3 research outputs found
Sounding Materiality : Explorations In Resonant Practice
How might we explore material agency in sound arts practice to promote more
ecological ways of knowing our world? Through practice-based inquiry what
methodologies might emerge that can provide a framework for novel, open ways of
exploring the relation between sound and materiality?
Sounding Materiality is an account of arts research that works at the intra-face
(Barad 2000) of theory and practice. Through the critical analysis and portrayal of three
case-studies, the thesis contributes two novel sound practice techniques of ‘live
composition’ and ‘locative sound’, which it is proposed enable a closer and more fruitful
relationship between materiality and sound. Within the case-studies that underpin the
thesis, the process of experimenting with an expanded source bond between sound,
meaning, and materiality leads to diverse explorations with natural systems, haptic art,
phonography, sonic spatialisation, and participatory practice. Three sound-based
installations are the catalysts for these inquiries, including two place-specific works
driven by natural processes, Variable 4 and Living Symphonies, and the haptic sound
installation Tactus, conceived as a direct communicative artwork for the blind and
visually impaired. These iterative works took place over the seven-year duration of this
thesis (2010–2017) and have been exhibited publicly, with cross media documentation
of their occurrences imbricated in this text. In their critical analysis two distinct
contributions to sound practice emerge: ‘live composition’, a framework that uses
sonification and generative techniques to drive real-time sound composition based on
live source data, and ‘locative sound’ a technique that promotes the placing of sound in
the reality of the world, drawing relationships of ‘synchresis’ (Chion 1994) between
materiality and composed ‘sonic events’ (Cox 2015).
A methodological framework of ‘resonant practice’ inspired by Schön’s
‘reflective practitioner’ (Schön 1987) emerges by reflection on these case-studies,
portraying a praxis built on specific methodologies of ‘material thinking’ (Carter 2004),
iteration, dialogic collaboration, and communication of knowing through an ‘artstext’.
‘Resonant practice’ takes an ‘acoustemological’ approach (Feld 1994), venturing that an
arts research project rooted in sounding materiality promotes unique, ecological and
vibrant ways of knowing through sound. Through a resonant practice artists working
with sound can aim to propagate a ‘vibrant materialism’ (Bennett 2010), forwarding
communicative, ecological and sustainable approaches to our sonic and material
environment
Online courses for healthcare professionals: is there a role for social learning?
Background: All UK postgraduate medical trainees receive supervision from trained supervisors. Training has traditionally been delivered via face to face courses, but with increasing time pressures and complex shift patterns, access to these is difficult. To meet this challenge, we developed a two-week massive open online course (MOOC) for faculty development of clinical supervisors. Summary of Work: The MOOC was developed by a group of experienced medical educators and delivered via the FutureLearn (FL) platform which promotes social learning through interaction. This facilitates building of communities of practice, learner interaction and collaboration. We explored learner perceptions of the course, in particular the value of social learning in the context of busy healthcare professionals. We analysed responses to pre- and post-course surveys for each run of the MOOC in 2015, FL course statistics, and learner discussion board comments. Summary of Results: Over 2015, 7,225 learners registered for the course, though 6% left the course without starting. Of the 3,055 learners who began the course, 35% (1073/3055) were social learners who interacted with other participants. Around 31% (960/3055) learners participated fully in the course; this is significantly higher than the FL average of 22%. Survey responses suggest that 68% learners worked full-time, with over 75% accessing the course at home or while commuting, using laptops, smart phones and tablet devices. Discussion: Learners found the course very accessible due to the bite-sized videos, animations, etc which were manageable at the end of a busy working day. Inter-professional discussions and social learning made the learning environment more engaging. Discussion were rated as high quality as they facilitated sharing of narratives and personal reflections, as well as relevant resources. Conclusion: Social learning added value to the course by promoting sharing of resources and improved interaction between learners within the online environment. Take Home Messages: 1) MOOCs can provide faculty development efficiently with a few caveats. 2) Social learning added a new dimension to the online environment