Contextual and theoretical studies with The Design Museum

UAL and The Design Museum have collaborated to deliver this continuing professional development day for teachers and creative educators. You will visit two exhibitions and take part in a number of creative activities to deconstruct the challenges faced in contextual studies with your peers and two design specialist facilitators.

Throughout the day, you are encouraged to reflect on your own practice and critically consider how teaching contextual studies with your particular learners and course/s can be supported by the content and context of museums.

The day will start by exploring Origins Creative Arts Festival at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf. The facilitators will set the scene for a day full of activities and exploration, designed to foster a deeper understanding of the importance and the content of Contextual and Theoretical Studies.

Each activity has been designed to promote reflective learning on brief setting and content planning, as well as providing a space for you to share issues and challenges you face with your peers.

For the afternoon, participants will venture to The Design Museum to visit and discuss Hope to Nope. The day will culminate with discussions reflecting on the possibilities, opportunities and challenges presented when using a gallery as medium to inspire and an alternative learning environment, with a focus on breaking down the cultural, language and environmental barriers of gallery as a learning space.

Learning outcomes

• Understanding how exhibitions can be used as direct inspiration for Contextual and Theoretical Studies and through their value as an alternative learning environment

• Understanding the need for an integrated Contextual and Theoretical Studies approach during the progression from Further to Higher Education, as well as the role of the gallery visit in achieving this

• Developing gallery-based strategies (incl. exploring artworks, exhibits and hands-on activities) to improve students’ critical engagement and reflective learning in support of their Contextual and Theoretical Studies

• Developing insights relevant to your own teaching practice, sharing methods and creating new engaging activities that can be mapped to specific assessment requirements related to students’ critical and academic skills
  
  

Who should attend?

Ideal for those who teach art and design qualifications at the following levels:

• GCSE

• AS Level

• A Level

• UAL Awarding Body (Levels 1–4)

• BTEC
  
  

Find out more about this event via the UAL website