A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

346 ❘
Teaching in the disciplines
some of the main aspects are listed below. The list is numbered not to indicate priority
but to make subsequent references back to the list easier.
1 Students are, from the outset of their higher education, practitioners in their subject
of study.
2 Many courses are structured to include long periods of working on projects.
3 There is often a range of technical skills which students need to acquire.
4 Study time and contact hours frequently occur in studios and workshops, which
provide opportunities for engaging in informal conversations about the work in
progress among students and between tutors, technicians and students.
5 Assessment and feedback are often accomplished through the crit, or critique, a key
component of most art and design education.
6 Opportunities to learn from peers and from the work of students in the years above
are plentiful.
7 There is an emphasis on open-ended solutions and many possible ways of
undertaking practice.
8 There is less emphasis than in many subjects on formal knowledge and more on
procedures and ways of working which are more or less appropriate in specific
situations. This knowledge is frequently held tacitly by practitioners (both teachers
and students) and therefore may not be readily articulated.
9 The expectation that students will become independent, self-analytical, critical
thinkers informs the entire period in higher education from the start of their course.
10 Students (and indeed staff) are often uncomfortable with the role of writing and
theory within the subject; it is often seen as separate and unrelated.
11 The environment in which students learn is rich in opportunities to develop skills,
usually referred to as personal and professional skills, key skills or skills for
employability.
The implications of these features will be explored through the chapter.
The tutor-practitioner
Particular challenges for the visual arts educator often result from tutors combining
teaching with active practice in their craft, art or industry (see point 8 in the list above);
many are part-time or hourly paid staff with professional lives outside education.
Combining two fulfilling professions which nourish each other, and flexibility in terms
of hours and future career pathways, are undeniably positives, as are the sense of reward
from bringing to the classroom relevant current knowledge, and a capacity to enthuse and
mentor students. However, there is also a range of complicating factors which can be
stressful for the tutor and have a negative effect on students’ education unless well
managed.
Part-time tutors can find it more difficult to obtain a thorough induction into
institutional and departmental services and equipment to support teaching. Time to