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

Curriculum design and development
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• demonstrate a professional standard of drawing skills in a number of set
tasks;
• understand and apply key drawing principles and methods;
• communicate confidence in their ability to be creative through the medium
of drawing;
• show understanding of drawing not only as a creative art but also as a
technical skill, a tool for experimentation and research, and a tool for
presentation and communication of ideas;
• evaluate the quality of drawings used as informational tools within their own
discipline;
• show understanding of drawing as a method for initiating, recording
and developing ideas around which to build and manage a studio
practice.
Alignment of teaching with learning outcomes
The ideas for the intensive teaching unit were tested in workshops with students
from a range of disciplines, including engineering and business. Students were
asked to bring along two drawings of a tree, one freehand and one digital, which
were pinned on to the wall. They were then asked to execute a series of ‘small
steps’ in drawing which illustrated simple but key principles of drawing practice;
at each stage outcomes were discussed, analysed and reflected upon by students.
Within two hours, by following the principles, each of the students was able to
produce drawings of a professional – indeed, exhibition – standard. By comparing
their final workshop drawings with their pre-workshop efforts, they were able to
identify and evaluate key points of development. And, importantly, for the nonart
students, they felt sufficiently competent to explore visual languages and
creativity.
Interaction with students and formative assessment
In observing the student workshops, teaching staff were able to reflect upon the
process of formative assessment within the studio environment, based on the
interactions that took place between students and the workshop leader. Other
points of importance were the use of the ‘small steps’ method; critical diagnosis
of drawings; and a group dynamics of high energy, motivation and enjoyment –
contributing to a level of concentrated work that produced excellent results.
Summative assessment was not a goal of the workshops, but could be
incorporated within a fully developed drawing programme that concluded with
exhibitions of works.
(Nuala Gregory, Creative Arts and Industry, University of Auckland)