assessment reading for Workshops 3 & 4 are relevant to my current assessments for Parts 2 & 3 of the Foundation Painting Pathway, and dissertation deadlines for the BA ACC (BA Art & Contemporary Craft). As an Associate Lecturer and Subject Tutor, Allen Davies article Writing Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria in Art and Design was more useful to me than the UAL Course Designer. Davies outlines the specific language that defines outcomes related to cognition, abilities, and skills, which is significantly valuable to my teaching. This is useful for creating class briefs, lesson plan learning outcomes and feedback for assessments. While I implement the approaches in my lessons and assessments, it is useful to focus specifically on how a student can evidence their imagination and creativity for example, thinking/behaving imaginatively, imaginative activity is purposeful, originality (based on individual, relative, historical), and objective value. As the article aptly highlights, “creativity” and “originality” are less tangible to test than skills and therefore more slippery to define. Davies defined originality as ‘Imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value’. Original is related to either the individual’s practice, relative to peers, or historical. This situated the terms in a measurable realm to direct students towards. Likewise, I found the definition of “understanding” into areas that can be tangibly tested via “description”, “explanation”, or “analysis” clear terms for directing learning outcomes and assessing written or oral material. I was curious about Davies attention to the term “excellence” as elitist because I’ve observed some level of competition in the classroom is healthy for motivating student ambition and helpful in preparing students for the abstract nature of success in the arts. In some institutional assessment matrix (Sussex) I have noticed Excellence has been replaced with Outstanding and I am doubtful this changes any sense of elitism.
I intend to use the definitions related to originality and imagination in my general language during lessons and within learning outcomes to increase student awareness of how these are tangibly judged. I want to apply this while writing current feedback to improve students’ draft dissertations and am intrigued to see the response. I would also like to introduce the question of originality to students during group crits, to invite discussion on how originality can shift depending on artistic objectives.
References
Davies, A. (2000) Writing Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria in Art and Design. ADC – LTSN Learning and Teaching Fund Project: University of the Arts London.
Course Designer: Crafting Learning Outcomes; Enhancing teaching, learning and careers education in partnership with staff and students. The Exchange: University of the Arts London. Available at https://tinyurl.com/2a474v9n (accessed 23 Feb 2024).