1.
Creativity&Risk-Taking intheCollaborative Curriculum:
Rethinking theArt&Design School oftheFuture
School of Art and Design
Dr Kerry Gough
Learning & Teaching Manager
kerry.gough@ntu.ac.uk
@drkerrygough

2.
Retracting pipeline of students . Removal of Art & Design subjects from primary
& tertiary education . Vanishing BTEC entry routes . Art & Design education
decimation . Creative industries skills deficit . Expectation of HE providers to
plug the gap . Erosion of traditional routes into Art & Design careers.
THE CONTEXT
BUT…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
‘The UK creative industries are admired the world over. They shape its reputation abroad and
power its economic growth at home. Their success is no accident and their future
can be no gamble.’ Creative Industries Council, 2016: 8
This turbulent socio-political landscape of potential-brexit Britain, where the cultural and economic
importance of an art and design education is revered as a ‘vital component of the UK’s creative landscape’
(Garcia et. al., 2018: 48) is built upon an education system that seems intent upon its very destruction.
HOWEVER……………………………………………………………………………………………......
@drkerrygough

3.
NOT FORGETTING THE METRICS

4.
OR THE LEAGUE TABLES

5.
…enOugh said !
©Tubarelli0

6.
School & college
experiences
offer reduced
opportunities for
research, critical analysis
& hypothesis testing
Result in risk-averse,
conformist students,
lacking criticality

7.
hhio
©Terimakasih0
CONFIDENCE
EROSION
WHEN CHALLENGED
TO IMMERSE IN
INDEPENDENT STUDY
…
OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE
THIS IN NEGATIVE TERMS AS
DEFICIT
OR
FAILURE

8.
Michael Marsden
Dean, School of Art & Design
From September 2017
revisioned,
School of Art & Design Manifesto

9.
Revisioning the School of Art & Design
Learning & Teaching Enhancement Strategy
knowledge, skills and attributes that will enable our
students to succeed within both known
and unknown future careers
hands-on, practical learning opportunities
that are active and applied in nature
personalised learning experiences that will
enhance their future employability
Our commitment by 2020
we will create collaborative learning opportunities
within the curriculum that aid in cross-course
community development and the creation of
broad cross-discipline networks of practice
FOR ALL STUDENTS

10.
Homage, n.
‘A work of art or entertainment which incorporates elements of style or content
characteristic of another work, artist, or genre, as a means of paying affectionate
tribute. Also: an instance of such tribute within a work of art or entertainment.’
(Oxford English Dictionary, 2019)
Unit X, Manchester School of Art
Manchester Metropolitan University
Jess Power, Innovation Creative Exchange
Huddersfield University
Wehit the conferencenetwork, hard!

11.
Unit X, Manchester School of Art
Manchester Metropolitan University
Jess Power, Innovation Creative Exchange
Huddersfield University
‘work across disciplinary boundaries
to explore collaboration and work in
association with regional, national
and international partners’ X, 2019
Wicked Solutions . 7hr . 24 hr Challenge
‘innovative, sustainable exciting
developments – cross discipline
boundaries’ Power, 2018
Homage, n.

12.
Homage, n.

13.
THE FAILURE SLAM: NTU TILT SPUR SOTL Funded Research
Enabling collaborative working
Develop risk-taking skills
Experience of failure for learning
No pre-requisites
High impact, low risk
No pressure!

14.
The NTU School of Art & Design Hall of Fame, … no, literally!
Awe-inspiring +
inspirational
Scary
+ Intimidating

15.
.
Failure Slam: THE STUDENT VOICE
We want more
collaborative activity
Only if it doesn’t impact
our results
BUT………..……………………………………………………

16.
Failure Slam: THE STAFF VOICE
We want more collaborative
opportunities & a responsive
curriculum
+
We don’t have enough space in
the curriculum
+
Our structures make it
impossible!
And don’t forget about
the facilities!
AND don’t forget about
timetabling!!!

17.
Our students loved it!

18.
Reassurance of Impact & Value

19.
APPROVAL OF OUR VICE CHANCELLOR: Prof Edward Peck

20.
The Challenge… Whole School Curriculum Redesign

21.
Working in Cross-Curriculum Groups
Integration with technical support & administrators
Turning our Shared Vision into Collective Action
Mobilising Whole School Curriculum Redesign

22.
Collaborative Curriculum Design Sprint: Shared Principles
School collaborative offer for all students, of all courses and years
Fulfils the future needs of the Creative Industries
Places design thinking at the centre of the curriculum
Enhances strong making tradition
Tackles global and societal challenges
Develop cross-cutting School themes, appropriate to all courses and future needs of students
Constructed to facilitate creativity, risk taking and failure as part of the student learning experience
Flexible framework for current / new courses to enable collaboration and choice

23.
You are the curriculum architects...
6 School Executive Planning Days
3 Whole School Staff Development Days
24 Collective Design Workshops
17 Curriculum Design Sprints
8 Pilot Projects
17 undergraduate courses validated
1 massive timetabling project
5000+ students
1 Production Pack to Rule Them All

24.
You are the curriculum architects...
Working in Cross-Curriculum Groups
Innovative Offers for New & Major Course Revisions
Collective Design of Collaborative Experiences
Development of Shared Optional Modules
Supported through
Curriculum Design Sprints

25.
You are the curriculum architects...
Cross Collaboration Across Four Distinct Subject Disciplines:
Fashion Management, Marketing & Communication
Fashion, Textiles & Knitwear Design
Visual Arts
Visual Communication
ALL OFF TIMETABLE AT THE SAME TIME

26.
Collaborative Curriculum Design Sprint

27.
Approval Commendations…
“The commitment, passion and hard work from all staff during the Curriculum
2020 journey has come to fruition with an excellent set of outcomes for the
School. Staff were inspiring, articulate and engaging in the presentation of
courses and panels consistently commended the School wide realisation of its
commitment to collaborative working, risk-taking, optionality and taking
innovative and bold steps in the re-development and design of
the new curriculum.”
School commendation for
approach to risk-taking & innovation

28.
CoLab: Research Exploration & Risk-Taking
Co-Lab offers an opportunity for cross-discipline collaboration to occur across our School, College,
Industries and/or strategic partners*. This module challenges you to think beyond the norm. You will be
encouraged to work outside of your usual frames of reference and to move beyond your comfort zone. You
can expect to engage in new conversations as you explore disruptive learning opportunities through
participation in unfamiliar creative places and spaces. You will make new discoveries through playful
experiments as you embrace new opportunities with unpredictable outcomes.
This module encourages risk-taking, experimentation and learning from failure through engagement with
identified projects and/or themes*. The work of the module prioritises the learning process over the
creation of a product or outcome.
You will be encouraged to push at the boundaries of what is possible as the module develops
opportunities for you to create and innovate whilst working with others outside of your course. You will be
exposed to new ways of thinking and working, through the creation of innovative solutions to the
challenges that you are presented with.
*as relevant

29.
THE MOTIF PROJECT PILOT: Bonington Gallery, Opening Fri 29 November 2019
Interactive events and workshops focusing upon new trend tools to change approaches in the use of brand,
design, motif, and image. Collaboration with industry, students & research toolkits for shared learning

30.
Pilot to learn lessons in timetabling, team mobilisation & facility

31.
Mixed teams of students, working together…

32.
…on unknown projects

33.
To repeat, our students loved it!

34.
The Next Challenge… Whole School Delivery in 2020

35.
Our Postgraduate Taught Review Starts on Monday!

36.
CoLab: Research Exploration & Risk-Taking
Co-Lab offers an opportunity for cross-discipline collaboration to occur across our School, College,
Industries and/or strategic partners*. This module challenges you to think beyond the norm. You will be
encouraged to work outside of your usual frames of reference and to move beyond your comfort zone. You
can expect to engage in new conversations as you explore disruptive learning opportunities through
participation in unfamiliar creative places and spaces. You will make new discoveries through playful
experiments as you embrace new opportunities with unpredictable outcomes.
This module encourages risk-taking, experimentation and learning from failure through engagement with
identified projects and/or themes*. The work of the module prioritises the learning process over the
creation of a product or outcome.
You will be encouraged to push at the boundaries of what is possible as the module develops
opportunities for you to create and innovate whilst working with others outside of your course. You will be
exposed to new ways of thinking and working, through the creation of innovative solutions to the
challenges that you are presented with.
*as relevant

37.
Creativity&Risk-Taking intheCollaborative Curriculum
Weareactively looking forcollaborators
Noagenda other thancollective collaborative institutional learning
Rethinking theArtSchool toInfluence theFuture
School of Art and Design
Dr Kerry Gough
Learning & Teaching Manager
kerry.gough@ntu.ac.uk
@drkerrygough