Designing the interface between research, learning and teaching.

Abstract: This paper’s central argument is that teaching and research need to be reshaped so that they connect in a productive way. This will require actions at a whole range of levels, from the individual teacher to the national system and include the international communities of design scholars. To do this, we need to start at the level of the individual teacher and course team. This paper cites some examples of strategies that focus on what students do as learners and how teachers teach and design courses to enhance research-led teaching. The paper commences with an examination of the departmental context of (art and) design education. This is followed by an exploration of what is understood by research-led teaching and a further discussion of the dimensions of research-led teaching. It questions whether these dimensions are evident, and if so to what degree in design departments, programmes and courses. The discussion examines the features of research-led departments and asks if a department is not research-led in its approach to teaching, why it should consider changing strategies

Engaging museums and galleries in pre-service teacher education

The relationship between teacher education courses and the educational programs and exhibitions operating in museum and art galleries is vital in students’ development towards being informed, critically engaged and effective communicators in schools. This paper will predominately examine how pre-service secondary art teachers, with a prior degree in fine art, and generalist primary teachers at the University of Tasmania have accessed and utilised museums and galleries in their preparation as future teachers

3D digital modelling, fabrication and installation for understanding space and place

Traditionally the teaching of history or theory on art and design courses often takes place in a lecture theatre. Space and place theory is integral to informing the practice led and practice-based experiences in architecture, interior and the built environment. The research team has investigated how digital modeling, fabrication and population tools can enhance the understanding of current theoretical debates surrounding space and place. The aim is to integrate inter-disciplinary practice allowing us to address key research questions relating to the emergence of digital fabrication and its potential impact upon art and design education. The purpose is to provide an engaging and informative situated display, offering an experiential and intuitive frame of reference for constructing and placing objects, activities or events into their spatial context. The research has potential to act as an integrative experiential framework through which we can learn more about different contexts or connections between themes or theories which provides a deeper understanding of space or place. In this new work with Taylor, Benincasa, and Unver evolve their practice through translating 3D research data for a series of new digital and physical experiments intended for enhancing or informing teaching and learning in art, design & architecture. The researchers experimented with a range of 3D software and the functionality of different tool parameters. Fabrication apps and 3D crowd simulation animation tools were used for the first time in this research to explore digital fabrication using cardboard in order to compose and construct 2D and 3D physical simulations of this well-known built environment in the landscape. The fabricated physical cardboard models we produced were located in studio spaces and 3D visual projection live drawing experiences were tested with students and staff working together. The 2D and 3D simulations that the team envisioned are both digital and real; and when installed facilitate a more kinesthetic experience of learning as students are able to create together, and interact with fabricated structures. This evolving research demonstrates how these 3D models, animations and fabrications have the potential to be used together as a catalyst to explore multiple projections of space, place identities, historical and cultural built environment concepts for art, design and architecture students at undergraduate and postgraduate level

The Digital Frontier: Exhibiting the Transformative Impact of Technology on Enhancing Event Attendees' Experiences in Oman

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to review the benefits of technology in transforming events based on attendees’ perspectives and to evaluate the influence of technology on event attendees’ experiences in Oman. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a quantitative research approach and a descriptive research design. Non-probability sampling was used in this study. The data was collected from 137 respondents through a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentage, rank, weighted mean, and Pearson’s coefficient. Findings: Among the participants, the majority of the visitors attended more than five events per year and most of the people liked attending physical events. The highest mean score for the benefits of technology in transforming events based on attendees’ perspectives was ‘Using technology to post comments, read others comments, and enquiring about the events. The highest mean score for the influence of technology on event attendees’ experiences in Oman was ‘Technology helped to learn about the events, search for promo codes, discount coupons, and get tickets at discounted prices.’ Research limitations/implications: Technology and events interaction help in the creation of culturally relevant technology-driven events in Oman. Event planners and organizers can think of various ways to improve the attendees’ experience through various technologies. Social media integration, new mobile applications, and other interactive technologies provide customized experiences. The results of this provide opportunities for further analysis of the effects of artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) on Omani event experiences. It will help attract more people to events and thus increase tourism in the country. Social Implications: Technology impacts people’s attendance at events in Oman with significant social ramifications that touch on some societal concerns. It provides insights into how technical advancements and cultural values and customs could be harmonized to create mutually beneficial relationships of both the past and the present. Events that increasingly rely on technology may require programs to improve people’s digital literacy to guarantee that people can take full advantage of and participate in tech-driven experiences. Originality / Value: It is critical to investigate the technological developments in the event industry and determine how event planners and organizers may use them to provide their guests with an experience. Despite its significance, to date, no research has been conducted on how technology affects the experiences of event participants in Oman. As a result, the current study is crucial, and its findings will be useful to many stakeholders, including the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, tourism organizations, tour planners, planners, and organizers of events.  

Supporting Community Participation in Interactive Exhibits

We describe the Byker Lives Table, an interactive installation that aimed to support user-contributed content in an exhibition of community history around a landmark housing development. As both the history of the development and subsequent social problems in the area are contentious issues, we aimed to support discussion around content that might mean very different things to different people. Based on a yearlong deployment, we reflect on the exhibit in terms of its ability to support community participation, create dialogue representing multiple perspectives on the content and allow lightweight curation

Creating a Tool to Explore Intergenerational Understandings: Through the use of Virtual Reality in Malaysia

This paper provides an introduction to a research-creation project, focusing on developing a prototype Virtual Reality (VR) educational tool. Younger people in Malaysia have limited exposure to or interest in information relating to the elderly, resulting in an intergenerational disconnect. The wider project aims to develop a VR teaching tool inspired by an existing role-playing simulation game (Aging Game). As a storytelling-based experience, VR can be used to share the discomfort faced by older people when using information and communications technology (ICT) such as computers/cell phones, internet and social media.The project is to explore the potential VR has to act as a bridge between the generations and to raise awareness in younger people about intergenerationalissues. The primary focus of this discussion paper is to discuss design and modification of the VR tool for creating interactive experiences that inhabit both the real and the unreal (virtual) world

The power of immersive technologies: a sociopsychological analysis of the relationship between immersive environments, storytelling, sentiment, and the impact on user experience

This dissertation initially focused on exploring the potential of immersive technologies for the distant future. However, the emergence of the COVID-19 virus in late 2019 disrupted the world, causing a pause in many areas. Nevertheless, the butterfly effect of the pandemic spurred the development of immersive technologies, resulting in the rise of the metaverse, web3, non-fungible tokens (NFT), and avatars, which are gaining increasing popularity. The excitement for the metaverse is growing in both academia and industry, leading to new avenues of research, digital marketing, video games, tourism, and social media. This dissertation explores this rapidly emerging technological revolution and its effects on user experience (UX)

Artists’ books in HE teaching and learning

Learning resource, teaching collection, study collection, research collection or special collection: a historical collection of artists’ books like that at Chelsea College of Art & Design Library can (and probably, has) been used and referred to in all these different ways, at different times, responding to changes in education, audiences, users, etc. The focus on research within universities has led, over time, to a narrow view of such collections and their use primarily as research material, often to the detriment of their use in teaching and learning. With the rebalancing in recent years of the importance of these activities, seen again as central to the mission of Higher Education (HE), a re-evaluation of the use of special collections, and specifically artists’ books collections, to enhance and improve the quality of learning and teaching activities, is required