Month: July 2021

ASSESSMENT: LEARNING OUTCOMES

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Nicola South   Student number: 514516

Below are the links to my learning log entries that support the stated course learning outcomes.

LO1 Demonstrate detailed knowledge of visual and conceptual strategies in documentary practice and be able to explore your own critical documentary photographic projects.

Early in the documentary course I attended a virtual event at the Photographer’s Gallery which reacquainted me with the visual technique of “slow looking”, that has now become an integral part of my practice. This led me to the Artist talk by Mark Neville, whose work had been to subject of this session. The concept behind his practice became an inspiration to my documentary work, for reasons detailed in my blog entry learning points from his talk, but most especially the last four learning points I have bulleted in bold type; the last 2 of these influenced the direction of my 5th assignment and I believe these particular concepts will figure strongly in my level 3 work as well: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/learning-log-research-and-reflection/photographer-talks/mark-neville-4-3-20/   

A talk by Fred Ritchen at the Lumix virtual festival gave me much to reflect on when storytelling visually and pointed me towards my choice of subject for my critical review: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/learning-log-research-and-reflection/photographer-talks/fred-ritchen-22-6-20/

My reading of a book by Levi Strauss and a talk given by him, gave me strong direction in some of my work, most particularly my assignment 5 submission Layers of truth: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/research/a5-research/a5-additional-research/levi-strauss/

LO2 Demonstrate an awareness of the wider social and cultural contexts in which documentary photography operates and be able to discuss relevant ethical perspectives in relation to your own practice.

For this LO I would point assessors towards my critical review, signposted by this blog post: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/submissions/assignment-4-submission-critical-review/a4-submission/

The following post as well as my reflections on my general learning in Part 4, illustrates my articulation of wider social and cultural issues and ethical practice in the work of others, and my alertness to such issues: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/learning-log-research-and-reflection/reflection/a4-reflection/my-learning-part-4/

I would also signpost my reflections on my assignment 5 draft which demonstrates that I have used my awareness of ethical perspectives in my own work, and my consciousness of the tensions contained in both expressing a point of view and maintaining objectivity: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/learning-log-assignments-2/assignment-5-personal-project/a5-reflections-against-assessment-criteria/

LO3 Explore and realise a range of ideas and creative starting points, and exercise judgement in the production of visual material.

This learning log post explains the development of my creative starting points and visual material before I presented the draft assignment, as well as the processes involved in the many changes that I made before I finalised the draft: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/learning-log-assignments-2/assignment-3-visual-storytelling-learning-log-assignments/a3-learning-log/

My pre assessment review assignment 6 evidences how I have reassessed and used further judgement when presenting my visual material for assignments 1, 2,3 and 5: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/submissions/assignment-6-submission-pre-assessment-review/a6-submission/

LO4 Manage learning resources, conduct self-directed contextual and visual research, and be able to appraise your progress with increasing confidence.

I would point assessors towards my contextual research for my assignment 5: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2021/04/09/research-assignment-five-contextual-research/

I would also signpost this blog post which captures my additional research for assignment 3, how I assimilated this and how it helped me to develop assignment 3: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2020/11/01/research-assignment-3/

LO5 Demonstrate increasing autonomy and a developing personal voice and exercise your communication skills confidently and interact effectively within a learning group.

I have participated in many student led learning groups throughout the course. The following post merely evidences four of the student led documentary hangout group meetings that I’ve been a part of regularly. It also contains links to the other meetings of that group and my meetings with a regional OCA group. It also shows where these interactions have helped to shape my practice:

https://nkssite5.photo.blog/category/learning-log-research-and-reflection/zoom-oca-meetings/oca-student-led/documentary-hangouts-18-2-21-1-4-21/

To further support evidence of this learning objective I am including the blog post of a recent

Photography Panel Discussion “How to be a creative learner”, facilitated by OCA tutor Andrea Norrington: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2021/07/08/research-and-reflection-photography-panel-discussion/

Next Post: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2021/08/02/assessment-course-reflection-and-evaluation/

RESEARCH AND REFLECTION: PHOTOGRAPHY PANEL DISCUSSION

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How to be a creative learner. Facilitated by OCA tutor Andrea Norrington- 19th May 2021

I was asked by Andrea Norrington to be on the panel of 4 students at different points in their studies, to share our experiences of learning with other students -this was a new experience. Whilst preparing for the session and then when contributing to the discussions, and answering questions asked by OCA students, it caused me to reflect on my studies to date and I recorded items that I thought would be useful when I write my end of course reflections.

Below are the thoughts that I shared whilst on the panel:

Transitioning between courses/levels of study

Q Looking back at your studies, where do you think you noticed a shift in level of study?

  • Documentary assignment 2 & 3 where the levels of reading and research increased noticeably.
  • Approaching level 3, talking to students on level 3, I am aware that there is quite a change in approach and expectations at level 3.
  • Others mentioned essay writing, but I didn’t find this such a challenge.

Q Thinking particularly about Level 2 – how did you decide on courses?

  • Great to have more personal choice in level 2 than level 1.
  • I chose courses that I thought would challenge me and broaden my learning, not necessarily the ones that I naturally leant towards.

Peer support

Q Can you tell us about how useful peer support has been as you complete the final part of your degree?

  • Invaluable. It has been good to be a part of various groups, regional, module specific, and course specific.

Q Where have you found peer support most useful and when do you think it really started to appear as part of your study?

  • Though I realised its value during level 1 it was during my first level 2 course that I noticed the peer support feeding into my work and was helping to shape my assignments. This probably coincided with my growing confidence to share and challenge others to challenge me in my work.
  • Certainly, in level 2 tutors have frequently commented on the value that my working with peer support groups has added to my own work.
  • It has been useful in many ways: Critiquing of my work, learning how to critique other’s work, for technical support, and general support. The more you give the more you benefit.

Q Are there any pitfalls in peer support?  How do you think OCA can assist here – is there also a place for self-sufficiency?

  • I have learnt to be discerning about peer groups. I initially found that level 1 groups were generally not challenging enough. However, as I have moved through my studies, I have found the peer support groups increasingly useful.
  • I have found being both general and specific when sharing work when asking peers questions about my work is effective.
  • The OCA could consider running facilitating courses for some and/or sitting in on occasional sessions to model facilitation.
  • Looking forward I should look to as the level 3 student suggested support groups outside of the OCA, locally and possibly professional groups.

Responding to feedback

Q – Have you had to deal with feedback either from a tutor or from formal assessment that you have been disappointed with? How do you move forward from this?

  • I have never had feedback that has been unfair. It always causes you to reflect, and thus move your work and practice forwards.
  • Feedback usually forces you out of your comfort zone which is good, and I think only then can you begin to find your own voice.

Q – When (if ever) do you think you understood the role of critical feedback in allowing your work to progress and evolve?

  • I have learnt to reflect on feedback at a general level for at least a few days before acting on it; this way I usually find that my brain slowly filters it and finds a way forward. Then I return to break the feedback down and address specifics.

Q – One top tip that you wish you had known when you started studying.

  • Have confidence and value your own ideas and opinions, don’t feel you should follow others, but at the same time be open to other’s ideas. The more you trust your instincts and experiment you will develop your own voice.

It was a new but valuable experience sharing insights with students that I don’t know, and an interesting exercise preparing with the rest of the panel and Andrea beforehand. The reflection it involved made me more aware of the journey that I’ve been on during the documentary course, and the experience that I’ve gained along the way. It was good to be in a situation where I was confidently giving to other students also, and I am well aware that I have benefited great from other students sharing their insights and experience with me in various forums along the way.

Link to recording of the session: https://oca.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=219ac7e0-cb5e-4b67-8098-ad2e00a10f6f

Link to the padlet for the series and this May session: https://oca.padlet.org/andreanorrington/laq2kvhc5mpg

Next post: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2021/07/31/assessment-learning-outcomes/

ASSIGNMENT 6 SUBMISSION: PRE ASSESSMENT REVIEW FEEDBACK

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Tutor report: This was a video meeting followed my written feedback:

nicola-south-assignment-6-Download

There were 3 parts to our conversation:

1. ASSIGNMENT 6 PRE-ASSESSMENT

My tutor confirmed that:

  • I had reworked my assignments well
  • The feedback given has been amalgamated into the finished projects. 
  • As I reworked each assignment the growth in my engagement with them is apparent.
  • It is good how I have also reflected on the feedback given to me.
  • The reworked essay was much improved on the draft.
  • Though she considers that I began documentary well, my improvement during the course is obvious.

She suggested that:

  • I ensure that I have explained fully why I have made the decisions during re-working that I have (for instance the choice of my final images in assignment 3).

ACTIONS:

Revisit all that I will submit and check that I have been explicit about the reasons for my decisions.

Complete the assignment 6 feedback template and send to tutor.

2. ASSESSMENT PREPARATION

  • Appraise and present as if the work is an exhibition of my work that hasn’t been seen before.
  • Don’t assume my Tutor will be an assessor.
  • Consider using assignment 1 instead of assignment 2 for creative content and revisit to see if any of it is of use for my Los. Use ass 4 critical review for LO 2.

3.DISCUSSIONS ON PROGRESSING TO LEVEL 3:

My tutor gave me the link to the level2/3 groupwork on theory and practice on OCA learn as well as the level 3 forum link, which I will join when I can.

The progression meeting will either be with Ariadne or Dan Robinson. I should submit my photography for it (new and previous) and they will ask about my interests, currently:

  • Landscape
  • History
  • Culture
  • Working in a small defined location
  • Different ways of seeing
  • Layers – truth- time – context…….

I should consider what interests me photographically, in life, and what questions are there that I’d like to answer with my work, but not worry if I don’t have a defined idea yet for level 3, as its good to start out with a broad idea.

Level 3 is 2 units simultaneously:

Body of work – at different stages of development.

Contextual studies (dissertation part): this follows the body of work but is not the same, it contextualises it.

I asked about choosing a tutor and was told they will be recommended by what your interests are.

My reflections on this learning journey will be shared in my Overall course Reflection and Evaluation in my assessment material. This document can be found here: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2021/07/31/assessment-course-reflection-and-evaluation/

Next Post: https://nkssite5.photo.blog/2021/07/08/research-and-reflection-photography-panel-discussion/